2XU Recovery Tights Review

Recently, 2XU sent us a pair of compression tights specifically designed for recovery, and I can honestly say I really wish I’d had them a few months ago. Most of us readily accept that compression garments really make a difference in our workouts, but few probably understand exactly how they’re supposed to help. Worse, some have given up on them…

By Jean-François Tatard – Photos: All rights reserved

2XU is an Australian sports apparel brand specializing in the design and manufacture of high-performance compression garments. Founded in 2005 by Clyde Davenport, Jamie Hunt, and Aidan Clarke, the brand name “2XU” is an abbreviation of “Two Times You,” literally referring to the multiplication of human performance.

The brand primarily focuses on sports such as running, cycling, swimming, and triathlon, but also offers products for other sports disciplines. It is renowned for its innovative compression garments that aim to improve athletes’ performance, recovery, and comfort.

2XU has an international presence and a solid reputation in the sports world. 2XU compression garments are widely used by professional athletes, passionate fitness enthusiasts, and athletes in the recovery phase. The brand is also involved in supporting national and international sports organizations, reinforcing its commitment to the sports community.

Thanks to its continuous research and commitment to innovation, 2XU has become a trusted brand for athletes seeking optimal performance, comfort, and recovery in their sports activities. Since 2018, 2XU has been owned by the LVMH group through its investment subsidiary, L Catterton.

Preamble

The idea is that compression garments improve physical performance and recovery by:

• Increasing blood circulation for better oxygenation of active muscles.
• Keeping your muscles warm to prevent tension and injuries.
• Stabilizing muscles and reducing muscle vibrations to decrease the risk of tissue damage. While the body has a natural way of doing this, called “damping,” it requires energy from the body, whereas compression garments do not.
• Quickly removing waste products like lymphatic fluid and deoxygenated blood from muscles to the heart. With optimal and constant compression, artery walls dilate, and blood flow increases through them. When done well, compression can increase blood flow in your arteries by up to 40% during activity and 30% during recovery, thereby improving endurance, performance, and recovery time.

There’s a reason people use compression garments after surgery to keep their circulation moving, quickly bringing oxygen-rich blood to their muscles and preventing blood clots. By helping your body do what it wants to do faster and better than it could on its own, without expending energy, it’s a good choice for everyone, but especially for those looking to improve their physical activity.

So we know that compression garments work, at least if used correctly. But what about 2XU compression garments?

The short answer is yes, I have noticed and appreciated the benefits of 2XU MCS tights, and I will likely purchase 2XU garments in the future due to my experience. However, this will certainly not be the decisive factor that will allow someone who has never run more than a km at school or cycled 5 km to wake up tomorrow morning and effortlessly complete a marathon or the Étape du Tour.

Given the effectiveness of compression science when done well compared to the negligible benefits if done poorly, it makes sense to spend more on a product made by a reputable company that has both the time and resources to properly design what you need. If you plan to use compression garments and want to see their value, be prepared to spend more and opt for fewer purchases.

2XU is a good example of this principle. I have previously worn mid-range compression garments that didn’t inspire much confidence; the tights compressed my muscles well, but they were tight everywhere – these benefits didn’t target any specific muscle groups and the garments could feel oppressive. Some compression tights also feature an ill-conceived approach for other body parts, such as equally tight waistbands that mark the skin, making them uncomfortable to wear and giving an unflattering silhouette, which makes you much more likely to leave them in the closet and never see a return on investment.

However, even if they are a bit more expensive than these mid-range compression garments (€129 for the Power Recovery MCS tights I tried), 2XU has a thoughtful and optimized approach to compression. Their designs are categorized according to the type of physical performance buyers should use them for, and many of them include MCS, or Muscle Containment Stamping, to properly target blood flow to muscle groups important for that activity. For MCS running tights, this means targeting where my muscles need blood return most to aid recovery.

2XU’s MCS products offer anatomical mapping for targeted muscle support, reducing muscle soreness and improving recovery.

The specific case of our 2XU Power Recovery tights

The 2XU Power Recovery tights feature “graduated stamping” technology that allows us to return to our best faster. A new feature we discovered is the foot brace, which provides directed compression relief from the furthest end of the leg, offering a clear benefit for the entire lower body.

The PWX fabric used in the tights is extra firm, with 360° circular stretch, which reduces muscle movement while increasing blood circulation through a graduated compression profile. Another advantage is that the tights are designed to be layered, with a waistband that is elastic and flat enough to offer a soft and secure feel, making them easy to wear under shorts or tracksuits. In terms of durability, the selected fabrics and threads appear to be of high quality and very durable. Compared to other brands, these tights resist fraying and loss of elasticity better. Furthermore, they have the essential advantage of keeping the skin cool and dry, thus meeting the specific needs of this type of product during sports use.

Our opinion

We tested the Power Recovery Compression tights in various situations: before a competition, after a competition, after an intense training session, at night while sleeping, and even during commutes to and from competitions, as well as during travel. In short, we used them almost everywhere possible (with the exception of airplanes where they would probably be very appreciated). And the observation is undeniable: these Power Recovery Compression tights significantly reduce our regeneration time. The compression is graduated and adjusted thanks to a stamping technology that extends to the foot. Although this garment is not very masculine, we must concede that it improves blood circulation and promotes muscle recovery after training sessions.

These tights are perfectly suited for recovery phases between intensive training sessions or after competitions. The graduated compression seems to increase blood flow, which reduces swelling and allows muscles to recover much faster. The comfort is exceptional, and the flat seams significantly reduce chafing. They can be easily worn under our clothes, like players on NBA benches such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, or even UFC free fighter Conor McGregor… Moreover, the material used is antibacterial and ensures that it remains odorless. This means you don’t need to wash them as frequently, and it’s also a positive point for reducing our ecological footprint.

In conclusion…

The tights should be considered an additional tool offered to athletes, a complement to other recovery techniques. They cannot in any way replace good rest and good nutrition, but they can provide a little “extra” sought after in the context of performance. In summary, the tights alone will not do all the work, but they can provide valuable assistance as a complement and prevent you from feeling as sore after exertion. Thanks to their innovative and thoughtful designs, my experience with 2XU makes me think it’s worth paying a medium-high price for these products.

We still need to test the sleeves designed to reduce fatigue related to repetitive muscle vibrations in the lower leg, but this time in action, during running. This will allow us to complete our evaluation and further explore the benefits of compression for athletes.

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