As an endurance athlete I have been using compression apparel for many years. While a few pieces have been barely more than form fitting garments I have generally been pleased with the compression movement and what it claims to bring to athletic performance and recovery.  My Opedix Dual-Tec ¾ tights however have been a huge step up from anything I have previously used.

Opedix has worked since 2004 with nationally recognized orthopedic and biomechanics labs to engineer apparel that activates your kinetic chain, and promotes proper alignment and joint function.  It’s called Kinetic Health Gear and as I have now experienced “It powers the way you move.”

It does this through what is called Torque Reform Technology, which essentially is layered fabrics that mimic proper muscular alignment and movement patterns. This encourages your muscles to follow their correct movement patterns and stabilizes your joints as well.  While proper muscular and joint alignment are a claim of many compression companies I truly felt the stability provided by these tights the instant I put them on, especially in the IT bands and the glutes.

Other first impressions were that they were not overly difficult to get on.  They are true compression so you won’t slide right in but I didn’t have to elevate my heart rate just to get them on my legs.  Also while the fabric felt slightly heavy, compared to normal tights at least, and definitely supportive, it was not constrictive in any way.  Off to a great start, now time to go run.

I decided to put these to my ultimate compression test the first time out the door, 3,000 feet of climbing and 3,000 feet of HARD descending in 9 miles, the kind of run that destroys your legs on your best day.  One of the claims of compression products is increased endurance and decreased rate of fatigue.  One of the ways that this is achieved is through decreased muscle vibrations, and nothing gets those muscles vibrating like some quad crushing downhill.

While some of these benefits are hard to measure I definitely felt strong throughout the run, but where I truly was impressed was with how my legs felt during and after some hard descent where your muscles take a beating and your form tends to break down.  Again it’s hard to measure but this is where I undeniably felt the performance, not only over my normal apparel but over any other compression products I have used.

However, decreased wear and tear on your body is the claim that it truly lived up to as was apparent the next day when I got out of bed with almost no soreness.  My legs are normally screaming just to get down the stairs after this type of run and I felt almost nothing! This almost negates the need for the claim “increased recovery.”  As for recovery I did wear them to bed after a hard workout and while I was hot all night my muscles did feel great the next day.  As I only have one pair and I like the way they perform during activity I will rarely wear them for recovery purposes although I have had good luck with other compression products in this area as well.

Other claims of this product are: Improved performance, relief from every day pain, recovery from injury and long term health benefits.  I don’t have an injury or every day pain, but I can see how increased recovery from workouts as well as decreased wear and tear on the joints, claims the were definitely met in my experience with this product, would lead to the fulfillment of these other claims as well.

In short I am sold.  I always have been on compression, but after following up my first hard trial with several more runs and workouts I have to say that these are above and beyond any other compression that I have worn.  And they should be.  They are backed by a great team of sports scientists and you pay for extra performance. They come in 3/4 length, full-length

At $225 they are slightly pricey but I would tell anyone that is going to delve into the world of true compression they are worth it.  No true compression line is cheap and when you can spend $150 – $200 for a pair of tights that barely outperform your average Nike apparel  when it comes to actual compression, do yourself a favor and spend the extra few bucks to get a piece of scientifically engineered Kinetic Health Gear.  You won’t be disappointed.

MSRP: $145.00-225.00

Functionality: 5/5 Excellent for all sports

Weight: 4/5 Heavier material but necessary for structured compression

Durability: 5/5 Heavy hand to the material

Cost: 4/5 Price higher than most compression apparel but well worth it

Comfort: 5/5 Very comfortable

Overall Total: 24/25

 The DUAL-Tec™ 2.0 ¾ Length Tights combines the technology found in our TIGHTS and SHORTS for maximum performance and activation of your kinetic chain. The integration of our torque reform technology from theKNEE to the LOWER LUMBAR represents the latest innovation in kinetic health gear and makes the DUAL-Tec 2.0 ¾ tight ideal for a variety of active pursuits and rehabilitation applications. By promoting dynamic alignment-improved mobility and stability-during training, rehab and everyday pursuits, the DUAL-Tec 2.0 ¾ optimizes joint function, allowing you to do the things you love longer, better and with less pain and fatigue.