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Tights. What are they for?

post #1 of 13
4/17/10 at 8:40pm
Thread Starter 
I needed another pair of gym pants, went to the sports store and found everything too baggy. Wound up buying some Nike Dry Fit tights.

I look like Iron Man in them, but I can't figure out what their intended purpose is. I felt a bit weird wearing them at the gym, and I also find them a bit itchy/hot.

I've got a few questions:

1. Are dry-fit running tights meant solely for outdoor running?
2. Are they not viable / not appropriate for indoor gym use? I do mainly cardio.
3. Am I gay for wearing tights at a gym?
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post #2 of 13
4/17/10 at 8:51pm
I seem to think they are solely for outdoor running and biking. I've seen a couple of men at the gym wearing the tights and I think they look awkward. I would suggest looking at the Under Armour line, they have a huge now. I haven't seen them, but I'm sure they make some gym pants specifically for your purpose....but lose the tights
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post #3 of 13
4/17/10 at 8:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sherman90 View Post
I needed another pair of gym pants, went to the sports store and found everything too baggy. Wound up buying some Nike Dry Fit tights.

I look like Iron Man in them, but I can't figure out what their intended purpose is. I felt a bit weird wearing them at the gym, and I also find them a bit itchy/hot.

I've got a few questions:

1. Are dry-fit running tights meant solely for outdoor running?
2. Are they not viable / not appropriate for indoor gym use? I do mainly cardio.
3. Am I gay for wearing tights at a gym?

Out of curiosity, why don't you wear shorts when working out/running indoors?
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post #4 of 13
4/17/10 at 9:06pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ArteEtLabore14 View Post
Out of curiosity, why don't you wear shorts when working out/running indoors?

I tend to switch it up between shorts and pants. The gym is a bit too well ventilated and after doing cardio I like to lift some weights - that usually means being cold if I don't wear pants and have a hoodie with me.
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post #5 of 13
4/17/10 at 9:09pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by WRAdvisor View Post
I seem to think they are solely for outdoor running and biking. I've seen a couple of men at the gym wearing the tights and I think they look awkward. I would suggest looking at the Under Armour line, they have a huge now. I haven't seen them, but I'm sure they make some gym pants specifically for your purpose....but lose the tights
Do you mean something like this? Yeah, I'm tending to think the whole tights indoors thing might be a bit awkward, too. I've already worn them so I guess I'll keep them and use them for long distance biking and outdoor running, if I ever get back into that again (shin splints are KILLING me). EDIT: these are the Nike's I bought, if anyone cares to judge the gheynez factor.
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post #6 of 13
4/17/10 at 9:22pm
I used to wear tights all the time. Underneath stuff like basketball shorts or soccer shorts. They are lighter than underwear and easier to move around in, but your giblets are still covered in case anything happens.
Never wore them to run, though. Always used 5 inch shorts with the inner lining and went commando.
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post #7 of 13
4/18/10 at 12:26pm
I wear tights to the gym in colder weather if I'm doing mostly cardio. I learned a long time ago not to care what other people think. I get some strange looks sometimes but nobody ever says anything.

Tights can look pretty gay if they're very thin or a lighter color, but I think you're safe from the "too gay" label if you're wearing poly-blend tights in navy or black with a thicker fabric.

Once you get used to tights it's hard to go back to sweatpants or baggy shorts (both tug at your knees).

The tights under shorts look seems to be catching on, but seeing guys in tights by themselves is still rare.
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post #8 of 13
4/18/10 at 1:40pm
By tights are we talking compression shorts?

If so, I'd find it very weird to see anyone but a woman (or cyclist) in "spandex". I have one pair of compression shorts that I wear under regular shorts (in lieu of underwear) and a couple sleeveless compression t-shirts that I also wear under a regular T. Helps to wick the sweat away from my body.

I always thought that would be a bit of overkill but I bought one once to try and it worked out for me.
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post #9 of 13
4/18/10 at 2:23pm
They are for gays, women, and for the rest of the population, to be worn under something else on cold days.
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post #10 of 13
4/18/10 at 8:36pm
Thread Starter 
So I wore my iron man tights to the gym again today. Got quite a few looks. Difficult to generalize, but there were definitely some homosexuals in the mix who found me "interesting". There were a couple of women who obviously liked it, and a few more of a conservative type that needed a bit of massaging to dig it. I love the mobility that wearing them offers. I feel a lot more flexible than I actually am. I think they look weird from afar, but when you're actually up close they lend themselves to a neat sense of proportion. Overall, I think I can get used to wearing them regularly.
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post #11 of 13
4/19/10 at 10:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sherman90 View Post
Got quite a few looks. Difficult to generalize, but there were definitely some homosexuals in the mix who found me "interesting". There were a couple of women who obviously liked it, and a few more of a conservative type that needed a bit of massaging to dig it.

The "is he or isn't he?" looks can be fun.
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post #12 of 13
4/26/10 at 1:26am
I wear compression shorts under my gym shorts to keep my nuts from bouncing around and to limit chaffing in my thighs. Wearing compression shorts with nothing over is brave.
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post #13 of 13
4/28/10 at 11:15pm
Comp shorts have an underwear-style waistband and thinner fabric, so wearing those solo would be weird. Running tights are designed to be worn by themselves, the fabric is usually thicker than comp shorts. I have seen some full length compression tights lately with the underwear-style waistband (nike & ua), but I don't see the point (they cost as much as running tights).
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