I am fairly new to running and finding it a big struggle. In my head, having all the gear (but no idea) helps in terms of giving me a bit more confidence. Any wannabe runner will tell you that anything that gives you confidence when going into a run will help, and these Under Armour Men’s ColdGear Armour leggings fit the bill.
I bought these direct from UnderArmour for £50.00 to use as a Base Layer when going outside in the cold for run. I have bought lots of running gear from the UnderArmour website and the service is always top notch. Their products always arrive on time and in perfect condition. I always keep an eye on the Running and Newest sections of their site to see what has recently come in and what catches the eye.
I purchased these particular leggings because I needed a running base layer and also because of the thickness of the material. I hoped that the thickness would mean they would also come in handy when rising a bike, and they certainly do.
At £50.00, they are a bit more pricey than, say, a Nike or Adidas equivalent but they are far more superior in terms of quality so I was happy to pay a little more. I am sure they will soon appear at a lesser price on the likes of Amazon or Sports Direct.
First impressions
As with everything UnderArmour related, their products arrive in style and the packaging is top notch. As soon as I got them out of the packaging I was impressed by the look, feel and the colour of the US ColdGear Armour Leggings.
They have an orange lining that (deliberately) shows through when you are exercising and gives it a slightly more dynamic feel. I was certainly wowed when I got them out of the wrapping.
One of the wider reasons I bought these is because I am pushed for time when it comes to running and I often end up running when it is just getting light or just going dark. These leggings have reflective strips in them so you can worry slightly less about being hit by a vehicle when out running, jogging or training.
Feel and quality
These ColdGear Armour Leggings certainly feel and look really high quality. They immediately attracted positive comments (aside from the usual “are you wearing tights”) from my fellow gym buddies. This is definitely a sign that people like them.
The material feels thicker than the rest of my Under Armour leggings without feeling heavy or causing you to sweat more. They are a compression fit and whilst some of my wider Under Armour compression gear feels overly tight, these leggings still fit really well.
They fit well in the places we dare not mention on a website of this nature and, unlike some other brands, do not gather around the crotch or on the legs. They really do fit well.
Do they help you train better?
I am convinced that training hard is largely down to confidence in how you appear and alike and these leggings certainly do help with that. I attend lots of bootcamp classes and these often involve lots of dynamic movements and whilst some leggings sag or lose definition during a sweaty class, the Under Armour leggings really feel like they give you great support and help you move a bit more freely.
Another thing I have noticed recently is that I seem to be able to do heavier deadlifts when I am wearing tights when compared to wearing just shorts. I think this must be psychological but even so, if it helps, I will take it!
Under Armour really pioneered “Wick” technology. This essentially keeps the sweat away from your body and I have really put this technology to the test both in terms of long runs (10K for example) and really hard boot camp classes. No sweat has been felt during these exercises and great praise needs to go to the science and design folks at Under Armour for this, for I am quite the sweaty chap when it comes to long exercise sessions.
Tech Spec
Go to the Under Armour site to read the fill spec but worthy mentions go to:
Wick technology – it worksStretch construction – I really feel like this helps with deadlifts and also dynamic movements
Reflective – handy for running when it is getting dark
Water proof on the calves and thighs – again, handy for outdoor running in the Great British weather!
Overall
The Under Armour Men’s ColdGear Armour Leggings are top draw. They are a bit pricey compared to the other mainstream sports brands BUT, they are far higher quality. They have helped me train harder and they work just as well on lengthy bike rides as they do when running or jogging, thanks to their slightly thicker feel.
