Under Armour Men’s HeatGear Compression Leggings Review

Under Armour Men’s HeatGear Armour Compression Leggings Review

Brand

Under Armour are one of the most widely known of the compression clothing brands. They’re US based and offer a wide range of workout apparel. This includes their Heatgear compression wear, their original selection of base layer shorts, leggings and tops.

About the item

The Under Armour HeatGear Compression Leggings provid a tight base layer whilst keeping enough stretch to move freely in them, as well as providing the anti-odour and moisture wicking qualities that make Under Armour’s base layers some of the most durable and comfortable compression clothing available. These are the full legging versions of the Under Armour Men’s Heatgear Compression Shorts we’ve already reviewed. While full length compression leggings aren’t too common in combat sports, they can make a good base layer for MMA, Kickboxing, Muay Thai or even boxing, and work well when worn under shorts.

Visuals

My intention with these was to occasionally wear them underneath Muay Thai shorts, so black worked best in my situation, however there are a couple of alternative colours available, including White and Ultra Blue. There’s not much to say about the visuals. They’re solid black, with grey lettering around the waist band, grey stitching down the sides, and the Under Armour logo on the back of the right calf. I personally really like the positioning of the logo on the calf, it’s not something you see too often.

Materials and Craftsmanship

Made from a blend of polyester and elastane, these have proven to be incredibly durable. Over time, washing and regular use tends to make compression gear start to loosen and lose their tight fit, but compared to other brands I’ve used, these are keeping their fit well. The craftsmanship is top level, not a stitch out of place. Even the logo on the leg, which on most compression clothing are the first to peel and perish, hasn’t shown any signs of wear after frequent of use.

Comfort/use

The leggings are pretty light and almost unnoticeable in terms of weight, but they still provide enough compression to help you feel stable and supported, as well as providing the numerous benefits that are believed to come with compression wear – including quicker recovery post-exercise. When getting compression clothing it’s important to get a nice tight fit, to get the most out of them. Under armour’s website advertises the 4 way stretch fabrication, which is reported to provide greater mobility in any direction. You need to make sure the fit is right, but the flexibility in these is pretty great – throwing head kicks is no problem and they allow for a completely free range of motion.

One thing I don’t really like about these is that the waist band seems to come up a bit high. It’s probably just a matter of personal preference, but I found myself folding them down a bit so they come down to the same height I would usually wear my shorts at.

Under Armour’s HeatGear technology is supposed to keep you cool when you’re training, however I still found these to be pretty hot. In cool countries, or cooler air conditioned gyms, these are still great, but I’d be worried about using these when it’s hot (unless you like to sweat a lot). Despite this, the material is still pretty high quality. I was expecting it to make shin guards hard to wear and slip about a lot, although I found they actually didn’t have much of an impact. It obviously depends on the material inside the shin guards as well, but I actually found that one of my pairs of shins even stayed in place a little better. They aren’t great to wear with any cotton style shin guards though, or ones with a full neoprene back.

When it comes to grappling, these aren’t as easy to grab on to as dry skin, however they’re much nicer for your training partner by the end of the training session, as they wick moisture away without collecting it up, making them much more pleasant than bare sweaty legs.

Cost

The mid length shorts can be found on the Under Armour website for £30. It’s certainly possible to find cheaper compression gear on the market, however it’s also cheaper than some alternatives. The durability and comfort of the UA leggings makes these a highly competitive price.

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