Salomon Intensity Running Tights

Lately it’s been so cold that I’ve had to reluctantly pack away my running shorts in favour of some longer leggings more suitable for winter running. Cue, the Salomon Intensity Running Tights.

We filmed a video while in New Zealand running the Routeburn Track. I wore these tights and the video shows you what they look like when worn:

Fit

I chose a size Small, which is my usual size in Salomon running gear. The tights fit perfectly although are a little snug getting on over my hips. The payoff for this is that they don’t need much pulling in at the waist to stop them falling down, although I like to tie the drawstring in a bow just to keep them in place.

I haven’t had any problem with these running leggings moving while running – once they’re on, they’re on, unlike others I’ve worn in the past.

Pockets

Whenever I choose a pair of running tights or shorts, I check to make sure they have plenty of pockets, including a zip-up one at the back, for putting valuables, such as your house key – and others for tissues, food, ipod, etc.

The zip up pocket on these leggings is a bit small for my iphone, but I don’t often take it out running (and if I do it’s normally a long run, for which I wear a race vest anyway). It’s useful for carrying other small items, though.

The leggings also have zips up the outside of the ankles, which is handy for getting them on and off over shoes. Given they fit me so snugly, I’d probably just take my shoes off if I needed to get them off or on, but it’s good to have the functionality if you need it.

Grippy print!

My favourite feature of the Salomon Intensity trail running tights is the grippy print on the thighs! I’ve not seen this on other running gear, and it’s a great addition to help with grip for your hands when hiking up a steep mountain (or hill), pushing down on your legs with your hands on your thighs. Plus, the design looks cool!

Fabric and weight

The fabric is thin and lightweight, so while these are warmer than running in bare legs, I wouldn’t say they are the best option for running on a REALLY cold day, as you’d probably be better off with some thicker, warmer tights.

However, for most of the winter running I do, the temperature is between 3-12 degrees Celsius and these are pretty much perfect for those conditions, assuming there isn’t a freezing cold wind cutting through them.

A pair of blueberries?

While thin, the fabric isn’t see-through, even when bending over (to do some of that uphill hiking I mentioned previously). However, because the fabric is thin, and also due to the placing of the seams along the back, I do think the tights draw particular attention to the bum area! This may not be a bad thing, but is worth mentioning – I was a little surprised at how revealing they seemed on some of our recent running videos and photos. The tights come in both purple and black. While I have the purple colour, I expect the black version will seem less revealing as the seams will be less obvious.

Underwear and chafe

I enjoy wearing these tights and find them comfortable and flattering, although when worn with running underwear the silhouette is not too flattering. If you carry less on your hips than me then you may not have this issue.

I wore these tights for an ultramarathon where I was running for 7 hours. After around 4 hours I felt I had chafing on my undercarriage! This was caused by the seams that run up the sides of the leggings and wrap underneath the crotch area. It wasn’t the worst chafe I’ve experienced but let’s just say I couldn’t wait to take the tights off when I finished. I didn’t have the same issue on the Routeburn Track, which took a similar amount of time, so I can only assume it was due to the temperature, or the fact I did more running on the ultra than the Routeburn, which was about half the distance and I hiked a lot of rather than running the whole way.

Summary

Aside from the chafing issue experienced on very long runs, I would recommend these tights for autumn and winter running, on and off-road due to the comfortable fit and good selection of features.

Many thanks to Salomon for sending these Salomon Intensity Running Tights for review.