Nulux Half Tight First Impressions (comparison to F&F tights)
Hey everyone! Just got these in today and wanted to share some of my first impressions of the new tights. I haven't had a chance to go on a run with them yet and will add an edit tomorrow morning after I do.
Sorry my bathroom mirrors are dirty too by the way. Dad life haha
First off, a little about me:
36 year old male, 155 lbs, 5 foot 9. Size small is what I wear for Fast & Free and these fit true to size for me. I'm a very dedicated marathoner and have ran in F&F tights, Nike Aeroswift, Janji trail, Wolaco Sprint & Distance, and Bandit. To date the F&F tights are comfortably my favorite. I've really wanted Lulu to make a half tight that is more marathon focused and also a bright blue one, so this was a no brainer for me!
Out the gate two things that really stood out to me are firstly that the fabric is thicker than I was hoping. Not too thick for a running tight.. but noticeably thicker than the F&F tights. They feel a bit hotter as a result and probably also because they're not vented on the bottom like F&F is. I'll let you all know how they feel on the run tomorrow in an edit (I'm in AZ, so I'll get a feel for how they do in warmer temps right away).
The price is also listed as 98 on the tag which is obviously different than the cost on the site and what I paid for them. Maybe they changed their minds? Anyone know if that's common for a new release?
I'm stoked that they have a modesty liner in the front just like the F&F tights do. I felt just as comfortable, maybe a touch more in these on that front.
The two side pockets are noticeably deeper which I'm a big fan of. More room to keep a bigger phone stable or pack with more gels if that's where you want to put them. The two side pockets don't have a smaller pocket in them. I'm personally good with that, never use that little guy on my tights.
Many observed already that there is indeed no zipper pocket or loop for a shirt.
The drawstring is on the outside of the main body but inside the front mesh pocket. I'm a fan of that personally, one thing I don't love about the F&F string is that it can bunch up a bit much underneath the waist. This makes it less obvious that it's there. It could interfere with whatever you put in that pocket though... or kinda act like a pseudo divider (When I put some gels in the front pocket it acted as a natural divider for them).
There are 4 mesh pockets that loop around the top. Two larger pockets that go from hip to hip on the front and hip to hip on the back. Then two smaller pockets on either hip. I was able to fit a ton of gels in these pockets. I would also be confident leaving my keys in them. If you run in a F&F tank top (if not, you should) it would bunch up and fit in one of those pockets too. I don't think the top mesh pockets would be big enough for a soft flask though, but maybe a smaller one. My soft flasks are 20oz (and I use a Naked Belt anyway).
All in all I'm pretty happy. Biggest critique for me is just that I wish they were as thin as the F&F tights are.
Happy to field any questions if y'all have them and I'll also jump on to edit with my impressions after my run tomorrow (going out for 10 miles so I'll get a good feel)
Edit #1: TIL that some people get really pressed about runners running in very common running apparel 😆
Edit #2: Took them out on an 8 mile run this morning. Did both some easier pacing and some speed work so I got a feel for both. Initially I was concerned about how breathable they’d be- the first half mile or so felt like they might get really hot. I’m in Arizona so it was high 70s during the run. Fortunately as I started to sweat a bit the tights really cooled down and felt fantastic. Really surprised how cool they felt! I also ran with my phone in the side pocket & car keys in the upper pockets. I tossed some gels in the back pocket too just to see how they felt. No complaints. This is definitely up there with F&F for me, maybe even tops it on how it feels on a run. Very happy!