Summer Summits in SKINS

How's my summer training going? "Busy" would be an understatement! The Spartan Beast & Sprint in Colorado is just around the corner. This race is all is on ski slopes, so it's going to be a tough one for sure! I've been running multiple Valley summits on the weekends, in preparation for the big climbs ahead. This race is all is on ski slopes, so it's going to be a tough one for sure!

Between the summits and the intense OCR workouts, I've practically lived in compression gear! A few of my go-to pieces these last few months have been my SKINS DNAmic Men's Compression Half Tights and my Unisex Calf Tights.

Disclaimer: I received a pair of SKINS compression half tights and long sleeve compression shirt in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own. I purchased the calf sleeves on my own for a more well-rounded experience with the different pieces of gear from this brand. 

Some prefer to use compression for recovery, others for performance. I get the most out of my compression gear and tend to use it for BOTH! Sometimes you'll find me wearing SKINS after a tough workout, other times I'm sporting SKINS while training.

Now, I know the running world is saturated with compression gear. So what makes SKINS so special? SKINS knows their stuff! They conduct extensive research to take the guesswork out of their gear for proven performance. Their research found that SKINS:

• increases venous return
• reduces exercise induced muscle damage (EIMD)
• accelerates recovery processes
• removes lactic acid faster
• increases strength and power
• improves endurance
• increases muscle oxygenation
• improves body temperature control
• reduces in-flight ankle oedema

I definitely felt a difference between my performance while wearing SKINS during a workout versus when I was without. Let me break down why I loved each piece of my SKINS gear. 

The DNAmic compression half-tights are not super long and can be worn either under shorts or as a stand alone item. The feel of this material is fantastic! The SKINS compression fabric is made from a warp knitted mix of yarns for a clean yet comfortable stretch in the material. It's smooth and cool to the touch--you immediately want to slip them on as soon as you pick them up! 

Besides the amazing feel of this fabric, the moisture wicking is outstanding. I sweat A LOT. I'm working out in triple digit heat in the desert. I need maximum moisture wicking Any amount of moisture sticking around can cause serious chafing and is unforgettable on long runs or tough OCR workouts. 

SKINS promised compression that could evaporate moisture quickly and they delivered! I wear my SKINS DNAmic compression half-tights on runs and for Spartan training. But now because of the excellent moisture-wicking material, I wear them during my cycling class at CycleBar too. We sweat so much on the bike and it's essential. 

The SKINS DNAmic compression gear itself is made for performance. Designed to improve blood flow to the glutes, quads, and hammies--all muscles that are constantly sore, tender, and hurting these days. Especially during intense OCR training workouts. I felt much better having the SKINS on during my runs and workouts. It was like giving my tired muscles a quick warm-up and they were ready to go!

Last but not least, these SKINS not only fit great, they also looked pretty cool too! They have a wide variety of colors but I fell in love with this particular pattern. This particular piece of SKINS compression gear costs approximately $80, depending on your color and size. They often have deals on pieces that have limited sizes or color.

Don't just take my word for it on the DNAcompression half-tights. Check out reviews from tons of others who purchased this item on the SKINS website. Tons of positive feedback!

Besides the compression half-tights, I also have been wearing regularly a pair of the SKINS Unisex Calf Tights (think calf sleeves). SKINS does have gender-specific calf sleeves, but I choose the Unisex mostly for the sleek black color. 

These SKINS calf sleeves also felt great on the skin and I've been using them just as often. Typically I wear them on my long runs to help reduce fatigue and cramping in my calves. These particular calf sleeves are designed to increase blood flow to the calves and reduce the build up of lactic acid. When I'm running/hiking up a mountain--these sleeves are a necessity! 

The fit is pretty great on these. A happy medium between the "too loose" feel of some compression sleeves and the "too tight" sleeves that leave you struggling to remove them later. I like my sleeves a little bit on the tight side, but these seemed to be right in the middle. 

I have long legs but these sleeves still hit all the right spots and I never had an issues with pilling, sliding, or chafing. They were also super breathable. These compression calf sleeves cost approximately $50.  

I do have a DNAmic Compression Long Sleeve Shirt that I can't wait to wear when it gets cooler or for a race in cooler weather. However, triple digit heat in the desert isn't great testing weather for something like that. But rest assured, I will most certainly be putting it to use soon! I did try it on and loved the feel and stretch of the fabric, same as the compression shorts. This particular long-sleeve compression shirt runs about $100. 

SKINS has a variety of compression collections, from thermal gear to cycling gear. You name it, they've got it! They have compression for crossfit athletes (or OCR training). SKINS has gear specifically for running, cycling, recovery, for triathletes, and even quality gear for the everyday use in between your workouts. 

They also just realized some awesome new colors! Sleek, sexy designs that are now available. 

Courtesy: skins.net 

While we're on the subject of other awesome SKINS gear, I've got my eyes on the SKINS K-PROPRIUM compression tights. I feel these would be amazing for an OCR race in cooler weather. Why are they so awesome... check out this video and tell me you don't immediately want to slide those on and workout! 

Besides the variety of quality gear, one thing that really sticks out about SKINS is the company's passion not just for their products, but for sports and the genuine people who participate. The Citizen of Sports is a portion of the SKINS website dedicated to bringing you stories and interviews about real people and athletes who've overcome obstacles and are sharing their motivating tales.  They are an  inspiring read and I recommend giving them a read. 

All in all, I highly recommend checking out SKINS gear. I'm seeing more and more runners and OCR  athletes wearing SKINS and now I know why! 

See all the others out there who are using SKINS by looking up #SKINS_USA or #SKINSorNothing on Instagram. Also, be sure to follow SKINS on social!

Instagram: @skinsglobal

Twitter: @SKINS_USA

Facebook: facebook.com/skinsna

Thanks for reading my SKINS compression gear review. Let me know if you have any questions regarding my experience! In the meantime, it's back to the Weekend Warrior grind as the countdown to the Spartan Beast begins.