Salomon IV EXO 3/4 Compression Tights

Salomon’s Exo IV 3/4 Compression Tights have been designed to provide support and control to your leg muscles when running, increasing fatigue tolerance levels to keep you running for longer. They also continue to work after you have finished exercising as they promote oxygen circulation and reduce swelling during recovery. The following Salomon IV EXO 3/4 Compression Tights review examines the technology behind the tights as well as how they perform in the field.

Salomon EXO IV 3/4 Compression Tights

Compression clothing is still a hotly debated amongst sports scientists. There have been many studies carried out over the past decade that focus on the benefits that compression wear provides both during and after sport. Although the results of most studies are inconclusive, marginal or contested, compression clothing potentially has the following benefits:

•  Better motor unit recruitment
• Higher muscle oxygen availability
• A reduction in oxygen cost of activity
• A reduction in load factor on muscles and joins that can add to fatigue
• Higher performance in the bodies thermoregulatory system
• Higher psychological tolerances
• Added injury prevention by reducing the eccentric motion of movement (recovery phase)
• Reduced swelling and perceived soreness
• Greater post exercise range of motion

What the above essentially mean is that compression wear can improve your performance when running as well as aiding your recovery after strenuous session. During exercise, compression wear may improve your fatigue limit by offering support to working muscles in order to reduce their load factor. Other evidence suggests that muscle compression can help stimulate blood flow around your working muscles, keeping them supplied with oxygen for longer. When working at max, researchers found that compression wear did not impact the maximum that you are able to perform at, but instead increased the duration for which you are able to perform at peak performance for.

Soloman have created their EXO IV 3/4 compression tights with a number of the above factors in mind. A solid amount of compression around the glutes, hamstrings and quads is achieved with a tight weave honeycomb material. This Smart Skin fabric supports your muscles by applying the right kind of pressure on different areas of your legs. There are thinner weave areas of compression around the knees to aid in the dispersion of heat as well as helping with comfort. A last benefit of the Smart Skin fabric is that it is UV proof to a factor of 50 so is well suited for performance training in hot climates.

Wearing the EXO IV 3/4 length tights is like no other compression wear. Because they only extend do your knees you immediately notice the contrast in compression between your lower exposed legs and your upper legs. I have worn the Exo IV 3/4′s both at the running track and out one longer runs and the feeling of support is mostly noticeable on the track. Because a speed work session is at a higher intensity than distance running you immediately notice the feeling of support and added coordination that the Exo 3/4 tights provide. Wether it is the fact that there is less material flapping around (compared to normal running shorts), the Exo IV 3/4s actually do have all the benefits that they claim, or the perceived benefits are purely psychological, the Exo 3/4s seem to give you some kind of boost during training.

I have always noticed the benefits of compression clothing during the days following an endurance race or hard session. After long and intense training sessions i have leant that it pays to wear compression clothing, especially if you feel too sore to stretch properly. The Salomon Exo IV 3/4 compression tights are no different and after some pretty tough training sessions over the past few weeks I have been pleased that my muscles feel as good as if they have been flushed from a sports massage.

If there was one negative thing to say about the Exo 3/4s that would be the string waist band. Compression wear is meant to be worn tight and so it is a little strange to have string flapping around your waist. Looks-wise, they are great though and you definitely feel the part when you are wearing them.