Having used the 2XU compression and was very satisfied with it, I stumbled upon CW-X by Wacoal where a friend was telling me that CW-X is even more efficient. And when I got the chance to get hold of a pair of long tights, I decided to wear and give it a try in my 42k run during the recent ENR 2010.
The first impression when I wore the Expert was I felt the material is thicker, hence it is also slightly warmer but not to the extent of having an uncomfort feeling. So from this perspective there is nothing to be concern of. It wont be too hot, trust me.
In terms of the fitting, the size S fits me very well. So for any compression apparels, make sure u wear at least one size down from your normal running apparels. The tightness provide me with a very good feel that very muscle compartment were very well supported. The graphics design of the Expert plays a very important role from a support perspective. Its just not for design purposes and look good but were well positioned at all the key muscle areas.
The most significant support is the "X" cross section on the knee area. Must ensured that your knee patella is centered on the "X" for maximum support for the knee and muscle zone around that area. When on the run, I felt that it holds the knee and its muscle very well, minimzsing any movement and hence reduce the production of lactic acid. Those who have knee problem or injury can finally eliminate using knee guard or knee belt. Just put the Expert on and immediately it gets to work and support your knee.
Next area I will focus on is the support at the thigh area. If you take a closer look at the design of the Expert again, the graphics runs up along the ITB area (Iliotibial band) and all the way up to the hip/waist. And then another short extension towards the back of the thigh.
First we take a look at the ITB area. Again when on the run, I felt the group of muscle fiber that runs along the outside of the thigh were well supported. Even when I started to increase my pace, I dont feel any strain at all. With the support and protection around the thigh area, it will definitely minimize the chances of having ITB injury when one perform tempo runs or speedwork. The short extension towards the back of the thigh is merely for extra support purposes to ensure that the surrounding area around the thigh (even at the back) are well protected to minimize cramps and injury (after prolong workout)
The graphics then goes all the way down to the calf area and this is very obvious that its meant to support the calf muscles. The support and protection is reasonably well but my preference is that the construction of the graphics can be tigher (to my liking) But dont get me wrong here as the support of the muscle still works extremely well during my run.
The last piece I need to inform is that the elastic band around the waistline. It does help to provide some form of lumbar support. Hence one may not experience back sore while on a long run.
Overall I find that the CW-X Expert is able to cover and support almost all of the critical muscle zones from waist downwards till the calf area. As I said earlier, the "X" cross section is important during fitting and if one had a wrong sizing that would result in the "X" slipping upwards or downwards. On another note, the graphics constructions of the CW-X Expert are targeted for runners seeking support for their knees, meaning that they can train on long distances without using knee guards or knee belts. Efficient runners may want to stick to 2XU.
This brief review only covered the time when I use it during a run or training. The next review will be on post training or race recovery where I will wear it during my sleep. This part is as important too as speeding up post race muscle fatigue recovery is key to our performance in the next workout.
