Falke are well known for their women's hosiery. They are top end of the market and although this is reflected in a higher price bracket, they last and are beyond comfortable. From this, I had high hopes for their running leggings. If they were are high quality as their other products, these would be a game changer for me.
I spend many many hours running, track sessions, hill sessions, long runs on the trails, you name it I do it. Despite having run for almost 20 years, I still struggle to find that perfect kit that doesn't fall down or ride up, doesn't shrink in the wash or doesn't leave me chaffed and sore. Now as I push my racing distance to 100km, I can no longer just make do with any old gear. I want clothes that allows me to concentrate on my performance not on discomfort from my kit.
How do they fit?
Sizes S - XL
When I received my Falke leggings in the post, they looked alarmingly tiny. I am an XS by their measurements and had ordered to size. My point is don't be alarmed, they stretched beautifully when on. They are compression leggings so are tighter than normal but do their job. They have a tie cord on the inside so you can tighten them around the waist if needed. I didn't and they didn't fall down so if you get the sizing correct you won't need this. I am 5ft 7 and the leg length was perfect. They went to about 4 inches below my knee which meant no riding up above my knee into strange looking long shorts! Again, the material is very flexible so I imagine they will fit well to all heights.
Comfort
These leggings were so comfortable when I wore them on a 20 mile training run, I had to keep reaching down to touch my legs to check they were still there! They were so soft and being totally seamless, there was no a rub or discomfort anywhere. The material was so flexible it moved faultlessly with my stride. They have a wonderful fabric structure at the knee which means no rucking of material causing discomfort and rubbing. In 2.5 hrs of running I obviously sweated quite a bit. It is the sweating that can trigger chaffing in some kit...it didn't happen with these. I was also slightly worried about the pale grey colour and sweat patches being more obvious. By the end, my husband said there was one tiny sweat patch at the top of the leggings from my lower back but nothing else......good result!
Performance
They are compression tights which claim to delay your legs getting fatigued and help them recover faster. I find this difficult to judge if they do or don't achieve this. However, what I do consider is, if I am hitting the trails for hours at a time I need all the help I can get. I can't say my legs felt as light as a feather post 20 miles *they rarely do!) but I was comfortable and who knows maybe if i wasn't wearing them my legs would have felt more fatigued...something I will never know but better to wear them than not.
Look
They come I two colours, black and pale grey. They look really good quality and have small reflectors on them which will help in dimming light. They also have some nice, subtle branding. They look worth the price. Falke wouldn't produce anything less I am sure!
Any negative points?
Pockets
One point is lack of pockets. I like to run with my phone but there is no back pocket for this.There is a tiny pocket on the side that would hold a key but I expect many would not use this. Maybe making it slightly larger would make it more usable and practical.
Price
Some would say £75 was expensive for a pair of running leggings, and although I would agree, the quality and comfort of them makes it justifiable. I have had a pair of day to day Falke tights that have been going now for 12 years. They are in wonderful condition and haven't lost their shape so i expect their sports kit will be equally as durable.
I went against the golden rule and ran 20 miles in new kit without trying it first. I had such faith in the brand that I as convinced they would be fine...20 miles down and I was right. Comfortable, functional and looked great. Splash out and treat yourself!
If you have any questions, then make a comment below and I will reply as soon as I can.
Happy running
Alex