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Human Octane Men’s Elite Compression Shorts
Price: $98
Material: 77% Nylon / 23% Elastane
Human Octane’s Elite compression shorts have a comfortable fit and allow for ample movement. This reviewer is 6 ft and 145 lbs and wears a small in the shorts.
Getting them out on the trails, I found that my hamstrings, quads, glutes, and hip flexors (the major muscle groups supported by the tights) were subject to less jarring than they would be normally. As the run progressed, my legs felt slightly more spry than I would have expected, and that they were slightly less sore afterword. Moreover, I found the range of motion more than sufficient. I never felt that the tights particularly restricted my movements, whether ascending a steep, technical pitch or opening it up downhill.
I was fortunate enough to be testing them while fighting a sore hamstring—a nuisance that’s a product of an old injury and seems to resurface whenever I ramp the mileage up. The general trend is that it will feel fine upon starting the run and gradually grow more noticeable as the run continues. I found that the support provided by the shorts generally slowed this progression so that it was never a particularly noteworthy concern.
The cuffs have handy silicone grip that prevents riding up and the rear mesh pocket is huge, with two zippered openings on either side so you can easily grab your phone or a gel with either hand.
—Casey Weaver took to running long distances as a way to explore remote areas. He fell in love with the aesthetic and the cathartic self-awareness drawn from the process and typically runs 80-to-100-mile weeks.