REI Co-op Midweight Tights - Women's Review

The REI Co-op Midweight Tights are a fully synthetic base layer option for those allergic to wool or simply looking for an affordable layer that doesn't break the bank. Constructed from 92% polyester and 8% spandex, they offer a four-way stretch that allows for freedom of movement and a thicker waistband that provides structure, should you wear them a few times between washes. While they are not the most breathable option available, they do efficiently wick moisture away from the skin; however, the fabric then absorbs the moisture and takes a while to dry. Still, these tights are easy to layer, thanks to their smooth exterior, and they are a great choice for those moderate cold weather activities like resort and cross-country skiing where you're not necessarily looking to work up a major sweat.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

The Midweight Tights are built with midweight comfort thanks to their soft and stretchy polyester blend, but we found that they offer more of a lightweight level of warmth. Tightly woven fabric successfully traps body heat generated through moderate activity, but the synthetic fabric itself feels cold when getting dressed early in the morning. When worn alone, our testers found the thinness of the fabric provided enough insulation for spring and fall, but once the nighttime temperatures dropped, we were happy to layer some warm, puffy pants over the top.

During our fall testing period in Yosemite Valley and Indian Creek (Northern California and Utah), our testers found these tights perfect for the crisp days and nights when the first signs of winter catch you by surprise. A perfect amount of warmth for the 30-50 degree Fahrenheit range — anything warmer and the lack of breathability made these tights absorb moisture, which dropped our core body temperature. Colder than 30 degrees when out for a two-hour trail run, we'd want thicker insulation. All in all, these tights offer a solid amount of warmth for shoulder seasons and work well to insulate at the base of your lower body layering system as long as your activities are lower intensity.

Breathability

While the Midweight Tights successfully wicked moisture away from our skin, the fabric unfortunately held onto that moisture and required a longer drying time. The tightly woven fabric is somewhat air permeable and allows for a little air to flow through, but the slim fit and thicker waistband tend to pool moisture and reduce overall body heat.

On fall training runs in high humidity, we found this layer to retain sweat, which dropped our core temperature. Afterward, we found ourselves seeking more insulation due to the extended drying time once wet. Therefore, we only feel comfortable recommending these tights for moderate activities where you won't be working up a lot of sweat. Great for those in-between seasons when the temperatures drop but not the best for cold winter days of backcountry skiing or high-intensity training runs that require a layer that offers better thermoregulation to maintain warmth and comfort.

Comfort and Fit

The Midweight Tights feature a silky smooth and stretchy fabric that is soft to the touch and feels comfortable next to the skin. The four-way stretch doesn't restrict the range of motion, and the flatlock seams increase comfort while reducing any potential for chafing. These are some of the most comfortable synthetic base layers we've had the pleasure of testing. We love the thicker elastic waistband, but it, unfortunately, does not lay entirely flat against the skin.

The slim-fitting design of the Midweight Tights sat right in line with our lead tester's belly button. These tights are cute and thick enough to be worn alone without embarrassment. We found the fit to be true to size, and the spandex blended fabric allows enough stretchiness to fit a variety of body types. While not as cozy and comfortable as some of the Merino wool options we tested, these still have one of our favorite synthetic fabrics.

Durability

The Midweight Tights have a flatlock seam construction that gave us no trouble during our fall testing season. While the fabric can show some signs of wear through minor pilling, we were satisfied with the durable polyester fabric, which kept its shape even when taken on multiple adventures between washes. This is a durable yet affordable design.

However, our testers were disappointed when these tights retained body odor after our first extended trail run. This has been our experience with most synthetic polyester blended base layers — they tend to retain odor after minimal use. While we're not psyched about the smelly fabric, this wasn't helped by the fact that, during testing, we were on an extended camping trip and not showering as often. If you have the chance to shower regularly when wearing these, you'll likely have less of an issue with odor retention.

Drying Speed

To test this metric, our testers started by soaking each base layer bottom in a stream, wringing them out, and tossing them on a line to dry in the spring sunshine. Synthetic layers like the Midweight Tights, comprised of mostly polyester and spandex, offered the fastest drying speeds, especially when compared to the Merino wool competition. These tights dried in just 47 minutes, requiring the longest time for the material surrounding the thicker waistband.

After working up a sweat by arduously breaking a trail in one foot of heavy snow, we headed back inside and started our timer so that we could measure the drying speed on the body. We noticed that the combination of fresh air and body heat increased the drying speed of these tights, as they only needed 30 minutes to dry completely after our ski tour. If a fast drying speed is important to you when selecting a long underwear bottom, our testers highly recommend a synthetic option like the Midweight Tights for a faster performance.

Layering Ability

The smooth surface of these synthetic and slim-fitting tights helped them perform well within most layering systems that we tested, though we felt a small amount of friction with hard shell ski bibs. Still, even though these are considered midweight, the extra insulation doesn't get in the way during cold weather activities or prevent a range of motion.

Our testers love that most long underwear bottoms now feature a higher waistband, which clears up some space below the belly button for rain or puffy pants to fasten at the natural waistline. If you're worried about a midweight feeling restrictive or bulky within your cold weather layers, the smooth interface of the Midweight Tights polyester will alleviate most of those concerns.

Should You Buy the REI Co-op Midweight Tights?

You simply can't beat the price of these synthetic long underwear tights. While they are not the highest performer regarding overall warmth and breathability, our testers love their light and stretchy fabric that doesn't restrict the range of motion. While the fabric does retain body odor, the reinforced flatlock seams and thick waistband inspire confidence in their durability. If you're looking for an affordable pair of long johns for the upcoming winter season, these tights are a great option for your consideration.

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