Good unbreakable tights come down to four things: what the word "unbreakable" actually means, cost per wear rather than sticker price, the size range, and care. The rest is detail.
Here is how to read each of those four.
1. What "unbreakable" means, and what it does not
No pair of tights is indestructible, ours included.
What the word describes is resistance to runs and tears: where an ordinary pair runs at the first fingernail, unbreakable tights do not. The knit is built so a snag does not travel.
What the word does not describe is invincibility. Something sharp, velcro, a stone-set ring or a rough nail will get the better of any pair. If a brand promises you otherwise, it is selling you something.
With us the distinction is in the name. The Deluxe Unbreakable carry the run and tear resistant formula. The Prima Durables are built to last far longer than an ordinary pair of nylons, but they are not unbreakables, and we do not call them that.
2. Cost per wear, not the sticker price
It is the only calculation that matters in this category.
| Price | Wears | Cost per wear | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary pair | $15 | 2 | $7.50 |
| Resistant pair | $35 | 20 | $1.75 |
The pair that costs twice as much works out four times cheaper. That is the whole logic of the category, and it is why a $12 pair is not a bargain.
How many wears you get depends on three things: yarn quality, choosing the right size, and care. The last two are in your hands.
3. The size range
A brand that stops at XL is telling you something about who it has in mind.
Look at the maximum hip measurement in inches, not just the letter: letters mean nothing from one brand to the next.
Our Deluxe Unbreakable run from S to 4XL, which is hips from 33 to 65 inches and heights from 5'1 to 6'3. The formula is identical in every size: same stretch, same resistance, same comfort. A larger size is not a downgraded version.
Our Prima run from XS to XL, which is 4'5 to 5'10 and hips from 30 to 50 inches.
4. Size changes durability, not just comfort
This is the point almost nobody explains.
- Too large: the fabric is less stretched, so it reads thicker. The tights look more opaque than expected and lose some of the hold that keeps them from rolling.
- Too small: the fabric is stretched further, so it reads finer. The tights look sheerer than expected, and take more tension with every wear, which wears the knit out faster.
The rule: always take the size matching whichever is larger, your height or your hip measurement. If you are between two, take the larger.
5. Care decides half the lifespan
- Hand wash, or machine wash cold in a mesh bag
- Air dry, never in the dryer
- Avoid velcro, stone-set rings and rough nails
- Put them on by rolling them up the leg rather than pulling them on in one go
Resistant tights that are badly cared for last less time than ordinary tights that are looked after.
How to decide, in practice
- Measure your hips and note your height
- Choose the size matching whichever is larger
- Choose the sheerness: sheer (Prima), semi-sheer (Deluxe), or smoothing at the seat (Classics)
- Buy one pair, not six. Wear it twenty times. Do the maths yourself.
That last point is worth more than any guide, this one included.
Read more
- Deluxe Unbreakable tights
- Our Tights, the three styles compared
- How to find your perfect size
- How long should a good pair last?
