Ice Skating Tights
Ice skating tights are an essential part of any figure skater’s outfit in both practice and competition. They complete a skater’s overall aesthetic, provide a free range of movement with a generous stretch fit, and protect against falls and the cold of the rink.
Benefits of Ice Skating Tights
Ice skating tights keep figure skaters warm in the ring and protect them from falls or scrapes. Keeping skaters’ legs warm is important for both comfort and function; numb legs can hamper a figure skater’s agility and accuracy in the rink. Materials like nylon and elastane make the tights fitted yet stretchy, allowing both protection and a free range of movement. They can come in a matte, sheen, or semi-sheen finish or have stones, beads, or embroidery embellished on them.
Figure skaters usually have tights for both practice and competition. Practice tights tend to be thicker and warmer, adding extra cushion for skaters as they practice new jumps and moves, which may cause them to fall. Competition tights are thinner, typically in the color of a skater’s skin tone with a matte finish. Some skaters like their competition tights with decorative stones or beads.
Things To Consider
When looking for tights, you'll want to consider the following:
- What type of tights do you want?
- How much are you looking to spend on tights?
- What size tights do you need?
What are you looking for in ice skating tights?
- Comfort
- Affordability
- Durability
- Style
- Youth-sized
- Adult-sized
Types
The main types of skating tights are footed, footless, and over the boot.
Footed
Footed tights cover the entire leg, including the feet. They’re worn under the boot to allow the entire skates to be visible. Footed tights do not require socks underneath, though the feet may develop holes over time due to strain. They come in a variety of thicknesses, from sheer to fuzzy and slightly warmer.
Footless
Footless skating tights are worn partially over the boot and do not cover the feet underneath. They might cover the ankle of the boot or go from the ankle to the heel. Skaters who wear footless tights might want to wear socks or footed tights underneath to protect their feet.
Over the Boot
Over the boot skating tights cover the whole boot of the skates. These tights are popular amongst many skaters because they create the illusion of an elongated leg. They also protect the boot and help keep the laces in place, making them popular for practice especially. Socks or footed tights underneath are recommended to protect the feet.
Brands
Every figure skating brand offers a unique selection of tights to suit skaters’ needs and desired appearance.
ChloeNoel
ChloeNoel is a great brand for youth figure skaters, especially with options in footless, footed, and over the boot tights at an affordable range of $15 to $25. Their tights are matte and come plain or stoned with a variety of crystal patterns. They come in accommodating sizes from petite to extra large.
Mondor
Mondor is a good value brand that offers footless, footed, and over the boot tights in a wide variety of colors at an average price of under $15. Mondor tights come in matte and shimmer options with colors in light to deep tan shades. They also offer quality socks and legwarmers.
DANCEYOU
DANCEYOU is primarily a brand for ballet, but it also offers some of the most affordable tights for skating with options that cost below $10 on average. Their tights come in a wide variety of colors, including both pure black and white, with a wide range of neutrals that suit fair to deep skin tones.
FAQ
How much do ice skating tights cost?
Ice skating tights tend to be one of the more inexpensive pieces of a figure skater’s apparel. An inexpensive standard pair costs $15 on average, while higher quality pairs might cost between $20 and $30. A pair with embellishments like stones, beads, or embroidery might cost between $30 and $40, although other tights can be customized for an added cost.
How do you clean ice skating tights?
Tights for ice skating are often fragile and should be washed with care. Many, especially thicker practice tights, can be washed in a washing machine on a gentle or medium cycle. Competition tights may need to be hand-washed because they’re made of thinner material which is often embellished with stones or embroidery. Tights can also be placed into a laundry bag beforehand to help protect them in the washing machine. They should be laid flat to dry, as dryers may distort their shape.
What sizes do ice skating tights come in?
Skating tights come in both youth and adult sizes, with a stretchy fit that makes for a snug yet free-range fit. They often correspond to pants sizes like 2, 4, or 10, tailored to the waist and inseam line. Others, especially practice tights, come in more generic sizes of small, medium, or large. Competition tights tend to be more precisely tailored, while practice tights may come in more generic sizes.