The new RY400 recovery tights and base layer from Aussie company Skins are said to reduce recovery time after exercise leaving you fresh for your next ride.

The profile of compression clothing has been elevated in recent years, with multi-sport competitors taking to them like ducks to water. Skins offers compression clothing for during exercise and afterwards, the new RY400 range is designed to be worn after exercise to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) by promoting blood flow to static muscles, and therefore reduce the recovery time. They can be worn straight after a hard ride, or you can sleep in them to give your body’s natural recovery process a helping hand.

The multi-panel design of both the top and bottoms are intended to provide the correct level of surface pressure to specific body parts. Fit is essential for the clothing to do its job most effectively, and here Skins use a sizing system based on taking 800,000 measurements of the human body. We were asked some detailed questions about our body shape, so much so that a tape measure was needed to ensure we got the measurements spot on.

With the base layer and tights out of the boxes we pulled them on. We say pulled them on, it was more of a struggle than we’ve experienced with any other clothing. But here is the key compression garments, a close fit is important and so don’t be surprised if you have to wrestle yourself into the clothes. Once on, we felt a bit restricted, but fortunately the base layer is well designed with various stretchy panels so that movement isn’t completely restricted, and the tights have articulated knee panels.

We’ve been using the RY400 top and tights for a couple of months now. Wearing both overnight after a four hour mountain ride one weekend, we definitely noticed a difference the following morning. Wearing them off and on after many hard rides, it’s difficult to put our finger on just how much difference they made, but even is the difference is small that might be enough of a performance benefit. They’re particular useful for multi-day events, where you want to do everything reasonably possible to be fresh for the next day.

They’re no miracle cure then, but we’ll admit to feeling a little fresher and less sore than we would normally expect after wearing the RY400’s. Skins recommend wearing them for at least three hours after a ride, which can sometimes be the typical drive home after a weekend riding trails. And this is where we found the most usefulness for the RY400, putting on before embarking on a long drive home after a weekend ride, whether it’s a 12-hour solo race or just a weekend at your favourite trail centre.

The Long Sleeve Top costs £69.99 and the tights £69.99.

More at www.skins.net