Sheertex Classic Sheer Tights Review

As environmentally friendly as getting the most mileage out of your gear is, there are just some things you can’t be as prudent with. For example, when it comes to intimate clothing like hosiery, you just can’t have them falling apart on you, hence why most tights are deemed disposable.

On the other hand, brands like Sheertex aim to make them less disposable. Their Classic Sheer Tights look, feel, and wear like most generic tights, but with added durability that doesn’t leave us hanging even after multiple uses. In the time we’ve tested the Classic Sheer Tights, we would have likely gone through a couple of our usual drugstore-bought ones.

So, has Sheertex pulled off the impossible and created tights that stretch but don’t give in easily? The answer, as always, is much more nuanced. Fortunately, that’s what we’re here for, so without further ado, let’s dive into the review.

Materials & Build Quality

As far as tights come and go, the Classic Sheer Tights feel very resilient. They have a similar sheer to that of drugstore-bought tights, but once you stretch the material, there’s none of that worrying feeling that you’ll tear through it. In fact, we can get pretty rough with these without worrying about them tearing.

Okay, but what exactly are the Classic Sheer Tights made of? Unfortunately, Sheertex is being deliberately vague about this, in all likelihood to protect trade secrets. According to them, the Classic Sheer Tights are “made of one of the world’s strongest polymers.” What this polymer is, we’ll probably never know. They do hint that it’s the same polymer used in bulletproof vests and mountaineering equipment. That still covers a lot of ground (bulletproof vests can be made of polyethylene and/or Kevlar, for example), but it’s nice to know those are the points of comparison.

Strongest polymer or not, they’re not totally invincible, and blemishes have cropped up over the course of testing. Some of the fibers have bunched up, forming familiar lines we often see with generic tights. These kinds of imperfections aren’t anything new and are definitely not exclusive to the Classic Sheer Tights.

Sheertex attributes this type of blemish to the fabric being knit rather than solid. Fortunately, they have a relatively easy fix for these: grip on either side of the line and pull sharply in opposite directions. You should hear a snap, indicating that the fibers have unbunched. It takes a bit of fussing around to completely get rid of a small line; doable, if somewhat tedious.

While we’ve taken note of a handful of lines that have formed around the tights, they’re mostly around the top area. Thankfully, this area is mostly out of sight since a skirt or a dress covers it depending on length.

Additionally, like normal tights, the Classic Sheer Tights are still vulnerable to snagging on sharp objects. Think thorns, shrubbery, cat claws—these are the sort of things considered to be the lifelong enemies of hosiery. We’ve seen a few bumps come up, and while it’s not ideal, they’ve yet to cause any larger issues like runs or holes—issues that we would have already seen with drugstore tights.

Before you even wear the Classic Sheer Tights, Sheertex bundled a little sock you can use to test the material ahead of time. It’s a thoughtful inclusion to ease you into the brand’s claims of how strong their fabric is. First-time users would be hesitant to go ham on the tights themselves, so this little sock is a nice little substitute.

Usage & Features

The point of making tights more durable is to make them more reusable. Really, that’s Sheertex’s whole point: make tights last longer to keep them out of landfills. This is a huge plus for travelers who like or need to wear tights. In the past, our only option is to buy one at our destination or stock up before the journey. With these, just a pair or two will tide us over for the duration of the trip—at least, that’s the theory. But how do the Classic Sheer Tights perform in the real world?

We’ve already covered how durable the material is, so we won’t go fuss over that aspect again. Instead, we’ll focus more on comfort and usability. For the former, the Classic Sheer Tights are quite comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Unlike generic tights, these have a slight control top that extends from the waistline and upwards around the belly. This keeps the tights in place, preventing them from slipping down. We had no issues with awkward shifting or pulling in the middle of the day—something we think anyone would want to avoid.

As mentioned earlier, the tights’ stretchiness is very good. Good enough that we don’t even find the need to figure out which side is the front and which is the back. Putting it on either way feels right, and we never got that feeling like we’re walking around with our shirt on backward.

Speaking of fit, Sheertex has a handy size chart available on their website. You can go either by weight or by dress size. However, your mileage may vary since either option makes assumptions in other aspects like height and proportions. We went for the medium-size tights, and the chart’s data does align with our usual sizing.

In terms of sheer, the Classic Sheer Tights are on the lighter side of the spectrum, though they’re not the most sheer we’ve seen on a pair of tights, sitting at 30 deniers. Our skin tone definitely shows through the black fabric, but there’s still a decent amount of opacity.

As for maintenance, Sheertex says the Classic Sheer Tights are machine washable. However, they also note that handwashing is still the way to go for best results. We’ve mostly preferred handwashing these to preserve the lifespan as much as possible. We don’t mind sacrificing a tiny bit of convenience to prolong our gear’s life.

Now we address the elephant in the room: pricing. At the time of writing, a pair of Classic Sheer Tights costs around $70, which is substantially more than the price of budget tights (typically around $10 – $30). That’s quite steep, though we have noticed that they do hold a fair amount of sales, so you can wait for one to get a better deal if you’re on the fence.

For the kind of reusability you’re getting, it’s more or less an even trade versus more generic tights. You also get the bonus of lessening waste, a huge factor for the environmentally-conscious like us. They’re as functional as regular tights and just as convenient to pack on trips since the amount of space they take up is practically the same. Yes, they may not be as solid of a deal for those who only occasionally wear tights. But for those who wear them often, they’re a good alternative.