Review: Heist The Fifty Tights

       Sorry for the delay.  I had been extremely busy for the past week and only had the opportunity to try out a new pair of tights last Friday.  I did not wish to rush to the conclusion, and hence the delay.

       Heist Studios is a relatively new brand in the world of hosiery.  They are based in London, but have their products made from skilled Italian hosiery manufacturers.  All of Heist’s tights are characterised by seamless design, extra wide waistband and great fit.  There are currently four styles to choose from, which are differentiated by their denier appearance.  In this review, we will look at the The Fifty tights.

Strengths & Weaknesses

• Excellent fit
• Extra long toe seam
• Picks up hair easily

First look & packaging

       Unlike most brands on the market that uses a combination of thin cardboards and plastic sleeves, Heist uses cardboard for the entire packaging.  The tights are comfortably laid in a cardboard box measuring 12cm x 17cm, which is very close to the size of B6 paper.  A thin stripe of cardboard is used to secure the box.  Basic info of the tights, as well as the Brand’s contact details are printed on the back of the stripe.  The tights are wrapped around by a piece of paper, and a piece of thin cardboard is used to keep the tights in place.  Within the the thin cardboard, you can find care instructions and composition.

Appearance & texture

       The Fifty tights has a opaque (50 denier appearance) and matte finish.  The entire pantyhose is knitted in one piece, making it seamless.  I find the construction of the panty very unique.  Specifically, the knitting structure that forms the front side of one leg will make an “u-turn” at lower abdomen and continue to the on form the front side of the other leg.  The same structure also applies at the rear side of the legs.  Heist uses stitches to reinforce the side of the waist where the structure splits.  In addition, Heist uses a separate knitting structure for the construction of the groin section, which are integrated in the panty in a intricate manner that leaves no seam.  The waistband is sewn onto the panty.  I chose the low waistband option, which measures a whopping 9cm wide for Size M!  Lastly, the Fifty has a unusually long toe seam, measuring around 12cm.

       The composition is 88% polyamide and 12% elastane.

Above: a separate knitting is used to construct groin section.

Above: Side of the waist where extra stitches are used at the place where the knitting structure splits.

Size range

       The size of Fifty tights range from S to XL, which encompasses heights from 147cm (4’10”) to 193cm (6’4”).  I have attached the size chart below.  Size M is used in this review.

Colour

Currently Heist only make black colour.

Impression

       On par with Heist’s marketing, the tights has an excellent fit.  I took a closer examination at the panty section and found that the seam, which binds the waistband and the panty, could hold the key.  The seam (which forms a ring around the lower torso) is the tightest part of the pantyhose.  When the seam is placed above the anterior superior iliac spine, it serves as a lock that keep everything in place.  Therefore the waistband (which is slightly loose than the seam per se) won’t be pulled down.  In fact, the seam is less likely to be pulled down because the flow of the knitting structure has turned horizontally at the panty, which counterbalance the pulling force.  The result is I can move freely without having to worry if the tight would become sag or bag at the end of the day.

       The texture feels relatively soft and smooth, but not the smoothest I have tried; still room for improvement (to be picky).  In addition, the product description says there is no gusset.  However, my perception is there is a knitted, mesh gusset but is seamlessly integrated into the tights, which is again, very clever.

       The Fifty tights pick up hairy debris easily, and are quite noticeable due to the tights being black colour.  If your home/workplace is carpeted, you may find this annoying.

My verdict

       Excellent fitting, together with seamless & ingenious design of panty makes the Fifty tights suitable from the moment you wake up in the morning to the time to go back to sleep.  They are not expensive too.  The Fifty tights are priced at £20 for low waistband option and £22 for high waistband option.  Heist tights are currently only available via online website:

Heist Studios Website