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A rip in a fresh pair of tights can put a snag in anyone's day. Not to mention, no one wants to constantly re-adjust a sliding waistband or pull up a pair of sagging tights. The best tights will look polished and feel comfortable when wearing skirts and dresses in colder months, and it's even better if they're made to last. If you've worn your fair share of sheer tights, you know that can be a tall order. But Sheertex claims to make "indestructible" tights that won't rip or run, so we put them to the test to see if they held up to the claims.
As a materials scientist at the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab, I've tested almost every kind of tights imaginable, from classic sheer and opaque options to fishnets and other colorful pairs. Our Lab has evaluated more than 30 pairs of tights at almost every price point, including both popular drugstore styles and luxury hosiery brands. We work with hundreds of consumer testers to try each pair in their daily lives, and we put tights through the wringer in the Lab, testing everything from bursting strength to snagging resistance using industry-standard test methods and machinery.
Even Taylor Swift sold out one of the brand's diamond sheer tights after wearing them around New York City and at Kansas City Chiefs games. Luckily, there are still tons of Sheertex styles out there, with many on sale. After stretching hosiery to the limit (quite literally), the results speak for themselves: Sheertex tights are some of the strongest tights we've ever tested. Read on to learn how the brand's tights held up in our Textiles Lab and consumer evaluations.
Sheertex Classic Sheer Rip-Resist Tights
Pros
- Top scores in Lab evaluations
- Favorite pick amongst testers
- Offered in sizes XS to 3XL
Cons
- Not fully snag-proof in Lab tests
Sheertex Overview
Sheertex is a Canadian company known for revolutionizing the hosiery industry. Its "unbreakable" sheer tights launched in 2018, earning a spot in Time Magazine's Best Inventions of 2018. Its super strong sheer knit fabric is made using a blend of nylon, spandex and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), a fiber prized for its high tensile strength, great abrasion resistance and overall durable nature.
The final product is no easy feat — UHMWPE is notoriously thick, especially compared to sheer pantyhose. (It's most commonly used in ropes or ballistics gear in its fiber form.) But Sheertex has found a way to incorporate it into all of its tights, providing what it hopes to be a longer product lifespan. The Classic Sheer Rip-Resist Tights are the brand's original, ground-breaking tights.
Sheertex Tights Performance
Bursting Strength
Our pneumatic bursting strength tester (pictured below) measures the amount of pressure needed to burst a hole in a fabric sample. If you've ever burst a hole along the crotch while stretching too far or on the toe seam when rushing to get your tights on, this test helps us gauge whether the tights are durable enough to avoid those situations. For each pair, we measure several points along the front, back, crotch and toe seams as well as the fabric of the legs.
The Sheertex's Classic Rip-Resist Tights outscored every other pair we've ever tested, so you can rest assured that you won't burst a hole in the toe when pulling them on.
Snagging Resistance
To simulate extreme snagging conditions, we put the tights on a mannequin and drag a weight covered in a rough, snag-inducing surface from bottom to top on each side of the tights. Any resulting snags are then scored according to standardized testing scales derived from industry standards.
Unfortunately, despite the product’s “indestructible” claims and the snag-free experiences of our consumer testers, we were still able to snag the tights in a Lab setting, although there weren’t any runs in the fabric. Take note, however, that Sheertex describes its fabric as "self-healing" and explains, "Often you can heal the Sheertex knit by simply massaging the fabric outwards around the blemish until it disappears." While we had luck doing this with smaller snags, larger ones weren't so easy to fix.
Stretch & Recovery
To test whether your tights will stretch out from long-term wear, we test each pair for stretch and recovery. We cut swatches of fabric, mark them with a set measurement, then stretch each swatch and clamp it in place for a few hours. Next, we unclamp the fabric, allow it to rest for one minute and record any changes in its shape. We measure it again after it has rested for an hour.
Again, both the classic and essential pair performed well in this test, with little to no fabric growth in the waistband and a reasonable amount in the leg.
Washability
Tights can be fickle and delicate, with the most high-maintenance pairs requiring you to hand wash them. Sheertex tights, however, can be machine-washed and dried, as long as you put them in a laundry bag. In our tests, they laundered without issues and experienced minimal shrinkage.
Consumer Feedback
To gauge real-world performance, six consumer testers, including our experts, wore these tights throughout last fall and winter before rating them on several factors.
They also shared how they styled the tights, how the pair stacked up to other tights they've worn, whether or not they would continue to wear them and any general likes or dislikes. Here's how Sheertex fared:
- Sizing: Our testers found the brand's tights true to size, with those between sizes opting to size up for a more comfortable fit. The brand also recommends that taller users size up. Those who prefer a more sheer look should size down.
- Ease of use: While some tights can be a nightmare to get on and off, Sheertex earned high scores in this category. One tester even said, "Unlike tights that I've worn before, they were very easy to put on, and it didn't feel like I was going to rip them from pulling too hard."
- Comfort: Compared to soft opaque tights, our testers still gave this pair high scores but noted they didn't feel as smooth or luxurious. Several described the compressive, mid-rise waistband as having a "smoothing" feel rather than a "shaping" fit, appreciating how it didn't feel constricting as some tights.
- Appearance: Testers gave Sheertex tights high scores for their flattering look, pairing them with miniskirts, shorts, dresses and knee-length pencil skirts. One commented, "I like how the tights are super versatile and can be worn from casual to formal settings," sharing that she wore them both in the office and out on the weekends. While some tights appear to have opaque black shorts at the top, besides the 6.5-inch waistband, Sheertex's tights are completely sheer, which means you can pair them with any skirt or dress. However, take note that your underwear will be visible through the tights.
- Stay-in-Place Fit: Only one of our testers found that the waistband rolled down when she leaned over or sat down for long periods of time but didn't find herself constantly re-adjusting it like some pairs she's owned. On top of that, none reported issues with sagging.
- Durability: Users unanimously agreed that these tights felt sturdier than other pairs and none experienced any snags or pilling during testing. One tester said, "The tights showed no signs of wear with no snags or runs, which was super impressive as I put them through the ringer!"
- Temperature: Sheer tights are thinner than opaque pairs, so they aren't always the best for chillier weather. While our testers found them great for 50-degree weather, we wouldn't recommend wearing them on cold winter days.
- Continued Use: All of our testers preferred this pair to the sheer tights they usually wear and unanimously agreed they would continue to wear it after our testing period.
- Overall Perception: Our testers were impressed by how durable the tights felt during wear, especially for a sheer pair. All of them noted that their resilient nature gave them peace of mind. After several wears, some even shared that they couldn't find anything they disliked.
Are Sheertex Tights Worth It?
If you're looking for sheer tights that will last longer than a few wears, the answer is yes! Our consumer testers unanimously agreed that Sheertex's Classic Sheer Rip-Resist Tights were better than any other pairs they've owned and gave it top scores across the board. Plus, while they weren't the most snag-resistant pair we've evaluated, they're the strongest pair of sheer tights we've tested. That being said, the brand's tights come at a premium. If you're still skeptical, the brand offers a 90-day no-rip guarantee, so they'll send you a new pair at no additional cost if your tights become irreparably damaged during that time frame.
Sheertex Styles We Love
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Grace Wu is a textiles product review analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute who oversaw all recent in-Lab and consumer tests for several types of hosiery, including tights and socks. Prior to joining GH, Grace earned a Master of Engineering in materials science and engineering and a B.S. in fiber science from Cornell University.
Grace Wu (she/her) is a product reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles, Paper and Apparel Lab, where she evaluates fabric-based products using specialized equipment and consumer tester data. Prior to starting at Good Housekeeping in 2022, she earned a master of engineering in materials science and engineering and a bachelor of science in fiber science from Cornell University. While earning her degrees, Grace worked in research laboratories for smart textiles and nanotechnology and held internships at Open Style Lab and Rent the Runway.
