We give Idea Athletic a test run, a new range of activewear designed to hide sweat marks and keep you confident during workouts.
I don’t know about you, but I love working up a sweat during a good workout session. What I like less however, is having sweat marks show up in awkward places afterwards. It’s a problem Alana Clarkson, founder of new activewear brand, Idea Athletic, knows all too well.
“I’d just finished a high intensity exercise class and thought I’d pop into the grocery store on my way home. As I was leaving, with my hands full of shopping bags, I dropped a bag of apples in front of patrons at a café,” she says. “I actually heard a gasp and saw people look at my groin as I bent down to pick them up, and noticed that it really looked like I had wet my pants. There was a huge sweat stain between my legs!”
Introducing invisiSweat technology
Alana generously sent me some tights for a trial and review. One of the most distinctive things I noticed when I received them were the patches made from a darker and different fabric on the inside. It kind of looked like padding on the inside of bicycle shorts, but not as thick.
As it turns out, they were the invisiSweat bamboo fabric lining. It’s an innovative bamboo/spandex lining designed to prevent sweat marks from showing on the outside fabric. You can find it in the crotch, inner thigh, bottom and bust areas of Idea Athletic’s activewear. True to its promise, you’d be none the wiser of its existence looking at it from the outside.
It took Alana two years of trial and error, and countless revisions before she landed on the current iteration. “When I first started, whilst I had a clear vision of wanting to solve the very common issue of awkward sweat marks, I wasn’t sure exactly what material it was going to be,” says Alana. “When I finally tried bamboo, it was a game-changer. The material was breathable, soft and naturally moisture-wicking, which made it perfect for activewear.”
Giving Idea Athletic a test run
While I normally live in Sydney, I couldn’t resist bringing my Idea Athletic tights to Queensland for a trial run (literally) while on holidays. Where else would I require stronger sweat-proof activewear?
I also played touch football in the tights, cycled, as well as did strength and flexibility training at home.
Disclaimer: While I definitely do sweat, I’m not someone who normally sweats a lot. As such, my experience may be completely different to someone else’s.
The material of my tights took some getting used to. It’s made from spandex, like my other sports tights, but it felt very different—somewhat like soft plastic in my hands—at the beginning. It’s also very finely ribbed, which I’m not a big fan of.
According to Alana however, the company also sells tights in smooth fabric. “The ribbed material has been by far our most popular,” she says. “We’ve found that the ribbed fabric provides a flattering fit, offering great support and helping to smooth everything out.”
Once I got used to the material on my skin, the tights were comfortable. They felt sturdy and thicker than cheaper sports tights, but didn’t make me feel overheated. The high waistband was supportive and did not require frequent readjusting. At the same time, the stretchy material gave me great flexibility and confidence to do squats without fear of anything riding down.
My favourite feature? The large phone pocket on the right side of my tights. Now I can listen to podcasts while running laps without having to hold my phone in my hand. Perfect.
And as promised: Completely sweat mark-free.
Top of the world with Idea Athletic
I think one of the reasons why Idea Athletic works so well as activewear lies in the fact Alana used to be a fitness instructor. As she admits, “I had the opportunity to wear and test countless styles of activewear during my classes, giving me invaluable firsthand experience of what worked and what didn’t. More importantly, my role allowed me to connect with so many women, hear their feedback and truly understand their preferences when it came to activewear.”
To be honest, I’m not completely sold on the ribbed design or feel of the material in my hands. What I love about my Idea Athletic tights however, is that they are comfortable to wear and keep active in. Most importantly, it also gives me full confidence that I won’t have sweat marks show up in embarrassing places. It makes it easy to go from a workout session to my daily errands without having to change.
What next? 10-minute workouts that strengthen without taking too much time in your day.
