the saysky combat+ 9" is the best half tight i've run in. i tested it against the path projects sentinel across 500 miles of a 2026 boston marathon build and a summer of ultra training, road and trail, tempo work and long runs. the combat+ is the one i keep reaching for: firm compression, a waistband that stays put, and a fit you actually want to be seen in. the sentinel carries more and comes with a separated liner that has become my favorite piece of running kit, though the tight itself didn't win me over the same way. if you've written off half tights, start with the combat+.
let's get this out of the way: i was a running tights skeptic.
for years i couldn't get past it. half tights just didn't look right to me. too much compression, too little short, too many guys at the start line looking like they were about to audition for a cycling team. i was firmly in the split shorts camp and didn't see a reason to leave.
then you realize twenty-four hours in that wearing a pair of sweaty shorts across and over rolling mountains rubs you the wrong way. literally. so i picked up a pair of patagonia endless run tights a few years back because they didn't look as "tighty" as some others. the fit was right. the feel was right. i stopped thinking about what they looked like and started thinking about how they ran. that pair eventually wore out, and i've been searching for a replacement ever since.
now i found it.
saysky combat+ short tight
this is the one. i picked up the combat+ 9" in rum raisin during my 2026 boston build and it immediately went into heavy rotation. the compression is firm but not suffocating. the waistband stays put through tempo efforts without digging in. and the 9" length hits that sweet spot where you get real coverage without feeling like you're wearing capris.
and yes, even my wife thinks i look good in them.
that's what makes saysky different from other tights i've tried on the market. you actually want to be seen in them. the rum raisin colorway is subtle enough for everyday training but distinctive enough that you don't look like everyone else at the track or on the trails.
i've also been running in the saysky cr 8" short tight, which is a slightly shorter, lighter option. less compression than the combat+, more of a second-skin feel. i reach for these on what i think are my faster days. both have held up through 500 miles of boston prep and everything since. tempo runs, long runs, track sessions. no signs of wear.
the combat+ 9" runs $80. shop the combat+ on syndicate →
more on the brand in our full saysky profile.
path projects sentinel half tight
looking ahead to summer ultras on my schedule, i needed something built for longer days on the trail. path projects already makes some of the best running shorts out there, so when i found the sentinel half tight i had to try them. i'm particularly drawn to their separated liner concept, so i picked up a pair of the lynx liners as well.
the sentinel carries more than the combat+, which matters on long efforts when you're moving gels, a phone, and whatever else you've decided you need that day. the catch is that a smaller iphone bounces around in the open pockets, so you end up defaulting to the zip pocket. worth knowing before you head out on a long one and spend three hours annoyed. the fit is relaxed enough for all-day comfort without being sloppy, and it handles hot and cold miles equally well, which isn't true of every tight in this category.
the honest version, though, is that the tight itself hasn't displaced the combat+ in my rotation. the liner is a different story. the lynx has become the piece i reach for constantly, and i wear it under other half tights and shorts, not just the sentinel. path projects built their whole reputation on separating the liner from the short, and running in one is the fastest way to understand why. if you take one thing from this section, take the liner.
the sentinel runs $98. shop the sentinel on syndicate →
more on the brand in our full path projects profile.
combat+ or sentinel?
get the combat+ if you want one half tight that does everything. it has the better fit of the two, the compression is right for hard efforts, and the 9" length works for most training. get the sentinel if you carry a lot, spend real time on trail, and want the pocket capacity more than you want the fit. and get the lynx liner regardless of which tight you land on.
why run in half tights instead of shorts?
half tights solve three problems shorts don't. the compression keeps your inner thighs from rubbing raw on long runs, which is the whole reason i switched. the fabric supports your quads through speedwork. and the pockets sit flat against your leg instead of swinging loose, so you can carry gels and a phone without anything bouncing.
do half tights prevent chafing?
yes, and it's the main reason to wear them. chafing happens when loose fabric moves against skin over thousands of strides. a half tight doesn't move. after twenty-four hours in shorts across rolling mountains i stopped caring what tights looked like and started caring that i wasn't bleeding.
what length half tight should you get?
9" is the safe default. it covers enough thigh to stop chafing without reading as capris. 8" is lighter and faster-feeling, better for tempo days and racing. i run the saysky combat+ at 9" for most training and the cr 8" when i want less fabric.
years in the making
if you're where i was a few years ago, convinced that tights aren't for you, i get it. but the new generation of half tights from indie brands has quietly solved most of the old complaints. the fits are better. the materials are lighter. the designs actually look good. and once you stop fighting it and just go for a run in a pair, you realize the performance benefits are real: less chafing on long runs, better muscle support during speedwork, and pockets that actually carry what you need and don't bounce.
you don't have to go full compression-everything. just try one pair. start with the saysky combat+ if you want something structured, or the path projects sentinel if you want the storage. worst case, you have a new pair of tights you occasionally reach for. best case, you're a convert.
i was. and i'm not going back to chafed inner thighs on 20-milers.
both brands are in our roundup of 8 indie running brands you should know in 2026.
