That knot on the packet isn’t an initiation test for the Scouts, nor is it an extract from a training manual for sailors. It is an enlarged detail of the way these tights are knitted. It’s Kunert’s answer to the problem of runs in tights.
We have seen this sort of idea before. The theory is that if the fibres are knotted, then if one breaks the damage is limited to a small area before the broken thread is caught by a knot. Run resisting tights have never really set the world on fire though, they tend to cost more, they tend to compromise on look, fit and feel and frequently they don’t work. Our experience has been that the best way to avoid runs is to use top quality yarn that is less prone to breaking in the first place. This is why this style caught our eye because Kunert tights are usually great looking, well-fitting and made with top quality yarns.
So, first impressions. Well, these tights certainly feel nice in the hand, light and soft and sheerer than we expected. The detailing is excellent with a flat toe seam and a sandal toe, the heel is shaped, and the overall design is sheer to waist. The panty has a cotton-lined gusset and high-quality flat seams. The 4 cm deep waistband is entirely plain. But the 3 cm deep finger band carries a “Chinchilla” motif on each hip.
Fit is good, and sizing is accurate but not generous. The finish is as described, matt but with a slight shimmer in the right light. The silky soft feeling on the legs is a delight.
So have Kunert cracked the problem of runs in tights? Well no, unfortunately not. Our test pair failed along the seam at the edge of the gusset as they were being put on. For some reason, Kunert decided not to put a transitional strengthened strip between the seams and the sheer material. On the positive side, this catastrophe didn’t cause any runs into the legs! The knot did eventually catch the hole, but not before it was big enough to put your hand through!
It may just be bad luck, but in over 400 tests of tights, we have never had a pair fail in this way. Ironically, we love the look and feel of these tights. But that they failed on the one thing they should have excelled at; durability.
We will see about getting another pair from Kunert for a full round of testing.
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