Replacement for Hanes Resilience nylons?

November 29, 2007 2:11 PM

What's a good replacement for Hanes Resilience nylons?

Now that Hanes Resilience nylons have been discontinued (yes, there are still a few remainders for sale at the above link, but not the whole range of colors, sizes, and shapes), I am looking for a replacement brand. I have tried most of the other L'eggs/Hanes offerings and am not happy with any of them. The specific qualities I am looking for in a pair of nylons are:

• Smooth feel. This is a little hard to explain, but most drugstore-type nylons are a little soft or fuzzy to the touch; I am looking for the totally smooth, slick surface. Another way to put it: if you cross your legs while wearing the nylons, they should slide easily over each other; the nylons on opposite legs shouldn't "catch" and drag each other.
• Resistance to runs, picks, snags, and punctures. Within reason, of course; no pair of nylons is going to be perfect in this respect. But I hate it when I damage nylons before I even have them all the way on, because my thumb pokes a hole in them or they get snagged on the dry skin on the back of my hands. (Yeah, I could use lotion before putting on nylons; it's just an example of how snag-prone a lot of them are.)
• Non-baggy. No baggy, saggy knees and ankles, please!
• Sheer. Yes I know some of you favor opaque tights, but at the moment I'm searching for sheer nylons.

It has been alleged on AskMe that more expensive nylons are more durable. I'm ready to move on up from the L'eggs/Hanes/Bali discount catalogue, but before I invest $15/pair in what may turn out to be single-use garments, I'd like more specific recommendations.

I'm looking for brands (mainly pantyhose, but I'd be willing to try thigh-highs, and I need to find a source of knee-highs, too) that would be available by mail order or in chain/department stores in the U.S.

posted by Orinda to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (5 answers total)

I don't have brands to recommend, but always wash your nylons before the first wear. Starch or sizing is applied to the nylon fibers during manufacturing, and this makes them more susceptible to runs. This will come off in the wash and greatly prolong the life of your hosiery.
posted by happyturtle at 3:25 PM on November 29, 2007

I can't get much more specific than this, but Nordstrom has a house brand that works great for me. My friend is living in England now, and this was the brand she had me bring over so she could wear them in her wedding.
posted by GaelFC at 5:12 PM on November 29, 2007

Argh!!!!!!! I love Hanes Resilience!! This is bad news!

Calvin Klein pantyhose I found at Marshall's/TJ Maxx for $5.99 a pair were all you mention and more. They were practically indestructible (I wore one pair at least 20-30 times), light/smooth, sheer--they were perfection. I have no other information, though, other than "Calvin Klein".
posted by hecho de la basura at 6:20 PM on November 29, 2007

Have you tried the Solutions by Hanes Luxe line? I found these at Target and was impressed - they are definitely hard and smooth instead of soft and fuzzy, and very sheer.
posted by zepheria at 7:24 PM on November 29, 2007

Response by poster: Thank you for all the answers so far—these give me some leads to follow!
posted by Orinda at 10:22 AM on November 30, 2007