There’s no better feeling than working up a sweat. When you’re on a court, or track, that sweat can easily hinder your game. Getting sweat in your eyes is uncomfortable and can be the difference between hitting a winner or an unforced error.
A sweatband is common sportswear for athletes of all levels. It helps to alleviate the distracting effects of perspiration, allowing you, to focus solely on your game.
The Nike Dri-Fit 2.0 Head Tie is the next generation in head-bands. It’s predecessor was made from polyester and spandex. The 2.0 is made from 95% nylon which is both elastic and water resistant.
Today, we’re going to take an in-depth look at the latest sports apparel from household name, Nike.
Polyester Material That Pays Dividends
The switch to Nylon instead of Polyester has paid dividends in terms of absorbance. Nylon fabric doesn’t retain moisture in the same way as natural fabrics like cotton or wool. Instead, it is inherently water resistant.
Water resistance means that rather than absorbing moisture it pushes the water to the surface of the fabric. This is especially handy in sports situations because excess moisture evaporates faster than if it is contained within the head band itself.
The process of pushing water to the surface where it can evaporate is known as wicking. Nylon wicks sweat away from the body. That means the headband won’t carry any excess weight, staying light and dry on your head. This headband doesn’t absorb water but rather, it stays dry in even the toughest routines or sports.
The Nylon construction of this head-band is a stroke of genius that guarantees to keep sweat away from your eyes.
Durability
The fabric, nylon, is far more durable than wool, cotton or silk. The natural properties of this fabric mean it won’t wrinkle, stretch or shrink. Plus, it’s a really low maintenance piece of sportswear. It can be machine washed, drys fast and is easy to dye to match your team colors.
It’s easy to forget about a head-band after a tough workout, or leave it in a locker over the weekend. Moisture wicking fabrics like nylon reduce mildew buildup so you won’t have to worry about damaging the head-band over time like you would with a traditional fabric.
This head-band is fully machine washable. It won’t shrink in higher temperatures and is naturally resistant to staining. After a hard work-out it can be easy to forget about washing instructions and ruin your head-band, with this, that isn’t an issue.
The Nike logo on the front of the headband is embroidered rather than screen printed. Screen printed logos tend to fade over time, especially when a lot of moisture is involved. When you’re buying products from a big brand you’re always paying a little bit more for the logo. For that reason, it’s important that the logo stays looking fresh even after long usage.
Super Soft
It’s a one size fits all headband which normally I think is less than ideal. The headband is 2.5 inches by 24 inches with a tie to keep it on your head. The natural elasticity of the fabric is versatile without ever feeling too tight. Unlike natural materials, this head-band won’t get soggy or heavy during use, staying light and dry throughout.
The head-band feels surprisingly soft despite the strength of the fabric. The moisture wicking effect means that you don’t have to worry about chafing. A side effect of this is that the head-band lacks any grip on the inside. I find it slips a little on my head during high intensity workouts. When this happens, it’s just a case of re-tying the head-band to get it tight on the forehead; it’s a minor hassle, but one worth mentioning.
Final Verdict
My first impressions of this headband was a relatively standard piece of sportswear. However, after testing there’s a lot of little, well thought out details that add together to become really useful. It’s durable and comfortable with clever dry fit technology to keep sweat away from your eyes and face.
View our current list of the Best Sweatbands.