This Everlast Woven Resistance Band review is part of Street Smarts, FLEETSTREET’s series where we, with an unvarnished eye, explore the *who, what, where, when and why* of new products – from fitness gear to health gadgets to beauty creams.
I have a love-hate thing with booty bands. I like how they can advance and add resistance to moves like squat walks, donkey kicks, bridge pulses, leg raises. And you can use it for the upper body too, with shoulder squeezes, lat pulldowns, triceps presses and more. My hate for the booty band enters when I’m doing these moves. It gets twisted, digging into my legs, buckling my hands or uncomfortably sliding down. Why don’t these damn things just stay put!? Also, I had the unfortunate incident when one snapped on me in a barre class. I felt like my leggings split up the backside, I was so embarrassed. I figured all booty bands were crap… until I discovered the Everlast Woven Resistance Band.
The brand – Everlast
What immediately comes to mind when I think of this U.S. brand is boxing shorts with the big ol’ Everlast badge front and centre on the waistband. Everlast is a boxing company that makes boxing gear, and it has since 1910. It’s geared up fighters from Muhammad Ali to Ramla Ali. So, yes, you could say I was surprised to see a Pilates tool like a booty band come from Everlast.
I did Pilates straight for two weeks and this is how it changed my body.
The equipment – Everlast Woven Resistance Band
Everlast does sell those bands I was complaining about – the latex rubber kind. They’re sold in threes for under $20 (under $10 if you can get them on sale). But the band I’m gushing over are a touch more of an investment. And it’s worth it. The Everlast Woven Resistance Band is a game changer. This is from the company: “Made using a premium woven elastic design, this band’s dynamic design will prevent any pinching and rolling during workouts. Light band provides 15-30lb (7-14kg) of resistance.”
Test time
I’ve been using it since I got it for online classes with Body Barre and Peloton, as well as YouTube workouts with Kit Rich. And it’s been perfect – and I’m not overselling, promise. While the circumference is the same as a regular booty band, the width is about double: 29 inches long (74 centimetres), 3.15 inches wide (eight centimetres) wide and 0.1 of an inch thick (0.35 centimetres). So, it didn’t buckle or budge when I was doing donkey kicks. And it didn’t pinch my hands with curls.
I also love that there’s actual weight resistance linked to the band you choose. I have light, which is 15 to 30 pounds of resistance. Medium is 25 to 40 pounds, and heavy is 35 to 60 pounds. The range is because of how it would be used for different exercises and muscle groups. Some moves require a greater pull range. And, even with the light one, I can confirm that it is more challenging than the hardest bands I’ve tried at any studio, including the black “band of death” I was warned about when I grabbed from the basket at my local yoga studio.
Plus, the inside is woven with latex rubber thread, much like you might see on some sports bras, to keep it in place. I have do have a latex allergy, but because I used it over my leggings and socks, I didn’t have a reaction. If you do too, just be aware of that risk and talk to your doctor or healthcare provider.
Find out what happened when we set up two singles for a boxing date.
