Ladder test: Pricey stockings not always the best

The top-rated tights outperformed other products costing two to three times as much.

Paying a higher price for winter tights does not guarantee better quality, according to a new study.

With the cold weather fully in swing, Consumer NZ tested 10 brands of stockings for their ability to withstand laddering and their overall strength.

The stockings ranged in price from $3.99 to $29.95, and Consumer NZ chief executive Sue Chetwin said the top performer was a $10 pair of Razzmatazz tights.

They outperformed products costing two to three times as much.

The cheapest pair - $3.99 Pams tights - returned very poor results.

"These tights were very quick to ladder, even with minimal stretching. You're unlikely to get much wear out of them once they snag," Chetwin said.

Other brands that performed poorly for laddering were Stepout, costing $16.99, and Kayser, $15.99.

The laddering test involved a small hole being punctured into the fabric which was then stretched.

Chetwin said most of the tights performed "reasonably well" in the burst test, which measured the strength and elasticity of the fabric.

"Our test results show paying a higher price for winter tights may not guarantee a superior product."

The testing was carried out for Consumer NZ by the New Zealand Wool Testing Authority, and results for all 10 brands can be found at consumer.org.nz.