by Al Sacco

Tom Brady’s pricey PJs pack ‘recovery tech’ for athletes

Opinion
Jan 05, 2017
Consumer ElectronicsHealth and Fitness SoftwareWearables

Under Armour's new TB12 pajamas aren't cheap, but they promise to rejuvenate your body after workouts. And they just might work, according to a study from the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

The New England Patriots’ polarizing quarterback wants you to avoid “poisonous” soda, embrace healthier UnReal candy and avocado ice cream — and sleep in Under Armour’s brand new “Athlete Recovery Sleepwear,” which reportedly has “recovery tech” woven directly into its fabric that helps your body recover after a strenuous workout. 

The space age jammies from Brady, a.k.a, TB12 (Tom Brady 12, his Patriots uniform number) and Under Armour look like, well, regular old PJs. However, the secret lies in the fabric, according to the company. From a related press release: 

“Under Armour has incorporated the bioceramics technology-used and validated by TB12-into a pattern lining the garments, which are designed to maximize comfort and fit. The pattern includes special bioceramic particles that absorb infrared wavelengths emitted by the body and reflect back Far Infrared, helping the body recover faster while promoting better sleep.”

Riiiiiggghhhht. This whole thing stinks of BS, and I suspect Under Armour knows it, because it just so happened to include a link to a study on Far Infrared (FIR) from the U.S. National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on the product page. And guess what? The study seems to suggest that FIR may indeed have some restorative properties for human cells. The problem is that the conclusion also includes this line: “If it can be proved that non-heating FIR has real and significant biological effects, then the possible future applications are wide ranging.”

That “If it can be proved” means it has not yet been proved, so it’s too early to tell whether or not it’s a good idea to drop $100 on some fancy sweatpants and another $100 on a matching long-sleeve night shirt — even if they are “insanely soft,” as Under Armour claims.

tom brady under armour sleepwear Under Armour

On the other hand, the company did create an amusing digital storybook to promote the new sleepwear and Tom Brady’s “Six steps to a better night’s sleep” that’s worth a look. 

AS