Hey Erinne,
Thanks for taking the time to leave such detailed feedback!
We're so glad to hear you're loving the compression on the Aero Hi-Rise Compression Tights! It's great that the muscle compression is working well for you.
Your feedback about the waist area running tighter than other similar pants, even after removing the cord, is really valuable and something we'll pass along to our product team for future considerations. We appreciate you sharing your honest experience with the fit and how it compares to other styles you've worn.
Thanks for choosing 2XU!
Warm regards,
Cem