I love these: They are very soft, very elastic, and they last longer than other hair bands. (There's no metal or crimp.) They're great for running. They stretch out pretty early in their use, but they're still very elastic when stretched. I used to use the thin Scrunchies, but those don't have the elastic or holding properties that these have. These are the only hair bands I can find these days that are this good at holding a pony tail while being soft on the hair.