Sarahspins, I haven't tried them but suspect I'd feel the seams, as I do every irregularity at the bottom of shoes etc now. I wear body tights under comp dresses to smooth lines etc, and always wear a pair of regular tights over top, so if the foot part goes wonky, it's not easily accessible to fix. I will give them a go if I can't find an alternative. Thanks for the heads up that they might not be as bad as I thought, though.
Skittl, thanks for the suggestion to contact Danny's and ask them - why didn't I think of that?? I've done it now and am waiting to hear back, but I'm not too hopeful, as I think they're a disposal warehouse for end-of-line ranges. Fingers crossed anyway!