Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Compression Sleeves

So after my weekend.... more on that later. My legs were tired. Let's just say 103 mile ride to include GWL and Mt Laguna backed up with a 2 hour run was a bit much 4 weeks post IM. One might say WTF? In any case....my legs needed help.

I did the ice bath, foam roller and increased stretching but needed more help..... So Monday, a planned day off, I went for a run and regretted it.

So I have been living in compression sleeves. I have 3 pair now- Zensah, Zoot and CEP


Zensah come in cool colors, I have purple, which is very cool but does not match anything I wear so when I sport them I look dorkier...geeky sleeves and wrong color. They are affordable, well reasonably anyway at $39. They are the easiest to get on and off and are the most comfortable. They are better than knee socks for sure but compared to the others, they did not seem to release, the cramping that was seizing my calves.

CompressRx Calf Sleeve

Zoot come in black and white, are $60 and feel awesome when they are on. But getting them on and off take a feat of superhuman strength. If the get rolled up when you are taking them off and you finger gets pinched, it hurts, a lot, a lot. So the Zoot are my vote if you don't have to take them off. And well that gets gross after a few days....Okay I only wore them for 24 hours but then did peel them off to shower. (serioully they can get a new photo- they make them look horrible)


CEP have the same desired affect at Zoot- as they feel like they are working. Comfortable and the cramping goes away and they feel great when I wear them. They are a tad longer so with running shoes they look like knee socks, not sure if that is an advantage or disadvantage, but more of a visual. At $39 they are in the same price range as Zensah and are easier to get on and off but offer the same feel as the Zoot's. I went for white as black seems so...hairy man at the beach with plaid shorts and black knee socks. But white, gets dirtty and trail running, sunscreen and they are looking grimy fast. But since they are easier to get off, washing is easier as well.

So there you have it..... I did wear one of each at times and once I got them on the Zoot and CEP has the same desired affect. The Zensah offered less compression. Now you can imagine how I looked with one purple and one white, in the scheme probably just a bit geekier than all white.

I have not taken the full compression knee socks for a spin- they seem so hot, for right now.

1 comment:

  1. The Zoot and CEP socks feel similar because as far as I know CEP still makes Zoot compression socks (I could be wrong). CEP was making Zoot compression (this is fact - LOL), but since Zoot was bought by K2 late last year they are in the process of changing manufacturers (may have already changed). I agree with you on Zensah, their fabric feels amazing, but doesn't do too much in way of actual compression :).

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