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A review of graduated compression wear

75 bytes added, 22:08, 28 January 2013
Calf Sleeves
I've tried a number of different graduated compression bottoms for both recovery and training. I was initially skeptical of the benefits of compression clothing, but I've become a believer over time. My [[Why compression clothes|review of the available research]] indicates that compression clothing is a worthwhile investment. Personally, I found wearing compression clothing while training improves comfort and reduces leg pain. I have also found that wearing compression clothing makes a significant difference to recovery. Recovery compression tights reduce discomfort while they are worn, and they also reduce overall recovery times. I even [[Zeo Sleep Monitor|sleep]] in compression tights on occasion.
 
=Calf Sleeves=
!Type!!Recommendation!!Overall Rating!!Colors!!Sizes!!Size Increments!!Elasticity!!Taper!!Thickness!!Compression top!!Compression Bottom!!Compression ratio!!Length!!Comfort!!Size Tested
|-
|[http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Self&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2F2XU-Non-Stirrup-Compression-Guard-White%2Fdp%2FB00591UGFY 2XU] Calf Guards]
|Top Pick
|10.0
|5
|4
|-29%
|11"
|9
|5
|4
|-20%
|14"
|5
|2
|2
|-10%
|13
|8
|8
|7
|-20%
|11"
|3
|5
|3
|-43%
|12"
|1
===Explanation of columns===
I've gathered a number of details on each of the compression calf sleeves I evaluated. With these calf sleeves, getting the right fit is critical to getting the right compression.
* '''Overall Rating'''. The sleeves are ordered by rating, but this number is intended to give a sense of their relative merits. * '''Color'''. For best performance in warm conditions, go for white sleeves. * '''Sizes'''. The more sizes that are available, the better your chance of getting the right fit. If you have larger or smaller calves, you may be more limited in your options.* '''Size Increments'''. A small size increment tends to imply less flexibility in the fit.* '''Elasticity'''. The more elastic a sleeve is, the wider the range of calf and ankle sizes it will work for. Not only is it harder to get the right fit with an inflexible sleeve, changes in your muscle size will cause bigger changes in compression. (Muscles tend to swell slightly during exercise.)* '''Taper'''. These sleeves all taper from the top to the bottom, ideally following the shape of your calf. The taper is the ratio between the size at the top and the size at the bottom. If you have larger calf muscles with small ankles, you need a high ratio. Similarly, if you have small calf muscles or larger angles, you need a lower ratio. * '''Thickness'''. A thinner sleeve is generally better than a thicker sleeve in warm conditions. * '''Compression top/bottom'''. This is an estimate of how much pressure each sleeve provides. The actual pressure will depend on how well the sleeve fits you, so use this as a rough guide. * '''Compression ratio'''. This is how much pressure is provided at the bottom compared with the top. It's generally recommended that there is more compression at the bottom than the top. A negative value indicates more compression at the top than the bottom. * '''Comfort'''. This is how comfortable I found the sleeves. * '''Length'''. This is the length I measured wearing the sleeves and different sizes will have different lengths, so use this as a relative guide. Longer sleeves that come lower down the ankle tend to put more pressure on the Achilles tendon, which can cause problems. * '''Size tested'''. This is the size I tested, and my calves measure about 14.5 inches so you can see where I fall in the size range.
==2XU Guard Calf Sleeves==
These [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Self&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2F2XU-Non-Stirrup-Compression-Guard-White%2Fdp%2FB00591UGFY 2XU sleeves] are my favorites of those I tested. They have plenty of elasticity combined with 6 different sizes, so they are most likely to fit well, and provide a reasonable level of compression. The thin material and the white color are ideal for warmer conditions and they stay in place well. They are also the only sleeves I tested with reflective strips, a useful safety feature when running in the dark. (Note that 2XU also make a 'Calf Sleeve' without 'Guard' in the name which I didn't test.)
The [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB003YXXA7U Skins] sleeves are the most comfortable sleeves I tried, mostly because they provide so little compression. Without the compression, these do not seem worth buying.
==Salomon Exo IV==
The best word to summarize the [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Self&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FSalomon-Mens-Exo-Calf-Tight%2Fdp%2FB007FQWLM2 Salomon Exo IV] is 'horrible'. They have almost no elasticity, so the chance of getting a good fit is extremely low, and the level of compression they provide is likely to change significantly as your muscles warm up and expand.   
=Training Tights=

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