Compression reviews? ideas?

carls10

I am interested in purchasing some compression items for the upcoming holiday traveling.  I'm not sure which brand, which style etc.  The prices seem to have quite the range.  I am looking to use them as a recovery tool only, will be traveling both by plane and train right after doing longish runs/workouts.  The tights seem ok but maybe overkill? 

Thoughts?  Recommendations?

jburbatt

In the winter I wear the Zoot full compression tights pretty much every day. Like them a lot and haven't had any problems with them even after washing them many times.

Nemo Brauch

 You can buy compression socks for every day stuff cheaper if you go with the medical supply stuff (also similar to what the airline attendants wear)  I bought a pretty wide range of socks for work from Ames online- good prices and they offer discounts all the time:

http://www.ameswalker.com/womensssocks.html

Now that I work from a home office, I've splurged on a pair of Zoot tights (since I don't have to worry about putting something "office appropriate" over them).  LOVE them, but I only wear them once or twice a week after the really hard workouts- I just can't be bothered with all the washing and I don't feel I need to have multiple pairs around.

I thought I'd use the tights on the plane coming back from IMWI.  But frankly, I found them to be  too hot to wear under another pair of pants.

Finally- since I live in sandles much of the year, I also purchased calf guards (Zensah) but I've found they don't really offer the compression I was looking for (maybe my calfs are too small?) 

mancona

Yes, I am biased, but I also live in my Zoot recovery tights during hard training periods and travel. I just wore them for 14+ hours on the way to and from hawaii and was comfortable the entire way. I have sused cheaper tights and they do the same thing for less money but I was never able to wear them overnight or for a long flight without getting uncomfortable.

If you can't or don't want to do tights at least get socks and wear those. The majority of the socks on the market come from CEP and are re-branded (including Zoot) and are very good quality. I can notice a difference between these and cheaper socks as they are more comfortable, more graduated, and last longer. I typically wear compression socks to work for most of the year.

All that said, if you are only going to use the compression gear once in a while the cheap ones will work prefectly fine and you will get most of the benefit for half the cost. If you are going to use them all year, my suggestion is to just buy good stuff to start with.

mancona

One more side note... compression sleeves are typically only good for use during activity as you are moving and blood is circulating more so it will not pool in your feet. For travel or recovery you want a sock or tight that also compresses your foot and prevent the pooling of blood in your feet.

Linda Patch

Lots of compression info and opinions in this thread in 3.0. FWIW, I'm a big fan of Zoot recovery tights and CEP socks. I have several variations on things, and find these are the best.

carls10

Linda, thanks for the link, very helpful.  Leaning towards taking Matt's advice about covering the foot so will look at socks and tights.

All of this info is just one of the reasons I love this team so much!

mancona

Carly, just in case I wasn't clear, you don't need to get the socks and tights as the zoot recovery tights go over your foot as well. I just like to have both socks and tights for different days and depending on how trashed my legs are.

michaelgasser17

Just ordered my zoot compression tights. I'm pumped. I have always gotten some slight joint swelling after the long runs. I'll also be enduring some long travel to races in 2011.