Love them or hate them, compression socks have found their fans. It's mostly the fashion (un-?)conscious triathletes who like the latest gear. Runners tend to be a little more on the conservative side when it comes to new things. And who could blame them, given that world records are still held and broken in singlet, shorts and straightforward flats or spikes?
An instant classic became the video where Ironman Triathlon superstar Chris Lieto trained with Ryan Hall and Josh Cox in Mammoth last summer. In tube, eh, pardon me, compression socks, no less. Of course he got his butt handed but that's to be expected (would Hall survive a 2.4 mile ocean swim without drowning?). HERE you can find the Lieto perspective on things.
Nonetheless, compression socks have their fans also among elite runners. Some race in them (Paula Radcliffe has done so for years), some train in them or use them for post training/racing recovery or long flights and drives.
There is still no conclusive research out there, if they actually help performance. Even more so, a friend of mine recently filled me in on this lab guy who did an extensive testing on many products out there. It turned out that some compression socks actually keep more blood in the feet and actually hinder blood flow! Apparently one retailer threatened with a lawsuit should the results ever be published.
True or not, choosing one's weapon wisely is never a mistake.
The weapons I got to choose recently came from RACESOX.
The first pair was the RX900, RACESOX's compression socks for racing. They say:
"The RX900 Competitor, our newest addition to the Racesox Compression family, boasts all the same advantages of the RX800 but with the added benefits of high-density Coolmax® sole cushioning for impact absorption and a high-splice for protection against blisters."
They come at 50$ per pair and are fine socks indeed. Now, trouble is, I don't race with compression socks. I just don't like the look. I'm oldschool. That said, maybe I just need twenty more years of wear and tear on my body (or two as a matter of fact). And then these socks will be oldschool and I can wear them in public. So, while the product seems nicely made, it would be unfair if I would say that I tested them. However, I have seen other compression socks and those RACESOX clearly seem to be top notch. Hence, if you are in the market for racing compression socks, give them a try.
But then there are the RX700s:
"The RX700 Travel & Recovery is for the working athlete who needs to do two things: speed recovery after a long day of training or competing AND stimulate circulation during long periods of sedentary activity at the office, on the plane, or behind the wheel of a car. Boasting OCT® (12-15 mmHg in the ankle tapering off to 9-12 mmHg over the calf) and TCK’s proDRI&trade system, this sock is the perfect fit for a dress shoe or the post-race sandal."
If you subtract the marketing language, you are left with a fine sock for your long travels at just 35 bucks a pair. The foot is non-restrictive which I LOVED. My old compression socks squeezed my toes in an uncomfortable way. Nonetheless, if I take them off after a day of travelling, my ankles don't look like Granny's. And that's my indicator that they work.
Good stuff!
mzungo.org says: if your socks suck, check out RACESOX!
An instant classic became the video where Ironman Triathlon superstar Chris Lieto trained with Ryan Hall and Josh Cox in Mammoth last summer. In tube, eh, pardon me, compression socks, no less. Of course he got his butt handed but that's to be expected (would Hall survive a 2.4 mile ocean swim without drowning?). HERE you can find the Lieto perspective on things.
Nonetheless, compression socks have their fans also among elite runners. Some race in them (Paula Radcliffe has done so for years), some train in them or use them for post training/racing recovery or long flights and drives.
There is still no conclusive research out there, if they actually help performance. Even more so, a friend of mine recently filled me in on this lab guy who did an extensive testing on many products out there. It turned out that some compression socks actually keep more blood in the feet and actually hinder blood flow! Apparently one retailer threatened with a lawsuit should the results ever be published.
True or not, choosing one's weapon wisely is never a mistake.
The weapons I got to choose recently came from RACESOX.
The first pair was the RX900, RACESOX's compression socks for racing. They say:
"The RX900 Competitor, our newest addition to the Racesox Compression family, boasts all the same advantages of the RX800 but with the added benefits of high-density Coolmax® sole cushioning for impact absorption and a high-splice for protection against blisters."
They come at 50$ per pair and are fine socks indeed. Now, trouble is, I don't race with compression socks. I just don't like the look. I'm oldschool. That said, maybe I just need twenty more years of wear and tear on my body (or two as a matter of fact). And then these socks will be oldschool and I can wear them in public. So, while the product seems nicely made, it would be unfair if I would say that I tested them. However, I have seen other compression socks and those RACESOX clearly seem to be top notch. Hence, if you are in the market for racing compression socks, give them a try.
But then there are the RX700s:
"The RX700 Travel & Recovery is for the working athlete who needs to do two things: speed recovery after a long day of training or competing AND stimulate circulation during long periods of sedentary activity at the office, on the plane, or behind the wheel of a car. Boasting OCT® (12-15 mmHg in the ankle tapering off to 9-12 mmHg over the calf) and TCK’s proDRI&trade system, this sock is the perfect fit for a dress shoe or the post-race sandal."
If you subtract the marketing language, you are left with a fine sock for your long travels at just 35 bucks a pair. The foot is non-restrictive which I LOVED. My old compression socks squeezed my toes in an uncomfortable way. Nonetheless, if I take them off after a day of travelling, my ankles don't look like Granny's. And that's my indicator that they work.
Good stuff!
mzungo.org says: if your socks suck, check out RACESOX!
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