As a long distance runner, I know that limiting fatigue in muscles is key to making it to the finish line. Over a long or challenging run, lactate will develop in your muscles, making them sore as hell, almost to the point where walking is a challenge. One source of fatigue comes from muscles bouncing in every direction with each stride. A simple way to avoid this fatigue is to wear compression gear that keeps your muscles from flopping around.
I had previously tried many brands and yes, I felt a difference when running marathons and ultra-marathons, but I always hated wearing them. Most brands seem to make their names for the compression rating they put in their products. Also, most brands are “sock” like, woven just like a sock and until the item digs in your skin after a few miles. Many of these products also lose some elasticity with repeated cleaning and drying.
But I recently had a chance to test the C3fit Inspiration Performance compression sleeves and I just loved them! They are built with nylon/polyurethane, as opposed to polyamide/spandex, so they feel quite soft, much like a polyester shirt. They incorporate variable compression levels, so around the ankle you will have 24hpa compression rating and on the calf itself you will have 17hpa. The principle is to create more blood flow from the bottom to irrigate the muscle properly. It also provides a little more support to the ankle itself.
The stitching on the C3fits is impressive – very wide and they will not loosen over time. The collar on the sleeve is made of looser poly-type material so it doesn’t dig into your calf like some many socks that have too much retention.
The sleeves I tested were from the Inspiration line from C3fit, which are designed for performance, but they offer three other styles of compression:
– Focus: Designed for knee support
– Element: Full knee support with increased mobility
– Impact: Preventing damages from impact. These offer the most support.
At $49 from retailers, these C3fit calf sleeves will not overstretch your budget and will do just what they are meant to do – keep your muscles from seizing up.
I really like the sleeve and I planned to try more products from this fine company in the future.
