Thanks to the guys over at 2XU, we recently received their compression calf guards. Renowned by many top athletes for their performance enhancing effects, we were super excited to receive this product to see how they compared to other top releases on the market. Having previously tested various other companies products, we had high hopes for the 2XU compression calf guards before wear, and you can find out our full thoughts below…..
The claims:
- The 2XU compression calf guards are powerful, breathable and have flexible fabrication
- They improve muscle containment for reduced muscle damage
- They encourage premier moisture management and comfort
Fit/comfort
I have worn these for around 10 hours now, and not once have I experienced any discomfort. The 2XU Calf Guard offers a nice, secure fit that really stabilizes your calf, which is exactly what it’s designed to do. It’s slightly ironic as I’ve always preferred not to have sleeves on my calves, but the 2XU Calf Guard really changed my mind. They are supposed to be breathable, and not once did I experience any sweat building up, despite using them in some quite intense exercise. Top marks to 2XU on this product, they’ve really crafted a superbly comfortable compression Calf sleeve.
As per usual with compression garments, sizing is absolutely crucial. You don’t want them to be too loose or too tight. I personally wore a small, which is a size smaller than I usually wear. If you’re looking to order a pair of these, I’d recommend you order a size down to what you would usually wear.
Compression
This is arguably the major part of the review, do you notice the effects of wearing them? For the first time with wearing a compression garment, I’d say yes. I wore these during a multitude of activities, including weightlifting, running, sprinting, jumping.. And every single one of them left my calves feeling sturdier. I have weak calves in proportion to the rest of my legs, and wearing these Calf Guards really gave me that supportive feel.
I personally believe that the most important aspect of compression garments is the recovery period. As previously mentioned, I had some pretty extensive training sessions, and I wore the 2XU Calf Guard after every one of them. I could feel the sleeve pressing in on my calves, and when I wore them overnight, my calves felt a lot better than they usually do after a similar session. I think this is the first time I’ve been happy to report that some compression gear did actually help me recover. Again, top marks to 2XU on this.
Value
Unfortunately, this is the one area that’s slightly disappointing. They retail at £32, which is really quite expensive for a product like this. I must admit, it does seem to be the general trend for compression products to be expensive, which I can’t really explain, but then you have to consider the fact that this product does appear to help performance.
Throughout use, they’ve appeared to be built to last. I’d be happy to say that these would last you a significant period of time and so in a way, the price tag could be considered reasonable as the 2XU Calf Guards would definitely be an investment that you could continue to wear.
Positives:
- Very comfortable
- They appeared to help me recover
- Built to last
Negatives:
- Price is high
To conclude, I really enjoyed wearing these Calf Guards, and I shall continue to wear them again. They were comfortable, and seemed to serve a purpose.. Even if they are slightly expensive for the average person. We are currently in discussions with 2XU about the possibility of reviewing more of their products, but for the time being leave your thoughts on this product below.
About Jon Nicholson
Strange. I am a 29 year old guy who does weight training (including heavy squats and deadlifts), lots of soccer, running, boxing, snow boarding and all that sort of stuff but not once have I ever felt the need to wear compression garments anywhere. I don’t think I have ever had sore calf muscles unless I have hit them with weight training. From what I have read there is no scientific studies to show compression garments do anything and they are pretty much a placebo. The only problems I have are ongoing ankle injuries from bad tackles and I even had knee surgery once. The DOMS I get from weight training and tired muscles from running won’t go away by magic garments. Our of interest, how old are you Jon?
That’s interesting. A lot of my teammates have had to use calf compressors because they kept getting calf cramps and they have worked in alleviating the problem. I think it differs from person to person, but consistent calf cramps could in large part be due to not warming up correctly.
Get a pair of barefoot shoes and do some hard surface hill running, I’ll guarantee that you will have sore muscles afterwards. Jon why is this sleeve necessary at all? If you want to make your calf-muscles stronger support is not good for you. Actually you want to put more weight on them so you will need to work harder, this is also good for football in general as it will give you quicker and lighter footsteps.
Only compression specific garm I wear is my under armour baselayer top
Most others I find to be ineffective