Compression for recovery - question

[OakLeaf]

I don't have socks. I have one pair of pantyhose that are 30-40 mm (those are the ones that really kill my feet, don't remember the brand), one pair of the ugly white Futuro thigh-highs that are 15-20 mm, and one pair of thigh-highs that I remember as being 20-30 mm but I'm not exactly sure the brand, they might be this Sigvaris pair.

I do feel I get a benefit even from the lower compression of the Futuros, especially since I can wear them longer. I'll definitely wear wool socks over any of them, not only to keep my feet warm but to protect the nylon.

[ny biker]

Thanks!!

I'll post again after I've had a chance to try the Zoot socks, in case anyone is finding this useful.

[GLC1968]

I have used CEP compression recovery socks (don't remember the exact name) and they were only OK. They make my feet hot, so I can only stand to wear them in the winter. I have a pair of compression 'socks' from Walgreens that have the same pressure level as my Zoot tights and they work well for calf recovery. They do have compression around the midfoot, but it's not super tight. The heel and toes are open though, so they are not as 'sweaty' for me as full socks.

My Zoot RX recovery tights are the best, by far. I had a pair I bought back in 2010 and they worked but they were so 1) hard to get on 2)uncomfortable and 3)poorly fitting, that I found myself finding excuses to not wear them. On the recommendation of Susan Otcenas, I bought the newer version. Wow, what a difference! Zoot really made some improvements. The foot band no longer kills my feet (Crankin - you should try on a pair of the newer ones!), the waist is no longer too low rise to stay up, and I swear that overall, they are easier to get on. That could be because I've lost some weight, but the newer tights just seem stretchier than the old ones. I love them for recovery. I wear then for travel after long runs, races or rides (why do I always seem to have a full day of travel the day after a hard effort??) and they make a world of difference vs doing nothing.

I cannot sleep in them (they make my RLS worse) but if I can get in a few hours of wearing immediately after a workout and then wear them for 'day-after' travel, I'm good.

[Crankin]

Just read your comment to DH.
GLC, how can I make sure I am buying the new version?

[GLC1968]

Just read your comment to DH.
GLC, how can I make sure I am buying the new version?

I'm not sure. They look very similar but there is a clear difference when they are side by side. I know that TE only carries the new version, so you could order directly from them.

[ny biker]

My thinking on tights is: I would typically be putting them on after a ride, which means I'm probably changing clothes in a heavily-used public restroom (gas station, convenience store, fast food place). So I'm trying really hard not to let my clothes touch the filthy floor, and there are probably people waiting to use the restroom after me so I need to move fast. This is not a good situation for putting on very-tight tights.

With socks, I can just sit in my car while putting them on.

Are you guys typically at home when you change into the tights post-workout?

p.s. I had a long chat about compression socks with my trainer last night. He mentioned that Nike also sells them and he thought they might be less expensive than the other brands. There happens to be a Nike store near the gym so I stopped in to have a look-see on my way home. They're the same price range as the other brands I've already investigated and there's no mmHg information available for them. So I didn't buy them. I'm still planning to buy the Zoot socks, hopefully I'll have time to place the order tonight.

[GLC1968]

I actually don't put mine on until I've showered. It's rare that I'm in a situation where I can't get cleaned up and into the tights within an hour of my ride/race. I do remember two situations where I put them on in the car at a tri because I still had some waiting to do for friends who were racing a longer distance than me. I pulled on a skirt, pulled off my tri shorts, and then pulled the tights up on under the skirt (and walked around in the skirt and the tights until we drove home). It worked out fine.

I can't even imagine trying to struggle into those suckers in a public bathroom stall!