Calf Sleeves
Ah yes...calf sleeves, the subject of much discussion, both pro and con, on many triathlon and running bulletin boards and magazines. Do they work? Do they not work?First of all, I think it's a personal choice and determination as to whether they work. It could be a most minimal effect, but compounded over 10 or more miles, it might have a benefit. I think that's where I stand on them. They definitely don't hurt, except your wallet and maybe a funky tan line or two, but the medical industry has been using them for years on elderly people with blood flow problems with some success.
The cost is stupid crazy out of control for them. $55 retail for 2XU ones and a teensy bit less for Zoot ones.
I have a white pair of Zoot ones that I've had for about a year. It's actually my third pair of Zoot ones in white. The first pair ripped after 4 wears. I took them back to my local triathlon shop (Tribe Multisports in Scottsdale, AZ) and they swapped them out for me, no questions asked. The second white pair ripped after about 7 wears. I called Zoot Customer Service and they said they would replace them through the establishment that I purchased them at. Tribe took care of that for me as well. My current white pair has about 6 wears on them and I'm afraid to wear them again...I won't replace them yet again as there's a defect/flaw in the design if they continue tearing at the same spot. Yes, they are the right size. Yes, I hand wash them and air them dry. Ironically, I own a black pair that ripped just last month on about the 8th or so wear. I am NOT sending them back. They all rip on the double layered portion of the sleeve, on the inside fabric, like they are allowed to stretch or the fabric isn't resilient enough to handle more than 6 to 8 wears and washings.
I have one pair of 2XU calf sleeves, white, that have been worn and washed about 15 times over the past year and a half. The silver, reflective logo and giant "X" is beginning to peel away, but that's just cosmetic, the guts of the sleeve are just fine. They aren't as tight as the Zoot ones and have a more rubbery feel at the top and bottom of the sleeve's elasticy portion is, but hey, they've lasted twice as long (how ironic it's lasted twice as long as Zoot and the brand name is 2XU) and are still kicking butt.
Do they work? I'm not entirely sure. It could be the placebo effect in full bore, but I do wear them on runs longer than an hour, almost exclusively now. I'll even wear the Zoot ones that are torn until they die a dastardly and untimely death on my calf. They will go out with style, even sans function.
Next week I'll chat about how my power meter is working out (maybe) and my thoughts on heat related training and how it affects your body and power producing ability (both running and biking).
