SLS3 Compression Sox–Final Review

We’ve been using the SLS3 Compression Sox for a few weeks now and have been very pleased with their performance.

Background:

SLS3, pronounced SLS Tri, has been around since their debut in 2007 at the Hawaii Ironman.  Designed, tested, and manufactured in the US, SLS3 makes a line of compression socks, ’sox’, and sleeves.  In addition, they have a few lines of racing apparel, the FX and the FRT.  In addition, SLS3 sponsors quite a few athletes and they have quite a few testimonials on their site.

Background on SLS3 Compression Sox:

The SLS3 Compression Sox is designed to assist with performance and recovery in serious athletes.  SLS3 uses polypropylene, a material that absorbs 300% less water than nylon.  The socks is great for pre and post-race but is designed for exercising.  Added bonus, they recommend using the socks for traveling, during work when you might sit or stand for a long period of time, during pregnancy, and during any injury.  Compression works by assisting blood flow into your extremities, encouraging the removal of lactic acid and other byproducts of exercise.

Our Final Thoughts:

It’s hard to wax poetic about socks, even if they have a flashy name like Sox.  That said, we’ve been more than pleased with these socks.  Of all the products this reviewer has tested, these are my favorites by far.  In the past two weeks, we’ve worn these socks while running and after running.  We even wore them during the Rock and Roll marathon in Nashville.  We’ve noticed that compression is becoming all the rage for runners and triathletes and it’s easy to see why after using these socks.

The compression made a noticeable different in our feet and calves.  We experienced less fatigue during running and a serious reduction in soreness after running.  Our best advice is to make sure you measure yourself properly for these socks.  For us, the small/medium fits perfectly.  Other socks we’ve tried did not fit properly and as a result don’t provide the full range of compression assistance.  We also found that these socks help with thermoregulation.  We have run in a myriad of weather, from 50 degrees to 80 degrees.  These socks help us stay cool when it’s hot and keep us warm when the temperature drops.  While running in the rain, these socks prevented blisters.

If you’re willing to give the compression craze a try, there is no better place to start.  We highly recommend these socks.