Compression socks; snake oil or success?

[esseff]

Just back from the bootfitter after three hours of service and new beds. He highly recommended compression socks, and he was not the first to suggest them. He was preaching blood flow in foot.

Anyone using them? $50/pop ain't cheap (they sell Dissent) but neither is skiing, and we all like happy feet.

Brands? Models? Skip it and keep my Ultimax socks?

[undertow2]

Laughed at them at first and than a family member bought me a pair and wont ski with anything else... CEP mens ski compression socks...

[HansJob]

Worth every penny. X2 for CEP

[iamTRuTH]

X3 for CEP. TheClymb offers them often under 30$

[XXX-er]

I got a couple different brands not really sure, I guess the way to test would be a normal sock on one foot and a compression sock on the other

[plugboots]

Whatever CEP I was given as a gift was too thick for me, so I use the smart wool compression thinnest version. What my wife and I both like about them is that they stay in place, you put them on and forget about them. Blood flow? Whatever.

[GeezerSteve]

I've used compression sleeves for long distance runs. They seemed to work. But maybe just a placebo that works.

[XXX-er]

yeah but medical studies have shown that even if you tell someone its just a placebo they will still get better

SO either way .... they are gona work for ya eh?

[Eluder]

The Dissent Hybrids are all I will use. Every customer that I convince to spend $50 on a pair thanks me.

[Dr. Crash]

I am hoping they work, as I have some Dissent Pro Tour and some Dissent Hybrid on their way to me. The Hybrid will probably be too thick in my alpine boots but may be nice for touring (ironically, given the name of the other sock). Since I like wool, and were I to do it again, I may have tried Icebreaker's Ski+ Compression Ultralight. This being said, I am very happy to support a smaller company that is near local to me.

I also ordered their long johns. My Patagonia Capilene finally got a hole after 18 years and I thought I got my money's worth (all these savings went to Dissent!).

Mostly I am hoping better blood flow and therefore warmth. Having just added some Sidas heated elements to my insoles, this might just be the perfect combo.

[plurpimpin]

Compression socks are great if you need them but I don't think they're the silver bullet some people claim they are. In the span of 2 years I had 2 broken legs (first doc didn't fix it right so I had to get it re-set) and my CEP compression socks were amazing during the recovery to help increase blood flow and reduce swelling.

Once I was cleared to return to sport I continued to wear the compression sock on the bad leg until I had broken up the scar tissue and it stopped swelling when I was active. During this phase the compression sock was still great to increase blood flow and reduce swelling. My first season back I skied with the compression sock on the one leg and a normal ski sock on the other. I never noticed any difference whatsoever in warmth between the two feet. I question how effective they are increasing warmth. I never noticed any difference switching between compression and ski socks other than the fact that my injured leg swelled up less with the compression sock.

[muted]

The Dissent Hybrids are all I will use. Every customer that I convince to spend $50 on a pair thanks me.

They thank you for what? There are a lot of people posting here they recommend them, but why?

[oftpiste]

I like 'em. Seem to make the legs last a little longer. I wait for them to come up on STP Barnburners then buy several pairs. Never paid more than $20, and mostly less. Not CEP, but the brands work fine.

[Judo Chop!]

I had them recommended after some lower leg surgeries. To me now it's night and day difference. I don't ski without anymore. I mostly use the Smartwool super thin ones. They have compression down pretty much to the ankle, but not the forefoot. I tried some Dissents but they crushed my (very wide) forefoot. YMMV

[Kopi_Red]

Whatever CEP I was given as a gift was too thick for me, so I use the smart wool compression thinnest version. What my wife and I both like about them is that they stay in place, you put them on and forget about them. Blood flow? Whatever.

I've got the CEP ultralight and I have the same problem with them. The extra material around the achilles/ankle seemed to cut off blood flow to my feet in my tight fitting boots.

[ADKmike]

Can some one explain to me what a compression sock is supposed to do? Never really looked into it, but have heard of compression socks/sleeves/etc in general....

[jed peters]

I use the cep race socks. Expensive, but they are over 50 days and going strong. Getting them at half off doesn't hurt!

[hutash]

I don't know about skiing, but in talking a Physical Therapist/runner she was unimpressed and there is no good literature to say they are the wunderkind people make them out to be. That said, if you have circulation issues then yes wear them especially when flying.

Now that I am older, I wear them on long flights. I don't want to stroke out like my FIL after a flight.

[XXX-er]

I got a friend who sells them to old people at a surg-med store along with walkers and all kinds of old folk stuff

she recommended wearing them for recovery AFTER the work out

I think I feel less foot pain after a hike or tour with a thin Compression sock I am using the bridgedale

they are very thin they fit in my touring boots and hiking boots

[summit]

What is it they are supposed to do unless you have swelling or long periods of inactivity?

[muted]

I had them recommended after some lower leg surgeries. To me now it's night and day difference.

What was the difference? What changed?

[Mofro261]

What is it they are supposed to do unless you have swelling or long periods of inactivity?

the concept is mostly around increased afferent blood flow and lymph to prevent pooling in the extremities, so in a sense that should increase warmth, o2 delivery, increase removal of lactic acid, etc.
There's also little mumbo jumbo about decreasing muscle fiber vibration leading to less fatigue, since the muscle is somewhat constrained.

Like Plurpimpin, I started using compression after lower leg injury (achilles) and was really fighting issues with swelling. I had some success with that and have used them skiing as well.

But the thing is...over the calf ski socks by their very nature are somewhat compressive already (at least all of mine are) and so wearing compression socks in boots is a lot more subtle than say compression sock vs. dress socks/regular socks.

[smartyiak]

Leftlane Sports frequently has CEP for cheapish:
https://www.leftlanesports.com/Search.aspx?k=CEP&sd=IV

Sure they're lady socks (in size 4), but I think a IV is a IV....but I could also be wrong.

[hutash]

What is it they are supposed to do unless you have swelling or long periods of inactivity?

Redistribute fluid, so it makes your dick bigger.

[media310]

Swiftwick socks are rad
2XU makes some damn fine compression long johns

We put together some socks you may dig in our Happy Feet - The Ultimate Sock Collection

Most likely if you go this route you may find yourself lounging around the house in your socks well after you are done skiing and even longer with the base layers.