Zensah Athletic Compression Socks – Review

The first time I ever tried compression gear was when I was pregnant with my second child.  My legs were so swollen and painful that my doctor advised me to purchase compression panty hose.  My reaction at the time — UGH.  This was about 6 years ago, before compression gear was all the rage in the running world (at least, as far as I know – I was not running regularly at that point in my life and certainly not during my pregnancy.)  I worked a full time job that had me on my feet a lot while wearing a suit and shoes with heels, it was in the thick of the DC summer heat and humidity — let’s just say that the idea of wearing super-tight panty house did not appeal to me.  I had to order them from a specialty store – and it wasn’t a running store.  When I thought of compression socks/hose at the time, I thought old men having to wear them on airplanes to keep their circulation going.  I thought of old ladies wearing them to ease the discomfort of varicose veins.  I did NOT think of my 30 year old self having to sport them on a daily basis just to be comfortable.

But I was willing to do whatever it took to feel better.  So I took my doctor’s advice and paid around $100 for a pair of compression pantyhose.  And they helped.  A lot.

When I was pregnant with Baby Gus two years ago, the swelling returned and I was dealing with it in full force once again.  I no longer worked a full time job or had to wear suits and heels, but I was on my feet a lot caring for my other two children and starting my Sugar Cone business.  I was also running more than I ever did during my other two pregnancies.  By then, compression technology had hit the running scene and I was curious to try it out.  I decided to buy a pair of calf sleeves, thinking they would make the most sense for my running as well as for my non-running lifestyle while pregnant and postpartum.  I went to the running store and got some Zensah calf sleeves.  Brilliant decision.  I couldn’t BELIEVE what a difference they made for me.

After Gus was born and I began training seriously again, I made wearing compression socks a regular part of my recovery routine.  Compression helps stabilize muscle tissues, reduces swelling and allows muscles to rebuild themselves.  It also helps minimize inflammation that can slow down the recovery process.  The calf sleeves I purchased while pregnant soon became too big for me, so I gave them to a good friend.  I purchased both Saucony and 2XU compression socks at my local running store (=PR= in Reston) and would wear them after every single long run or race.  I really think they helped with calf soreness and tenderness especially.  I was putting more miles on my body than I ever had before and also started working my way into a more minimal shoe with a 4mm heel drop (the Saucony Kinvara) so my lower legs were especially being taxed.  Wearing compression socks helped me recover quicker from my hardest efforts around the track and from my long runs in particular, so that I would be able to resume my training week after week without having to take extra rest days.

A few weeks ago I had the very good fortune of being sent a pair of Zensah Athletic Compression Socks to test out and review.  I was so excited to try them out – I loved the sleeves I had when I was pregnant and I was eager to try a pair of socks that were designed for both racing and recovering in, as my other socks seem to be best for just recovering in.

they work and they are happy

When the package showed up at my door, I was ecstatic to receive them (and it didn’t hurt that the color they sent me was PINK – how did they know that was the perfect color for me?!).  Since receiving them, I have worn these socks A LOT.  I’ve tested them on long runs, tempo runs, and easy runs.  I wore them for hours after a hard 10 Mile race (I even slept in them that night).  I wore them while I raced my 10k last weekend, setting a new PR and finishing as the 3rd overall female.  These socks pass the Jess test with flying colors.  I love them.

socks = GREAT.  look on my face = HILARIOUS.

So, what is different about these socks?  Well, to put it simply the biggest difference I have noticed between these socks and the others I have tried is the support in the feet.  These socks are apparently the only ones on the market to have arch support and they are also are extremely comfortable.  Some of the other brands I have tried are too thin in the foot, which makes me feel like I’m slipping around in my shoes.  Others are overly padded, with no compression through the foot at all or just barely – this is super comfy, but doesn’t really serve much purpose beyond that.  The way Zensah has designed these socks in the foot wins me over the most, but there are other features I really love also.

happy feet.  equal parts compression and comfort.

* I love that they stay put.  They don’t slide down when I’m running and racing.  Zensah uses a seamless technology and creates a graduated compression through the sock.  They are tight where they need to be and hold up easily to the toughest of workouts.

* I love that they are comfortable.  I have sensitive skin and some brands are just plain itchy on me.  Not Zensah.  The fabric is super light, ultra-breathable and moisture-wicking – keeping me cool and dry.  I really hate wearing socks to bed, but when I wore these the night after my 10 mile race they were comfortable and my feet didn’t get hot.  That is some sort of miracle in my book.

* I love that they work for running, racing and recovering.  These socks are comfortable for whatever purpose my workout serves.

I can’t say enough about these awesome socks!  At just around $50.00 a pair, they are worth every penny.  If you have not tried them yet, I highly recommend them.  You will NOT be disappointed.

**I should note that I was given these socks to review, but these opinions are strictly mine!**