Golfspy Dave's Fitness Product Review - 110% Play Harder Compression Socks

[GolfSpy Dave]

 

It's All About Having The Right Gear

Over in my Fitness thread (HERE), I mentioned that I would be providing you with some quick reviews of the products that I have been using to make my road to fitness a little easier, or if not easier, more productive. Today, I bring you the first such review, and brace yourself for this one, it's a review of socks!

 

Yep, you read that right. Socks. But you see, these are not just any socks, they are high tech, modern compression socks. We are not talking $5 for a three-pack of cotton here. The fabric is different, the cuts are different, and the design is totally geared toward increasing your athletic performance to 100%, or in this case, increasing it to 110%.

 

 

Seriously Dave, a sock review?

I know they are socks, but they are not just socks. What we are looking at, in golf terms, is the difference between a bargain cotton polo shirt and a high tech moisture wicking one. I know that once I played golf in the high tech polo, I never wanted to go back to the low tech shirt. That is why looking at these socks is so important. They are potentially that game changing for your physical activities, which, of course, includes playing golf.

 

Why Did I Seek Out Compression Socks and What Brought me to 110%?

As I mentioned in the fitness thread, I am having some issues with soreness in my left calf/achilles. Nothing major, but there was enough discomfort that I was icing it after workout sessions and as such I went looking for other options. I have watched runners pass me by wearing these tall socks, and after a bit of research, it seemed like and option worth exploring.

 

I sought out 110% Play Harder because Matt had already reviewed some of their compression gear (LINK). Trusting Matt's assessment, I picked up my first 110% Play Harder product:

 

110% Overdrive Compression + Ice Kit

This kit from 110% Play Harder comes with a pair of compression socks, a pair of ice sleeves, high tech (aka magical) ice packs, and an insulated pouch to transport the ice when away from home.

 

You can click the link above to jump to the product page for specs and technical info, but my interpretation of the kit is that it helps you to perform better during physical activities and then recover faster after them.

 

The Ice Sleeves and Ice

Let's skip the socks for now and focus on the recovery side. First of all, the ice system made me feel old. What I mean is that the tech is so new, to me anyway, that I had a "back in the day we made ice in trays" moment. The ice sheets ship flat, and dry. Once you run water over them though, they swell up, holding the water in, obviously via magic. It may be that they use a system similar to diaper crystals to hold the moisture, but I am going to stick with magic for now. Drop them in the freezer for a spell and you are all set to cool them sore muscles.

 

 

The ice sleeves are very cool ( ) because they really allow you to position the ice packages where you need them while also providing compression on the tissues. The first time I used them, I didn't have the socks on under them (reads directions?), but even so the ice was not so cold to cause discomfort when applied directly to the skin.

 

 

The other great thing about this ice system is that the ice does not move when you move around. No balancing the leg to keep it in place, the sleeves do that for you.

 

OK, So What About The Socks?

 

I think that the fact that I now have two pairs of 110% Play Harder compression socks (Mercury & Flat Out) tells the whole story. These socks are amazing! It's difficult to express the difference that wearing these socks makes on my physical being, but if I was to pick one word, it would be 

 

POWERFUL

 

Maybe I can't really quantify that word, but when I wear the socks, I walk faster and I workout harder. More importantly, I have less fatigue after. The irony of the socks coming with the ice sleeves is that I am rarely using the ice these days. Fatigue, and pain, is lessened by wearing the 110% compression socks.

 

How do they work? What's the physiology behind compression socks? Honestly, I don't care. In most things, I what to know the how and why answers. Not with these. I want to put on the socks and have them work their magic.

 

 

Here is a little story. The first time I walked my three mile route in the Mercury socks, I had to speed up from a walk to a trot to get past a car in the intersection. Remember, I have only been walking at this point. Well, running through that intersection felt good, so good that when I turned the corner back into the residential streets, I ran again, for about a quarter mile. After catching my breath via walking a bit, I ran again for a half mile. For you runners, this means little, but I am a long way from being a runner, and at this point, I had not ran at all.

 

Maybe it was the conditioning from walking for a few weeks prior, but I swear that the 110% socks added some gas to the tank. Was I sore after that session? Yep, that calf was not happy, and my trainer Charles said I was not to run any more, even if I wanted to. This was disappointing as the feeling of running in the 110% socks made me want to run more. Once that calf heals, game on!

 

Looks

I really am not a fan of knee high socks and shorts. I am a short sock guy. I would even wear short dress socks if they existed and my wife wouldn't kill me when she saw me wearing them.

 

 

Prior to my experience wearing these socks, when I saw people wearing long compression socks with shorts, I was not impressed, and would never even consider such an outfit for myself. Then I wore the socks. Now, looks are the last thing that I am concerned about. They could be bright orange with giraffes on them and I would wear the socks with pride. They work so well that looks are immaterial to me.

 

Instead, I now wear them with the knowledge of just how ignorant I was about compression socks before I wore these 110% beauties. I imagine that people see me walking in the "long silly socks", discounting them based upon appearance. Bad move, I know, I did that.

 

 

Length of sock not withstanding, I like both the solid black of the Mercury version as well as the crazy logo/stripes of the Flat Out. The Flat Out is extra interesting as there are multiple fabrics/weaves going on in the stripes and spaces between. What is the tech behind these variations? Again, I don't care. All I care about is that they work amazingly.

 

Cost

The Overdrive kit is going to set you back $100, with the individual pairs of socks costing $50 (Mercury) or $60 (Flat Out). I already said that these are not the $5 three-pack from WalMart socks. I know that they are expensive. I almost cant believe that I am even saying this, but I have no problem paying $50 for these socks. The performance is amazing. Yes, $50 of amazing.

 

Go back to the premium that you pay for nice golf polos vs. what you could find for less at discount stores. Many of us believe that the moisture wicking fabrics are worth the increased cost. My experience with these socks leads me to the same conclusion.

 

For The Golfer

Since we are still a golf site at heart, it makes sense to address these things in the arena of golf as well as fitness. Will the 110% Play Harder compression socks help you on the course? If you are a walker, I would say 110% yes. You may even get a bit of benefit riding in the cart with them, but they shine during activity.

 

Would I wear them on the course with shorts? Probably not, but as we transition into cold (aka lame) golf season where long pants are necessary, these socks will be on my legs. I could easily see myself owning seven pairs for daily exercise, with another couple of pairs for rounds of golf. The 110% socks have blown my mind, and without a doubt changed my opinion about the role a sock can play in physical activities.

 

They are worth checking out. I'm happy to field any questions that you may have as well after I get back from my 3 miles...

 

110% Play Harder Website: HERE

 

110% Play Harder Twitter: HERE

 

 

[dru_]

I am a huge advocate for compression stuff in both activity and recovery.  The 100% stuff is among the very best.

 

Of course, here is where I get annoyed.

 

If you look at women's fitness gear, there are literally 1000's of options, including colors, prints & styles.  For men, it is black, occasionally white, or massive logos ala the 110% stuff you are talking here.

 

Quite annoying frankly.