OR - Zamst LC-1 Calf Compression Sleeves - Kathy Waters

Dear Editors,

 

I'm going to try and catch up with some ORs I started, so here's the first.
I look forward to your edits and comments.  Text is below and the HTML is in
the OR test folder at:  http://tinyurl.com/k6bpzvb.

 

Thanks!

Kathy

 

ZAMST LC-1 CALF COMPRESSION SLEEVES 

 

Zamst Logo ,

BY KATHLEEN WATERS

November 10, 2014 

OWNER REVIEW 

 

 

TESTER INFORMATION

 

NAME:  Kathleen Waters

EMAIL:  kathy at backpackgeartest dot com

AGE:      63

LOCATION:         Canon City, Colorado, USA

GENDER:             F

HEIGHT:               5' 4" (1.60 m)

WEIGHT:              125 lb (56.70 kg)

Living in Colorado and being self-employed, I have ample opportunities to
backpack. There are over 700,000 acres/280,000 hectares of public land
bordering my 71-acre/29-hectare "backyard" in addition to all the other
gorgeous locations which abound in Colorado. Over the past 15 years, my
husband John and I have also had the good fortune to hike/snowshoe glaciers,
rain forests, mountains and deserts in exotic locations, including New
Zealand, Iceland, Costa Rica, Slovenia and Death Valley. My hiking style is
comfortable, aiming for lightweight. I use a tent (rainfly if needed).
Current pack averages 25 lb (11 kg) excluding food and water.

 

PRODUCT INFORMATION

 

Manufacturer: Zamst, a division of Nippon Sigmax Co., LTD

Year of Manufacture: 2014

Manufacturer's Website: http://www.zamst.com

MSRP: US $39.95

Listed Weight: N/A

Measured Weight: 1.5 oz (43 g)

Sizes Available: S-M-L-XL-L LONG-XL LONG (measuring directions and size
chart on website)

Size Reviewed: Small

Colors Available: Black

Colors Reviewed: White and Blue

 

* Uses Zamst's G-Fit technology which is a gradient compression construction
and Zamst's V-Tech ventilated flow design     

LC-1 Calf Sleeve

Graphic Courtesy of Zamst

 

 

Description: The Zamst LC-1 Calf Compress Sleeves are open-toed calf sleeves
made with a soft, silky-feeling stretchy fabric. The weave is a two-way
stitch with no side seams. There are lower and upper folded cuffs with the
upper cuffs being thicker with a looser weave than the lower cuffs. It
actually feels like a different fabric than the body of the calf sleeves.
There is a small logo in a contrasting color on the front of each sleeve.
And while the Zamst website indicates "Black" as the only color available,
my two pairs are a bright blue and a white and I bought a bright pink for a
gift.

 

FIELD USE, LOCATIONS & CONDITIONS

 

Last summer I was privileged to attend an event honoring elite mountaineer
Melissa Arnot. Melissa is a co-founder of The Juniper Fund and paired with
Zamst to offer the Zamst LC-1 Calf Compression Sleeves in a fund-raiser.
Since The Juniper Fund addresses a cause I support, I purchased several
pairs of the LC-1s.

My LC-1 Calf Sleeves

Graphic Courtesy of Zamst

Over the last past four months, I have worn the LC-1s on numerous occasions
after backpacking, hiking, biking and running. I estimate I've worn them a
total of 18 times, usually overnights while sleeping. I've also worn them on
four different airplane flights, from 3 hours to 9 hours of traveling time.

 

Relevant conditions include temperatures from 90 F (32 C) down to 40 F (4
C), no real humidity (except in Louisiana) and elevations from sea level to
over 13,000 ft (4000 m), mostly in south central Colorado, in Utah, New
Jersey and Louisiana.

 

When I first received the LC-1s, I was a bit concerned about trying them
out. I've had experiences previously where compression socks were so tight,
I darn near suffered a hernia trying to get them up over my calves. Now I
realize compression socks need to be snug but if they are so snug as to be
unwearable, they aren't going to be of any use to me! I was pleased to find
the LC-1s were relatively easy to put on. The sleeves were very snug, but
not too restrictive nor uncomfortable. This has continued to be my
experience each time I put on the LC-1s.

 

While wearing the LC-1s, I don't really think much about them. They are very
unobtrusive. This is very important to me as I usually am wearing them while
sleeping and the last thing I want to do is to be aware of anything while
sleeping, no less a boa constrictor sort of feeling on my lower body parts. 

 

For backpacking, the LC-1s take up next-to-no space in my pack and are a
nice extra layer when sleeping in a tent. They add a bit of warmth but not
overly. As in Goldilocks, they are "just right".

 

The LC-1s don't stretch out even after being worn for a couple of days
and/or nights. They also don't stretch out and sag when worn while being in
motion, such as when traveling. I've done the security lines, waiting at the
gates, stowing overhead luggage, stuffing underseat gear, running for flight
connections and hours of sitting in those danged, cramped, hard, middle
plane seats AND the LC-1s never caused me a second thought.

 

Do the LC-1 Calf Compression Sleeves energize me to run marathons, save me
from leg cramps, prevent future leg problems? I, obviously, can't prove they
have as I haven't evaluated them in a controlled situation - ah, heck! I
just realized, I should have worn one LC-1 on one leg and not the other!
Nah, that probably wouldn't have worked, either. Anyway, I DO feel I've
benefited from wearing the LC-1 Calf Compression Sleeves with less sore
after-backpacking-miles-of-rocks legs. And, I will continue to wear my Zamst
LC-1 Calf Compression Sleeves in the future.

 

One last note; the sleeves do not seem to hold any odor, have not stained,
pilled, pulled or snagged in the four months I have been wearing them. I
have washed each pair a couple of times in with the rest of my "technical"
backpacking gear/clothing in a cold machine wash with regular detergent, no
water softener and a low dryer setting. They have not become shrunken nor
stretched and as can be seen in the picture to the left, they look like new!

 

STARRING ATTRACTIONS

 

1.) Easy to put on - no hernia or pulled back muscles incurred!

2.) Very comfortable to wear - my circulation is enhanced, not cut off.

3.) Does what they are advertised to do, relax, refresh and soothe my
calves.

 

MINOR DISTRACTIONS

 

1.) A bit pricey for me, but comparable to other brands.

 

SUMMARY

 

After just one use, I was so impressed with the Zamt LC-1 Calf Compression
Sleeves that I bought 3 more, one for my daughter-in-law, another for my
daughter and of course, one more for me! The LC-1 is easy to put on and just
as easy to take off. It doesn't distract me with being too warm, too tight,
slipping downward or just "being there". In my experience with the LC-1, my
calf muscles seem to recover from strenuous activities more quickly than
without. I definitely can recommend these to anyone who works out their calf
muscles!

 

Kathleen (Kathy) Waters

 

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version
1.5 Copyright 2014. All rights reserved. 

Read more gear reviews by Kathleen Waters