Top critical review
2.0 out of 5 starsSizing issues and poor material choice make it very disappointing
Reviewed in Australia on 21 August 2019
This review is primarily mostly applicable to those on the small and lower medium sizes, and those who have fairly small or normal'ish leg sizes (eg no swelling or oedema)
This is a fairly comprehensive review so bear with me.
Ill quickly go through some pros as the cons are quite lengthy.
- Very comfortable, the material while a pretty bad choice for compression socks, are soft and will keep you warm.
- Design is nice, and the markers on the heel and toe area help make sure your foot is perfectly alligned so you dont find yourself in any discomfort.
- Price is cheap, this is however also an indication of quality, and it may not be enough to warrant buying these socks for certain people.
Having gone through dozens of compression socks from dozens of brands, I can tell you without a doubt that a lack of proper fitting and measurement (and some more additional things ill get into further fown) ultimately are the biggest reasons compression socks arent as effective as they are supposed to be, and the manufacturer has made it impossible to get a correct fitting and therin lies Physix Gears biggest weakness.
By having only 3 sizes where many companies will offer 5 or 6, makes it so that compression levels will always be inaccurate. By having such a wide measurement range in each category, there will never be accurate enough compression. I purchased a small, which is supposed to fit into my leg size but I found these are barely a 15mmHg compression. I own several pairs including custom made 20-30mmHg socks and they are considerably tighter. Even other 15mmhg socks are tighter than these. Going through other reviews, people seem to have issues with them being considerably tight for larger sizes.. Which raises the issue that there are serious fitting issues in general. Thats something you just cannot be having with compression socks. This has been solved. Have more sizes.
Other brands, while more expensive offer sizes that will better tailor considerably closer to your measurements and offer truer advertised compression. I suspect they may know about this, their faq page says "Even though you may not feel it, our products are working to ensure you perform at your best and recover quickly."
THIS IS NOT TRUE. At all.
You should be be able to feel the compression EVEN MORE SO AND ESPECIALLY at 20-30mmHg which is supposed to be a moderate/firm compression and any medical practitioner will tell you this!
What further brings these down to a 2 star however are that the material used, while very soft and comfortable are probably not ideal for compression socks. They dont retain the elasticity and stretch out MUCH MORE easily than other brands from general use. After washes this worsens even more.. Upon purchase these socks got up to half an inch below me knee. After only a month of use, extreme care and only hand washes .. They now stretch 3 inches above my knee, and the compression has loosened considerably. The material holds onto sweat and odour quite considerably needing frequent washing, and this may okay in winter where they can help keep you warm but may be an issue in summer where they will allow for little airflow and make your legs very hot and sweaty.
I dont know if physix gear actually manufacture these socks or rebrand them as ive seen a few other socks both branded and unbranded with the same design. So additionally consider applying any of these reviews to any identical socks.
While these socks are cheap and comfy, you may want to consider spending a bit more on more well known brands. The material may not be as comfortable and warm. But you will get socks that will last longer, actually offer the right compression and benefits of it, and be more durable.
