SmartWool’s foray into the compression began with endurance athletes a little over a year ago. Military personnel are athletes as well and currently operating in some of the most extreme environments on earth. Naturally, some forward thinking folks in the military have put them to the test.
Active recovery helps reduce edema by helping force blood away from the feet back towards the trunk. To further aid the wearer passive recovery aids post event by supporting the musculature and once again reduce edema.
To put this into perspective, the average travel compression sock offers about 12 mmHg (millimeters of Mercury) in compression while the SmartWool socks come in at about 25 mmHg. Anything above 30 mmHg is considered medical grade compression.
SmartWool offers two weights of compression socks; ultralight and light cushion. Already, the ultralight is being looked at as a liner sock by some in the aviation community. Additionally, ground pounders have worn them as well for use while patrolling under a heavy pack.
