When CEP sent me a couple of pairs of their socks to test out and review I had already started thinking how I was going to write about their product even before I had worn them. Who is really going to want to read several hundred words about socks? I mean, A sock is a sock right?
EHHHH! WRONG!
I received two pairs of compression socks from CEP Australia. A hot pink pair of Run 2.0 socks and a black pair of their Recovery socks. Both came in neat boxed packaging with a full information and instruction booklet about the socks.
Before they were sent to me I had to measure my calf circumference and let Chris (former Olympic Athlete now RAW Training Director and CEP Australia Manager) know. The sizing is not like other compression sock brands, it’s not based on the size of your foot but the circumference of your calf.
Having small feet, I was a little concerned that the foot size may be too big but they fit perfectly in all respects. These socks have been nothing short of amazing and at the moment they are by far my favorite compression sock.
More details if you’re interested………
What I liked:
Information and instructional booklet included with the socks.
Neat boxed packaging
Length – not too short, not too long. Just right.
Fit – nice and firm around the calves but not restrictive over the foot area
Perfect thickness over the foot
Excellent compression
Durable
What I didn’t:
Nothing to note
Price:
Run 2.0 $60
Recovery $55
RUN 2.0 socks
First run out of the box was a 35km (25km race + 10km warm up – damn you marathon training messing with my other races!) road run. The weather was mild, the course was generally flat and my legs were tired at the peak of my training. I managed to run the event at marathon goal pace and my legs pulled up remarkably well. I have ongoing shin problems which means I generally pull up from long runs a little tender in my shins but the socks definitely made a difference during the event. That night I slept in my recovery socks and my legs were feeling fresh the next day despite the weekend’s efforts.
I didn’t do many of my training runs in the Run 2.0 socks but I did wear them for my marathon. This is where I really put them to the test….
At the 21.1km (halfway) mark of my marathon, I rolled my right ankle pretty badly. This ankle sprain was an old injury, having done a good job of spraining it 3 months prior and only just feeling like it had healed prior to the race. So anyway, I rolled my ankle on a speed bump and actually hit the deck. I was carried off course, they called the medic and urged me not to continue. I was devastated of course and after 12mins of crying and a little icing I decided to continue to race. I finished my marathon, still with a PB and with a sprained ankle still relatively intact. I had minimal swelling and my shins and calves held up really well considering.
I credit the minimal damage and the fact that I was able to continue and go on to finish my marathon to the CEP Run 2.0 socks, without a DOUBT!
Please note I do not recommend or condone running with an injury but in this case I made the decision that was best for me at the time and thank goodness for these socks or I wouldn’t had made it through in such good shape.
I happened to win a pair of black Run 2.0 socks from the CEP Australia facebook page and I wore them fresh out of the box for my 6 hour ultra where I covered 55km. Coming back from having pretty severe shin splints in Jan/Feb and a 10 week break and slow return to running, I can’t help but credit the CEP Run 2.0 socks in helping me complete my marathon and ultra-marathon, both in July this year without any shin or calf complaints. Exactly what I want from a compression sock.
But the Run 2.0 was not the only CEP weapon in my compression arsenal….
Recovery Socks
Firstly, I just have to say how thankful I am that it’s winter and therefore knee high boot season here where I live at the moment because I have been LIVING in these recovery socks.
Made with the same high quality and fit as the Run 2.0, these socks feel fabulous on. They have a completely different compression profile, one specific to recovery and so they are perfect to pop on for the entire day and/or night post long runs.
I actually found them really useful PRE long runs too. I wore these socks many times the night before my long training runs (of which I had plenty in the last few months) and I always woke with fresh, relaxed calves, shins and feet, free from aches and pains and ready to tackle my next mission.
I wore them under jeans to the shops or out and about, under my work pants, out in the field under my work boots when necessary and with my other sneakers as I went about my motherly duties of shopping, running the kids around and basically everything else except for laying around recovering (as I probably should have been doing).
The socks wash and wear extremely well and when these wear out I will not hesitate to buy another pair. I don’t actually think I could live without them now.
Conclusion
I’ve been fortunate enough to have reviewed a number of very high quality products and am yet to find one I really don’t like. I am not however, hesitant to point out things I don’t like or areas of improvement when I find them whilst testing a product. I have to say though that the CEP Run 2.0 and Recovery socks really impressed me and I could not fault the products that I tried. I will reiterate that they are by far my favourite compression sock at the minute. I have (for the record) 5 other brands in my drawer and so I have tried a few.
If you’re looking for a serious compression sock, made by a company who has been in the medical compression field for years, then you MUST NOT look past CEP compression for your next purchase.
They are the first socks I grab when I get my gear ready for a long run and afterwards.
Connect with CEP
Website: Australia | USA
PLEASE NOTE ALL RMA MEMBERS RECEIVE AN ONGOING 20% DISCOUNT WITH CEP AUSTRALIA ONLINE. PLEASE HEAD TO FACEBOOK TO FIND OUT THE DISCOUNT CODE.
Facebook
Thank you to CEP Compression Australia for providing me with the socks for this review. I have in no other way been paid, sponsored endorsed or compensated and the views are entirely my own.
For other product reviews and more, follow Monique (the runner in me) on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter
runningmumsaustralia.wordpress.com 