Hyperice Utility vs Clang and bang

This is a comparison between the Hyperice Utility sleeve and the Clang and bang knee sleeve including pros, cons and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the Dan Bailey clang and bang

The Dan bailey clang and bang comes in at $52 for a pair. If you want a Crossfit athlete sponsored 5mm knee sleeve this is your best bet.

Overview of the Dan Bailey clang and bang

The Clang and bang Knee sleeves from Dan Bailey come in 5 different sizes and are 5mm thick. They bear Dan Bailey's clang and bang logo and have been built by a team of Florida CrossFitters in cooperation with scientists and therapists. If you like some design and support Dan Bailey when buying a knee sleeve this one is for you. The features are:

Sold in Pairs
Exclusive Dan Bailey “Clang-N-Bang” logo design
5MM thick Neoprene
Color: Gray & Black
Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL

If you have enough things from Froning or just like Dan Bailey this might be the sleeve for you. If you want to go for a stiffer, thicker sleeve, this might not be the right option.

Sizing for the Dan Bailey clang and bang

The Dan Bailey clang and bang knee sleeve is available in five sizes. The sizes are measured from the circumference of the knee while standing. The available sizes are:

XS 30 - 32cm
S 32cm - 34cm
M 34cm- 36cm
L 36cm - 38cm
XL 38cm - 40cm

Especially in the smaller ranges, you might find The Dan Bailey knee sleeves to be more practical than other knee sleeves.

Pros of the Dan and bailey clang and bang

The pros of the Dan Bailey knee sleeves:

Unique design
Flexibility

The Dan Bailey clang and bang knee sleeves provide flexibility and comfort while still supporting your knees. The Clang and bang design is also unique to this line of knee sleeves.

Cons of the Dan and Bailey knee sleeves

The cons of the Dan Bailey knee sleeves are:

Price
Stiffness

For a 5mm knee sleeve, the Dan Bailey clang and bang sleeves are situated at the higher, rather than the lower end of the spectrum. For this get a unique design and comfort, but you might as well go for other brands at 5mm which will cost you less.

These will not be the stiffest sleeves in the sortiment. If you are getting sleeves to improve your one-repetition maximum, rather than protecting your knees generally, go for the X treme sleeves from Mark Bell.

Alternatives to the Dan Bailey clang and bang knee sleeves

The alternatives to the clang and bang knee sleeves from Dan Bailey are:

The X Treme sleeve is probably the best sleeve in the market at the time of writing for improving your one-repetition maximum on the squat. At the same time, it is also one of the most expensive. If you want to improve your 1RM with a very stiff design this is the right sleeve for you. For general protection on fast movements, it might be too stiff.

If you prefer Rich Froning over Dan Bailey as ana athlete or want to spend your money on a brand that has been established longer you can opt for the Rich Froning Rehband sleeves. The Rich Froning sleeves are available in 3mm, 5mm, and 7mm.

The Rock tape Assassins sleeves cost a little less for getting a 7mm instead of a 5mm and have a different design. If you prefer thicker neoprene and black and red rather than grey colors, this might be the option for you.

Summary for the Dan Bailey clang and bang sleeves

The Dan Bailey clang and bang sleeves are a good mid-range option with extra comfort features and unique design. If you want to support Florida, Dan Bailey, and comfort, this is the sleeve to go for.

Overview and review of the Hyperice utility

The hyperice utility comes in at $75 and can be used on your legs and arms to cool them. The main advantage is that you get an ice bag which holds itself in place.

Overview of the Hyperice Utility

The Hyperice Utility sleeve is designed to go anywhere except your back, shoulder, and knees for cooling. Hyperice has specialized products for this areas of your body. The hyperice Utility sleeve is designed to go anywhere on your limbs to ice the area. This is achieved by a bag which can be filled with ice cubes or crushed ice from your fridge. Hyperice is a good tool to blitz ice swellings at the side of a pitch without having to hold the ice bag in place. If you like cooling with ice bags and have problems with your elbows and ankles, the hyperice Utility is the right choice. The specifications are:

3MM Premium grade compression neoprene with plush finish
A separate bag which can be filled with ice
Machine Washable

The hyperice line is designed for rehabilitation not support during exercise. Keep that in mind when you are shopping. If you want to wrap your knees like into the product line of Mark Bell and Rehband

Pros of the Hyperice utility

The pros of the hyperice utility are:

Ice bag
Compression
Big area covered

The hyperice utility will enable you to ice a big area fast without having to hold on to the ice bag. This is practical when you have to recover at the side of the pitch or want to rehab and still be able to move around the house. If you are prone to elbow and ankle swellings and big you will like the hyperice utility.

Cons of the Hyperice utility

The cons of the hyperice utility are:

Ice bag
Setup

The ice bag itself is great. but of it rips or breaks in any other way you can not sue the hyperice anymore. As the bag is removable and needs to be filled with ice it is likely that you will damage the nozzle or the bag itself at some stage. This is the trade-off for being able to adjust how much ice you use and how you compress it.

Compared to other sleeves for the arms and legs, the hyperice utility might be a lot more hassle depending on your setup. If you play in the NFL or NBA there is usually some ice cubes around which you can quickly put into the hyperice. For people who use it at home, the setup can be messy and leave the kitchen dirty after filling the bag with ice cubes.

Alternatives to the hyperice Utility

The alternatives to the Hyperice utility are:

The freeze sleeve is a neoprene sleeve with an in-build cooling gel. This makes it a very convenient solution unless you object to the chemicals used to make the cooling gel. Compared to the hyperice knee sleeve it is the better solution in my opinion for recovery at home for average-sized athletes. There is no extra set up required and you can use it on elbows and knees. For away games, it might not be better as it is easier to ask a stranger for some ice than putting your gross sleeve in their fridge.

If I was to spend money on hyperice I would spend it on the back solution. I have regular back pains from squatting and deadlifting. The usual icing solutions like a bag of peas or ice or hard to keep in place in the lower back. The hyperice back is ideal for that.

The hyperice shoulder would the equivalent of the back version for the shoulder. I personally have no problems with my rotator cuff, but if you do this can be a good solution.

Summary for the hyperice Utility

The hyperice utility is a nice piece of equipment if you want to ice a big area fast on your legs or arms. Especially when the swelling is fast and you can not go to a doctor directly. Generally, I think that the freeze sleeve is the more convenient option to apply to arms and legs. If I was to buy hyperice I would go for the back option as I struggle with lower back pain from deadlifts and it is awkward to hold a pea bag in place.