Hyperice Utility vs Froning 7mm knee sleeve
This is a comparison between the Hyperice Utility sleeve and the Froning 7mm knee sleeve including pros, cons and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the Froning Rehband 7mm knee sleeve
These are the best knee sleeves for all around usage at $49.99 a sleeve. Take that these are sold individually and not in pairs.
Overview of the Froning knee sleeve
The Rehband RX 7mm Knee Sleeve from the Froning series is probably the safe bet when it comes to sleeves. For the price, you get a thick sleeve with a wide range of options in size. With Froning branding, you still get some inspiration from a top Crossfit athlete while the sleeve itself is produced by the main vendor in the sleeve industry for sports. Take care that these are sold individually and not in pairs. The specifications of the Rich Froning 7mm are:
- Sold Individually
- 7MM thick SBR / Neoprene blend flex-material
- Size Options: XXS-XXL (See Chart Below)
- Color: Black & Red
This is the sleeve for Crossfit champions.
Size of the Froning knee sleeve
These are the sizes that are available for the Rich Froning knee sleeve. Measure at the upper calf about 10 cm down from your knee cap.
- XXS 29 - 31cm
- XS 31 - 33cm
- S 33 - 35cm
- M 35 - 37cm
- L 37 - 40cm
- XL 40 - 43cm
- XXL 43 - 46cm
This is one of the widest ranges of sizes you can find for knee sleeves in the current market.
Pros of the Froning knee sleeves
- Wide range of size options
- Reliable vendor
- Only vendor with Froning products for sleeves
Rehbandis one of the powerhouses in the area of knee and elbow protection across all sports. They have teamed up with one of the most successful athletes in Crossfit to provide a solid sleeve option for Crossfitters and strongmen.
The cons of the Froning knee sleeves
- Not sold in pairs
- Price
- Design
The Froning 7MM sleeves are unfortunately not sold in pairs. This is an exemption from the standards for other vendors. This drives the price up. In addition, some also might think that the design of the Rehband sleeves might be a little outdated. Rogue and Rocktape have made some efforts here to push the envelope for the industry. Especially Rogue with their custom designs from the Zeus engine.
Alternatives to the Froning knee sleeve
- Dan Bailey Clang and bang
- Mark Bell Xtreme Sleeve
- Rogue custom knee sleeve
The Dan Bailey clang and Bang knee sleeves come in 5mm with a grey design. The good news is that they come in pairs. If you are a Crossfitter who wants to support an athlete but do not want to pay double for protecting both of your knees, the Dan Bailey sleeves might be the option for you.
If your main goal is to get your One repetition maximum up, the X treme Sleeves from Mark bell might be just the right option for you. These sleeves have been designed very stiff so you get maximum support on your one-repetition maximum attempts. With this, they can be quite restrictive if you want to run and jump in them.
If you want to do your own design on a knee sleeve with medium thickness and support the custom Rogue knee sleeves are currently one of the options where you can upload your own design and get it delivered to your doorstep.
Summary for the Froning knee sleeve
The safest bet for overall quality, comfort, and support. This comes at the cost of not being able to buy in pairs.
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
- 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 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.
