Mark Bell Xtreme X Sleeve vs Rehband 7790
This is a comparison between the Xtreme x sleeve sleeve and the Rehabnd 7790 including pros, cons and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the Rehband 7790 strong man
The 7790 Rehband strongman comes in it $69.99. It has extra straps to fixate the knee for very heavy carries.
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Overview of the Rehband 7790
- Yoke carries
- Farmers walks
- Heavy lifts from raised platforms
- Car walks
- Car deadlifts
Basically any lift that is very heavy and does not need too much bending of the knee. The
Rehband 7790 will be less practical for:
- Atlas stone lifts
- Heavy Squats
- Fast circuits
Whenever a
strongman has to move fast or have full flexibility in the knee it might be better to opt for a sleeve without any extra straps. The specifications of the
Rehband 7790 are:
Sizing for the Rehband 7790
The size for the
Rehband 7790 Strongman is measured at the upper calf and is available in five different sizes. These are:
- S 13"- 14"
- M 14" - 14.5"
- L 14.5" - 16"
- XL 16" - 17"
- XXL 17" - 18"
Measured while standing.
Rehband sleeves are known to be more forgiving than Mark Bell products on sizes as they are designed for more freedom of movement and less stiffness in general.
Pros of the Rehband 7790 Strongman
- Extra support with straps
- Freedom of movement
- strong brand
The extra straps are the main advantage of these sleeves. They will help you with very heavy carries of any sort. With this, you will have a better experience and protect yourself as a
strongman.
For a sleeve which provides stability around the knee, the construction still leaves you some room to move freely and perform. You will not sprint or break a new high jump record in the
7790 Strongman, but you also won't waddle and be barely able to walk.
Apart from this, you are buying a
Rehband sleeve.
Rehbandhas been around for years in the business of sleeves and supports for athletes and rehabilitation. This is across several sports and through the decades. You are putting your money on a safe bet.
Cons of the Rehband 7790
- Limited movement
- Extra straps
Depending on your goals the
7790 is most likely overkill for you. Unless the carry yokes of several 100 kilos in weight you might as well go with sleeves without straps and which are less thin.
The extra straps will also bear a risk of ripping. Whenever you have additional flaps and straps on a product like this you can fairly sure that they will be ripped or at least loose after a year, if you use the sleeves regularly.
Alternatives to the 7790
The
x Treme sleeve from Mark bell would be the weapon of choice to maximize your one repetition squat. While they are too tight for walking long distances, they have more flexibility around the knee and help you out of the hole for 1 repetition maximum attempts.
The
Rogue 7mm sleeve is an alternative for the ambitioned CrossFitter or lifter who wants to incorporate heavy farmers walks and squats into their repertoire. Less stiff than the
X Treme sleeve they provide more flexibility while still being supportive for heavy loads for average joes.
Rogue also has a wide range of designs, specially tailored to the US market, which might be more appealing to you than the reds, grays, blues, and blacks of the
Rehband series.
If you want a 7mm knee sleeve from
Rehband without the straps the
Froning series might be the right call for you. You will nod to the fittest man on earth while still having one of the most classic brands in sleeves touching your knees.
Summary for the 7790 Strongman
The
Rehband 7790 Strongman sleeves are a great option for someone who does very, very heavy farmers walks and yoke carries on a regular basis and does not want to use straps. Most simple humans will be fine with a 7mm or even 5mm sleeve for their regular training.
The x treme X Sleeves are the follow up of the Grippy X Sleeves which are IPF approved. This is the stiffest you can get in knee sleeves and still use in an IPF competition for $85.
The stiffness of the
X treme X Sleeve can work against it if your goal is something else than a maximum one repetition squat. Olympic lifters might prefer a little more flexibility to get into the hole fast. For this application, the
x treme x sleeve might be too stiff. The same goes for Crossfit athletes who want to run and move around while they still have the sleeves on. For these scenarios, you might be better off getting a
Rehband sleeve.
The
grippy knee sleeves are the original design of the
X treme X Sleeves which was got approved by the IPF and then rejected based on the use of material which was not allowed. The
Extreme X Sleeves were the follow up to be in line with the IPF standards. If you want the "Cheater" sleeves from Mark Bell go for these as they have the same effect as the
Xtreme while being thinner. This is achieved by using different materials.
The
Rehband knee sleeves are around for a long time across all sports. While Mark Bell's focus is more towards powerlifting, the
Rehband knee sleeves are designed with the entire sporting community in mind. The
Strong knee sleeves and
Rehband knee sleeves will be very close in the type of sleeve you will get. Here it is a choice between personal taste and budget, rather than functionality of the sleeve.
The
Xtreme X SLeeve is probably the best knee sleeve in the market when you want to increase your one-repetition maximum on the squat. Keep in mind that it has been designed for that purpose. High repetition work or running around in them might not be the best idea and other sleeves will do this job better. Between the
grippy and the X Sleeve, I would go for the X Sleeves it is IPF approved unless you like to own some pieces of powerlifting history.