Overview and review of the Rocktape 7mm
Rocktape 7mm sleeves come in at $50 and are therefore a very cheap option on a pair of 7mm.
Overview of the Rocktape
The
Rock tape 7mm knee sleeves are a relatively new player on the market. They distinguish themselves with a poppy design and lower prices than some of the more established brands. Generally, they are aimed at Cross Fit athletes and are produced by a company that started out in the tape sector. The sleeves are American made which can be a decision criterion for some. The specifications of the
Rock Tape sleeves are:
- Sold as a Pair
- Thickness: 7MM
- 4-way stretch lycra side panels
- 12-month warranty
Which makes it a solid mid-range option in the knee sleeve industry.
Sizes for the Rocktape
- S 10.5" - 12.5"
- M 12.5" - 13.5"
- L 13.5" - 14.5"
- XL 15.5" - above
These sleeves are more forgiving than the range from Mark Bell as their design is not super stiff. Still, pay attention to your measurements before deciding for a particular size.
Pros of the Rocktape knee sleeves
- American made
- Poppy designs
If you want all of your material to come from the US these knee sleeves tick the box. For some, this can be one of the main decision criteria when buying their equipment.
The design of the
Rocktape sleeves is very MTVesk. If that is what you are going for you will not find it in other sleeves.
Cons of the Rocktape knee sleeves
- Not long in the industry
- Lack of stiffness
- A small range of sizes
Compared to other knee sleeves models
Rocktape has not been around for as long in the sleeve industry. This can lead to problems in production and lifetime. The warranty reflects this, as other vendors do not make as much a point about having a warranty on their sleeves. This also ties in with the lower range of sizes available. The newer a production line is, the fewer options it produces with a higher fault rate.
The lack of stiffness is a question of style and what you want to achieve with your sleeves. If you are buying to protect your knees from wear and tear a little more mobility is advised. If you buy sleeves to bring up your one-repetition maximum, you want them to be as stiff as the federation you compete in allows.
Alternatives to the Rocktape sleeves
The
Rich Froning Rehband series has paired a giant from the Crossfit universe with the giant in the sleeves industry. With this combination, you get the widest range of options for sizes and thickness at some of the lowest prices. The only things where
Rehbandneeds some catching up is in the design and stiffness branch. Mark Bell's products are a bit more functional while you more design options in the
Rogue range via the Zeus engine.
The
Mark Bell Xtreme sleeves are the current gold standard for stiff sleeves to improve your one-repetition maximum. With this, they are not optimal when you want to move fast in them. There is only one design option with the
Xtreme sleeves and they are some of the most expensive sleeves you can get.
Summary for the Rocktape knee sleeves
If you want your knee sleeves to be from the US and like the poppy design, go for these sleeves. You can get some thick sleeves for your money compared to other models in the range.