Best Knee Sleeves For Crossfit

Knee sleeves are used by many Crossfit athletes and enthusiasts alike for many reasons but finding the best knee sleeves for Crossfit might be hard as there are so many out there. I will help you understand how to pick the best knee sleeves for your Crossfit needs.

The best knee sleeves for Crossfit would provide warmth, support, mobility, and protection to ensure healthy knee function during your workouts. The knee sleeves should feel like an unseparated part of you and not limit your knee movement.

Choosing the right fit for your needs won’t be such a hard task once I share with you 3 of the best possible knee sleeves options for Crossfit and other types of functional training. However, before we jump into the actual products you should consider let’s get educated about how one might choose them.

To help you make the right decision regarding your new knee sleeves let’s go through the determining factors which you must check before buying knee sleeves for Crossfit.

Knee Sleeves Warmth

The first role of the knee sleeve is to warm the knee area faster prior to your workout, but also to keep the knees warm during training sessions. As the knee must get warm before starting to load weights and performing heavy movements the knee sleeves are highly beneficial.

Warming up the knees and keeping the temperature steady can prevent knee injuries during training. Additionally, when changing movements during Crossfit workout which some of them don’t involve squats or lunges the knees will keep warm and ready for the next drill.

The increased heat that the knee sleeves supply will increase the blood flow to the area which improves the performance of this joint and the muscles attached to it. It helps remove lactic acid faster and prevents the build-up of it during training.

Knee Sleeves Support

Knee stability is a must for heavyweight movements such as squats and lunges, but to get to that high level one must start developing this desired stability. Knee sleeves help with additional support and increase one’s confidence to try harder.

Some knee sleeves offer higher support than others, which gives a large variety of sleeves to choose from. However, not all Crossfit trainees should have a high degree of support. As each of us requires different levels of support it is important not to limit your knees with too much support.

Most of us don’t need a high level of support unless we have a resume of knee injuries. Another community that will go with a higher level of support would be powerlifters, as the weights are very heavy and demanding.

So to sum this factor up, most of the Crossfit community would be happy with a knee sleeve with a low level of support as the goal in Crossfit and other functional training is to strengthen the body and condition it for a strong healthy life. 

If you do have a tendency to injure your knees or wish to increase confidence through thicker support go with higher-level support knee sleeves.

Knee Sleeves Mobility 

It’s not about the sleeve’s mobility, rather what mobility is left for the knee. When choosing a knee sleeve it is important that it won’t limit the knee movement as this can have the opposite outcome – weakening of the knee and its surrounding muscles and ligaments.

This will usually appear in the form of too much stress behind the knee or pain on the sides of it. Limited mobility can happen either by choosing the wrong size sleeves, usually too small, or by choosing one that does not fit your knee structure.

In Crossfit, there are many things that require knee mobility, and a high degree of freedom. Those movements are performed repeatedly over and over dozens of times and even hundreds. So choosing the best knee sleeves for Crossfit would be the ones that will not limit the knee’s movement but will supply the required mobility.

As in life it comes to a fine balance between correlating attributes, as the support will increase the mobility will be limited and vice versa.

Knee Sleeves Protection

Crossfit is tough and can sometimes get rough especially on the knees and other joints, protecting the knees is of a higher degree as if one gets injured in the knee it can limit the ability to train properly.

Protection of the knee is the combination of the three factors above and the addition of physical protection from the elements during training. Warmth, support, and mobility will keep your knees healthy and ready for any movement you throw at them, but physical protection is also a requirement for a good knee sleeve.

Protection of a knee sleeve can be from the ground, rope, barbells, yolks, and any other element that might chaf the knee or harm them. For example, burpees are known to be hard on the knees as they will have a lot of contact with the ground. Another example is the deadlift which if performed correctly should chaf the legs from the ground up with the knee on along the way.

Any way you look at it great knee sleeves will protect the knees from getting harmed from an outer hazard.

Conclusion

Now that you have a better understanding of what the best knee sleeves for Crossfit should do, we can go on and talk about specific brands and models. Personally, I believe that knee sleeves can help both the beginner crossfitter and the advanced, as each will gain benefits from wearing them. 

Before making the decision make sure to read about the products and see that they comply with your needs according to the 4 factors we talked about above.

Just a heads up, knee sleeves are not only for those of us that go to the Crossfit Box but also for those that train at home and follow Crossfit programs or other functional movement training programs. All that is matters is that you keep your knees protected and healthy to keep training as consistently as humanly possible.

By the way, if you are considering expanding your home gym check out my post on what equipment you should have in a home gym.

And now let’s see what are the best knee sleeves for Crossfit:

Profitness 7mm Thick Knee Sleeves Set of 2

Profitness knee sleeves are designed towards weightlifting movement as they give lots of support and an anti-slip feature that protects your knees perfectly. It will suit those that require medium support during workouts with a high degree of comfort. 

They are, however, great for Crossfit training, and with a good price tag will be an awesome option for many crossfitters beginners and advanced.

Pros:

• Extra-thick – gives a high degree of support and keeps its form longer
• No-slip – keeps the knee sleeves in place during training and running 
• Comfort – comes in several sizes for increased comfort
• Durable – uses premium materials for greater strength and durability

Cons:

• Support – for those that require a high level of support this might not be enough (knee surgery or old injury)
• Too thick – for people that leave in a warm place this might be too thick and create too much heat

Second Nature Knee Sleeves (1 Pair) 5mm

A great knee sleeve for Crossfit training and weightlifting, liter support with thinner sleeve. Only 5 mm which gives a lower rate of support yet helps strengthen the knees over time and keeps the knee healthy.

It will keep the knee warm and will protect from the elements, however, for those that require a high level of support this might not be the right choice.

Pro:

• Great materials – these knee sleeves are made for highly durable materials
• Thickness – 5 mm for a warmer environment
• Stitches – covered to keep the knee comfort while training
• Better movement – less thickness means more movement 

Cons:

• Lower support – as the thickness is 5 mm there is less support
• Cold climate – might not suit colder climate places 

Bear KompleX Compression Knee Sleeves

Another 7 mm option with great responses from the users, Bear Complex products is highly used by the Crossfit community. 

These 7 mm knee sleeves are great for all Crossfit-related training, from weightlifting to running to the everyday WOD. it gives proper protection and just about the right support and warmth.

If you wish to wear a good knee sleeve and be part of the trendy Bear Complex product family then this is the right choice for you.

Pros:

• Sizes – lots of sizes and will fit almost everyone
• Been proven for Crossfit – With so many people using it there is no doubt it fits Crossfit training
• Warmth – 7 mm thick will be warm enough for most of you
• Premium – from materials to structure these are great
• Has a 5 mm product as well

Cons:

• Price – might be a little higher as this is a trendy brand
• Thickness – warm climate might be too hot for you (7 mm)

Bear KompleX Compression LITE Neoprene Knee Sleeves

A compression type knee sleeves with a 4 mm thickness design for max comfort with little mobility limitation.

This is a very good product for those who are looking for a lightweight knee sleeve that will keep warm and protected while training.

It is also tighter as this is a compression knee sleeves so better blood circulation is guaranteed with this type.

Pros:

• Better Blood flow – Compression sleeves increase the blood flow.
• Low thickness – more mobility and less warm
• Will dry faster – as the thickness is lower the moist will have less space to hold on to

Cons:

• Lower physical protection – lower thickness
• The lowest support of all the products

Rocktape Assassins Knee Compression Sleeves

A classic knee sleeve that has been used by many crossfitters for years, it has proven to be one of the most popular knee sleeves thanks to a very good durable structure and good price.

Overall this is very good for beginners that wish to have a good product for a long period. However, for the more advanced trainees, take into consideration that higher use will result in faster degradation of the product.

It will support your knees, warm them properly, and won’t limit mobility in the knees that much.

Again this is a very good pick for the price it is offered.

Pros:

• High level of product for a very good price
• Good support for the knee
• 7 mm so warm your knees properly

Cons:

• May expend after excessive use
• It Will be a bit too hot for warmer climates
• Doesn’t have an anti-slip feature

Ironbull Knee Sleeves 7mm

Again a classic knee sleeve 7 mm thickness with great structure that ensures the least friction during workouts.

This is a premium product that will support all your Crossfit needs from weight lifting to high-intensity training. Additionally, this product has an anti-slip system that looks very good and helps keep the sleeve in place even during hard training sessions.

Overall this product looks like a very good choice for its price, with a very good almost seamless design.

Pros:

• Smooth design – very little stitches that can leave chafing around the knee or get damaged 
• Highly durable 
• Anti-slip system – this is so important for intensive training such as Crossfit

Cons:

• Might be a little pricey for the beginner
• If the anti-slip gets dirty might not be worth a lot, needs to be cleaned often

To sum things up

I believe that for every Crossfiter there is a best knee sleeve, you just have to think of what is it that you need from it and by that make a decision. 

Think about the price compared to the support, warmth, mobility, and protection, and with that pick the best-suited product for you.

Hope that you will continue to enjoy your training, and feel free to ask and leave a comment here so I can help you.

Until next time

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