A new sports compression brand has launched in the UK, Copper 88. I have been testing the shorts.
Apparently copper is a good thing to have in your compression wear. The copper-embedded fabric is meant to aid sore muscle relief. Copper 88 has 88% embedded copper within its patented fabric.
The website says: “The embedded copper fibre harnesses all the natural properties of copper to aid the relief of pain from muscle stiffness and soreness by transporting oxygen through the bloodstream.”
Copper is also thought to have other health benefits including energy production, protection against arthritis and wound healing properties.
It’s also claimed that the copper oxide fibres remain in the garment wash after wash, unlike other copper infused compression products. Copper 88 state that “this means the full benefit of the copper content will last for the life of the product”.
Elbow support.
The Copper 88 clothing range is designed to be lightweight and comfortable and features antibacterial and anti-odour qualities, as well as protecting against UV rays.
In addition, the fabric offers a “super fast wicking performance to keep the user cool in the hottest of conditions”.
The Copper 88 range includes wrist, elbow, knee, arm and ankle supports, as well as gloves, socks, short & long-sleeve shirts and shorts for men and women Copper 88™ products range from £12.99 to £39.99.
On test: Copper 88 shorts
The shorts feel really light and pleasant to wear. They are not too tight and not too loose, so just right. I stayed cool-feeling even when I was working out, such as on long runs.
I also wore them a few times as a recovery aid. I have a niggling hamstring injury and I like that compression clothes offer extra support after a hard run.
I am not sure if the shorts felt tight enough to offer the best compression advantages. Other compression shorts that I own feel tighter. However, they were very comfortable and if they are working their magic to help heal to support that injury then the comfort over tightness is a good thing.
The problem with all these kinds of products is that you never really know if they are doing anything great, or not. It is impossible to know if they are helping with healing because there is nothing to compare them to. I’d need one leg and butt free of the compression clothing and one encased in the shorts to be sure.
The copper might be working miracle, or not. I have no idea! Some people swear by copper for helping with sore joints. I have never experienced this but there are enough people who say it works for me to believe them.
I have found that over the last few months that I have had a general improvement in the hamstring injury (and a sore back). It could be in part thanks to the shorts, which I have worn quite a lot.
However, I have also been attending a Pilates-Yoga session, doing back exercises, using RockTape and doing various other things to help with flexibility and strength. So, I can’t say that the shorts have worked on their own but they may well have been a part-aid.
The shorts do not get as whiffy as my other tight shorts. I can only imagine that this is the anti-bacterial and wicking properties of the fabric. And, as I said, they feel really nice to wear.
I am not someone who is taken in with lots of hype but for £29.99 I’d say the shorts are a good buy. They are comfy to wear, supportive and they may well be doing some magic behind the scenes.
See Copper 88