110PlayHarder 001 Have you ever tried to ice your knee after training and maintain some semblance of mobility?  I have on multiple, multiple, multiple occasions and could never get it right.  I tried ice bags and athletic wrap, ice bags with plastic wrap, and 2 different types of athletic wraps with freezable gel inserts.  Results were always the same.  Either the sleeves slid down the leg when walking or I was forced to sit still with leg wrapped tight (ain’t nobody got time for that!)  Finally, I found a product that eliminated all those issues.

110CollageThe 110%PlayHarder compression knee sleeve provides the triple benefit of compression, ice packs that stay put, and remarkable mobility.  An added benefit is that they are super easy and quick to put on.  The knee sleeve itself has 2 pouches that wrap around the knee.  It comes with 2 moldable “ice packs” that just slide in where you need them.  Both packs in at the same time almost completely envelope the knee.  As you can see from the photo, the ice pack is simply a ‘page’ of little pockets that soak up water and freeze quickly.  Because they are a bunch of individual pockets, they are more flexible than solid packs and also don’t get pushed around like frozen gel packs.  I can train, take a shower, put the sleeve on and wear it for the next hour or so as I get ready for and drive to work.  When under my pants, almost no one can even tell that I have an ice pack on my knee.

I don’t write a lot about gear, but this is one piece that I highly endorse.  It’s a little pricey, but well worth the money if you have chronic knee issues.  P.S. The company makes more than knee sleeves, so you can ice just about any body part that you want.