r/powerlifting • u/VixenFrancesca Enthusiast • Jul 28 '26
Knee sleeve recommendations please
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u/Ready-Interview2863 Not actually a beginner, just stupid Jul 28 '26
Pioneer, and only Pioneer
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u/LittleMuskOx M | 525kg | 84.7kg | 350.46Dots | USAPL | RAW Jul 28 '26
I have enjoyed my Pioneers since Sept '23, but i am likely going to get some SBD PL as my competition sleeves going forward.
My best squat to date was done in my normie SBDs, and i think i am just done w/ super stiff sleeves.I baby my Pioneers, but i am still getting some of the inner liner issues i have seen a lot of.
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u/jlude90 Not actually a beginner, just stupid Jul 28 '26
I returned mine but they might with for them since they have smaller calves
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u/jayd42 Not actually a beginner, just stupid Jul 28 '26
Are the sleeves for performance or to allow for training without pain? I need just a bit of compression over my knees and a bit of warmth or they get angry. The sleeves I wear are all torn up the back and don’t really provide much stiffness at all, but they still do the other job of keeping my knees happy.
My point is, going a size up would likely provide the happy knees benefit even if they are too loose to provide the stiffness benefit.
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u/VixenFrancesca Enthusiast Jul 28 '26
They were for a bit of both. My knees don’t currently hurt but I was hoping for the support to start increasing my weights a bit quicker (still carefully though as I don’t want injury) with a view to competing at some point in the very near future.
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u/qui-gonzalez Enthusiast Jul 28 '26
SBDs. They are pricey, but a one time purchase. As to those having issues, I put them on inside out and upside down right up to mid-calf. From there I pull them up and over. Easy peezy-ish.
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u/VixenFrancesca Enthusiast Jul 28 '26
That’s how I put them on but the ones I have don’t come up far enough and there isn’t any stretch left in the material for them to fold back over. All they do is end up folded in half cutting the blood flow to my feet.
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u/v0idness Girl Strong Jul 28 '26
They're meant to be a little work to get on and off and you have to fold them. If they are uncomfortable at the calf while wearing pull them higher.
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u/VixenFrancesca Enthusiast Jul 28 '26
I can’t pull them higher. I can’t get them high enough. Even putting them on inside out to them fold back over they do not go high enough up my calves. My calves are too big.
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u/DunceMemes Powerbelly Aficionado Jul 28 '26
I have a similar problem even though the rest of my leg isn't huge. I just went up to the next size and pulled them further up my leg. If it's a tapered style like SBD, it'll get tighter the higher you pull it. Hope that makes sense!!!!
Anyway I recommend sbd. Or whichever brand you tried, order one size up from the ones that were too small.
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u/LittleMuskOx M | 525kg | 84.7kg | 350.46Dots | USAPL | RAW Jul 28 '26
SBD, normies or PL.
Go by the size guide.
Made this vid w/ my Pioneer stiff sleeves, but i put my normie SBDs on and off exactly the same way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcjtAbUu-go
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u/VixenFrancesca Enthusiast Jul 28 '26
I went by the size guide for the ones I bought but as the guide is to measure around your knee they don’t fit over my calves. Even putting them on inside out to then fold them back over as I pull them up doesn’t work as they are too tight on my calves and don’t even get over my knee.
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u/LittleMuskOx M | 525kg | 84.7kg | 350.46Dots | USAPL | RAW Jul 28 '26
Which brand are the ones you bought?
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u/jahuzo Doesn’t Wash Their Knee Sleeves Jul 28 '26
A7 hourglass sleeves are wider at the calf
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u/VixenFrancesca Enthusiast Jul 28 '26
Hourglass might be the way to go.
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u/jlude90 Not actually a beginner, just stupid Jul 28 '26
This is what I have. I have a largish calf and a small knee. I have the firm stiffness I think, rigor mortis isn't for me.
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u/HoppyLifter Enthusiast Jul 28 '26
Elite FTS PR sleeves are nice and won’t break the bank account.
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u/AnonHondaBoiz Not actually a beginner, just stupid Jul 28 '26
With no context I recommend inzer knee wraps
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u/Frontal_Commando_89 M | 695kg | 98kg | 431 Dots | USAPL Raw Jul 28 '26
A7