Running Insight

brands to lead the category." Calling compression a maturing category, Jared Finney, CEP national sales manager, says that "a lot of competitors that just manufacture a 'tight sock' have lost the trust of the educated consumer, and true graduated compression products are rising to the top." Socks Get Specific Socks, the traditional compression category for runners, are stepping up the game with intricate knits, innovative fabrics and muscle-specific targeted compression. Michael Kilchenstein, COO of ZeroPoint, says that the brand's socks have many different patterns, weaves and amounts of pressure depending on the location against the body. "When you examine our full-length socks, you'll not only see graduated compression, you'll also see different levels of compression for different levels of users," he says. Fashion, fit, function and style, according to John Thomas, president and founder of LEGEND, are leading the compression conversation. "As graduated compression becomes more common, we are seeing understanding of the product increasing and buyers making more educated decisions on what type of compression they want and how it should fit them," he says. The brands see a bright future for the category. "An increasing number of brands and products continue to emerge, leading existing players to continuously innovate their technology, materials and finishes," says Kim Gross, chief strategist of sales and marketing for Lily Trotters. "I envision products tailor-made for different uses and athletic activities." Thomas agrees, adding that LEGEND is "investing in multiple compression markets, from sports to outdoors to everyday business, because we are seeing our customer demographic move more and more into an all-day health and fitness mindset in how they treat their bodies. We see these different markets as molding into one as the general population continues to seek out more fitness opportunities and work/life balance in their daily lives." It was the stagnated, saturated market, says Debbie 8 runninginsight.com © 2017 Formula4media LLC. Compression's Winning Combination (continued) "We are seeing understanding of the product increasing and buyers making more educated decisions." JOHN THOMAS, LEGEND DonJoy's Performance Trizone Calf Support, $49.99, combines compression and bracing. Its silicone banding offers targeted support. LEGEND's Compression Performance Socks, $42.50, feature moderate graduated compression of 15 to 20 mmHg designed for all sports. With a terry cushioned sole. Zensah's Featherweight Compression Socks, $49.99, are the brand's lightest. They have a targeted band for arch support.

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