There are 3 basic keys to becoming a  better  athlete: proper  nutrition, appropriate  shoes, and constant motivation.   Keeping your mind and body healthy  will allow you to train more  consistently and effectively, which makes you  better.  These weekly  reviews aim to educate readers on product available  to fulfill their key  requirements.

Swiftwick Compression - ASPIRE Twelve

At this point if you havn't tried compression socks or sleeves as an aide to your training and racing, you havn't been paying attention.  There is a lot of research into how and why they work but the bottom line is that they do.  They help prevent injuries and can help you run longer and harder before fatiguing.  But which should you use?

Personally I have tried Zensah, CEP, Skins, and Swiftwick.  For medical-grade compression (therapy for existing injuries) you'll probably need CEP.  But for every-day training there is no better all-around sock than Swiftwick.  Not only do they provide compression to the full calf, they also compress the ankle and the foot.  This keeps an even gradient on the whole lower leg resulting in better circulation during athletic activity.  Also the full-length compression  offers support to the achilles which you cannot get with partial sleeves like Zensah.

Swiftwick is the only sock brand which offers a full-length compression.  Their line of socks come in a wide variety of lengths, colors, and textures but for the moment I want to focus on the knee-high "Twelve" length.  This length covers the leg up to the bottom of the knee meaning it can provide support to the full extent of all the calf muscles.  When you're using compression you want as much coverage as possible.  When you're training hard the need for support is that much more vital.  In other words if you want a sock that will help you train your ass off and stay healthy the Swiftwick ASPIRE Twelve should be the first one you look at. 

There are of course comparable socks available from the shoe companies - Saucony makes a great sock in their AMP PRO 2line, and Nike offers a reasonable  compression sock.  But Swiftwick ONLY MAKES SOCKS.  They do it for the best runners and cyclists in the world.  Lastly, they offer the sock for less money than others of the same quality.  A comparable CEP will cost you around $60 while the Swiftwick ASPIRE Twelve is $35.  *Winning.

For any further endorsement of the quality of Swiftwick socks, consider that Max King (Maximus) swears by them.  He is a two-time Olympic Trials qualifier in track, defending World Mountain Running Champion, and four-time XTERRA Trail Run World Champion.  He liked the socks to much that after wearing them in his latest world-champion efforts the company offered him a sponsorship, which he accepted.  And who wouldn't?  The socks are awesome.