A good pair of knee sleeves adds warmth, compression and a bit of support in the bottom of your squats, cleans and jerks — handy when your knees feel the strain under load, and reassuring when you’re catching heavy. Here’s what we rate and how to pick the right pair.
Sleeves vs wraps
For Olympic lifting, you almost always want sleeves, not wraps. Sleeves slide on and give warmth, compression and a little support for everyday training. Wraps are wound tight for a big elastic rebound out of the bottom of a max squat — more faff, and not what you want when you’re catching cleans and standing up out of a deep front rack.
5 mm vs 7 mm
A 5 mm sleeve is thinner and more flexible — good for everyday warmth and general training. A 7 mm sleeve gives more support and warmth and holds up better under heavy Olympic lifting. If in doubt, most lifters are happy in 7 mm.
Our pick
Rehband 7051 (7 mm) — best overall
Still the sleeves we reach for. Durable and genuinely comfortable, they warm the joint up fast and hold their shape season after season, where cheaper pairs go soft and baggy. Not the cheapest, but totally worth the money.
Still the sleeves I reach for. Durable and genuinely comfortable — they warm the joint up fast and hold their shape season after season, where cheaper pairs go soft and baggy. Not the cheapest, but totally worth the money.
Check price on AmazonWhat to look for
- A snug fit. Measure to the maker’s size guide — a sleeve that’s too loose does nothing. It should be firm to pull on.
- Quality stitching. The seams are the first thing to go on a cheap pair.
- The right thickness. 5 mm for everyday, 7 mm for heavy work and extra warmth.
See the rest of the kit we train in on our recommended gear page.
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