⭐️ Best Long CrossFit Knee Sleeves: 90/100
The Bear Komplex Knee Sleeves are alternative options for those who want solid knee support with a little more “style”. Known primarily for their hand grips, the company’s knee sleeves are functional and comfortable.
Sporting a longer, more “coverage”-focused structure, Bear Komlplex’s offering also has the unique quality of two different-sized holes to better accommodate the larger thigh and smaller calf.
Despite not being as well known as Rehband or Rogue, you’ll still pay slightly more for these knee sleeves, but Bear Komplex’s customer service department is probably the best I’ve ever dealt with in the health and fitness industry.
Pros
More complete coverage along with more robust compression and warmth
Unique hole-sizing structure
Outstanding customer service
Cons
The longer sleeves “bunch” more often than shorter sleeves
Different-sized holes can take some getting used to
Not inexpensive
Before we get started, we invite you to check out our list of the best knee sleeves for CrossFit, a list that the Bear Komplex Knee Sleeves have a place on.
If the Bear Komplex Knee Sleeves turn out not to be the sleeves for you, maybe one of the other 6 on our list will work out for you!
If you’re at all familiar with CrossFit, you’ve likely come across Bear Komplex’s products before…
…more specifically, you’ve likely come across Bear Komplex’s hand grips before.
Despite having a rather substantive selection of CrossFit accessory items in their online store, their numerous grip offerings are undoubtedly their most popular products. However, just because they have the reigning best CrossFit grips on the market doesn’t mean you should be sleeping on their other stuff, most notably their knee sleeves.
Although they’re not nearly as popular as the grips, the Bear Komplex Knee Sleeves are solid options for those who prefer a longer sleeve as well as a sleeve with a little…style.
These knee sleeves don’t get as much attention as some of the others out there, but they still easily made the cut for our list of the best knee sleeves for CrossFit. Let’s take a closer look at what they did to make that list and, to put things more bluntly, what about them makes them legit.
Table of Contents
Functionality
Some people want to be able to “spring” out of the bottom of a squat with more force (or just with a bit of ease). Some people simply want to be able to squat with a little less knee pain.
Both of these are legit reasons for opting for knee sleeves in any given workout.
When it comes to the Bear Komplex knee sleeves, in my experience, they do a better job of promoting the latter rather than the former. I get a bit of pain relief when wearing them, but I wouldn’t say that I feel all that “springy” in them.
One of the reasons for this, in my opinion at least, is something I’ll expand on a bit further down in this review and is related to the overall length of the knee sleeves. Rather than be more compact pieces of neoprene, they extend further up (and especially down) the leg. I theorize that this distributes this effect more widely, slightly negating its effect on the knee region.
The good news is that “post-spring” there isn’t as much as that bunching effect that occurs in other knee sleeves. Additionally, I feel like the longer sleeve helps me to more efficiently keep my knees tracking out and over my toes (since I can feel more of my leg moving out and down with each squatting repetition).
Where lunges are concerned, I wouldn’t say that these are overly padded, particularly in the front portion that comes into contact with the ground on each rep. However, mine are the 5mm variety; if I was really concerned about this aspect, the 7mm sleeves would have likely been a better option here. As it is, I appreciate not having to come in direct contact with the ground.
I think the longer knee sleeves compress more of the areas that contribute the oftentimes more centralized knee pain, making the Bear Komplex Knee Sleeves slightly better than some others are managing this area (which, for many people, myself included, is the most important area). Knee sleeves alone won’t mitigate existing pain (I really gotta do some mobility work!), but these make a definite and noticeable difference than squatting or lunging without them.
Overall, I wouldn’t say that these knee sleeves are the most functional as they don’t overly “enhance” different lower body movements to some crazy degree. However, they do a pretty good job of knee pain “mitigation” which, for many, is all you really care about.
Functionality: 85
Comfort
Bear Komplex’s knee sleeves are probably the most comfortable knee sleeves I have ever slipped on. They are the perfect combination of “tightness” (and, ya know, actually doing what they’re intended for) and being not overly oppressive or restrictive in nature.
I think one of the main reasons for this is the somewhat unique/somewhat odd manner in which the top and bottom holes are structured. In a genius move, to the top hole (which ultimately fits around the thigh) is cut wider than the bottom hole (which sits around the calf). Creating a larger (but not too big) hole around the larger thigh muscle and a smaller hole for the smaller muscle below makes perfect sense, constricting each area at a more appropriate level.
One thing that might be somewhat bothersome (or that might take some getting use to) is the length of the Bear Komplex knee sleeves compared to others. These are really long sleeves, extending all the way from mid-thigh level to the upper calf. I wouldn’t say this detracts from comfort, but it presents a slightly odd feeling during the first few wears.
On the flip side, I find that these longer sleeves do a better job of maintaining a more constant level of warmth, even during extended rest periods (where I have started to feel colder and the effects of the accumulation of cold sweat). In this respect, these are certainly more comfortable than many of their competitors.
One final thing I’ll note, something that I always mention when discussing knee sleeves is that these (and just about any other pair designed for CrossFit, powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, etc.) do not have any type of copper infusion to support knee joints. We don’t really discuss “copper compression”, overly padded knee sleeves; these may be exponentially more comfortable than these, but they’re not exactly in the same classification.
Comfort: 90
Fit
The knee sleeves fitting process is, in my opinion, more annoying and complicated than it should be. I get that people have different sized legs and that there is a bit more going on with them than there is with a pair of pants or something, but still…
…and with the different-sized top and bottom holes, the Bear Komplex Knee Sleeves add an additional layer of difficulty to this process.
Don’t get me wrong; I appreciate this aspect and think that it definitely contributes to the sleeves’ overall comfort. Also, for most people with somewhat proportional legs (I assume these were designed with some type of leg proportion ratio in mind), the sleeves should fit just fine. However, it’s still one additional area where they might not fit properly.
Unfortunately, for me, my calves are a bit smaller (relatively and in an absolute sense) than average so the sleeves are slightly looser at the bottom than they are at the knee or thigh (where my mediums fit perfectly and are in line with the Bear Komplex size chart). I don’t have experience with other sizes, but would like to think they pretty much fall in line.
Regarding overall fit impressions, I wouldn’t say that these fit poorly by any means; it’s just that with additional sizing and fit considerations involved, there might be more potential for an imperfect fit.
Fit: 90
Price
Assigning a score to items like knee sleeves can be a little tricky due to the small overall range between the lowest and highest price knee sleeves. While you can certainly pick up a halfway decent pair of sleeves for around $20, even if you opted for the most expensive pair, you’d be shelling out well under $100.
Bear Komplex is an established enough name to warrant a higher price point, but won’t come anywhere close to breaking the bank. Spending twice as much money to score a good pair of sleeves from a known commodity is going to make more sense (in most cases) than spending $25 on “Bob’s Unknown (and untested)” brand of knee sleeves.
Ultimately, you can certainly go cheaper…and you can also spend a lot more if you so desire.
Price: 80
Customer Reviews
Finding reviews for the Bear Komplex Knee Sleeves is equal parts easy and difficult. Interestingly enough, you run into the exact opposite problems locating these reviews than you do when looking for somewhat “Amazon-phobic” companies…
There aren’t “ample”, but there certainly are a lot of reviews for the knee sleeves on Amazon…but not too many in other places…to include the Bear Komplex website. Try to find reviews for these there, and you’re greeted to what I can only assume is a programming error.
The good news is (for me, at least) third-party reviews are often perceived as being a bit more trustworthy than reviews found on company pages. With that being said, I’d still prefer a large number of reviews from an alternative source to cross reference the review scores. As it is, the collective 4.6 out of 5 on Amazon (out of over 4,000 total reviews) looks pretty good to me.
Customer Reviews: 92
Customer Service
I haven’t had any major problems with my knee sleeves that required any type of discussion about returns or exchanges. I am grateful for this, but I still like to be able to report on my customer service experiences when possible.
I reached out to Bear Komplex to inquire about the possibility of getting single knee sleeves and about some (unrelated) information regarding plate carrier sizing. Not only did I receive a response (which is far from guaranteed in this industry!); I received a detailed response within hours. Just check out how well (and quickly!) Alejandra helped me:
To be fair, I acknowledge that some (most?) customers will order from Amazon as opposed to ordering directly from Bear Komplex. As such, you’re not likely to be dealing with the company’s personnel if you run into problems. However, if you do happen to have general product, or even company inquiries, they’re good at getting back to you fast (either that or I just got really lucky!)
Customer Service: 100
Who are the Bear Komplex Knee Sleeves really for?
If you’re 20 and reading this you’re probably thinking to yourself “these knee sleeves are for…no one…”, but if you’re 30-plus and reading this you’re thinking “are these the sleeves that bring my knees back to life?”
Our take on who these are for lies somewhere in between these extremes: there are definitely a lot of people out there who would appreciate them, but they’re not the savior of all knees everywhere (sorry!) Let’s look at who will most likely appreciate them the most:
Athletes who prefer a longer knee sleeve
Whether you’re a taller person who needs a longer sleeve to provide more “comprehensive” coverage or if you simply prefer a longer sleeve, the Bear Komplex Knee Sleeves are outliers in a world of shorter sleeves.
Not knowing how long they were compared to what I was used to, the longer sleeves actually were a bit…I don’t know…”shocking” on first use, but I have grown to appreciate them for what they are. I still personally prefer a shorter knee sleeve, but I also got shorter legs than most guys. If you got “Daddy Long Legs”, these could be just the sleeves you’ve always wanted.
Those who are into patterns and stuff
Despite my dad being in the military and spending a significant amount of my life in the South/around hunters, I’ve never been into camo. How ironic that I now have camo-patterned knee sleeves!
Truth be told, I’d rather have a more subtle, single-color sleeve (like my Rehbands), but I’m far from a fashionista so what do I care? In contrast, for those who do want to add a bit of flair to their knee sleeves, Bear Komplex is about the best (and, to be honest, the most flamboyant) it gets.
Not for people seeking a “consistent” knee sleeve
“Consistent” here is referring to the leg hole sizes. If you’re used to more or less the same sizing from top to bottom, the Bear Komplex Knee Sleeves can feel really odd at first. I’ve gotten used to it and actually rather appreciate the rationale for the disparity in the hole sizes, but if you think it’s just gonna be too weird, you’re gonna have to pass on these.
How we tested the Bear Komplex Knee Sleeves
Knee sleeves are actually some of my favorite items to put to the test. As I try to ward off the effects of ageing, I’m always looking for the next great knee sleeve to magically boost my squat numbers back to pre-2014 levels.
All of this being said, over the last month, these have been my go-to knee sleeves. I have incorporated them into numerous dedicated squatting sessions as well as metcons that have involved some type of squatting or lunging components (ex. couplet of chest-to-bar pull-ups and back rack lunges).
Due to the frequency of squatting and lunging movements in my programming, I have done quite a bit of “testing” in them.
Bear Komplex Knee Sleeves Alternatives
There is no shortage of knee sleeves to choose from and, to be perfectly honest, a lot of them are pretty good options. I’d be more than happy to go with any of our top three alternatives any day of the week:
Rehband Knee Sleeves
The Rehband “circle R” is arguably the most iconic of any knee sleeve on the market. The combination of comfort and functionality have solidified its status as one of the best (the best?) in the industry.
Pros
Promotes uniform contour compression
Keeps the leg stable and warm during lower-body training sessions
Suitable for CrossFit, powerlifting, and Olympic weightlifting
Cons
Not inexpensive
Company’s customer service is not overly responsive
Rogue Knee Sleeves
Rogue’s knee sleeves are similar in many ways to Rehband’s offerings with the main differences being that they are (surprisingly) not quite as well known and occupy a slightly lower price point.
Pros
Unique SBR/neoprene hybrid blend
Functional for multiple disciplines
Affordable for a name-brand knee sleeve
Cons
Sizing is slightly off (smaller) than others
Very few color/design options
HookGrip Knee Sleeves 2.0
The HookGrip Knee Sleeves aren’t so much “traditional” knee sleeves as much as they are sleeves to keep the legs warm and adding a degree of compression during “leg day” workouts.
Pros
More flexible and mobility-friendly than other knee sleeves
Very comfortable
Extremely affordable
Cons
Not a large degree of support
Do not feel overly durable
Frequently Asked Questions
You got questions about sizing, feel, and…designs? We got answers!
How much longer do these REALLY feel compared to other knee sleeves?
To be honest, QUITE a bit longer. Maybe if you're a powerlifter you may be used to longer knee sleeves, but these are the longest ones I've ever used for CrossFit.
How well do these hold up over time?
Whenever I finish up, I throw these in the shower with me (seriously) and do a little bit of hand washing. I leave them out to dry (they're good by the next day) and by the time I'm ready to use them again, they've regained, like, ALL of their compression.
Judging by how well they do at this vital activity, I like their chances, long term.
Did you ACTUALLY choose these because of the designs?
No,. I hate the designs, actually. If you like 'em, though...well...you do you!
Bear Komplex Knee Sleeves: not the best, but close…
The Bear Komplex Knee Sleeves are pretty good general knee sleeves, but are especially good for certain kinds of lifters/athletes. If you have long legs, like “fuller” coverage, and/or can appreciate different-sized leg openings, these may just be your preferred knee sleeves.
For the general audience, though, I still think that Rehband does a bit better. In most ways I prefer them (even if Bear Komplex’s support staff blows Rehband’s out of the water and they’re likely much more “familiar” to most lifters.
Regardless, these are legit knee sleeves and they’ve done more than enough to earn their place on the list…
As we finish things up, I encourage you to check out our list of the best Knee Sleeves for CrossFit. If the Bear Komplex Knee Sleeves don’t work out, maybe one of the other 6 on our list will work out for you!
⭐️ Best Long CrossFit Knee Sleeves: 90/100
The Bear Komplex Knee Sleeves are alternative options for those who want solid knee support with a little more “style”. Known primarily for their hand grips, the company’s knee sleeves are functional and comfortable.
Sporting a longer, more “coverage”-focused structure, Bear Komlplex’s offering also has the unique quality of two different-sized holes to better accommodate the larger thigh and smaller calf.
Despite not being as well known as Rehband or Rogue, you’ll still pay slightly more for these knee sleeves, but Bear Komplex’s customer service department is probably the best I’ve ever dealt with in the health and fitness industry.
Pros
More complete coverage along with more robust compression and warmth
Unique hole-sizing structure
Outstanding customer service
Cons
The longer sleeves “bunch” more often than shorter sleeves
Different-sized holes can take some getting used to
Not inexpensive
