Rehband Knee Sleeves – Our Review

If you asked 3 random people in a CrossFit class what three of the most popular knee sleeve manufacturers are, I guarantee you at least one would say:

“The ones with the ‘R’ in the middle!”

They’d be right…even if they didn’t actually name the brand.

To be fair, for every 100 pairs of Rehband knee sleeves I see, I notice (maybe) one elbow sleeve or something else the company sells. They don’t make that much stuff…

…and their name is weird and hard to pronounce.

Thankfully, none of that other stuff matters when we’re talking about knee sleeves and…to be precise…the knee sleeves that topped our list of the best knee sleeves for CrossFit.

This inclusion is no fluke: these knee sleeves are legit, scoring highly in all “practical” areas (functionality, comfort, fit) that are associated with actual use during a squatting workout.

If you’ve just hit your 30th birthday and feel like “it’s time” or if you simply want a bit more support, warmth, or compression for your knees, you could do a lot worse than these bad boys. Let’s take a closer look:

Functionality

Different people look for different things with knee sleeves.

A lot of people like them for compression and getting the “blood flowing” while others simply like something over their knees to keep them warm.

Regardless of whether or not these apply to you, I would imagine that you’re possibly (probably?) interested in knee sleeves to make your knees hurt less (or at least feel less sore) during squatting and lunging movements.

I’ve been through phases where I was trying to limit by knee sleeve usage in order to avoid becoming too reliant on them for their “protection”, however one thing remained consistent: I knew that when I woke up from these phases, my Rehband knee sleeves would do exactly what I wanted them to do.

Despite not being (that) old, depending on the day and how mobile I’m feeling, squats can feel anywhere from tolerable to tortuous on my knees. This feeling can be multiplied by three for lunges (due to the actual motion plus the hard contact my knees make with the floor during the exercise).

The Rehbands don’t completely dull this pain, but they do make the movements “flow” easier, minimizing any kind of pain I experience from, for the lack of a better term, “delayed” movements, flinching, etc. They also provide a slight buffer against the floor for when my knee makes contact during the aforementioned lunges.

The whole “blood flow” effect is legit (at least as a placebo) and I find that my knees feel warmed up in a bit quicker in these knee sleeves than they do when I am squatting or doing another type of leg exercise/workout (ex. squat snatches) without them.

I wouldn’t say that I feel overly “warm” in them and, to be honest, if I go too long between sets, the accumulated sweat inside the sleeves’ polyurethane materials can actually have a cooling effect (although it is more “shocking” cold than a gradual cool down). It’s easy enough to just…ya know…don’t jack around too long between sets.

From this discussion, it may not sound like the Rehband knee sleeves do all that much, but what they do do is exactly what I want them to do. As long as you’re not expecting miracles from them, you’ll likely be quite satisfied with their functionality.

Functionality: 95

Comfort

Depending on the workout, it can be relatively painless to slog through with uncomfortable knee sleeves…or downright insufferable. I’ve put mine through the paces of more straightforward sessions (Ex. 5×5 back squats) and through longer CrossFit metcons (running, lunging, step-ups, etc.) and am quite satisfied with how they feel throughout.

I wouldn’t say that these feel overly comfortable or different than many other popular knee sleeves. The polyurethane that comprises the vast majority of most knee sleeves feels pretty similar from one pair to another, although the Rehband knee sleeve seem to rely on the material more than others. Personally, I actually prefer its more “plasticky” material over the quasi-fabric of other brands.

As mentioned in the previous section, if I wait too long between sets or take too big of a break and my legs start to cool, the cold sweat sensation is pretty apparent and can feel kind of gross. As such, this is both an incentive to stop taking such big breaks and also to get these off ASAP once the workout is finally over.

I know that some people reading this might expect additional comfort on par with some more niche, padded knee sleeves or those infused with “copper compression” or whatever. However, I’m willing to bet that very few, if any of the people vying for these options is looking to tackle a workout like Karen.

With this in mind, if you’re looking for this type of comfort, you probably want to check “consumer reports” list of the best knee sleeves as opposed to the knee sleeves that topped the list of the 7 best knee sleeves for CrossFit.

Comfort: 90

Fit

Like most fitness gear, there is always that slight pause before hitting “buy” as the inevitable “do these run true to size” question pops into your head. There’s nothing worse than getting excited about a pair of CrossFit grips or training shoes only to be paranoid that they’re not going to fit.

Rehband does a good job (like many other knee sleeve producers) in providing both a size chart as well as guidelines for measuring yourself in order to assuage these doubts.

I am pretty reliably “medium” in just about all sizing situations so I wasn’t too concerned when I re-ordered my Rehbands. They fit absolutely perfectly, the true definition of “true to size”.

Like any knee sleeve, there is going to be a bit of movement (if there isn’t, I would argue that the sleeves might actually be a bit too tight) which requires semi-regular attention and tending to. However, I don’t find this to occur all that often in these and, in some cases, I don’t feel the need to proactively adjust my Rehbands and simply wait until I’m taking a quick break.

Although it doesn’t apply directly to me, a problem I could see arising is that with the larger sizes (L, XL, XXL), the range of each sleeve’s circumference jumps up by .2 inches more than it does between the smaller sizes. This could lead to slightly less exact sizing for larger athletes.

Fit: 95

Price

Despite all of the positive qualities of the Rehband knee sleeves, when it comes to price, there is more bad news than good news.

Right off the bat, is the absolute price itself. Other than the more “speciality” knee sleeves we mentioned before (that few, if any people doing serious CrossFit, powerlifting, or other type of heavy lifting work are wearing), these are the most expensive, commonly available knee sleeves.

Additionally, depending on how or where you purchase them, be very mindful about any product listing and especially those that are priced in a way that appears “too good to be true”. This is because many of the Rehband’s listings are usually for only one sleeve.

I don’t want to know how many people have excitedly placed an order for their first “pair” of knee sleeves only to be disappointed when a single one showed up…beware!

NOTE: The links at the beginning and end of this review are for listings where two knee sleeves are sold together…you’re welcome!

There is a bit of a reprieve in this area due to the fact that despite a high relative variance in knee sleeve prices (you can find pairs for as little as $20), the “ceiling” is only so high. You’re only going to pay $40-50 more for Rehband knee sleeves than you would for the cheapest pair out there…

…which still doesn’t make these an “inexpensive” option…

Price: 70

Customer Reviews

Due to their popularity, it isn’t difficult to find a lot of customer reviews for Rehband knee sleeves with some retailers, such as Rogue, sporting over 40 (mostly very positive) reviews.

Looking at the combined reviews for the knee sleeves across multiple websites (to include both the official Rehband website as well as non-affiliated sites) with several hundred overall reviews, they currently hold a cumulative 4.7 out of 5 score.

Needless to say, people are pretty pleased with the knee sleeves and the overall sentiment appears to echo pretty closely what I’ve had to say about them so far in this review.

Customer Reviews: 94

Customer Service

I don’t have much to report here…not because I haven’t had any experiences with Rehband customer service personnel, though.

I’ve reached out to Rehband with some questions before; I just haven’t gotten a response.

Some might contend that this could be due to the fact that customer service inquiries for Rehband are directed to a Cypriot number and/or to an address in Paphos, Cyprus.

However, having lived in Cyprus for a short period of time, I can confirm that English levels are high (they’re apparently even higher in Paphos) so I don’t think there is/was a language barrier.

All of that being said, I would imagine that most people are probably ordering their sleeves from Amazon, Rogue, or some other, third-party distributor meaning that if they had any trouble, they’d reach out to someone else for assistance. If you do order direct, be aware…

Customer Service: 60

Who are the Rehband Knee Sleeves really for?

To be fair, there isn’t as much “on the line” when shopping for a new pair of knee sleeves in comparison to things like weightlifting shoes or even something like a new jump rope. However, you’re probably going to want to make sure you’re in the target demographic for Rehband Knee Sleeves before hitting buy. Let’s see if you are:

Any athlete who regularly performs squatting movements

Straight up, whether you’re into CrossFit, Olympic lifting, or powerlifting (or any other movement where you’re going to get below parallel with regularity), you’re going to appreciate Rehband Knee Sleeves.

Because you’re likely squatting, in some form or another, at least twice per week, it is easier to justify the knee sleeves’ higher cost (relative to other sleeves) and with such frequent use, it’ll be easier for you to discern the benefits derived from them.

There are a lot of good knee sleeve options that cost less than Rehbands, but when you’re squatting that much, may as well go with really good ones.

Those seeking a last, durable knee sleeve

I’m on my second pair of Rehbands now…but only because I left my first pair in my hotel room in Cancun (true story, but not nearly as interesting of a story as you’re probably thinking). Had I not made this mistake, I’d probably still be wearing that first pair today.

As it is, the tough, durable material combined with a little bit of maintenance (I usually just bring mine into the shower with me!) is enough to keep these going for years.

I’d put money that the (lucky!) maid who found mine is still rocking that same pair today.

Not for people seeking a legit knee brace

If this is you, I doubt you’ve made it this far, but just to be clear, the Rehband Knee Sleeves aren’t, like, knee braces that are used for general knee support and/or rehabilitative efforts. The Rehbands aren’t for those experiencing legit knee problems (or are worried about experiencing some type of issue).

How we tested the Rehband Knee Sleeves

It’s hard to give specifics as to my use of Rehband Knee Sleeves, but let’s just say I’ve been using them/wearing them for a long time. I mean, I lost my first pair back in 2018…and had been wearing them for a while then.

Needless to say, even with my somewhat intermittent use/wearing of them, I have put them through the ringer, rocking them for all types of workouts for years.

Rehband Knee Sleeves Alternatives

There are a lot of knee sleeve options out there and it’s possible you may want to look beyond Rehband. Here are some of my top picks for contending sleeves:

Frequently Asked Questions

Now it’s time we cover some of those question about knee sleeves (specifically, Rehband Knee Sleeves) you never thought you had!

Rehband Knee Sleeves…a solid addition to home gym “leg day”

I can never quite explain why I decide to forego knee sleeves for extended periods of time, but I’m always certain of two things when I regain my senses and start packing them into my gym bag every day:

• My squatting movements, whether in dedicated squatting, front squatting, overhead squatting, etc. strength sessions or in CrossFit metcons feel a lot better.
• I don’t really have a reason to stray away from my Rehbands

Truth be told, I like my Rogue knee sleeves and the Hookgrips mentioned above represent an affordable and interesting option for a certain type of lifter, but when you’re squatting a lot and/or you’re getting older (like me!) I think it’s definitely worth paying a bit more for decent knee sleeves.

A couple of years ago, we rated these as the best options out there…and since then, nothing has changed…