Lily Trotters is a women-based compression sock company, made for all athletes and any activity. Most people ask, “Aren’t compression socks for old people or for those with medical conditions?” And the answer is no. Here’s why you should consider wearing them, especially if you hike and/or run a lot. Compression socks make legs feel refreshed and energized by increasing blood flow from our legs to our heart, raising the blood oxygen level. In short, they minimize leg pain and cramping by reducing swelling in the ankles and feet. Most importantly, they can also help prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) – a life threatening blood clot that can occur in the legs.
Wearing compression socks just aren’t for athletes. Many healthcare workers, pregnant women, travelers, or any type of job or activity where you sit or stand for long hours is beneficial to wearing these socks. It helps speed up recovery time and alleviate lactic acid build up during workouts. Compression socks are no longer the ugly beige “grandma” socks – they’re now apart of everyday wear and a must-have for long flights.
Lily Trotters founder, Susan, is not only the business owner, but also the designer! When she couldn’t find compression socks that were thin enough to be a stylish sock yet strong enough for athletes, she decided to make them herself! In 2011, the company began, and they’ve been successful ever since.
How did I find out about compression socks?
I started running more this year on my own (thanks, COVID, for not letting me hike with a bunch of friends anymore!) and started to get really bad lactic acid build up in my lower calves especially on uphills. Now, I don’t consider myself a “runner” by any means, I’m just jogging when I can and trying to get better at jogging elevation gain. But the burn was SO bad still! I saw my friend Jill posted about a discount code for compression socks for Lily Trotters (she’s an ambassador!). So we got to talking and ultimately I bought a pair…and then another. I was amazed at how much better/faster my legs recovered.
I found over the course of wearing these that they weren’t just for running, but for hiking as well. Most hikes I do in the Wasatch are fairly steep, and afterwards I don’t feel as tired, I haven’t gotten a leg cramp for a long time, and the soreness subsides much quicker.
Let’s dive more into the features of Lily Trotters!
Lily Trotters comes in three styles – over the calf (my favorite, also the most popular), crew style, and calf sleeve.
Compression strength is measured as a range. Lily Trotters come in 15-20 mmHg, and anything above 20 mmHg requires a prescription from your doctor. The tightest compression point is at the ankle, followed by a decreased squeeze moving up the leg. This squeeze ensures blood flow towards the heart instead of the foot. This prevents blood from pooling in our ankles, returning it to the heart and lungs more efficiently than without compression. You can read more here.
I love the over the calf (OTC) the best because that is where I tent to get the most lactic acid build up. The OTC is best for high mileage and/or big elevation gain days.
I do have one pair of the crew style and have found these are great for my shorter, every-day hikes under 4-6 miles RT. The crew style is also great for really hot days when you don’t want your whole calf covered, yet still need a boost of circulation.
Lily Trotters also offers calf sleeves. Sleeves are meant to be worn while exercising to enhance performance and recovery time as well. However, you should NOT wear calf sleeves for extended periods of time while stationary. For me personally, the sleeves are my least favorite. I have worn them on shorter runs, but my issue is that I have to find socks that don’t rub the bottom of the sleeve weird, so they have to be pretty low cut socks and then I get rocks/sand in my shoe. I could see the sleeves being super beneficial after a run, while wearing flip flops or other sandals to wear around camp to recover. Another thought is to just wear trail gaiters with these to keep debris out.
Reinforced toes and cushioned heels help prevent wear and tear on the socks. For care of socks I wash them normal, then hang dry. You can buy their socks on Amazon, but their website offers all styles. Be sure to use the code GIRLONAHIKE at checkout on their website for a 10% discount of their non-sale items.
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