Sugoi Piston 200 leg sleeves

Canadian brand Sugoi have been popular at road.cc for a while now, their new compression range aims to compete with the likes of skins and 2XU in the running, cycling and triathlon markets. How did their new 'Piston 200 leg sleeves' get on?

On first impressions the compression gear from Sugoi seems quite delicate, thin and rather lightweight. To be honest this didnt fill me with confidence of either long lasting quality or noticable improvements in my performance and recovery but with the race season underway I was more than willing to give them a go. The ultra lightweight, high stretch modulus fabric with its extremely tight weave is that thin by design so that the sleeves offer comfortable and unobtrusive compression. The now commonplace flatlock seams reduce irritation and specific pressure points and the articulated design helps to work with your muscle movements in order to get the most out of the compression qualities of the Piston range.

I wore these first on the 215km Bristol audax with Dave earlier this year. I didnt notice that I had them on, they didnt annoy or irritate me in the slightest and provided a welcome barrier to the chilly breeze and showers that we encountered between Glastonbury and Clevedon.

Subtle touches like the scotchlite reflective print adds to the versatility of these compression sleeves and the sugoi logo certainly doesnt detract from the clean lines and stylish finish.

Having worn these in a few fell races, long distance orienteering events and longer rides I can say that my legs do feel more relaxed than I am used to after each effort and the difference I feel the next morning is quite noticeable. My normal routine of slouching on a sofa after a race has been repleaced by wearing Sugoi compression kit and eating properly and it seems to be working.

My previous experience of compression with 2XU kit was less than convincing but Sugoi have started to change my mind me with their Piston range, a seperate review for the 140 arm sleeves is already on road.cc. All in all a very neat set of compression leg sleeves that are, frustratingly, hard to come by in the UK. Having said that, I would just pay the extra few £'s and get the full length tights that are avbailable from Wiggle for £52. My only frustration, as seen with all Sugoi products I've tested recently is that the Sugoi logo peels off very quickly. This doesnt affect performance but it makes very new kit look pretty shabby.

Verdict

Very tidy and extremely comfortable compression leg sleeves from Sugoi, competitively priced withihn the compression market. Sugoi may not be as well known for compression kit as 2XU, Under Armour or Skins but based on the Piston 200 leg sleeves they should be right up there when spending your money.