OS1st Performance Wrist Sleeve Review

by Terry Craig, aka

The Disabled Hiker

Well, it seems time is finally catching up with me. Recently I found myself yet again needing a little help to keep the journey going.  And thanks to OS1st, I may have found exactly what I need to do so.

In the past on my reviews, I offer a lot of hiking/backpacking stats and variables such as size, weight, setup time and the like. But this didn’t seem to fit this product. So I decided to take a more journalistic approach, skipping the mundane and obvious and going straight to the core. 

I.e.: why did I need it, and did it help!

Living with Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome, or CRPS, is a never ending battle between the forces of atrophy, and one’s own willpower and perseverance to stay in shape despite the constant and extreme amounts of pain.  So needing a little help seems inevitable.

After 24 years of living with this rare disease, I’ve developed a rather heavy limp along with some balance issues that have made using a cane to move about a matter of safety and a necessity.

Going forward, the constant gripping on the handle of my cane has caused a recurrence of some old carpal tunnel problems in my right hand and wrist.  This problem persists even though I had the carpal tunnel repaired through surgery over 15 years ago. However, with the knowledge that subsequent surgeries could spread my CRPS to other parts of my body, I am extremely hesitant to consider any further surgeries as an answer to any health problem unless it’s deemed necessary to save my life. 

Because of my CRPS, these issues all center around the slow atrophy throughout much of the left side of my body. The most recent of victims being my left knee joint. As the old domino effect settled in, the knee problem subsequently increased the amount of pressure I exert on my cane, and therefore my wrist and hand as well. Before long my wrist and hand started hurting and numbing out like in the days before my carpal tunnel surgery.

It was suggested that I start using my heavy plastic and metal reinforced wrist restraints again.  But if you’ve ever experienced wearing one of these wrist restraints it would immediately occur to you that you would never be able to hold onto a cane while wearing one.

Quite a conundrum, isn’t it?  But, like many of us living with chronic conditions across the spectrum of Health Care, conundrums are a way of life for us.  And although they can be very depressing, I like to look at them as a challenge as well.

It’s the Disabled Hiker way! 

After seeing a few wrist sleeves in the stores I became discouraged as they all seemed to either offer too little support or too much restriction.  And to be honest, I gave up looking. It just seemed like what I needed just didn’t exist. A few days later however, I would get a surprise in my emails inbox.

As a product reviewer, I am part of an organization that connects product manufacturers with reviewers for the sole purpose of reviewing products and publishing reviews, no strings attached.  Everything’s reviewed honestly. Sadly however, it is a rarity when any of these products actually meet the specific challenges we face. So I usually scan through the e-mail and then hit delete.

On this day however, something told me not to be so quick to dismiss the email, and sure enough, something caught my eye.

It’s strange how instinct works.  How you can be walking through a forest and then suddenly know without a shadow of the doubt that somebody, or should I say something is watching you.  Of course, it’s usually a squirrel or opossum or other critters you’ve walked up on. But in some cases, it can be other things too.

So after reading that OS1st was offering a Performance Wrist Sleeve for review, that also seemed to be the middle of the road option I was looking for, those instincts lit up like a Christmas tree.

Sure it was a long shot.  But my instincts must still be sharp because it paid off!

As an example of my condition when receiving the OS1st Performance Wrist Sleeve: when out, I was pretty much forced to stop about every quarter mile to wait until the feeling returned to my hand before continuing.  And yes, using a cane with a numb hand is just about as dangerous as trying to use a cane while wearing a hard plastic brace on your hand.  

So although stopping to recover feeling in my hand became essential by that point, all that stopped immediately once I added the OS1st Performance Wrist Sleeve. 

It did however take a little getting used to when putting it on.  At first, I found the fit to be a bit uncomfortable, especially on the webbing between the thumb and index finger.  And sure enough, after looking online I found that other people had made the same claim about the fit of the sleeve.  Some even posting photos showing red and sore areas between the thumb and index finger. I quickly noticed something however, something that changed things immediately for me. 

When putting on the OS1st wrist sleeve, there’s a tendency to pull the material as far up the arm as possible.  I noticed when trying other sleeves that pulling the material all the way up in this way seemed to be the only way to get any real feeling of constriction and support out of them. But this is not necessary for the OS1st sleeve. 

I know, it looks so sleek and smooth pulled all the way up like on the package, right?  Form fitted to the hand, sleek, so why does it hurt? That’s when it quickly dawned on me that this artist's interpretation of the product on the box shouldn’t be interpreted so literally.

As soon as I pulled the material down towards my fingers to relieve the pressure between my thumb and index finger to a more comfortable level, this entire problem stopped.  Unlike the picture however, the material does hang over my knuckles a bit more. But it still fits perfectly and does its job. Now when I put it on I just instinctively know not to pull it up so high on my arm.

I have however run into one odd problem with the Performance Wrist Sleeve.  Typically, I use what is known as a derby handle cane. That’s the typical T shaped handle cane you see used a lot today.  This sleeve worked perfectly with this style cane, as I’m sure it would with any other flat handled cane.

But, as the universe is never perfect, I did experience a rather odd pain developing in the middle of my palm when using my old style hooked walking cane.  And I must admit, I’m a little miffed by this! I mean, it’s obvious the culprit is the two different shapes of the cane handles. But why the OS1st Performance Wrist Sleeve was now causing pain in an area I had no pain in before was quite puzzling.

A little back story on why I use two different style canes: although I use a derby style cane most of the time,  after my service dog TaSunka and I had been brutally attacked on three separate occasions by off leash and uncontrolled dogs, I sensed I had to take a far more defensive posture when walking with my service dog in public.  The heavy oak, hooked walking cane I now carry when I walk or need my service dog in public is a big part of that defensive posture and the future safety of my service dog. 

So for the time being, when with my service dog, I guess I'll still be stopping every quarter mile to get the feeling back in my hand.  But that's OK… TaSunka is worth it.

To continue with the testing, I used the OS1st Performance Wrist Sleeve with my backpacking trekking poles.  I was really enthusiastic to see how it felt when using a walking stick as opposed to a cane, especially with the perpendicular hand grip on a textured surface.  And as I had hoped, they did not disappoint in this department.

Those of us with carpal tunnel issues will confirm the fact that holding onto a trekking pole for a few hours with carpal tunnel problems can be a sure recipe for agony.  But, much like I'd experienced with my derby (T shaped) handle cane, I experienced full relief from the numbness and pain I had been experiencing recently while using my trekking poles.

An added bonus: as a songwriter and guitarist with CRPS, my hands can give me a lot of trouble. I’ve been experiencing a weak feeling in my hands that not only can carpal tunnel syndrome cause, but CRPS can cause as well. In short, I drop guitar picks.

By the dozen! 

I’ve even gone to the trouble of glueing little fussy spots on my picks so I can better hang onto them. Yeah… it can be comical in some settings.  And completely devastating in others. 

I usually removed the OS1st Performance Wrist Sleeve to play my guitar, but for some reason, one day I decided to wear it during a practice. To my suprise, I noticed a sharp reduction in dropped picks during the session. Although I’ve occasionally experienced numbness and pain before while playing, I can usually regain the feeling in my hand between songs enough to continue. So I’ve never made too big of a deal about it. 

The Disabled Hiker @ the Quadrant Book Store 2015

But if I can knock out both problems with one Performance Sleeve… I guess I have new stage attire for my hand when I play. Fortunately It’s black, so it fits very well with my usual look when I’m out playing. 

I suppose the last subject to confront here is durability. 

Callie, the Electric Furball Studio cat

After a solid month of enthusiastic and extreme use, my OS1st Performance Wrist Sleeve has taken a bit of a beating.
So, it’s a little frayed around the edges, a few pulls in the material  here and
there where my cat decided to do her own durability test... with her claws of course.

But both the cat and I agree! This wrist sleeve is still doing a great job!

Good thing too, cause I got a busy year planned ahead of me, hiking and enjoying the outdoors.

I am awarding 4 Stars to OS1st for their Performance Wrist Sleeve. Yes, just shy of a perfect score. In particular, because of the unexplainable pain I experienced in the palm of my hand when using my hooked walking cane.

TDH Rating System

Although this may seem like something I would only knock off a half a star over, I am a bit concerned about downplaying this issue as I know a lot of folks who still carry the old style hooked canes. Especially for their self defence applications. So this is a point I believe OS1st could improve upon.

In closing, I would like to point out that in spite of the problems associated with my hooked cane, I will be continuing to use the OS1st Performance Wrist Sleeve. It definitely helped.  And it’s definitely worth checking them out for yourself. 

You can find the OS1st Performance Wrist Sleeve by clicking on the link below

> OS1st Performance Wrist Sleeve <

Thank you OS1st for participating in our review process.

Review by

Terry Craig

aka The Disabled Hiker

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Produced by: Terry Craig,

The Disabled Hiker

Assistant editor: Dave Deubler

Photos & video by: Larry Deitch,

& Terry Craig, 
  

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ArmaSkin Dermal Protection Layer Socks - a review by The Disabled Hiker, Terry Craig

Trail Log entry date: 6/28/1991 - "... More Damn blisters?!?#?*!#!
My feet feel like they are each but one BIG BLISTER crammed into a tiny pair of shoes. The pain is UNBEARABLE! After 27 miles I now have only one real desire... To set fire to these shoes until there is nothing left but ashes blowing away in the wind.
These are without a doubt the most evil and torturous hiking shoes on the planet."

 

 For some reason, I always seem to be between sizes when it comes to footwear. So typically, when buying a new pair shoes, one of the first things I used to do was to also buy a whole bunch of new moleskin to go with them. They just seem to go hand-in-hand.

Ah, moleskin. That most wonderful of blister saving inventions, conceived of by moles and praised by hikers and backpackers everywhere.

So okay, moleskin may not have been invented by moles. But it has saved many a hiker from the tortures of breaking in a new pair of hiking shoes. Blisters seemed to be an inevitability. Or are they?  What if somebody were to design a pair of socks that provided the same blister protection as moleskin? What would they be like?

First, they would have to be form-fitting so the foot would not move around inside of it.
 
Second, they would have to wick moisture.
 
Third, they would have to allow your foot to move freely inside your shoe.
 
And finally: fourth, they would have to be comfortable enough to wear all day, especially on hot summer days when hikers can usually be found

scurrying across the mountain tops. Sadly, in the 1990s no such technology existed. At least none that actually worked.

 So, when the folks at ArmaSkin asked me to review their Dermal Protection Layer Anti-blister socks I felt like I was suddenly and finally going to be propelled into the space age. Sadly however, my health issues may have stalled my rocket out on the launchpad.

Initially, I was not all that pleased with the ArmaSkin socks. The compression of the material when I first put them on seemed almost unbearable. Which in turn seem to drive up my pain level and the next thing I knew I was sweating buckets.

 During the first 30 days of testing I did my utmost to test the socks as often as possible despite the oppressive heat wave we were experiencing. Each day I tested them out, within a few hours I found myself looking for a place to sit down so I could peel off the ArmaSkin socks.

I thought I was done. “How can I continue testing?” I thought to myself. Unable to wear them for an entire afternoon I could not begin to conceive wearing them for a multiple day backpacking trip. But now I had to find a way to go back to the folks at ArmaSkin and tell them what went wrong.

This is never a fun task. Over my years as a product reviewer I have tried my best to never ask for a piece of equipment to review unless I actually thought it was going to work for the adaptive hikers and backpackers who follow my site. And I must admit, it's rare when I'm wrong.

I do my best to warn all manufacturers who send equipment to review, that not all hiking gear qualifies as adaptive hiker friendly. And just because it's not right for us, it is not my intention to put out negative reviews based on our ... more specific needs.

But when the folks at ArmaSkin heard that the socks weren't working out for me, accompanied by my offer to opt out of the review should they wish, the folks at ArmaSkin urged me to continue testing and proceed with the review. Even if the review wasn't as positive as initially hoped. I truly admire ArmaSkin for this willingness to proceed with the review. And I'm glad that I was able to proceed. Who knows, this may actually lead to a change in my review policies.

After the decision was made to proceed, I continued testing but not much changed. That is, not until a piece of old-school wisdom popped up to put the ArmaSkin socks through repeated washings and then stretch them over something of relative size for a few days. The thought was that this would stretch them out a bit and perhaps loosen the strength and stiffness behind the elastic in the socks.

With any hope this would lessen the compression and lengthen the amount of time I could spend wearing them.

Here is what I found:

Manufacturer - ArmaSkin

Product - Anti-blister socks  (dermal protection layer)

(RESULTS AFTER STRETCHING)

POSSIBLE USES:
* Breaking in new boots/footwear while hiking or backpacking.
* Long-distance day-hiking.

* Possible Protection against injury from footwear due to poor circulation or nerve damage in the feet.
 
SPECS:
* Pack weight – 1.5 oz. total.  (40 GM.)
* Pack size –  variable depending on size ordered
* Max. weight capacity – N/A

1. INITIAL APPEARANCE IN IMPRESSIONS UPON DELIVERY –
* Nice eye-catching package.
* The right left foot design is intriguing.
* I'm a bit concerned about the density of the material and its ability to wick moisture.


2. COMPARATIVE PRICE – $40.00 US + S&H

3. HOW EASY IS THE PRODUCT TO SET UP AND USE? -
* Surprisingly, by turning the sock completely inside out except for the toe area, and then placing the toe area over my toes, I was able to use the slippery silk-like material on the outside of the sock to my advantage while stretching them onto my foot. I had relatively little problem putting them on in this way.

* After stretching them out with both repeated washings and stretching them over a water bottle for a minimum of two weeks, I was able to more than quadruple the amount of time I was able to wear the ArmaSkin socks per day. Bringing me well within that 8 to 10 hour time period required for the task of breaking in new hiking shoes on the trail.

 

4. PRODUCT PROS -
* ArmaSkin Socks seem to replace the need for moleskin. Once applied to the feet, the socks do exactly as advertised. Adhering to your feet while allowing your sock-covered foot to move within the shoe, while protecting the foot from pressure points that develop inside the shoe. Especially on long hikes.

* The craftsmanship and attention to detail was extremely thought out, placing all seams and stitching on the outside of the sock

instead of the inside.

* The types of materials used lead me to believe that they are extremely durable and well suited for long-term use.

* Many long-distance hikers go through multiple sets of boots or hiking shoes on each expedition. Therefore they are constantly faced with breaking in new footwear on the trail and on the move. The ArmaSkin socks seem like they would be a great way to lessen the torture of those first few days of breaking in the new shoes or boots.

5. PRODUCT CONS – Initially, I was not very pleased with the fit even though I was on the lower side of the largest size sock ArmaSkin made. In fact, the compression was almost unbearable for any length of time. As a result and due to my plantar fasciitis, sciatica, and other chronic pain issues, I was soon sweating buckets that the ArmaSkin socks could never keep up with.  Therefore, stretching the ArmaSkin socks out before use may be required.

6. POSSIBLE MEDICAL CONCERNS - Certain medical conditions and medications can have an adverse effect on the body's core temperature. I would therefore recommend checking with your doctor before purchasing the ArmaSkin socks while being treated for these conditions or when taking medications that would have an adverse effect on your core body temperature or your ability to perspire.

7. MEDICAL BENEFITS OF PRODUCT – 
* As a person already dealing with physical pain on a 24/7 basis, I think I can attest to the fact that anything that can save one from more pain on the trail is a huge medical benefit to the adaptive hiking community.* Fitted properly, I cannot help but wonder about the further medical applications for those who have nerve damage in the feet and ankles. As a protective layer the ArmaSkin Socks may have an everyday use for people with diabetes and other peripheral neuropathic pain and numbness issues that can cause injury to the feet. Without the warning signs of the pain associated with blistering, these injuries can often go unnoticed until they lead to a dire need of medical attention, and in some cases even amputation.  
Note: Always consult your physician before making changes to your current treatment plan. 

8. CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS -
First and foremost, I would like to point out that I have health problems that may have directly impacted this review, and beyond that of your average consumer. So this should be taken into account when comparing this review to the opinions and thoughts of a completely healthy individual.

Second, although I do realize that it is both the compression and the nonslip silicone inside of the sock that makes them work, I really do believe the materials are too tightly fit considering the strength behind both the silicon and spandex to make them comfortable without

 

modification.

Although I had originally thought that reducing the amount of coverage of the inner silicone might help with this, since stretching them I can't help thinking that a few more choices in sizes might be a great help when fitting a wider range of consumers. 

As it was, had I not taken a page out of my grandfather's 1930s Depression-era survival and "make it work anyway" guide, I might not have considered stretching them in order to fit them to my feet.


IN CONCLUSION:

I'm quite confident that had my body not been in its present state I would have had no problem with using the ArmaSkin socks. Unfortunately however, the pain from my sciatica often reaches all the way down my leg and into my foot. And the added constriction made the pain quite unbearable. I would assume the same would go for those dealing with gout, bone spurs, and arthritic pain in the feet as well.  But let's not forget, we are an adaptive hiker/backpacker site and it is my job to look at the product through the eye of The Disabled Hiker.

After my own modifications proved I could indeed stretch the ArmaSkin socks so that I could continue testing, I was able to bestow 1 Star on the

ArmaSkin socks in my physical tests for doing as advertised and protecting

my feet. But the fact that I had to take the chance of destroying them by modifying them prevented me from giving any more stars in the physical testing.



But when considering that the ArmaSkin socks have the potential to help those dealing with conditions such as diabetic nerve pain and numbness in the feet and other such conditions, I am pushing the rating to a 2 out of 5 star rating on the disabled hiker scale. However, I must strongly recommend checking with your doctor to make sure there are no foreseeable complications with the use of the ArmaSkin socks for this purpose.Remember, your health comes first above everything else. 

 

So be safe out there.
And happy hiking.

 

 ArmaSkin Socks can be purchased by clicking on the following link.
http://www.armaskin.com/

 

Reviewed & written by: Terry Craig, 

The Disabled Hiker

Assistant editor: Dave Deubler

Photos by: Larry Deitch,

& Terry Craig,

Disclaimer: This blog, written articles, video presentations, and all content within are not intended to take the place of professional medical advice. Please consult your Doctor before making any changes to your treatment plan and/or changes to your exercise routine.

  

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