Another Winner From Tommie Copper... Long-Sleeved Compression Shirts

You all know that I am a Tommie Copper fan... I have been wearing their compression gear and absolutely loving it since the Fall of 2011.

I wore my short-sleeved tee throughout my retinal surgery recovery when I had to be face down for 4 days.  It helped to keep my back warm and the muscles relaxed while in that position, which was not easy, believe me.



And I have used my calf sleeves to help my leg muscles stay warm both while running, and after, while recovering and resting.  The compression is supportive and comforting.  I also wear a calf sleeve occasionally throughout the day to alleviate the swelling that happens in my left leg. And I have worn my calf sleeves during the night while sleeping, too, to relieve muscular pain and the cramping that comes with overuse.



The Captain became a Tommie Copper fan when he started wearing his short-sleeved tee last winter when we were training for our half marathon in May.  He has continued to call on it as his primary running tee cause he likes to keep his back warm, even in the warm Summer months.  He also loves his Tommie Copper knit cap.



In May I discovered Tommie Copper compression shorts and fell in love all over again.  Soft and snuggly... supportive and so comforting when recovering from our long training runs.  I often wore them under my clothes and slept in them too.  I love to put them on after an epsom salts soak in the tub as they really help the hip flexors and quads recover and relax.

And I started wearing them a lot when I first started working out with my kettlebell and learning the hip thrusts, too.



Imagine how thrilled I was when I learned we had the opportunity to sample and review the new Tommie Copper long-sleeved compression tee shirts.  The Captain's is black, his favorite gear color, and I chose the cobalt blue. 



These shirts fit like a second skin.... and that makes sense cause compression garments should be snug.  As soon as I put mine on, I could feel my skin start to warm and glow underneath it.  So comforting, the patented CU29 fabric is soft and light and luxurious.  It envelopes you like a warm snuggly blanket.  I can certainly attest to the claim that the fabric enhances blood flow.

We wore the shirts for the first time on January 1st when we went out to do our 5km Resolution Run.  The day was dreary and cool so we wore our shirts under our running jackets.. before the last 1 km I had my jacket off but was really happy to have the long-sleeved tee still covering my arms.   And yes, it wicked the sweat away from my upper body and arms, just like the advertising promises.

These shirts are quite long so they tuck nicely into shorts/pants to keep the back and kidney area warm and relaxed. Nothing worse than feeling muscle tension due to being cold, I think. 

Since then I have been wearing mine constantly because it is so comfortable. I sit a lot at my keyboard and the compression supports my back and helps me remember to sit up straight too, I think.

And we both love having them on as a base layer when we head out for a walk on our cool and damp Pacific NorthWest Winter days.  Winter is cool and damp here, and even though it has been 10 years since we moved here, we are from a drier climate, and we both find it hard to get warm when the weather is damp and cool..... these shirts really help with that.

I do so wish we had these shirts when we were downhill skiing, cross-country skiing or snow-shoeing in our pre-sailing days... and yes, even on the sailboat on a windy and cool day... this fabric is really quite amazing.

I like to handwash our Tommie Copper garments... a quick wash in cold water with a wee bit of laundry soap and then a good cold water rinse before hanging them in the bathroom to dry.  I always wash them separately cause they do release a bit of color the first few times they are washed.  You can machine wash them if you like, and dry, too, but don't use fabric softeners or dryer sheets with them.





Here is what Tommie Copper has to say about their long-sleeved compression shirts:

" Tommie Copper's men and women's long sleeve compression shirt uses Therapeutic Copper Compression to help relieve arthritis and other chronic joint and muscular pain, promote muscle recovery and aid performance.

• 3 Pack - Buy 3 of any size Long Sleeve Compression Shirts and SAVE $34.00 off total. Use LONGSLEEVE3PACK coupon at check out.
• Comfortable enough to be worn all day under your work clothes
• Wear while working out in cooler climate
• Highly wickable fabric keeps skin dry
• Stimulates blood flow, decreases inflammation and increases mobility
• Gentle effective compression allows for 24 hour use, even while asleep
• Machine washable. Do not use fabric softeners or dryer sheets as it masks the copper
• Long sleeves provide full upper-body compression
• Provides warmth "

Check out the Tommie Copper web site for colors and size charts for the men's shirt and the ladies shirt, and do visit their Facebook page as well... and be sure to leave me a comment on this post, because tomorrow I will have a special surprise for you if you do.... check tomorrow's post for those details.

Tommie Copper gave us these shirts at no charge, but the opinions expressed are our own.