The Best Compression Socks in 2025, Tested and Reviewed

Whether you’re a runner, standing all day, or just want to increase leg blood flow, the CEP Progressive+ Compression Run Socks 4.0 are breathable, easy to get on, and comfortable to wear all day.

The CEP Run Compression Tall Socks 4.0 (available in men’s and women’s sizes) are thin, breathable, easy to get on, and provide 20-30mmHg of graduated compression that’s comfortable to wear for long periods. In short: They’re the best compression socks for most people whether you’re an athlete, pregnant, or in need of lower body circulation for other reasons — and well worth the steeper price tag.

The brand’s parent company, Medi, has been producing medical compression products for over 100 years. The founder of CEP, who is an Ironman competitor, leveraged Medi’s technical knowledge and designs for athletes.

Made of polyamide (83%) (17%), CEP’s socks were relatively easy to get on compared to other compression socks. With precise 20-30mmHg graduated and consistent compression, I found these socks felt tight enough to be effective but stretchy and breathable enough so they don’t feel overly compressive after five hours of wear. Even though they’re the same level of compression as the others on our list, their design and material helped them feel the least boa constrictor-like.

The Compression Tall 4.0 Socks also feature a halo top band that lands right below the knee. This keeps your socks in place and the front ribbing allows air to flow through to cool your skin’s surface. Per CEP’s website, the company offers a six-month guarantee that covers wearing the socks up to 150 times before the compression lessens. That, plus their comfort, make them well worth the slightly higher price tag compared to others on our list.

While these socks are designed for athletes (and great for them with a blister free, sweat-wicking, odor-reducing design), their comfort and accessibility makes them a great compression sock for anyone looking for improved circulation.

The SB Sox Lite Compression Socks are the least expensive pair in our guide, yet they stay up well and provide reliable comfort.

Though the SB Sox Lite Compression Socks are about one-fifth the price of our top pick, they rival it in performance. These socks have a graduated compression rating of 15-20mmHg, which is slightly less than the CEP socks but still supplies sufficient compression for blood circulation.

The socks are made of breathable and lightweight spandex and nylon, which helps to wick away sweat and moisture from your feet.

Though they seem thinner and lighter than other picks on this list, SB Sox socks hold up well through numerous wears and washes. Plus, they provide a snug fit that doesn’t feel too constricting.

With 18-25mmHg of compression, Wellow Aerolite+ are soft and thin, very breathable, and pass as basic socks for a low-profile boost to your blood flow while traveling.

Keeping active is key to proper circulation, Searle says, so anytime you can’t get up and walk around frequently — like when you’re on a long flight or car ride — wearing compression socks can help promote circulation.

Made from a silky-soft bamboo viscose blend, these are our top pick for compression socks to travel in because the material feels comfortable in most shoes (not too thick or too synthetic feeling underfoot), and is wonderfully breathable. They’re designed with a knit stitch specifically to create good ventilation and special technology to release heat when your body temperature rises. I found these socks to have great temperature control as I worked up a sweat walking between airport terminals and while sitting in a car on a long road trip.

I tested these by wearing them for a full day, and Wellow’s Aerolite+ were one of the most comfortable pairs of compression socks I tried. This is thanks, in part, to its 18-25 mmHg, which sits at the lower end of doctor-recommended levels but is strong enough to boost circulation and reduce fatigue, yet comfortable enough for hours of wear.

We also like these socks for travel because all six of the heathered colors easily mask as dress socks when peeking out of your pant leg in the business lounge or in a meeting.

Be aware that the Wellow Aerolite+ socks don’t use doctor-recommended graduated compression. They have uniform tightness from the ankle to the knee, which our experts say is less ideal for improving blood flow. This means they aren’t our top pick for medical or athletic performance needs. That said, the compression is still strong enough to help improve blood flow for non-medical conditions.

Compression socks are crucial during pregnancy while leg blood flow is limited. Bombas’ Performance Compression Socks deliver 20-30 mmHg of graduated compression in a well-designed, supportive sock for achy feet that’ll hold up wash after wash.

“During pregnancy, compression helps manage swelling caused by both fluid retention and pressure from the baby,” says Dr. Pabarue. The weight of the baby makes it hard for blood to return from the legs, but compression helps the blood flow back to the trunk and prevents pooling in the veins in the legs, he explains.

You should be wearing compression socks whenever you’re standing, he adds, especially in your third trimester (though you don’t need to sleep in them). Note that Dr. Pabarue does recommend a full leg sleeve during pregnancy (in which case we recommend the Zensah Full Leg Compression Sleeve). However, most people will find knee-high compression socks more comfortable, which means they’re more likely to wear it, he adds.

Bombas Performance Compression Socks are made with 20-30 mmHg compression and feel like a perfectly tight squeeze on standard-size calves. I wore these for over 8 hours of travel and found they were still comfortable at the end of the day without feeling overly constricted. My feet weren’t sweaty or smelly, thanks to the breathable Hex Tec yarn and strategic airflow vents.

Bombas has designed these socks with its signature honeycomb arch support, which I distinctly felt and appreciated, and strategic cushioning underfoot which helps soften the impact as you walk. Compared to other compression socks, these felt less slippy on tiled floors (though pregnant people should still wear shoes around the house to avoid a fall).

During weeks of testing, I found both the fabric and compression held up through multiple washes, making them great for something like pregnancy where you’ll be wearing and washing them a lot.

They were hard to get on at first, though that’s par for the course when it comes to compression socks. The material is on the thicker side, which is what makes them comfortable but also could compound the frustration of your normal shoes feeling tight during pregnancy. Just know you may need help getting them on during your third trimester.

Despite being difficult to put on, their tight, graduated compression is crucial for enhancing blood flow fully, says Dr. Pabarue. Searle suggests turning the sock nearly inside out, then putting your toes in first and rolling the sock the rest of the way.

If this sounds too challenging, try instead the Wellow Aerolite+, our top pick for travel compression socks. They don’t use graduated compression, which is a major downside for pregnancy, but the even amount of compression means they’re much easier to get on and, at 18-25 mmHg of compression, they’ll still improve circulation more than wearing nothing at all.

If you have a wide calf and struggle finding socks that go all the way up to your knees, we suggest Wellow’s Wide Calf Socks.

It’s important for compression socks to come up to the knee to target blood flow in your calves. Wellow’s Wide Calf Socks are designed to deliver doctor-recommended levels of compression (18-25 mmHg) but with a four-way stretch so they easily slide over wide calves and deliver circulation support all the way up to your knee.

My sister, who struggles to find wide-calf boots and tall socks that fit her, had no trouble getting these on and reported they were comfortable after 5+ hours of wear.

These compression socks are made from a bamboo viscose knit that’s soft next to skin, thin enough to not feel clunky inside your shoes, and also very breathable so heat won’t build up inside. They come in 19 different colors and three levels of width — medium wide to extra large wide — so there’s a variety of options, all great for most people.

The only downside to these socks: Wellow doesn’t use the graduated compression doctors say delivers the best circulation improvements. That said, the compression is still tight enough to improve blood flow for most basic swelling and aching (just not medical conditions).

Swiftwick’s Aspire Twelve help relieve muscle soreness and prevent or relieve shin splints — something any runner can appreciate.

A 2020 meta analysis in Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine found that wearing compression socks during exercise improves performance and, when worn during recovery, may help reduce perceived muscle soreness. Dr. Pabarue says wearing compression socks during a run, long bike ride, or other endurance sport helps increase essential blood flow to the muscles of the legs, which provides oxygen to your muscles, decreasing fatigue and improving performance. He adds that you can wear them a few hours after training for better muscle recovery, too.

Swiftwick’s compression socks run the gamut of everything from knee-high versions for those looking for full leg relief to no-show options for golfers. For runners, its Aspire Twelve socks are an excellent option to help relieve muscle soreness, prevent or care for shin splints, and provide stability and comfort. 

Comprised of a blend of 43% nylon, 11% Spandex, and 46% olefin, the Aspire Twelves don’t just offer the benefits of compression but also help wick away moisture to keep your feet dry. They work well to keep on even after your run as you’ll continue to reap the benefits of compression as you recover. 

Read more in our full Swiftwick running sock review.

After running countless miles, slipping on a pair of Zensah Tech+ Compression Socks can decrease soreness and help your muscles recover.

The Zensah Tech+ Compression Socks come in four sizes, which is helpful for ensuring you get the right fit — the appropriate sock size gives you the appropriate level of pressure. Constructed of 82% polyamide and 18% elastane, these socks feature ultra-zone ribbing which targets ankle and arch stabilization, which is ideal for runners with weaknesses in these areas.

I found the Zensah Tech+ Compression Socks relatively easy to get on, though the opening may be too tight for wide calves. They felt quite tight around the top at first, but I appreciated that they didn’t feel too tight across the calf. Once I was a mile into my run, the tighter cuff is exactly what made them feel secure against my movement and sweat.

The 200 needle count construction is designed to make the socks denser, durable, and reduce stretching over time. They’re sweat-wicking but not quick to dry, so they’re best worn in cooler weather.

The Zensah Full Leg Compression Sleeve is breathable and stays in place well while it boosts circulation in your quads, hamstrings, knee, and calves.

The right height compression sock depends on where you need circulation improvement, Searle says. Knee-high compression socks — like all the others on our list — target calf, ankle, and foot circulation which works great for most people and issues. Plus, the knee-high height is typically the most comfortable, Dr. Pabarue says. But he recommends opting for a thigh-high or full pantyhose style if you need targeted circulation of the full leg — namely if you’re an endurance athlete or pregnant, he adds.

Over-the-knee compression socks are hard to find, but we like the Zensah Full Leg Compression Sleeve. It is, of course, a little cumbersome to get on, but the material (59% nylon, 32% lycra Spandex, and 9% FIR nylon) is sturdy enough that you can easily maneuver it up. We tested them in hot Arizona weather and they were breathable enough to stay comfortable.

Our tester, who has chronic venous insufficiency, wore these to boost full-leg circulation, and he noted that the silicone band at the top of the thigh did a great job at keeping the sleeve in place all day. That said, we wouldn’t recommend wearing them for more than a few hours at a time. When our tester wore these for over 10 hours, the non-slip texture left indents that stayed on his thigh for a full week after.

The height and compression level is also ideal for athletes recovering from a big game or anyone healing from knee or ACL surgery.

Keep in mind this is just a sleeve, not a sock, so if you have issues with swelling of the feet, you’ll want to pair it with an ankle or crew compression sock.

If you experience circulation problems due to chronic health issues, the Sockwell Elevation Graduated Compression Socks may be your best bet for achieving leg comfort.

For people with venous or lymphatic issues in their legs, compression therapy can help move blood through the veins and tissue better, which in turn promotes healing and prevents ulcers and other issues.

“Compression stockings help prevent fluid from building up in your tissues, which reduces swelling, and they keep blood from pooling — a key factor in preventing blood clots,” explains Dr. Pabarue.

Compression stockings are one of the easier options to put on and less cumbersome than medical bandages, says a 2014 study in CMAJ. And a Polish study found that medium-pressure compression socks can help reduce lower-limb swelling after surgery.

The Sockwell Elevation Graduated Compression Socks (available in men’s and women’s sizes) are made using bamboo rayon (31%), Merino wool (31%), stretch nylon (30%), and Spandex (8%). This combination helps with moisture management, thermoregulation, and odor control.

A 2019 study analysis in BMC Geriatrics found elderly patients with swollen legs and chronic blood flow issues (like venous insufficiency) who regularly wore class 2 compression stockings (with a pressure between 20 and 30 mmHg) were less likely to have leg ulcers return, compared to wearing lower compression class 1 stockings (with a pressure below 20 mmHg).

These are one of the firmer pairs from Sockwell, offering compression of 20-30mmHg. They have four zones of graduated compression beginning at the ankles and moving up. Since the compression starts at the ankles, your toes will remain comfortable.

If your job requires you to be on your feet for most of the day, give your lower legs a break with Sockwell’s Circulator Graduated Compression Socks.

The Sockwell Circulator Graduated Compression Socks have a lot of the same features as our pick for best circulation, the Sockwell Elevation socks. They both have four zones of graduated compression from the ankle on up, which keeps the toes feeling comfortable, and each is made of a combination of Spandex, bamboo rayon, stretch nylon, and Merino wool.

But the main differences are that the Circulator socks have moderate compression (15-20mmHg) and cost a bit less ($32 per pair).

The Circulator socks only come in two sizes. but there are nine colors to choose from, including Black Stripe, Charcoal, Black Solid, and Port. Regardless of the size, the socks aren’t very long, so they’re best used for people with shorter builds. 

See also our guide to the best shoes for standing all day.

Vim & Vigr combines form and function with its fashion-forward compression socks that are made to be seen in.

First and foremost, Vim & Vigr compression socks work. After all, no amount of aesthetic creativity would be able to make up for compression socks that don’t do much by way of compressing. Luckily, that’s not the case with these.

I’m particularly fond of Vim & Vigr’s medical-grade compression level, which are designed with a Gradient Knitting Technology to help promote circulation in your calves. The socks feature a structured leg but a flexible toe and heel so that you’re supported where you need it but still able to move. These socks offer moderate to firm compression, with somewhere between 20 and 30 mmHg depending on the style.

Regardless of your selection, however, you’ll find that Vim & Vigr helps to prevent swelling in your legs, and alleviates pain and achiness. I found that these socks were just as helpful during runs as they were during HIIT workouts — especially as the weather gets colder and circulation becomes increasingly important.

What sets Vim & Vigr apart are its fun, unique designs. Not only is there a wide range of colors to choose from but the brand also offers several interesting patterns. I’m a fan of the color block options, as well as a Rugby Stripe pattern for men.

Vim & Vigr offers wide calf versions of all their socks for both men and women, so you don’t have to be uncomfortable even when donning a tight pair of socks. If you don’t need medical-grade compression, you can always opt for the brand’s moisture-wicking nylon material, or the remarkably warm merino wool composition. You could also check out Vim & Vigr sleeves, which compress your calves without encasing your feet.

What do compression socks do?

Compression socks help keep blood moving through your veins in your legs. This in turn helps prevent fluid from building up in your tissues, thereby reducing swelling. They helps prevent blood and waste from pooling, which is key in preventing blood clots, says Dr. Pabarue.

Who are compression socks for? 

Anyone can wear compression socks, but they do figure to benefit some groups more than others. This predominantly includes athletes, pregnant, and elderly people, though anyone who sits or stands for long periods of time at work should consider them as well. People with medical conditions like chronic venous insufficiency, deep vein thrombosis, or lymphedema can also benefit from compression socks.

When should you wear compression socks? 

Jenelle Deatherage, a physical therapist at the UW Health Sports Rehabilitation Clinic, suggested that if you work out in the morning before sitting at a desk or standing all day, where your calves and ankles stay at the bottom of the gravity chain, it’s smart to wear compression socks post-workout. This helps with swelling and gets blood back to the heart.

Conversely, if you sit all day and prefer to work out at night, wearing compression socks while exercising after work may allow for less fatigue in the lower legs and can help enhance circulation.

Should athletes wear compression socks? 

When it comes to the exact impact of compression socks on athletes, Deatherage said that their effectiveness is still somewhat undecided. There is some research that confirms that wearing compression garments helps improve running endurance or cycling sprints, while others say it doesn’t change a thing.

An analysis in the Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine looked at 21 studies and found that a small number do show that wearing compression socks during exercise improved performance. The majority of the studies showed that wearing the special socks during a grueling workout made people feel like their leg muscles were firing better, fatiguing less, and less sore afterwards.

Even if it’s just a placebo effect, those training for long endurance events like a marathon may find that wearing compression socks during and after workouts improve their output.

“When looking at the cost-benefit ratio and considering what research is out there, it’s not a bad idea,” Deatherage said. “And it’s an easy thing to do.”

Should you wear compression socks while pregnant?

Pregnant women may see benefits from wearing compression socks since they’re more prone to swelling, Deatherage said. Venous issues are also particularly high for pregnant women as they have a larger volume of blood pumping through their bodies. 

Some 40% of pregnant women develop varicose veins, while the risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) is four- to five-fold higher for moms-to-be compared to non-pregnant women. Wearing compression socks or stockings during pregnancy can potentially help reduce swelling and discomfort, improve circulation, and minimize varicose veins.

Are compression socks good for older people? 

Elderly people with deep vein thrombosis, those who just had surgery on their legs, or anyone trying to minimize varicose veins or blood clot concerns, might also benefit from compression socks. The catch is here is that these more serious vascular issues, including varicose veins, would benefit more from medical-grade compression socks, Deatherage added, which require a doctor’s prescription and are often more expensive.

Should you wear compression socks to bed?

Compression socks work with gravity to improve blood flow, so they don’t provide any benefit if you’re lying flat while sleeping.

Who should avoid compression socks?

Compression socks are helpful for most people, but you shouldn’t wear them if you have peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which narrows the arteries that carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body.

How do I put on compression socks?

There is a bit of a paradox associated with wearing compression socks. You may have purchased them to deal with leg swelling. Yet, this same swelling makes it hard for you to put them on. So, what can you do? There are countless video tutorials, but here are a few expert tips:

• Put it on early in the morning, before swelling sets in.
• Turn the sock nearly inside out, then you put your toes into the sock and roll the socks on.
• For those with mobility issues, a sock donning device like Vive Sock Aid may help.

The compression socks featured in this guide each went through a series of on-foot tests to see how well they compared in terms of fit function, durability, and value.

Fit: A compression sock is far more able to perform its primary function if it fits the wearer properly, both in terms of the actual size as well as how well it stays fitted throughout the day. To test for this, we judged how true-to-size the socks were and also looked at if they avoided sagging when worn for anywhere multiple hours in a row to a full day. 

Function: Most compression socks feature a compression rating that indicates how tight (or loose) they are, and their function is tied entirely to these ratings. A wearer’s needs may fluctuate wildly (and are certainly different from person-to-person), so to test this, we looked at how many size options and ratings each brand offered and if they catered to a wide range of needs. 

Durability: Compression socks aren’t often cheap per single pair, so it’s important that they’ll last — and for multiple months, at that. This meant stress testing the socks in environments they wouldn’t typically be worn to see how well they held up. If some faltered by sagging easily or tearing, then we knew they’d likely break down far quicker in the long run than we’d like.

Value: Testing the value of a compression sock takes more than just looking at its sticker price. Rather, true value is a combination of the above three categories plus how much it costs. We often think it’s better to spend more on a quality product that lasts as opposed to spending less more often.