Hi FOA,
I’ve been thinking of reviewing a few things and here is the first.
http://www.drcoolrecovery.com/product-category/ice-wraps/
The company has a range of technology-infused towels etc but i will only be reviewing the Medium Ice Wrap.
What is it?
It’s a neoprene ice pack of varying lengths and widths depending on the size you buy, and attaches similar to a bandage - you wrap it around your knee, your elbow, your back, etc, and the velcro end allows you to secure it. The velco works quite well - I have managed to have it around my knee while doing dishes, walking around holding a baby etc and it doesn’t slide around at all.
Why would you use it?
The product is touted as a replacement for ice packs but claims to add compression to the recovery equation. I haven’t found the compression to be any real factor to the product’s use, but as nickcee says “ymmv”.
How do you use it?
Take it out of the packaging, wet the backside a bit and put it in the freezer - 20 minutes if it’s folded, 45 minutes if it’s rolled up. Then you take it out, and wrap it around the desired area. There are a lot of instructional videos on the website that are pretty useful.
http://www.drcoolrecovery.com/videos/
When would you use it?
Recovery after exercise, although some of the promotional videos depict people using it around their wrists while mountain biking or during other activities. I’m not in the physical treatment industry but having an ice pack or cooling device around one of my major joints during heightened activity doesn’t sound like a great idea. It would also look naff like calf compression socks.
My Experience.
Here’s what I normally do, on my left knee, vs. the medium Dr Cool on my right knee.
I normally use an ice pack in a tea towel held in place with rubber bands. It’s great, stays cold for ages and doesn’t drip everywhere. Plus, you don’t have to get the time in the freezer perfect - you just pull it out when you’re ready to go.
Dr Cool Ice Wrap
Pros:
Looks flash
Works well
It doesn’t stay cold for ages so you can leave it for the 5/10 minutes the physio recommends purely by accident
Cons:
When you wear it on the couch, it transfers moisture onto cushions etc
You really need to time the extraction from the freezer perfectly otherwise it’s either too wet or not cold enough
When you put it on your leg it is cold as F.
The bottom line
Am I upset I spent money on this item? No, not at all. Would I buy another one, or recommend them to people? Probably not. I think it’s hard to beat a traditional ice pack for my needs. If you like spending money on cool colourful things that let other people know you are active, then these are probably for you. Triathletes will probably love them.
I have a medium size and that’s fine for my shoulder, arms, shins/knees.
Dr Cool Ice Wraps come in small, medium, and large, and range from $40-$50. The online price is the same as the RRP in local stores.
