A scant month ago, in my September review of the Hyperice Normatec recovery system, I raised the question of whether the compression boots deserved space in my luggage when traveling for tennis tournaments. I now have a pretty significant update that warrants a second post.
At the time, I was pleased with my initial experience using them at home, but I wasn’t quite sure if traveling with the system would be worth the extra space in my luggage. The boots themselves take a lot of space, but the control unit is both bulky and heavy, weighing a little more than three pounds. Additionally, it contains a lithium-ion battery, and thus cannot be checked when flying. That is a lot of extra weight to tote around an airport.
As a trial run, I decided to take it with me when I drove out to Abilene for 55+ 9.0 Mixed Sectionals a couple of weeks ago. That was logistically easier than flying, and it seemed like a good trial. Over that weekend, I played in every match for my team. That totaled six matches over three days. I used the Normatec in my hotel room every evening.
Six matches in three days is a lot more tennis for my legs to absorb than I have been playing recently. I was pleased with how well my footwork held up throughout the weekend. As a second data point, two of my teammates also played all six matches, and over dinner the second night I discovered that they were using the identical make and model as mine. They reported similarly good experiences with their recovery.
That gives me three observations from the same tournament. We were all playing a lot of tennis, and we all came through the weekend in relatively good shape. It’s not the same as a clinical trial, but my personal experience remains overwhelmingly positive.
I have also concluded that it is worth packing for tournaments. Even with the extra weight and bulk, I was glad to have it available in Abilene. My Normatec will definitely be coming along with me to Intersectionals in a couple of weeks, which involves a round-trip flight.
I have one additional data point to add from my original post, courtesy of a reader who commented on my September review. He recommended the Hyperice Normatec Elite, a model that costs approximately $200 more than the standard system I purchased. The Elite eliminates the separate control unit by incorporating smaller controllers directly into the boots. He shared that he travels with his regularly and carries them onto the airplane in the bag supplied with the system.
I had no particular difficulty packing the standard Normatec for Abilene, but air travel changes the calculation. The separate control unit adds weight and occupies space in luggage that is already competing with everything else I need for a tournament. Having the controllers integrated into the boots would simplify things considerably.
I don’t regret buying my Normatec. I have used it regularly, and my experience at Sectionals reinforced my intention to keep doing so. However, if I were making the purchase today, I would probably spend the additional $200 for the Elite. For someone who expects to travel with the system, the difference in portability seems worth the premium.
The original question was whether I would get enough value from the Normatec to justify hauling it to tournaments. After six matches in three days, I have my answer. Now I just wish I had bought the version that would make hauling it around a little easier.
Hyperice Normatec Elite Wireless Compression Boots (<- Sponsored Link)
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