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Paid partnership. This article was created in partnership with CEP Running. Our opinions are our own.
A quick look at what CEP has to offer
Compression sleeves, socks, and a brand-new running shoe
Prices vary, all products available now
The less you have to think about certain things, the better you know they’re working. Take race day shoes, for example: If you don’t have to think about your Metaspeeds or your Vaporflys, you’re probably having a good run. Your feet probably feel good, which means your legs feel good, which (hopefully) means you’ll drop a pretty good time or, at the very least, have a ton of fun.
Socks are another thing. We’d bet you probably don’t want to have to think about your socks. You want to put on and then take off without sparing a thought in between. They shouldn’t ride up, slip down, or take up any more space in your mind.
However, there are people out there who do think about socks – a lot. They take their medical backgrounds, apply them to compression therapy, and produce some of the most important socks you might never think about. Then, you put the socks on, run in them, and feel the benefits.
They’re the folks at CEP, and it’s probably time you started sparing them a thought.
As mentioned, CEP’s background is in the medical industry. What that means for its compression socks and, by extension, you, is that they’re not one-size-fits-all. Instead, CEP’s compression designs take leg shape into consideration, graduating from a tight ankle fit to a slightly more accommodating calf. Yes, your calf is still compressed, but it’s squeezed appropriately rather than forced into an ankle-width opening.
The idea behind that graduation goes beyond finding the best fit, too. CEP’s fit allows for better blood circulation and less muscle fatigue rather than simply squeezing the life out of your leg. It’s the very reason you should actually buy compression gear rather than trying a homebrewed technique.
But just because CEP offers several different types of compression products doesn’t mean they all follow the same mold. The company actually has different compression lines for everyday (Core Business, Flight, All Day, and Recovery) and, of course, performance (Core Run).
The two series do, unsurprisingly, share several similarities – you’ll get great compression no matter which way you go – the Business, Travel, and All Day lines are just a little more subdued about it. They come in Mid and Tall cuts and a few shades of black and gray, and they’re designed to blend in while you go about your day.
CEP’s Core Run line, on the other hand, is a little bit louder and prouder. See, while you can usually hide a compression sock when traveling, it’s not so easy to hide it when paired with shorts and maybe a singlet for race day. So, why not go loud?
Right now, the limited-edition color of the season is a bright pink hue that would have looked right at home with the cleats from the World Cup – it's bright, bright. But when it comes to race day, a little bit of color goes a long way.
In addition, CEP has several other supportive compression products beyond socks, including support sleeves for Achilles support, plantar fasciitis, patella support, knee support – the list goes on. You could pretty much build a compression suit out of CEP’s options.
Actually, forget the suit. CEP has an entire apparel line if you want to rep from head to toe. And no, the apparel line isn’t all compression-based. Yes, there are tights and base layers, but there are breathable fabrics and lightweight, flowy silhouettes, too. So much for just thinking about socks, right?
If you’re ready to go even further from the comfort zone of compression socks, get ready for this: CEP is in the footwear game, too. It’s on its second generation of running shoes, following up the Omnispeed BowTech with the more refined Optaspeed BowTech.
At a glance, the Optaspeed BowTech looks a lot like its predecessor, pairing CEP’s dual-plate technology with a monomesh upper, but it’s not a perfect clone. The company took a lot of the feedback from the first generation into account, adjusting the forefoot fit and reworking the heel to blend medical technology with a comfortable running fit.
The look? Still iconic. There’s nothing else on the market that looks like the Optaspeed BowTech. Its dual plate, the BowTech system, stores and releases energy as you roll through your stride, passing from the EVA-based heel to the supercritical N+Foam forefoot and into the toe-off. Oh, and with 37mm of foam in the heel and 30mm in the forefoot, it’s just high enough for protection without feeling like you’re on an unsteady mountain of foam.
Perhaps the real kicker is exclusivity – if you pick up the Optaspeed BowTech, there’s a good chance you’ll be the first one of your friends wearing it. You might start a trend at your local run club, and at the very least, you’ll get to answer a lot of questions about one of the boldest designs in running.
You can pick up your pair at the button below and learn a whole lot more about CEP, compression, and the science behind it all while you’re there.
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If you read it on the website, there’s a good chance Ryan has been involved in some way. As the editor-in-chief and review coordinator, he’s in charge of dotting the i’s, crossing the t’s, and making sure that the affiliate links are squared away. When he’s not doing that, he’s logging miles with just about every run club in Baltimore, snapping photos on his latest film camera find, or simply existing with his two cats, Luna and Stache.
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