Product note
Graduated compression socks (15–20 mmHg)
The single most useful thing most long-haul travellers over 50 can pack.
Price band: Budget ($), $15–$35 per pair
What it's for
- Reducing the ankle and calf swelling that builds up over a long flight
- Keeping blood moving in your lower legs while you sit still for hours
- Feeling less heavy-legged when you stand up at the gate
Who it's for
- Anyone flying more than about five hours
- People whose ankles puff up on flights or after long car journeys
- Travellers who have been told by a clinician to use compression
What to look for
- A stated mmHg range, not vague words like 'firm'. 15 to 20 mmHg is the usual travel strength
- Graduated compression (tightest at the ankle, easing up the calf)
- Sizing by shoe size AND calf circumference, measured in the morning
- Knee-high length with a wide, non-digging cuff
- Breathable knit; a flat toe seam if you are prone to rubbing
Honest downsides
- Fiddly to pull on, especially with hand or back problems
- Too-tight cuffs can leave a mark and feel worse than no socks at all
- They do not eliminate clot risk; they are one part of a plan
- Cheap unbranded pairs often lose their stretch after a handful of washes
Where to buy
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