Here at Gear Patrol, you’ve probably noticed that we advocate an active lifestyle.  Whether it’s hiking, circuit training at the gym, or field testing your new dive watch, we’re squarely in favor of your preferred playtime.  Sadly, unless you happen to be a professional or collegiate athlete, getting treatment for the inevitable aches and pains that come along with that lifestyle is tough to come by.

When overexerted, I’m usually relegated to a couple of Advil and a bag of frozen peas balanced on my shoulder. Such treatment is a poor substitute for having an Athletic Trainer shrink wrap a bag of crushed ice directly to an injury.  While I was home over Christmas, my brother showed me something new he’d been using to ice down on his own; it’s called Recover Gear and it’s fantastic.

Recover Gear is essentially a compression style shirt with pockets built-in for holding special therapy packs.  These packs are unique in their own right, offering you the ability to use them for either hot or cold therapy.  Icing and heating works better when packs are held tight to your body, and this is where Recover Gear sets itself apart.  Recover Gear holds the therapy packs tightly to the needed area and also allows you to move around to start dinner, do some stretching, etc.  Obviously, this is a great alternative to balancing those peas for half an hour.  And lest you think Recover Gear is only for shoulders, they got you covered in the knee, ankle, elbow, and leg regions, as well. For the active guy, Recover Gear is definitely worth picking up.  Your body will thank you for it.

Editors Note: I’ve spent a lot of time icing down my shoulders in my life.  With the exception of getting crushed ice bags shrink wrapped to me, Recover Gear is the best solution I’ve seen. Bonus points for eliminating the freezing water that would otherwise leak down my back and for saving me from having to own a huge ice machine.

Cost: $80

Also See: Q-Link SRT-3 Pendant & Bracelet | Suunto t6c Heart Rate Monitor