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Today I’m reviewing the Rogue Knee Sleeve, which is a high quality knee sleeve designed for powerlifters, weightlifters, and general gym-goers.
The Rogue Knee Sleeve is an excellent choice for all kinds of lifters because it’s available in a variety of size options, including the 3mm, 5mm, and 7 mm.
Smaller knee sleeves are more flexible, which are good for dynamic movements in the gym (snatches, cleans, box jumps), while the larger knee sleeves are more supportive and less pliable, which are great for competitive powerlifters doing heavy squats.
The Rogue knee sleeve is made of a durable blend of artificial rubber and neoprene, which gives it an exemplary level of durability for its cost-effective price. This is important because most knee sleeves will fray after consistent use, but I didn’t find this to be the case with Rogue sleeves.
The knee sleeves are available in a wide variety of colors as well as 5 different size options ranging from x small to x large.
Here’s a quick look at its pros and cons.
Pros
- Highly affordable for its genuine quality
- Ideal for beginner powerlifters, CrossFitters, and Olympic weightlifters
- Very stable and stays locked in place
- Available in a variety of colors and sizes
Cons
- They can pinch on the skin a little (but at least they won’t slide down your leg while lifting or after you get sweaty, which in my opinion is more of a con)
Things to Consider Before Buying a Knee Sleeve
You might be wondering why serious and competitive lifters pay great attention to the kind of knee sleeve they’re using while lifting. However, there’s a strong correlation between a good pair of knee sleeves and a very successful workout performance!
A knee sleeve works by improving the blood circulation around your joints and keeping them nice and warm, which can dramatically improve your workout quality and overall performance in the gym.
To make sure that they do their job properly, you need to set a certain standard for quality by checking out a few but critical aspects, such as thickness, durability, design, and approval for competition.
The thickness of a knee sleeve is divided into 3 main categories. The 3 mm are the thinnest ones, making them unsuitable for lifting because they don’t offer any support. Instead, they’re great for cardio and everyday use for warming the joints.
A 5 mm knee sleeve is better suited for casual lifters, CrossFit athletes, and gym-goers who do some general weightlifting. A 7 mm sleeve would be too thick for general use and are specifically used by competitive powerlifters.
To handle the pressure of lifting, a good sleeve should be made of durable yet bendy fabrics, such as neoprene, spandex, and latex in various thicknesses.
You also need to check the design of the sleeve. This includes the reinforced seams well as having double or triple stitching to handle the extra pressure.
Lastly, for a competitive powerlifter, you should never forget about competitive approval while choosing a knee sleeve. Always check the International Powerlifting Federations Guidelines to make sure that the sleeve in question is allowed in competitions.
Curious to know whether you should go with a 5mm or 7mm knee sleeve? Check out my article on 5mm vs 7mm Knee Sleeve: Which Is Better?
Rogue Knee Sleeve Review: A Detailed Review
In the following section, you’ll find an in-depth review that walks you through all the essential aspects of the US-made sleeve.
Material and Durability
All Rogue Knee Sleeves are made of a unique blend of neoprene and Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR).
This is the same type of synthetic rubber used in the manufacture of car tires, so you can expect the knee sleeves to provide you with substantial sturdiness against wear and tear.
Despite the ruggedness, the sleeves are quite flexible around the knee and won’t restrict the wearers’ range of motion while working out.
Thickness
The Rogue Knee Sleeves are available in 3 different thicknesses, which are 3 mm, 5 mm, and 7 mm.
Apart from the slight difference in thickness of each product, they all have exactly the same design and materials.
Although the difference in thickness here is hair-thin, it has a huge impact on your performance. So here is what each of these thicknesses is good for:
Rogue 3 mm Knee Sleeve
The 3 mm knee sleeve is as thick as a regular sock, so it’s not recommended for lifters. It’s only suitable for recovery, keeping your knees warm, and wearing them for compression or during regular activities like cardio, running, hiking, or biking.
Rogue 5 mm Knee Sleeve
The bare minimum for any lifter should be the 5 mm knee sleeve, so it’s an ideal knee sleeve for general gym lifters as well as beginner powerlifters who are yet to lift heavy.
Additionally, CrossFit athletes and Olympic weightlifters usually need to do more dynamic movements while training or competing, which is why a 5 mm knee sleeve would be ideal for them
A 5 mm knee sleeve would offer a reasonable level of support without fully restricting their range of motion during workouts.
Rogue 7 mm Knee Sleeve
The 7 mm is reserved for competitive powerlifting, not only because it’s required by the IPF regulations, but because it offers the best level of support while powerlifting.
A 7 mm sleeve would make it much harder to bend your knees as you go down because it restricts the knee cap like a cast.
This is excellent for heavy squats that forces you to go lower because it gives the wearer a bit more of a “pop” out of the hole!
Sizing and Options
Sizing is very important to make sure that the knee sleeve doesn’t slip while wearing it. The Rogue Knee Sleeve comes in 5 different size options, including x small, small, medium, large, and x large.
All the knee sleeves made by Rogue Fitness come highly consistent in terms of size, thickness, and length, so you won’t have to worry about receiving a non-matching pair.
Approval for Competitive Powerlifting
If you’re a competitive powerlifter, it’s extremely essential for you to choose a knee sleeve that won’t put you in the risk of disqualification.
Luckily, according to Rogue, all the knee sleeves are “IPF and IWF-Legal for Raw and Open Competition”.
In fact, the 5 mm Rogue Knee Sleeve is one of the best budget-friendly alternatives to consider if you’re looking for competition approved knee sleeves, as they meet all the main requirements of the IPF and USAPL for competitive powerlifting.
Design and Style
One of the best things about Rogue’s knee sleeves is that they’re available in a large array of colors and design finishes.
The colors are radiant and the dye won’t bleed out when washed, making it ideal for heavy-sweating athletes who need to wash their gear more often.
Ease of Use
Since they’re slipped on, it should be quite easy to put the knee sleeves on. However, you might find it a bit tricky to take off the 7 mm sleeve when you’re done.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because you don’t want to slip on its own either, which can cause a lot of problems, especially if it happens mid-lift.
Are There Any Alternatives to the Rogue Knee Sleeve?
The Rogue Knee Sleeve is an excellent choice for a wide section of users, from casual athletes all the way to those who compete at the highest level.
However, if for any reason, you’re not satisfied with the Rogue Knee Sleeve, the market still offers a wide variety of options.
Here are my top alternatives:
1. Titan Yellow Jacket Knee Sleeve
The Titan Yellow Jacket Knee Sleeves are my choice for the overall best knee sleeve for powerlifting. They’re easily one of the most popular knee sleeves on the market, as they offer an unmatched level of durability and support for powerlifters competing at high levels.
The Titan Yellow Jacket has a patented X-Seam technology that greatly fortifies the knee sleeve, especially around the knee cap (patella) region.
This Knee Sleeve is only available as a 7 mm thick sleeve with a 30 cm long design, and they’re among the few options on the market that are also approved for competitive powerlifting.
Here are the aspects where the Titan Yellow Jacket is different from the Rogue Knee Sleeve:
- Much more durable than the Rogue Knee Sleeve
- Only limited to one design and color pattern
- Only available in the 7 mm thick variety
2. Mava Sports Knee Compression Sleeve Support
The Mava Sport Knee Sleeves are known for being the budget-friendly option of the market, coming at a price fraction of what some other options might set you back.
The thin compression sleeve is better suited for cardio and working out at home. It's also popular for everyday use because it helps in keeping the knees warm without restricting their motion
Here are the aspects where the Mava Sports Knee Sleeve is different from the Rogue Knee Sleeve:
- Much cheaper and more suitable for buyers on a budget
- Significantly thinner in construction and offers much less support
- Comes in different colors, although not that different from each other
- Can be used for warming the knees during recovery
3. Rehband Rx Knee Sleeve
The Rehband Rx is a 7 mm thick knee sleeve that's known for being highly versatile and can be used for various moves around the gym.
Similar to the Rogue Sleeve, this one is popular for its unique and stylish designs, which stands out as a great option for those who like to match their gym outfits.
Here are the aspects where the Rehband RX Knee Sleeve is different from the Rogue Knee Sleeve:
- A bit pricier
- Highly versatile option
- Offer heavier support
Looking for other options? Check out my complete review of the Best Knee Sleeves For Powerlifting.
Final Thoughts
There you have it! A complete Rogue Knee Sleeve review with everything you need to know, including the sleeve’s best features as well as the best alternatives.
As you can see, Rogue Fitness always designs their products with utmost quality, which is apparent in their surprisingly affordable knee sleeves.
Click here if you want to check out the latest prices, sizing, and color options of the Rogue Knee Sleeve.
