Arm sleeves, also known in a more stylish way as shooting sleeves or in a more structured way the compression sleeves, are no more a new terminology in today’s world, especially when it comes to the basket ballplayers.
Apart from paving the path of a style statement and boosting up self-confidence, these shooter sleeves also provide several beneficiaries to the athletes. This post reveals almost everything about how to buy the best arm sleeves for basketball. Keep reading!
Why Do Basketball Players Wear Arm Sleeves?
There are ample good reasons for wearing the best arm sleeves available in the market while playing basketball. Let’s take a glance at them now!
Protection Against UV Rays
Arm sleeves help protect the player from the extreme UV rays, causing skin cancer and protection from getting tanned if the basketball is played on an outdoor basketball court. It prevents the player from heat rashes too.
Protects Impaired Arm
It has been observed that while playing, players might get hurt. Wearing the shooter sleeves helps the players play even with an impaired arm as these striking long sleeves are so designed that they help keep the muscles warm and intact and even protect the affected region from getting hurt further.
Protects From Cold Weather
Compression sleeves also act as a protecting shield against the harsh chilly weather if the match is played on a freezing cloudy day. These striking sleeves won’t let the dropping temperature affect the players’ performance. So if you are going to play basketball in cold weather, make sure you wear arm sleeves!
Protects The Arm From Getting Injured
The compression sleeves also help in protecting your arm from injury. Even by chance, a player falls off badly on the floor; if the arm sleeves have good stuffing at the elbow region, it might save you from getting hurt too dangerously.
Helps To Cover Up Tattoos
It has been found that many conventional schools across the world who train basket ballplayers do not allow their pupils to show inking skin. So, in that case, wearing an arm sleeve can keep you on the safe side. The sleeve will cover the whole arm, and you can easily hide the tattoo even if you are wearing a short-sleeved top.
Acts As A Fashion Statement
These shooter sleeves are eye catchy to the teammates and the fans and the audience, building up a style and fashion statement and the player’s name. Moreover, it is not only a valuable good but also seems to reveal identity useful too. At the same time, when you get to see all the other players are using it, who would prefer to be an odd man out from the gang.
How To Choose The Best Arm Sleeve For Basketball
One has to be very much cautious while selecting the best arm sleeves for basketball. The determinants that must be considered while making this decision are as follows:-
UV Rays Saviour
The player has to decide on the fact that whether the arm sleeve is the best-suited one to act as a savior from the deadly ultraviolet sun rays that can cause skin cancer and can ruin both career and life.
Extra Stuffing At The Elbow
It is always advisable to seek those shooting sleeves with a proper and well-built elbow padding as this cushioning helps as a protector to your elbows if you fall off on the ground critically. It might save you from the dislocation of your elbow.
Safeguard Against Injury
While buying the arm sleeves, it must always be considered that they must be able to safeguard your arm from any injury or can even protect your impaired arm in the best possible way.
Comfortability
Wearing arm sleeves will be meaningless if it hurts you and causes discomfort because it will hamper your performance. You might fall short in grabbing the golden opportunity that was so close to you and thereby leaves you disheartened, maybe for the rest of the life. So, comfortability is a matter of prime concern.
Soakage
Good quality of arm sleeve must be able to wick out moisture art at a fast rate. This wicking quality will help you feel relaxed, dry, sweat-free, and odor-free. This will result directly in increasing your comfort and giving you the chance to deliver the best in the match.
Pattern And Style
The design, pattern, color, and style are very personal approaches and must satisfy your needs. After wearing this arm gear, if you feel uncomfortable with the look or design, you would not feel happy and naturally become reluctant to use it.
For this reason, always focus on making the most out of your investment. Go for the pattern and style that suits your requirement the best.
Trade Name
The brand name is directly dependent on the company’s goodwill. Both of them are always the most crucial matter of concern for becoming the market leader in any category of product.
And all these are the result of product utility and customer satisfaction. So in this connection, you need to go for a detailed search on the product reviews and the brand before making the actual purchase.
Launderable
The texture of the fabric used in the preparation of shooting sleeves is also a significant concern. The washing methods of this product directly depend upon the material used.
Certain qualities of fabric cannot be washed in a machine but required to be given a hand wash to maintain its durability. Nowadays, most of the products are washing device friendly.
Stability
The arm sleeve’s stability means whether the arm sleeve can fit the arm perfectly without hurting or getting loose at the ends.
If the shooting sleeves could not secure its position, then the product will become futile as it will hamper the players’ scores.
Compaction
Compaction of the product is also highly demanded because if the product fails to provide the required level of compression, then the shooting sleeves will become useless.
This compression factor helps a player play even with an impaired limb and protects the player from getting hurt.
Now when you know how and why you should consider wearing arm sleeves while playing basket balls, it’s the time to check out the best arm sleeves that can make the game even more enjoyable!
The Five Best Arm Sleeves For Basketball Players
A wide variety of arm sleeves are available in the market. A comparative study on the following 5 leading brands in this market will give you a very comprehensive idea along with an analytical perspective.
| Product Name | Rank As Per Pricing |
| McDavid Compression Arm Sleeve | Rank-1. Cost Starts from $10.5 – The Most Cost Effective One!! |
| Under Armor Men’s Padded Shooter Sleeve | Rank 5. Cost Starts from $ 26.50 |
| Men’s Nike Pro Combat Elite Sleeve | Rank 3. Cost Starts from $20. |
| McDavid 6500 Padded Shooter Sleeve | Rank 4. Cost Starts from $24.95 |
| Kunto Fitness Elbow Brace Support Sleeve | Rank 2. Starts from 19.97$ |
McDavid Compression Arm Sleeve
Features
- Mc David arm sleeves are found four in sizes, namely- large, medium, small and extra small sizes.
- The product has had Moisture Management Technology, which helps the player remain dry, cool, and sweat-free.
- The fabric used comprises 20% spandex and 80% nylon and woven using a flat technology of six threads at the top and the bottom of the sleeves.
- It is available in eight color range- black, white, scarlet, royal, grid, pink, light pink, and bright pink and mostly found in pairs.
| Pros | Cons |
| The prolonged length provides extra coverage to the total arm length generously. | The fabric of white color is slightly thinner than compared to the others. |
| The weaving technology gives a high elasticity effect, which is neither too tight nor too loose and makes the player feel comfortable preventing slipping off the arm sleeve. | Compared to the other colors, the white-colored arm sleeve is slightly less tight towards the wrist. |
| The white-colored Mc David arm sleeve conceals the tattoo in a much better way than any other white arm sleeve available in the market. | |
| These arm sleeves are found in pairs, which makes it stand out in the market. |
Under Armour Unisex-Adult Performance HeatGear Compression Arm Sleeve
Features
- This arm sleeve is found in four sizes: extra-large, large, medium, and small.
- The product is woven in the four stitched technology, and the fabric is a mixture of Eva, Polyester, and Silicon in the ratio of 6:3:1
- This arm sleeve gives you the feeling of second-skin fit.
- The product wicks moisture, keeps you cool, dry, and odorless.
- The product is available in two colors- black and white.
| Pros | Cons |
| This arm sleeve is quite comfortable to wear for the whole day long. | This arm sleeve is not found in pairs. |
| The weaving technology aids with greater access to mobility in all directions. | Padding at the elbow area is not very thick. |
| The price seems to be a gleaming one for the customers. |
Men’s Nike Pro Combat Elite Sleeve
Features
- This brand of arm sleeves is found in four sizes: extra-large, large, medium, and small.
- The product is made with the DRI-FIT fabric from NIKE, which is not heavy fabric. It helps to soak moisture very fast and prevents it from getting too hot while in use.
- The product is available in five types of color, including bright and dark shades. The boxy impression at the arm sleeves’ side gives a unique look and acts as a brand symbol.
- This arm sleeve is machine washable, and the pattern at the side of the sleeves and the fabric is a long-lasting one and does not wear off quickly.
| Pros | Cons |
| The DRI-FIT fabric from NIKE prevents the arm sleeve from getting warm and sweaty. | Compression is light. |
| The arm sleeve is very light to wear and covers the full arm too. | No extra padding at the elbow. |
| It is free to wash, be it with hands or machine, but avoid warm water. | |
| Although the product is light but still capable of keeping the muscles and joints warm. |
McDavid 6500 Padded Shooter Sleeve
Features
- This arm sleeve is found in four sizes: large, medium, small, and youth size.
- The look is cumbersome and has cushioning in a hexagonal shape at the elbow region, which is made up of hex symbols, each measuring to 9mm.
- The brand provides a wide range of colors numbering to 10 different solid colors leaving the hexed grid, which is always dark and gives an adamant and professional look.
- This product is sufficient for playing basketball and even other games like soccer, baseball, or football.
- The fabric used is a combination of nylon and spandex measuring to 20:80, respectively.
| Pros | Cons |
| The hexagonal padding provides good traction and support, and its massive feature prevents the arms slip from sliding off. | This product is meant for heavy muscular people having right biceps and triceps and not for any slender arms. |
| The mixed fabric provides stretchiness, securing joint support, and keeping the muscles intact and warm. | The tightened feature might not be a very welcoming feature for new users initially, until and unless they become habituated with it. |
| Easily washable both in machines and with hands and dries up quickly too. | |
| The HDC criterion of moisture helps keep the arm sleeves cool, dry, and free from sweat and odor. | |
| By wearing this arm sleeve, one can play with a slightly ailing arm without any discomfort. |
Kunto Fitness Elbow Brace Support Sleeve
Features
- This brand provides you with five-arm sleeves, namely, extra-large, large, medium, small, and extra small sizes.
- The fabric used is a mixture of 70% nylon and 30% of spandex and rubber in equal share.
- This makes the product breathable and also gives a proper grip to your muscles.
- The elbow region gives extra support and safety to the user due to the premium quality weaving method.
- The fit is relaxed and does not slip off. Moreover, a variety of colors like a brace, orange and blue are available in the market.
- One of the most incredible parts of this product is its warranty. Customers can avail 100% money-back policy if the company cannot administer the client’s area of dissatisfaction.
| Pros | Cons |
| The product has a four-way stretching fabric that improves blood circulation and gives relief to the joint pains. | The compression is not very heavy. |
| The money-back policy acts as a gleaming factor for the customers. | The weaving at the elbow is dense, but no extra padding is found. |
| Sleek in look but still supports elbow in a much better way. | |
| 4 The fabric is well suited with breathing technology keeping you dry and light and avoids itchiness and easily washable. |
The Guidelines To Consider Before Buying
All of the above variety of products is well available in the Amazon, and anyone can easily purchase the product by considering the following guidelines.
1. The Built of the Player
- If you are a very muscular person and a professional player, it is better to go for McDavid 6500 Padded Shooter Sleeve.
- If you are the first time user and still in bodybuilding, you must opt for Kunto Fitness Elbow Brace Support Sleeve.
2. The Purpose
- If you are playing basketball not as a professional but just for your mental satisfaction or on a light tone as a hobby and create a gang of friends and get in touch with the name of a club, in that case, it is better to opt forMen’s Nike Pro Combat Elite Sleeve.
3. Choice of Color
- The color variant is found at its maximum inMcDavid Compression Arm Sleeve. So, if colors drive your preferences, always go for Mc David.
4. Thickness of The Sleeves
- If you’re looking for extra thick arm sleeves, McDavid 6500 padded shooter sleeves or Under Armor is going to be the right pick. However, Under Armor or Kunto Fitness can also serve your purpose well.
5. Selecting the Appropriate Size
- The most crucial factor in deciding while buying this product is the size. For a teen with a good body built McDavid 6500 Padded Shooter Sleeve for youth size could be a perfect option.
- However, if the teen has a slender body, then Kunto Fitness Elbow Brace Support Sleeve, the extra small size, might be a perfect choice.
6. Tattoo Coverage
- It is always better to go for any brand that offers dark colored sleeves for covering up the tattoo. The list includes McDavid, Kunto Fitness, Nike Pro, and Under Armor.
7. Buying in Pairs
- If you want to buy arm sleeves in pairs, thenMcDavid Compression Arm Sleeveis theonly optionas almost all the brands sell a single unit arm sleeve.
8. The Cost
- If you’re running a little tight on budget, McDavid Compression Arm Sleeve is the perfect pick for you. On the other hand, if the cost is the determiner of quality for you, you can surely go for Under Armor Men’s Padded Shooter Sleeve, the most expensive one from the provided list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we require arm sleeves while playing basketball?
Arm sleeves help a player in ample ways. From UV protection to regulating body temperature, they are of thousand utilities. In a one-liner, yes, you actually require arm sleeves while playing basketball.
Is Arm Compression Sleeve Effective?
Yes! It is!! Especially if you’re still recovering from any injury, these sleeves can make healing faster as they quicken the blood flow to the injured muscles.
Do Arm Sleeves Help Me While Playing Basketball?
As per the practical experiences shared by pro basketball players, wearing arm sleeves helps keep the arms warm. It creates more room for taking swifter shots.
Can I wear Arm Sleeves throughout the Day?
Wearing the arm sleeves throughout the Day is not required. However, you need to wear them while being in the game.
Why NBA Players Prefer Wearing Compression Sleeves on The Opposite Arms?
It’s said that wearing the sleeve in the opposite arm keeps it warm, and this warmth adds more agility to the players’ shots.
Final Word
So, now you know how to get the best arm sleeves for basketball. Keeping all these factors in mind, you can easily choose the most desired product to meet all your requirements in the best possible ways. From size, to price, consider checking each factor thoroughly. It will surely help you in making the most out of your investment. Happy buying!
