(From left to right, 860 Series for Women, Men and Open toe.)

Features

The Select Comfort 860 Series features double covered yarns that make the material softer and smoother, so it’s easier to put on and take off. Sigvaris says that their knit construction is easier to put on, so it’s ideal for patients with arthritis of a limited range of motion. The Select Comfort comes in the full range of styles and colors and is available in the 20-30 mmHg and 30-40 mmHg levels of compression. Knee high and thigh high models are available for both Men and Women. For women, pantyhose and maternity pantyhose are also available. This opaque material covers up blemishes on the skin for a smooth and even look. For men, two dressy ribbed colors are available. Men’s black and men’s khaki have thin ribbing for a professional dress sock look. The Select Comfort 860 Series is also conveniently available in both open toe and closed toe variants. Sigvaris utilizes their Precise Fitting System (PFS) so Select Comfort models come in 16 different sizes for knee high compression stockings and 12 sizes for thigh, pantyhose and maternity pantyhose compression stockings.

Durability

Select Comfort 860 Series compression stockings have good durability and lifespan. The material is not too thick and not too thin. So while you don’t have a sheer fabric, the opaque material covers up blemishes on the skin and spider veins and contains protruding varicose veins. The opaque material is better at containing swelling than fashion compression stockings. With the Select Comfort 860 Series, you’re not as likely to see holes or snags as sheer compression stockings. However, because the material is a soft material, you can still tear a hole or snag the material if you pull to hard. Sharp toe nails can wear a hole in the toes and rough heels or shoes can rub small holes in the heel. The Select Comfort 860 Series is not indestructible, but for what it’s used for, the durability is better than most. Always use proper technique when putting on compression stockings. Also, using Donning Gloves by Sigvaris will protect the compression stocking while making it easier for you to put on.

Wearability

Soft and smooth, the Select Comfort is easy to wear for long periods of time. Because of its durable construction and soft materials, the 860 Series compression stockings are ideal for wear during post surgery, travel or pregnancy. The Select Comfort used for many applications, which makes it comfortable for most people with different skin types and sizes of legs. The most appealing aspect of the Select Comfort is its daily wearability. Many people rely on this model for a variety of uses and thus it’s worn everyday and for long periods of time by many people. There is no latex in the Select Comfort 860 Series so it is safe for individuals with latex/rubber allergies.

The Verdict

4.5 Stars – Great!

Versatile – The Select Comfort 860 Series comes in many different styles, colors and sizes and is used for many different applications.

Durable – The moderate, opaque material make this model easy to put on and take off.

Comfortable – Soft and smooth on the skin, the Select Comfort is appropriate for most leg sizes and skin types.

Features

We’ll give you the scoop on all the features for each product line. Is it sheer? It is made of cotton? Is it strong enough to contain lots of swelling? Does it have any special kind of technology or fibers? Is it good for sports? What size, color, level of compression and gender is this model available in? In the features section, we’ll give you practical details without boring you with the irrelevant technical stuff.

Durability

Next, is our analysis of durability relative to how it’s used, the material and level of compression. This should always be taken into context of the compression stocking. So, when we say a compression stocking is durable, we don’t mean that it will last for five years without replacement and never get holes. We mean that it is more durable than other compression stockings in its class. All compression stockings should be replaced within four to six months depending on how much it’s worn. If a compression stocking gets frequent wear, you may want to replace it in four months instead of six. Sheer, thinner looking fashion compression stockings need to be replaced sooner than a thicker and more durable compression stockings simply because thinner fabrics that are more sheer receive more wear and tear than normal. Whatever the case may be, we’ll give you our recommendations.

Wearability

How a compression stocking wears on the leg is very important to its comfort and effectiveness. Wearability depends on several factors. When discussing wearability, we ask ourselves one simple question, “What’s it like?” This means that we also have to ask other questions. Is the material comfortable on the skin? Is it hot? Does it bunch? Does it slide down? Will the people who wear it experience problems or discomfort when wearing it for long periods of time? We’ll provide our own experiences on the wearability of each product as well as feedback other people have told us about the product.

The Verdict

We’ll give a score one to five stars, with five stars being our highest recommendation for a compression stocking. Remember, take the information we provide here in context. If we rate compression stocking A with 4 stars and compression stocking B with 3 stars, it doesn’t necessarily mean that A is better than B in all cases. There a lot of people wearing compression stockings for a lot of different reasons and for some, B might better than A and for others, vice versa.

Now that we’ve thoroughly confused you with the letters A and B, let’s move on to our closing thoughts. We’ll give you three final words to help sum up the review. That makes it easy for you to take away a final snapshot of the product.

We hope you find our Expert Reviews helpful. And of course, please comment to let us know your thoughts and opinions on the products we’re reviewing.

-Sam
Product Expert
Proud Member of the LegSmart.com Customer Care Team