Copper Wear Review: Does it Work?
• Comfortable
• Well-made
• Competitively priced over similar products
• Benefits of copper unsubstantiated
• Inaccurate sizing
Copper Wear is a line of copper-embedded nylon compression wear. Online reviews of the product appear to be mixed. As always, it is also wise to shop around and purchase locally to sidestep shipping costs and delays.
Reviews of Copper Wear, an As Seen on TV brand of athletic compression wear manufactured with copper-embedded nylon.
Copper Wear
As Seen on TV Copper Wear is another brand of nylon compression wear that is embedded with copper (what the website refers to as “lightweight 36 gauge fabric”). These types of products allegedly enhance athletic performance by supplying muscle/joint support while increasing blood circulation.
Copperwear.com is the official product website.
Cost and Availability
Copper Wear can be ordered from the product website and is also available in some stores such as Bed Bath & Beyond.
The Copper Wear lineup currently includes a knee, elbow, and ankle sleeve. There are also shorts, gloves, socks, and calf sleeves for both males and females.
Prices vary depending upon size, and range from $12.99 for the ankle sleeve to $24.99 for the shorts. With each order, there is a processing and handling (P&H) charge of $7.99 ($6.99 for the ankle sleeve). Customers can opt into buying an extra knee, elbow, or ankle sleeve (“buy 1 get 1”) for an additional P&H fee.
In late December 2015, an online sale saw some product offered for as low as $7.
When ordering a regular knee, elbow, and/or ankle sleeve, purchasers can then get free shipping on additional items such as the shorts, gloves, socks, and calf sleeves.
Size options fluctuate, but there are size charts for each item provided on the website.
State tax is added to orders shipping to CT, NJ, NV, NY, and/or PA.
Estimated delivery time with standard shipping is 3-4 weeks according to the website Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), but the order form on the site says 7-10 business days. There are several quicker shipping options (1-3 days) through FedEx which can be selected when ordering (prices for these options range from $12.99 to $19.99).
Purchase of Copper Wear includes a 60-Day Limited Warranty and a 60-Day Money Back Guarantee (minus P&H).
A popup on the main screen of the website claims, “Give us your e-mail and you’ll get special offers, discounts and related exclusive content.”
Claims and Features
- Soft, smooth, and comfortable fabric
- Alleviates pain
- Assists in the process of recovery
- Resistant to odor
- Some moisture absorbed through fabric
Compression Wear Plus Copper
Some science studies have shown evidence that well-made compression wear can promote circulation and relieve aching/swelling in the limb on which the sleeves are worn. A good scientific resource on compression wear information is this Medicine Plus page hosted by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. However, claims about wearing copper are more uncertain.
While copper is known to have antimicrobial properties (the basis for the odor resistant claims), there doesn’t appear to be any credible scientific evidence that wearing copper infused clothing imparts odor resistance or any other special characteristics.
Copper Wear Reviews
As of summer and fall of 2014, it appears that Copper Wear was markedly back-ordered with many customers waiting long periods for their orders to arrive. At times, companies will only manufacture small amounts of product when they are test marketing. Back-ordering often occurs when there is more demand than expected for products in a test marketing phase. This also led to a rather negative initial rating for the product.
Online user reviews for Copper Wear appear to be mixed. Besides claims of back-ordering, the most common complaints allege that the sizing for Copper Wear can be off (some say too tight while other say too loose), and some reports that the fabric is too thin which results in a lack of proper compression.
Something to consider before purchasing Copper Wear is the company’s rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). While the parent company of As Seen on TV (Tristar Products) maintains an A+ rating on a scale of A+ to F with the BBB as of December 2015, Copper Wear itself had an F rating before it was removed from the BBB website. According to the BBB, this rating was due to 15 complaints received over the last three years, several of which were never responded to or resolved. In addition, the BBB reported that there was an alert out on Copper Wear because they refused to receive query letters sent by the BBB.
There are similarly marketed alternatives to Copper Wear, such as the Tommie Copper line of copper infused compression wear. More reasonably priced generic compression wear of comparable quality can also likely be found in local stores.
If customers are intent on purchasing Copper Wear, it may be best to buy locally to avoid shipping times and P&H costs.
Epic Conclusion
Copper Wear is a line of copper-embedded nylon compression wear. Online reviews of the product appear to be mixed. As always, it is also wise to shop around and purchase locally to sidestep shipping costs and delays.
This review has been updated since its original publication in January 2015.
