Hiking on mountains and hills remains one of the most exhilarating and refreshing adventures one could partake in. It allows you to experience some of the wonders of nature as you cross hundreds of trees and bodies of water on your journey.
However, despite your will to climb higher, your legs may not be supporting you anymore. Knee injuries are common among hikers and are normally caused due to excessive strain and overuse of the knee joints. This is the reason why hikers are recommended to pack the right gear before they begin their journey. An essential piece of equipment they must add to their checklist is knee braces.
But with so many options on the market, how can you determine which knee brace to go for? Well, no need to panic because, in this guide, we’ve compiled a list of the best knee braces available at the moment.
Top 10 Best Knee Braces For Hiking – Quick Snapshot!
- Hinged Knee Brace – Shock Doctor
- Professional Knee Brace: KingCaeser
- MODVEL 2 Pack Knee Compression Sleeve
- TechWare Pro Knee Brace Support
- OMERIL Knee Brace
- Mueller Self-Adjusting Knee Stabilizer
- IPOW 2 Pack Knee stabilizer
- McDavid Knee Brace
- UFlex Athletics Knee Compression Sleeve
- Copper Knee Compression Sleeve
What Is a Knee Brace?
Knee braces are created using various materials, including plastic, foam, straps, and metal. They act as support to wear on your knees. Upon wearing, it allows the user to walk, run and climb long distances without extending or wearing down their knees too much. Therefore, it will enable you to climb that extra mile you couldn’t do before your daily, weekly, or monthly hike.
Why Do You Need Knee Braces?
Knee joints only bend in one motion, which makes them incredibly vulnerable and prone to injury. All it takes is one wrong bend to cause a fracture. Aside from that, exerting too much stress and pressure on it can also lead to long-term wear and tear.
A knee brace offers additional support to your knee by keeping it compressed. This, as a result, unloads the stress on your knees and also offers better mobility. Similarly, wearing a knee brace while hiking may also be recommended for those who have a history of knee pain – given that the pain isn’t caused due to past injuries such as bone fractures.
Our 10 Best Picks For Knee Braces
1. Hinged Knee Brace – Shock Doctor
The world has undergone rapid modernization, which has also caused advancements in medical technology. Consequently, the quality of knee braces has also massively increased. The prime example of these new and improved knee braces is the hinged knee brace by Shock Doctor.
Its anatomical design and stretchability allow it to be worn on the right as well as the left foot and allows it to endure a significant amount of knee extension. The tiny holes in it also let air pass through to reduce sweat, bacteria, and odor, making sure that you are comfortable during your hike.
In addition, it can also heal hypertension, meniscus injuries, and arthritis. Hence, if you’re looking for knee braces, this one is as close as it gets to perfection.
Pros
- It can be slipped onto both the right and left leg
- Prevents odor and sweat through air ventilation
- Antimicrobial technology decreases odor-causing bacteria
- Extremely flexible and durable for long periods
Cons
- The sizes are not accurate
2. Professional Knee Brace: KingCaeser
This knee brace, in addition to healing injuries, can also prevent them. So just remember to slip this sleek brace on along with your boots before you leave for your early morning hike and forget about your pain. Instead, focus on the captivating sights and glorious sounds of the wilderness, and march on forward without any stress.
Its flexible nature means that both men and women can use it to fulfill all their hiking needs. Moreover, this piece of equipment contains comfortable and breathable fabrics that can absorb water.
Additionally, it also keeps your knee warm, which in turn increases blood flow. You can easily climb cliffs while hiking without the worry of severely injuring your knee. The reason is that this brace has steel plates on both sides to reduce stress on your knee joint and provide extensive muscle support.
Pros
- Prevents injuries such as PCL/ACL and meniscus tears
- The side stabilizers allow considerable pressure to be exerted on the knee without causing any injuries
- It can be used by both men and women
- Sweat absorbent
Cons
- It may be out of stock soon
3. MODVEL 2 Pack Knee Compression Sleeve
These knee braces are slightly different from the previous ones, as they are more similar to sleeves than braces. However, due to them being sleeves, they are also considerably cheaper than the ones we discussed earlier. Therefore, for people who aren’t in immediate danger of dislocating or hyperextending their knees, this compression sleeve is perfect for both knees!
Once applied, its ergonomic structure makes it move with your knee without you even feeling the difference. Furthermore, the people at MODVEL also present you with a sizing chart to measure and buy the right size for you. Activities such as running, working out, and most importantly, hiking is made ridiculously easier with this compression sleeve.
As icing on the cake, this particular store is the best seller on Amazon when it comes to knee braces.
Pros
- It is very lightweight
- High compression sleeves allow great amounts of stress on the knee to do no damage
- Relieves pain for arthritis patients
- Its breathable and elastic material makes it great for full day usage
- It can be worn by both men and women
Cons
- You cannot use it to heal joint fractures and muscle tears
- It is unavailable for only one knee
4. TechWare Pro Knee Brace Support
Do you love the great outdoors and enjoy hours on end just hiking on hills to reach the following magnificent location with the best view? Or maybe you’re a gym freak, spending hours in the gym cultivating your body. Well, for those activities and more, we present one of the best knee braces for hiking.
The bidirectional adjustable straps of the TechWare knee brace offer more support for your knee and thigh compared to other braces. Also, its pre-installed gel pad can provide relief from muscle pain and help with swelling. After the application of this knee support brace, there remains no need to get yourself extensively medicated. This product was painstakingly designed, keeping in mind all the various knee complications your body could go through.
Moreover, the primary material used in its manufacture is neoprene, which is lightweight and breathable. Hence, it provides more mobility and significantly lessens the pain felt in your knee while exercising, running, or playing a sport.
Pros
- It contains unique bidirectional straps to offer more support than other braces
- The primary material used is neoprene which is soft and lightweight to increase mobility
- Its open patella design makes the healing of the knee and tendons relatively quick
- It is also quite easy to remove as there is a strap on the brace
Cons
- The pouch isn’t as convenient since it takes Unfortunately, it does not last too long
5. OMERIL Knee Brace
If you enjoy engaging in hiking, this could prove to be the best knee brace for you. On the other hand, if you play physically demanding sports, such as soccer, basketball, or baseball regularly, this is the ideal option for you.
This strap-on open patella knee brace brought to you by OMERIL is amazingly lightweight. This is because it is made using neoprene rubber, which is increasingly comfortable and durable. Furthermore, it possesses a built-in patella silicone cushion that does not irritate the skin and makes moving and bending your knee much more relaxing.
All knee sprains, strains, and ACL pain can be relieved by wearing this brace. In addition, due to its adjustable nature, it can easily move with the knee and adjust during exercises. Finally, their excellent customer service will compel you to recommend them every time someone asks for your advice on where to buy a knee brace.
In conclusion, if you feel like something is holding you back from reaching your full potential as a sportsman, it is probably because your knee is giving out without you even knowing it. So, first of all, get it checked by a medical professional. Secondly, purchase this OMERIL knee brace and instantly witness all your knee problems disappear.
Pros
- Created especially for people who play sports regularly
- Made of 55% neoprene, making it exceedingly lightweight but durable
- If you buy a pack, it provides you with two knee braces
- It contains additional straps not to allow the brace to move too much
- Excellent for pains such as strains, sprains, and ACL
Cons
- Only available in one size
- It may be out of stock soon
6. Mueller Self-Adjusting Knee Stabilizer
The ideal knee brace for hiking and other activities, if you have only minor knee pain, is the Mueller self-adjusting knee brace. To further emphasize, you must only use this brace for minor strains and sprains.
However, you can also use it for acute and chronic arthritic pain. But if you’ve just had surgery, we would not recommend using this one to heal yourself. Mueller being a trusted and reliable supplier adds to the credibility of this knee brace since it is tailor-made for you.
Compared to the other products on the list, you may think of this as one of the weaker options. Regardless, the characteristics that make this brace stand out from the rest are that it more or less provides you with the same functionality as the others but at a much cheaper rate.
For example, if you need to go on a long and arduous hike and want that little bit of extra support, the Mueller knee stabilizer is the best option. It also possesses an open patella design like most of the other braces. In addition, it is a strap-on brace, which means it’s easier to wear compared to a slip-on knee brace.
Pros
- It offers most of the functionalities of the other braces but at a cheaper rate
- Open patella design allows more breathing room for the knee
- Being a strap-on brace makes it easier to wear
- Mueller is a reliable and safe option
- Heals minor pains quickly
Cons
- Available in only one size
- Not recommended for major knee complications
7. IPOW 2 Pack Knee stabilizer
Are you thinking of embarking on an exceptionally long-distance hike that will test the limits of your body? Is this specific hike the toughest one yet? Does it include a lot of vertical climbing or jumping from one rock to another?
If so, then make sure to buy a durable and robust knee brace for yourself. It should be a brace that’s not too large that it gets in the way of your climbing. To help you in your search, we are excited to present one of the best knee braces for hiking, our IPOW knee stabilizers for both legs. Don’t be fooled by its petite appearance, as it can do the job as well as any other brace.
It only comes in one size but can fit almost any leg because of its flexible nature. Hence, it can be worn by both men and women. Moreover, the small stitches and smoothness of the material make it the most comfortable of the lot.
To convince you further, the straps of this brace have been tested by numerous users who have approved it. So, you need not worry about how long it’s going to last. Furthermore, this brace is shock absorbent and will stay in place while you’re exercising or engaging in any kind of sport.
Pros
- Shock absorbent and relieves minor knee pains
- Straps have been user-tested, hence no longevity concerns
- It fits both men and women
- One size, but can fit any type of leg due to its flexible nature
- Small stitches and smoothness of material make it the most comfortable yet
Cons
- It may not be suitable for sports that require a lot of jumping and running
- Cannot heal severe knee pains
8. McDavid Knee Brace
Were you just released from the hospital after knee surgery? Are you looking to buy a knee brace that can support and heal your knee simultaneously so that you can get back to hiking as soon as possible? Then, you’ve come to the right place, as we have just the thing for you!
The McDavid knee brace is based on the open patella design. As a result, it is perfect for a litany of ailments including, tendonitis, hyperextensions, ACL pain, and patella tendon support for both men and women.
The unique thing about this brace is that it does not have any gears. Instead, each sidearm moves on its own with configured hyperextension stops. Just like most of these braces, they were made from neoprene.
A minor correction, it is made from latex-free neoprene to provide extensive blood flow for regulating heat. To increase its durability, an extra layer of nylon has been added to fit both the right and left knee. Furthermore, close stitching decreases skin irritation, and a perforated back panel relieves moisture in the knee to keep you comfortable.
Owing to all those features, the McDavid brace makes you consider your choice when it comes to selecting a knee brace.
Pros
- It has no gears, so each sidearm moves on its own
- An extra layer of nylon fabric is present to increase durability
- Close stitching does not allow skin irritation
- The back panel with tiny holes allows air ventilation and relieves moisture
Cons
- Size issues may arise as the measurements are not as accurate
9. UFlex Athletics Knee Compression Sleeve
People addicted to rock climbing and hiking require braces that are so light you’d forget you’re wearing them. But, to our dismay, no knee brace so far has that feature. Thus, we divert our attention to compression sleeves.
Since compression sleeves are usually just one layer of fabric, that makes them exceptionally lightweight. Out of all the different options, the UFLEX Athletics knee compression sleeve is the cream of the crop when it comes to hiking, soccer, basketball, and weightlifting.
In addition to being spot-on for all kinds of sports and hiking, this sleeve also reduces swelling and soreness from the activities you carry out daily. Moreover, muscles recover faster, and blood pooling is significantly reduced if you use this sleeve regularly.
For those of you who need further proof of its usefulness, it has been recommended by over 4000 professional athletes. To conclude, it also has adjustable straps to fit all shapes and sizes.
Pros
- It contains all the tools you may need for
- Recommended by over 4000 athletes
- State-of-the-art compression technology does not allow blood pooling
- Provides therapeutic heat for muscles to recover faster
- Therapeutic heat also helps in maintaining blood flow
- Ideal for people who run or play a sport frequently
Cons
- The elastic at the top of the sleeve may be too tight for some individuals
10. Copper Knee Compression Sleeve
As far as knee compression sleeves go, this would be one of the top picks for you. According to feedback from people from all walks of life, the Copper knee compression sleeve has earned its place as one of the best knee braces for hiking and other sports.
Don’t believe us? Head on over to Amazon, and you’ll see that it is Amazon’s first choice when it comes to soft knee braces. The only requirement is that you wear it regularly. Once you do that, its shock absorbent and overall comfortable but durable nature will force you to feel the difference.
Pros
- New 3D weaving technology allows it to be sweat absorbing and well ventilated
- Although it consists of mostly copper cloth, it is still relatively comfortable
- Useful for relieving arthritis or muscle pains
Cons
- Copper cloth being the primary material used in this sleeve makes it heavier
Conclusion
The freedom of powering off all your devices, detaching yourself from the worries of the world, and just focusing on carrying out one task, such as climbing the hill in front of you, can be highly revitalizing. So the last thing you want is to become subject to an injury during your adventures. Knee braces aren’t heavy on the pocket, and they can keep your knee joints compressed to help you prevent injuries.
Of course, we realize that every knee brace or knee compression sleeve listed above may not be perfect for everyone. For that reason, you can find various knee braces along with their pros and cons. Thus, individuals searching for knee braces for different purposes can all be satisfied and buy at least one brace out of the bunch.
With that said, compression sleeves might not suit people struggling with severe injuries like bone fractures. But for hiking purposes, it may be close to perfect, so find your favorite pick from the list above to enjoy a hassle-free hiking experience!
