NEW SBD Sleeve Impressions vs Inzer, Iron Rebel, and More

[@seanjohnston848]

Me, watching this while eating popcorn with my $10 Aliexpress sleeves on...

[@vo5man]

😂😂😂 I’m curious 😅

[@haloextreme0]

What are the chances your squat is under 405

[@BasementBrandon]

Great, now I need to buy those too.

[@onslaught213]

😂

[@Mikejames1080]

Lmao

[@BasementBrandon]

I will also say, these do not have the same overpowering stank of the stiff sleeves either. Also watched feedback from Kristen Dunsmore and Jess Buettner but forgot to mention.

[@michaelrooney3053]

Brandon is always the go-to before pulling the trigger on new Powerlifting gear

[@BasementBrandon]

You're not helping me cure my addictions. 😅

[@dangilormo4376]

Brandon doing God’s work for the powerlifting community 🙏🏼

[@BasementBrandon]

All 250 of us!

[@mattilaukka1307]

Sold Inzer Ergopros and returned new SBDs (got them in release and was veeery disappointed, in size M as my old were also size M). Keeping very old SBDs and A7 Rigor Mortis only. A7 is the best bang for the buck what comes to quality and comfort and stiffness.

[@BasementBrandon]

For me, the mediums fit a bit tighter than my OG SBDs, so I get why some might say they feel more supportive. That being said, they're def more like normal sleeves to me.

[@mattilaukka1307]

@@BasementBrandon I found new model size M looser than old M. Old ones are used like 1000+ times and washed like 100 times in washing machine. But it is not a fake rumor that 2013-2016 SBDs were thicker than 7mm in real life. Have also tested different colors on 2017-2021 SBD and they were looser than my old. So new ones may be the same than 2017-2022 regular 7 mm except firmer if you imagine and dream enough 😀 Did not also like the new surface at all... Makes sound and shoe and wrist wrap stickers stick to it.

[@BasementBrandon]

@@mattilaukka1307 interesting mine are from the earlier years before people said they changed the neoprene

[@markwurtz8759]

You didn't squat in them to see if they are better?

[@BasementBrandon]

Not a training day today

[@JF_lifts]

Are these the SBD “powerlifting” knee sleeves as listed on their website?

[@BasementBrandon]

Yes

[@MelloHubb]

I bought the titans and it was a crazy experience lol. I was about to do my working weight at 450 and after the third rep it felt like my damn calves were losing blood flow. My calves were so swollen i had to cut them off 😂. Thats the problem when your calves are bigger than your damn knee joint.

[@BasementBrandon]

@@Pler1978I agree about finding the right shape, the titans are like the inzers however and flare out for the calves. Problem is sizing sucks across the board and most make the mistake of sizing down.

[@snorlaxcom]

Some tips for a fellow big-calfer: ***Use knee high compression socks when donning and doffing to help reduce calf diameter, less friction than normal socks, and are usually thinner, too. ***Get a sweat in these socks to help slide the sleeves off and your elevated body temperature will warm up the neoprene to actually help dilate them a bit. ***Getting a calf pump makes it more difficult to take these off, so get a proper rack height to not have to calf raise the bar out. ***Don't pull these sleeves up all the way at first! These next gen neoprene sleeves have a break in period (1-3 months) after which they can stretch up to half or a full-size up.

[@MelloHubb]

@Basement Brandon in this case the problem was that they only gave measurements for your knee joint. In comparison to other sleeves like a7 giving measurements for knee, calves and thighs... So since my calves are bigger than my knee joint (especially during a workout set with more blood flow), I ran into issues taking them back off.

[@MelloHubb]

@snorlaxcom good to know for sure! I think that led to it. It was just a very sweaty squat session in the garage and they were not moving at all even though I got them down past my knee with no issues.

[@Rebelliousrefinement]

@@MelloHubbmy calf measures an inch and a half bigger than my knee joint so I had to basically size up. The inzers we fantastic still. They were still difficult to get on and off bc of the stiffness compared to cheapy gymreapers but they’re night and day! I hope they don’t get loose after a while. I don’t want to have to struggle any harder with a smaller size and risk cutting them off

[@pfeiffer2121]

piccolo about to hit the special beam cannon

[@BasementBrandon]

He's on the glow up after the last movie.

[@thomastkach7467]

Do you find there the be an stretch or break-in to the newer stiff sleeves? Got some A7s in that fit my leg well, but they might be a hair too tight and exchange doesn't seem to be an option due to stock at the moment. I've only used some fairly loose fitting Stoics so far, so the feeling of a tighter sleeve is new, as is the stiffer material, so I'm not sure how to think about fit.

[@BasementBrandon]

I've heard some people say this. My issue is I have so many that it's been hard to break in just one pair. I will note that as I've used more of them, they seem to be easier to get on and off. I don't know if that's due to break in, or me just having better technique.

[@twistedbarbell3950]

Interesting and look forward to full review. Pricey. I also wonder if that texture helps with pulling them on.

[@markhalstead2386]

Taking them off is even harder.

[@twistedbarbell3950]

@@markhalstead2386 bummer

[@markhalstead2386]

@@twistedbarbell3950 I meant my current SBD sleeves.

[@RakCs]

@@twistedbarbell3950 I got mine today. It is quite easier to take off than the stiff ones, you can actually reverse these like normal sleeves.

[@BasementBrandon]

Will let ya know!

[@kevinjansen4840]

Brandon, how are the cerberus sleeves? compared to others for training days, i got like 41-42cm knee measurement, what size do you advise? L?

[@BasementBrandon]

I only have their heavy sleeves. I like them, but I wear a 2xl in them somehow.

[@johnr9907]

Are these comparable to the regular powerlifting knee sleeves by inzer? Looking for an offseason knee sleeve

[@BasementBrandon]

They're much lighter and not as stiff.

[@drvenhrd46]

This man’s financial sacrifice for our own education is something to admire 😅i bought these sleeves after the video promo release from SBD.. these sleeves are trash and all hype..The standard has been set by inzer..denser material and the new neoprene blend is the new srandard for raw PL

[@BasementBrandon]

Haha that's an aggressive take. Going to give these a go today!

[@MrAjenn]

I don't really use knee support while bench pressing

[@BasementBrandon]

Right on

[@ayyjayy5018]

I'm kind of in between the inzers, titan tks and the ghost, leaning heavily towards the Inzer my knee/calves measures 16"/16", I like the shape and design of the inzer and I believe according to their size chart I would fall under XL if I'm not mistaken? I've recently read that the newer batches (post early 2022) weigh less than the newer Inzer sleeves they are sending out, have you heard anything of the sort? Kind of concerning since I'll need to jump through a few hoops to get it

[@BasementBrandon]

I've heard some say that the newer ones are not as good as the first few batches, but haven't been able to confirm. I find all the brands you mentioned have a similar shape, some say the Titan's feel better on the back of your leg but I haven't noticed a difference.

[@ayyjayy5018]

@@BasementBrandon yeah I like the hourglass shape (not sure why tbh) for sure Do you think I would be able to fit in a large inzer with 16”/16” measurements? Or would it be too difficult to put on, I workout at a commercial gym so it can get a bit much possibly for some I saw your video where you went tts and it had the gapping when you were in the hole which made me wonder if I should size down from the XL that the size chart shows

[@BasementBrandon]

@@ayyjayy5018 I would prob go based off the size chart (XL). You may be able to fit in a large... but then again , you may not.

[@ediot6969]

Stoic still the top dog in my heart. I’ll stick with them.

[@BasementBrandon]

They're solid sleeves IMO. They are coming out with heavy duty ones as well though!

[@conqueringbarbell2101]

I love my pair of Stoics, still need to try the Inzer ones

[@BasementBrandon]

Stoics are still my daily!

[@jameshastings6538]

I’m looking for a really good neoprene knee sleeve and a dual ply sleeve. Whats your top two of each type of these sleeves. I’m having an overload of options and not familiar with any of them lol. I will be using these for heavy leg sets. But I also want to be able to wear them between sets without having to take them off.

[@BasementBrandon]

So I'd probably stay away from these newer stiff sleeves if you want to wear them for extended amounts of time. Most of the powerlifting specific sleeves are going to be 7mm since that's the thickest allowed, but if not competing you could get a "standard" sleeve that's up to 9mm that will give you some extra support but not so stiff to the point where it's hard to wear. I would def suggest using the standard sizing chart and not sizing down like is common practice for powerlifting. Of the normal sleeves, I still tend to go with Stoics as they're affordable and the most dense in the normal style I've come across (7mm)

[@jameshastings6538]

@@BasementBrandonthanks for the answer!! This helps tremendously. I have a couple more questions because I’ll probably end up with a few different pairs depending on what I’m doing. As far as the stiffer ones go, which would you recommend? I didn’t know Pioneer was making a set until your videos. And do you have a recommendation for the non-neoprene dual-ply sleeves? I was looking at Cerberus, Iron Rebel, or Strength Shop. Or are they all about the same?

[@BasementBrandon]

@@jameshastings6538 So for the stiffer ones I think a big part of it is the shape of your legs. I did a stand alone video on this to give some better context. In terms of dual ply sleeves, I don't have a lot of experence their, so wouldn't feel comfortable giving a rec.

[@jameshastings6538]

@@BasementBrandonyeah, I watched that one. Thanks for the video. I would have potentially bought the wrong style. I’d say I’d need the cone or straight style one. My knees are about 17” and so are my calves. So leaning more towards the cone style.

[@BasementBrandon]

@@jameshastings6538 Gotcha, so in that case, I'd prob recommend Stoic or SBD. Could also look at the A7 cone sleeves. Stoic currently only offer "regular" 7mm sleeves but should have a stiff version out later this year. SBD has a regular and a newer one, but neither really wow me for the price point. A7 has 3 options of stiffness. Regardless any of those 3 brands are a good start to me!

[@khailephd]

How do these compare to the OG rehband sleeves?

[@BasementBrandon]

Those feel like toys now 😝

[@John-dk3wj]

What knee sleeves do you recommend inzer ergo pro titan tks or sbd powerlifting knee sleeves

[@BasementBrandon]

Both are super similar in fit and performance. I'd go with the one what you like the looks of and price.

[@isaiahstarks23]

I just need some that fit properly. I have huge quads and small calves so the inzers I have just fall right off

[@BasementBrandon]

Prob better getting a cone shape

[@isaiahstarks23]

@@BasementBrandon I just ordered some A7 stiff cones, hopefully these work out better when they get here. Saw your other video on the best types for each leg type that was really helpful 🙏🏽

[@BasementBrandon]

I actually just ordered another pair myself. The one thing I will warn you about however is they stink. Like a lot. Be warned lol.

[@isaiahstarks23]

@@BasementBrandon oh great lol well that’s good to know. How do you like the A7 compared to Inzer? I just ordered some more Inzers , same size but is the Kona version which from what I heard are basically the same as regular ergo pro but they come in a conical shape instead go have a better tapered fit. I got my first pair free so I didn’t mind buying the second and I’ll just sell the first ones lol

[@BasementBrandon]

I think the A7 are a bit more wearable for every day training vs the inzers which to me had more bite. The issue I've seen with the inzers is the material seems to differ depending on the batch.

[@bmstylee]

It's hard for me to get excited about $130+ knee sleeves. I just don't know how much ROI for the cash spent you actually get. Short of my current SBD sleeves falling apart I'm not replacing them. If I am going to push to near 1rm weight I prefer knee wraps because they give me a lot more support.

[@BasementBrandon]

Now you know how I feel after having bought half of these things lol. I know Pioneer is aiming to bring theirs in at $80-$100 which I think would help bring some of these inflated prices down and put them closer to the sleeves already available.

[@stevewise1656]

I'm simply looking for sleeves that don't bunch on my calves and crease my skin.

[@BasementBrandon]

the tighter the fit, the less material, the less bunching. But it will happen regardless.

[@JD-kw9gg]

great review bro

[@BasementBrandon]

Appreciate it!

[@scooobyj8714]

Look forward to the full video

[@BasementBrandon]

Thanks my dude!

[@joeyforbidussi9730]

I know that a lot of these comments are anti-SBD, but I will say that for me, these are awesome. Only have had one session, but as someone who prefers a more flexible sleeve that doesn’t gap when you bend, these are great. I have a pair of SBD sleeves that are about a year old but the same size, and there is a bit of difference tightness wise. Pricey for sure, but good quality for what I wanted

[@BasementBrandon]

Makes sense. I'm not anti-SBD, I just think Stoics offer a better product/value for me!

[@uras1611]

witch one the best stiffer

[@BasementBrandon]

The majority of them are the same material, so one is not stiffer than the other.

[@miguelcardenas8490]

Do you like the Cerberus more? Those and the pioneer ones interest me a lot .... The SBD ones are a complete let down IMO

[@BasementBrandon]

So for my leg shape, the cerberus, iron rebel and pioneer make the most sense. Of those 3 however, the Cerberus ones fit better as the Pioneer was way too small and the IR are a bit too tight for extended wear.

[@BasementBrandon]

Meaning if I got the right size in the other 2 I wouldn't have a preference.

[@miguelcardenas8490]

@@BasementBrandon understood, but which offers the most amount of support? I.e. which feels more like cheating? Lol

[@BasementBrandon]

@@miguelcardenas8490 Literally the same.

[@AerinQQ]

@@BasementBrandon Have you tried the A7 Hourglass rigor mortis ones as well? Theyre literally the only "heavy" knee sleeves available in Europe, unless you want to pay ridiculous shipping from overseas + VAT+tax...just wondering how they stack up against the Inzer, Iron Rebel, Titan etc., I guess considering the material is similar, it should be pretty much the same right?

[@paleo747]

Sleeve review, yay

[@BasementBrandon]

😇

[@babygiantbarbell1014]

I watched, and I enjoyed

[@BasementBrandon]

🫶

[@atp_powerlifting560]

❤

[@BasementBrandon]

Thanks Adam!

[@عليمحمد-ث8م5ط]

👏👏👏👏👏

[@BasementBrandon]

Thanks for taking a look!

[@carps_gym]

Sleeves on sleeves

[@BasementBrandon]

All sleeves, no squats.

[@NoFate247]

THat's a nice package

[@BasementBrandon]

#heynow

[@lb3bodybuilding278]

It’s been hilarious to hear all the SBD sponsored athletes bending over backwards to say they don’t prefer the denser sleeves. It’s a shame SBD is still operating this way in 2023 and expecting people to pay top dollar. Hopefully lifters will begin to recognize their quality continues to drop consistently every year. The last innovative contribution they’ve made to powerlifting was the adjustable lever belt which has since been outdone by Pioneer (PAL).

[@BasementBrandon]

I do think there are people out there who don't want to over stiff sleeves, but as I said in the video, I think there are better regular sleeves out there (at better pricing) than SBD.

[@snorlaxcom]

Yea bunch of apologists don't want to lose SBD sponsorship dollars since PL isn't a real job.

[@snorlaxcom]

5:00 People coping that they don't have to switch to next gen neoprene are hypocrites sponsored by SBD or fanboys. And in some cases these same lifters were sizing down 1-2 sizes while claiming that SBD only keep their knees warm and don't actually help. 😂 Inzer put SBD on blast for cheapening their original formula years ago, but still pedal the current and colored ones as top of the line when they actually feel like socks. That's why competitive lifters had to size down to get anything out of them. This SBD model only restores the original formula that was already stiffer. Lifters deserve better and should see through the sham SBD has pulled off with ad campaigns like the Sheffield meet.

[@BasementBrandon]

I get your points and agree with some, but I think most people size down any of the normal sleeves regardless of brand.

[@Pshpshpshpshpshpshpsh]

9/9 sleeve game

[@BasementBrandon]

3/9 powerlifting attempts game.

[@Garage_gym48]

Great vid. Love my sbds for use on my squats. Comfy and reliable. Have the inzers for 1RM or heavy single work because they definitely feel like they give u an extra 5-10% IMO. They smash the back of my knee with the stitching though which also busted after about 10 sessions over a year (not ideal but getting replaced under warranty). Got a bday coming up so will launch into the new sbds. Just like what they offer for regular use.

[@BasementBrandon]

Yeah I'm curious to see how they feel when I squat today. Even with all these stiff sleeves, I'm still leaning towards "regular" sleeves for training.

[@urbanshaft]

They did not fix the problems from the original sleeves. They still bunch up in the back. They still have a tag on them. People who I showed mine kept saying these are just the regular par and couldn't really tell the difference

[@markhalstead2386]

Mine bunch up in the back too. I am not super strong yet (240 squat), but am glad to hear this isn’t normal.

[@BasementBrandon]

I've found the majority of sleeves will have some bunching/folding, but def agree on the annoying tags.

[@ora6925]

Weight comparison is nice but at the end I want to know about their stiffness, how much support I get, or any of the other variations of "how many pounds do they add to my squat - which of these sleeves adds the most to my squat". The weight itself doesn't necessarily affect that - it'll be the stiffness first and foremost.

[@BasementBrandon]

The stiffer sleeves are denser, thus weighing more, so showing weight in relation is helpful IMO

[@weeli4054]

i’ve just finished powerlifting in highschool and i really enjoyed squatting with knee wraps. i’m going back to working out in my own gym without anyone to wrap my knees for squatting. my coach had us wrapping knees anywhere at or above 85% 1rm for working sets. i want something similar to the support the knee wraps gave me and im stuck between inzer ergo pro and SBD powerlifting sleeves. what do you think?

[@BasementBrandon]

Inzers would feel closer to a wrap IMO

[@martystrasinger3801]

Yes, I believe that you have 2000 pounds of sleeves, ‘cause I saw your video with Gluck’s. 😊

[@BasementBrandon]

😅

[@danyo6938]

I wish knee sleeves were a bit shorter in length 🤷‍♂

[@BasementBrandon]

They make some shorter but I feel this is not ideal.

[@ulfang]

Thoughts on the Hansu Power sleeves?

[@BasementBrandon]

They're like Inzer lights to me. Same shape, but not as long (which to me is not desirable).

[@ulfang]

​@@BasementBrandon are stiffness/thickness also comparable with the Inzers? Very hard to find the inzers atm

[@BasementBrandon]

@@ulfang I'd say slightly below, but still similar. I've heard some of the newer inzers don't feel as good as the first few runs. If you like that shape, I'd suggest looking into the Ghost or Titan TKS sleeves.

[@ulfang]

​@@BasementBrandon for me ghosts are out of question cuz of IPF approval. Are the titan clearly better than the Hansu in your opinion? I've held the titans in the hand and they are massive but haven't seen the Hansu's in person. Also already looking forward for that Avancus shoes review!!

[@BasementBrandon]

@@ulfang So I'd suggest the Inzer/Titan over the Hansu for IPF sleeves IF you have large calves. The A7 rigor mortis sleeves are also very good IMO

[@joecowan3719]

Those sound like the textured powder coat of knee sleeves. Ease of taking on and off in training to me trumps performance...but on the platform, whatever helps get the last kilo, even if it is all mental.

[@BasementBrandon]

We'll see how these get on/off today!

[@StephColbertsonStrength]

Louis Simmons said don’t have $100 shoes and a 10 cent squat…. Didn’t say anything about $100 sleeves 😅

[@BasementBrandon]

Truth!

[@playerseven777]

what about the hansu power sleeves? did you try them? good for small calves (ask for a friend ;-))

[@BasementBrandon]

They're similar in cut to the inzers, so not great for small calves IMO

[@RoyalGaming-if8of]

What about the Markell x sleeve do you think the x sleeve are popular ?

[@BasementBrandon]

Those aren't what I would consider stiff sleeves.

[@BJGally]

I just need a stiff sleeve that can go over big calves without having to wear myself out lol

[@BasementBrandon]

Prob looking at Inzer, Ghost, or Titan

[@roystevenson1297]

Which one you think is better The Hand knee raps or the knee slaves

[@BasementBrandon]

Knee wraps are only good for equipped lifting IMO, which not many people do.

[@MrGusOrlando]

😂😂😂😂 too funny

[@BasementBrandon]

Thanks Gus hope all is well.

[@UrbanLegend2k11]

Tuff Wraps still got my heart, cuz I'm a broke ass mofo.

[@BasementBrandon]

😇

[@manuels.9693]

That sponge comparison was perfect :D

[@BasementBrandon]

🤪

[@Metalmachine18]

These are such a strange product. Especially after so much hype. I’ll admit they’re comfy as, very happy to wear them for a full session, and are more supportive. Have heard the description of if the OG sbds are a 1, the Inzers are a 2 and these are a 1.5 and that feels accurate. Gonna be a good daily driver sleeve, but not a ‘performance’ one

[@BasementBrandon]

I think David Woolson was the one that said that. To me, after having worn yesterday, might adjust that to a 1.25. I don't find them that much more supportive than my Stoics. I did notice that although I have the older ones and newer ones in the same size, the newer ones seemed to run smaller, so I wonder if that's a contributing factor to them feeling slightly more supportive.

[@williamm4071]

@@BasementBrandondo you like the new SBDs or the Stoic’s better?

[@BasementBrandon]

@@williamm4071 They're both good, personally I like the stoics still b/c of their price point and color options.

[@dubai_fitness]

i not so long ago bought the older SBDs and i think theyre very good, feel very supported... so its crazy to think the vibe in this video is that they are not all that amazing lol. if youre buying knee sleeves THAT stiff , the sleeves are just doing some of the weight for you, youre just concerned with moving weight and not bodybuilding.. i can squat 4 plates a side (at 87kg) with the original SBDs for reps and feel safe, not sure what sort of weight you guys are trying to push lol

[@BasementBrandon]

So I'm not anti-SBD, but I do believe there are better sleeves out there at better prices (not even talking about the new stiff sleeves). To your points however, if you haven't tried other brands/sizing it may be hard to understand b/c you don't know what you don't know.

[@dubai_fitness]

@@BasementBrandon that is understandable. I mean I updated from the old school blue 7mm rehbands

[@dubai_fitness]

@@BasementBrandon also could you list some of the ones mention in your comment that are better than the sbds . Thanks

[@dubai_fitness]

@@BasementBrandon also could you list some of the ones mention in your comment that are better than the sbds . Thanks

[@BasementBrandon]

@@dubai_fitness personally the ones I've used which I like better are from Stoic, IronTanks, and A7. But like most things, a lot of it is preference.

[@timk8258]

I quit wearing sleeves altogether. Came back to powerlifting after a few years of hypertrophy oriented training (i.e. doing everything possible to avoid squatting 😂) and started light. Didn’t feel like I needed the sleeves at first. Fast forward six months and I still haven’t felt like there is any point in making my knees sweat. Did a meet at the end of May and I’m pretty sure I was the only person there who squatted without sleeves. Maybe I will change my mind as I continue to get closer to old PR’s but I kinda doubt it.

[@BasementBrandon]

Right on!!