I Tried the Recovery Gear Sha’Carri Richardson Is Using to Prep For the Olympics

Courtesy of Nike

The U.S. Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon are where the fastest athletes compete for their spot at the Paris Olympics. In other words, the stakes are high – and Nike created the Nike Athlete House to help support the runners during the grueling qualifiers. Before and after their events, athletes could head to the house to prepare, recover – and even glam. Yes, in addition to the recovery devices, there were also nail artists, hair stylists, and coloring books. Balance, right? To reach their Olympic dreams, the holistic experience must be considered, and Nike thought of everything.

Courtesty of Nike

But I was at the Nike Athlete House to test the recovery devices, as part of an exclusive tour during a press trip hosted by Nike. And my immediate first impression of the recovery area was that it like something from the future . . . because in many ways it was. Nike and Hyperice partnered on two innovations that debuted during the Olympic trials: tech-enabled boots and vests to boost warm-up and recovery.

These recovery tools aren’t yet available to the public – but I got to test them. Keep reading to learn more about Nike x Hyperice Boot and Vest, and to get my honest thoughts.

What Is the Nike x Hyperice Boot?

Let’s start with the boots. These high-top shoes offer a dynamic air compression massage for your feet and ankles. They feel similar to other air compression boots, such as the Normatec compression boots. If you’ve never worn a pair, it’s not unlike the experience of wearing a blood-pressure cuff at a doctors – just around your feet and ankles, instead of your bicep. And in case this description is leaving any doubt: it feels great, like a foot massage that can go anywhere.

Nike and Hyperice didn’t need to make the boots look cool. (The Normatec boots resemble massive, thigh-high moon boots.) But they did, fitting the technology into a cool pair of Nikes that Sha’Carri Richardson, who won the 100m race during the trials with a sprint of 10.71, has been using “as a key part of my recovery before and after training sessions and races this spring,” she said in a Nike press release.

Courtesy of Nike

Courtesy of Nike

Anthony Katz, the founder and president of Hyperice, tells PS, the Nike x Hyperice boot is designed to tackle “warm-up, recovery, travel, and treatment” all in one.

Travel is a key component. Whether it’s Eugene for the trials or Paris for the Olympics, chances are, if there’s a race or game, an athlete traveled by plane to get there. Katz envisions athletes wearing these boots on flights, as a kind of supercharged version of compression socks, which apply pressure to your legs to promote blood flow. As Katz explains, “With the Normatec dual system, it allows the fluid to go up,” which is meant to help to reduce post-flight fatigued legs and puffy ankles.

I may not be an athlete jetting off to races or games, but a portable and lightweight shoe to make your legs feel fresh after flying? Sign me up.

During my try-on, I was impressed that the Nike x Hyperice boot wasn’t too bulky, feeling more like a regular shoe than a recovery tool. I love Hyperice Elite, which are full-leg compression boots – but they’re massive when inflated with air. I was honestly in awe that these shoes didn’t appear larger once inflated. Magic! Ok . . . maybe just smart engineering.

Did I mention the boots also heat up? They were the perfect amount of toasty. I immediately thought of how nice they would feel after an outdoor run on a cold day, on a frigid flight, or really any night right before bed (anyone else always have cold feet?).

But the benefit is more than just how they feel. The air compression helps drive the heat deep into the muscles and tissues in the foot and ankles, which can help athletes recover and get ready for movement more quickly.

To experiment, I wore the boot on one foot and my regular sneaker on the other; after, my foot that had been in the Nike x Hyperice boot felt much lighter. It felt “ready.” As Nike Athlete Innovation senior director Tobie Hatfield explains, this is by design: “Recovery is an important part of any athlete’s journey, but we’re hearing from athletes that this concept of ‘pre-covery’ is equally as important.”

What is the Nike x Hyperice Vest?

I also got to have a little superhero moment wearing the Nike x Hyperice vest, which helps with body temperature regulation. The vest uses thermoelectric coolers to instantly heat up or cool down your body, and is meant to help athletes dial their body temps to their exact specifications during warm-up and cool-down – sans ice or liquid. I wasn’t warming up or cooling off before or after an event, but the warm vest did feel lovely in the air conditioned room.

PS Photography | Genevieve Farrell Roston

PS Photography | Genevieve Farrell Roston

In my own running experience, temperature has always been an important variable. I grew up in Ottawa, Canada so running outside in the snow was a rite of passage. My sister and I also have taken many trips for races and experienced all climates. From the New Year’s Eve Midnight Runs where the water in the cups being handed out at water stops literally froze to the 80+ degree Maui Half Marathon, I’ve experienced both extremes.

The Olympic Trials in Eugene were on the warm end of the spectrum. I got to compete in the Nike Media Race at Hayward Field the following day and the vest – set to cool this time – definitely would have been a game changer in my performance, as I would have been able to use it to keep my core cool prior to running. I was sweating before the race even began (heat and nerves), so being able to regulate my temperature certainly would have given me a competitive edge . . . even though I was running at a pace best described as fast-but-can’t-injure-myself-because-I-have-two-tiny-children-to-care-for.

Courtesy of Nike

Courtesy of Nike

Even though I’m not going for gold, the Nike Athlete House allowed me a glimpse into the experience of an elite athlete. Would I use the new Nike x Hyperice products again, given the chance? Absolutely.

Travel and expenses for the author were provided by Nike for the purpose of writing this story.

Genevieve Farrell Roston is an award-winning filmmaker and the director of fitness and wellness video at PS. She oversees both the Class Fitsugar and Dance Fitsugar series, which make fitness fun and accessible for a community of more than six million subscribers and which have a library of videos that has received nearly one billion views.