Ublives’ SoleFlux Relax massage boots have convinced me of the benefits of leg compression

Ublives SoleFlux Relax: Two-minute review

I went into my first leg compression experience with Ublives somewhat skeptical of the benefits, and early on in my testing, I wasn’t blown away. Sure, getting a robotic leg massage was kind of cool, and enjoyable, but I didn’t feel like I’d found the vital missing link in my recovery chain. That was until I played my first game of soccer in seven years. After just an hour spent out of breath, fighting for my life on a cold Scottish winter night, I’ve become convinced that leg compression of any kind can provide a massive boost to recovery and performance, and the Ublives SoleFlux Relax are a great starting point for anyone looking to get involved.

Following my first serious aerobic exercise in years, I’ve been mainlining Ublives’ boots multiple times a day, and the only residual soreness I had in my legs was in the places they don’t reach, leaving me thoroughly impressed with their usefulness.

The SoleFlux Relax aren’t the cheapest or the most expensive pair of compression boots on the market. You’ll find cheaper options from the likes of Pulsio or more expensive options from Hyperice. In and around the Ublives are offerings from Therabody, who make some of the best massage guns for fitness and recovery.

The SoleFlux Relax, like all leg compression boots, are simple in concept. They’re enormous boots that cover your feet, lower leg, and most of your thigh. Inflatable chambers receive air through a compression device, exerting pressure on your aching limbs to provide the sensation of a massage.

At first wear, they’re very comfortable to put on, with a single zip running the length of each boot ensuring that you can get in and out of them very easily. I’m six foot tall with long legs and pretty beefy thighs and found that I couldn’t quite get them all the way on for maximum comfort. It wasn’t a deal breaker, but I often used them with the feeling that I hadn’t quite got my leg all the way in.

There are two basic designs of leg compression, and Ublives has opted for a modular design with a small air compression control unit that attaches directly to each leg. This means that you can use each side independently, and are free to move around a bit more. This can be handy if you need targeted recovery for just one leg, or want a bit more flexibility. However, I found that this also led to asynchronous massages where one leg didn’t quite match the other, even when I selected the same program, pressure, and duration. Using the power units was very simple, there’s a button for on, a toggle for pressure, and buttons to control the program and time length.

There are three programs each available in three different durations. Circulation Mode sends pressure up your leg starting at your foot and is dubbed as a sports recovery mode. Sequence mode is targeted at those with muscle soreness and moves from foot to thigh in a slightly different pattern. Finally, there’s Whole Mode, a deep care setting for people who sit for long periods of time and don’t exercise much. Each is available as a 10, 20, or 30-minute program.

I was surprised by how intense the pressure was, even in the middle or lower settings. In fact, the pressure is so intense I’ve not psyched myself up enough to turn it up to five. Rest assured, at least, that even the very achiest and stiffest legs can benefit from Ublives.

While it’s impossible to say whether you will benefit in the same way from leg compression, I’ve found myself impressed by their usefulness. As noted, they were a vital part of my recent recovery from my soccer-induced leg pain. Beyond sports, I’ve found myself using them at some point of every day for a variety of reasons. I’ve used them after a long day sitting down at my desk, and I’ve found another great benefit too. The Ublives seem to help with Restless leg syndrome, with a good program before bed really helping to calm my muscles as I try to sleep.

While Ublives have been my first experience with leg compression, I was surprised by how light they were, and the build quality was reassuringly sturdy. The control units are powered by USB-C and take around 2 and a half hours to charge. From that, you should get 20 minutes of use per day for 10 days, or 200 minutes of use. I’ve broadly found that claim to hold up, running 30 minutes five or six times before needing to charge up again.

Ublives SoleFlux Relax: Price and availability

The Ublives SoleFlux Relax are available exclusively from Ublives.com. They retail at $599, with the price the same wherever you buy them from, so watch out for exchange rates. The AirFit Hyperbag is an optional extra that costs $120. Ublives advertises a 90-day money-back guarantee for users who want to try the product.

TechRadar readers can score them at the reduced price of $479 by using the code Techradar20 at Ublives.com.

Ublives SoleFlux Relax: Specifications

Ublives SoleFlux Relax: Scorecard

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How I tested

I’ve used the Ublives SoleFlux Relax multiple times a day for a few weeks, including before and after workouts, in the evening at bedtime, and following long days sat down at the office. I used all three of the programs available for each of the three durations available. I also ran the batteries to zero and recharged them multiple times to test battery life and recharge time.