These stylish compression socks are perfect for sitting at a desk all day, traveling, or working out

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• Comrad Socks is a new startup that's designing stylish socks with surprising health benefits.
• Compression socks help promote blood flow in your legs, preventing soreness aches, and blood clots, and potentially even improving energy and reducing fatigue.
• They can be especially useful on long flights, during or after workouts, or for anyone who sits or stands still all day - like at a desk.

"Compression socks" are never really thought of as a stylish piece of clothing. Nor are they really something that you'd think to wear unless you had to - for instance, if you had a medical condition, were running a marathon, or, in some cases, were taking a long flight.

Comrad Socks, a new startup, wants to change that.

Although compression socks haven't really been seen as a mainstream fix for anything, the minds behind Comrad think that light-compression footwear can actually have a lot of benefits for normal people, every day.

Andrew Ferenci, Comrad's founder, came up with the idea after years of feeling exhausted after spending his days sitting in cramped cubicles and airplane seats. Learning that his stiff legs, sore back, and tired body could mean that he - like anyone who spends extended periods of time sitting - was at risk for blood clots in his legs, he decided to try compression socks, and right away found a huge difference.

Compression socks are designed to fit your legs and feet ergonomically but tightly, gently squeezing the muscles and blood vessels in your calves and feet. That promotes blood flow, which prevents blood from pooling in your legs and potentially clotting (causing a dangerous condition called deep-vein thrombosis). The compression also helps support the movement of lymphatic fluid throughout your lower body.

In addition to reducing your risk of blood clots, Comrad claims that their socks carry benefits ranging from overall body health to helping you feel generally "better" and more energetic.

What ultimately makes Comrad different than other brands is that the socks are stylish. These aren't the beige socks that your grandparents wear for varicose veins, or the athletic socks that you might wear with running shoes. You can wear Comrads with anything.

Comrad supplied the Insider Picks team with a few pairs to test out. While it would be overkill to describe the socks as a miracle cure, we all found the socks comfortable - considering that they're too tight by design - and derived benefits from them.

Check out our full thoughts below:

I love traveling and flying, but I definitely feel stiff, achy, and a bit puffy after long flights. I brought my Comrad socks on my latest trip to Amsterdam and wore them on my flight home.

I've never worn compression socks before, so when I put the socks on, I was actually worried that they were too tight. I kept them on for a few minutes, though, and realized that they felt exactly as they were supposed to. They were snug, but not so snug that they cut off my circulation or made my feet fall asleep. That meant that I could wear them all day without any discomfort.

The flight was about eight hours, and I definitely felt better at the end of it than I normally do after a long flight in coach. My feet and legs were less swollen - something I noticed when I put my shoes back on - and I felt less achy.

Obviously, the aesthetics of the socks make them more wearable than your standard medical or athletic gear, which means that you're more likely to actually wear them. All in all, I was a fan, and I'm planning to take them on my next long-haul flight. - David Slotnick, Insider Picks senior reporter

Comrad Compression Socks in Navy White, $18

I wore these socks while working out and felt the difference: My legs and feet were still sore from a run the day prior, but the pain wasn't nearly as bad with the socks on. I loved that you couldn't tell they were compression socks at all - they just looked like a pair of cute, regular pink socks. - Connie Chen, Insider Picks reporter

Comrad Compression Socks in Muted Rose, $18

When I first put on the compression socks, it felt like my calves were being slowly choked. These are definitely not for everyday wear, but they really proved themselves on some very long flights I took recently. It's hard to quantify exactly, but I walked off the flights where I wore these socks feeling 15% better than usual. I had more energy and generally felt more alert. I totally get why these are useful now and they're going to be my go-to on any flight over a couple hours. - Breton Fischetti, VP of Insider Picks

Comrad Compression Socks in Jet Black, $18