I tried the new Normatec Elites—and they’re a must-have for sore golfers

You’ve probably seen them on social media. Pro athletes and influencers are strapped into these enormous boots, seemingly living the life of luxury. Somehow, this device must make you feel like a million bucks, I’ve always thought. I finally got to try them.

Normatec boots are used by athletes in every professional and collegiate sport. On the PGA Tour, players can visit the tour’s performance trailer and use a variety of recovery products. You’ve probably seen fellow golfers using the massage guns at a course near you; they’re now all over pro shops. These Normatec boots, though, are like the Maserati of recovery devices. Apparently all the tour players use ‘em, too.

Basically, the boots’ technology increases blood flow and circulation in your lower body. If you're on your feet for 8-10 hours a day for days on end like a tour pro, the appeal is obvious. Gone are the days of your legs being sore. The boots were invented by Dr. Laura Jacobs, who created Normatec to help women recovering from breast cancer struggling with lymphedema, a type of swelling that can occur. Jacobs’ son, Gilad, a rower at the University of Pittsburgh, applied the boots to athletics—and the boots have become a staple in training rooms around the world ever since.

A downside has always existed—the Normatecs required a separate control unit and a compressor hose to connect to the boots. Not ideal for traveling. But with some innovating, that has officially changed.

The new Normatec Elite boots are all-wireless and fold up small for ease of travel. It’s a game-changer for golf trips—if you just walked 36 holes a couple days in a row, and you don’t mind sitting in the common room with the boys with these giant boots, this will be your new favorite toy. I’ve stopped caring what people think of me a long time ago, so I’m very excited for this.

I tried the Normatec Elites last week at their unveiling event in Manhattan. I didn’t know what to expect—I’d never seen them in use, all I knew was famous and rich people used these things. Though the price tag is high at $999, if you value recovery and struggle with lower-body stiffness, the promise of “fresh legs” is appealing.

The technology blew me away. Wireless units power each boot, and within a few seconds, the units sync with each other, so the compression and massage patterns run simultaneously on each leg. Customizing the ideal pressure is easy, too, with the ability to control “zone” settings. Bluetooth settings and an app allow you to control all of this through your phone as well. So after you’re done posting a photo to prove you have the new Normatec elites, then you can pump the breaks on the pressure of the boots.

I used the new boots for a 30-minute session, just a few days after running a five-mile run. Going in, my hamstrings were rock hard … it’s probably the most sore outside of a long golf trip I’ve ever been. After using the Normatec Elites, my legs felt better than they had in a very long time.

Rory McIlroy had the below quote about the Normatec Elites as well: “I adopted Normatec a number of years back, and it has become a non-negotiable for me following a round, a session on the range, or after a tough workout. Normatec Elite will enhance the experience 10-fold, especially with my schedule, as the product is a great solution for travel during the golf season.”

I can see the light. It’s not just a status thing. Recovery is a way of life now. Everyone finally understands it. Now I finally do, too.