Ohuhu Knee and Ankle Supporters

 

Hubby is always in need of a new knee and ankle braces, because as anyone who uses them regularly knows, they wear out fast. Elastic goes bad, velcro stops holding, whatever the case may be. I thought I was signing up to try some from a company called Green Life. When I was approved to test them, I found out it was Ohuhu. Again. So let’s dive right in.

I tried to approach these braces with an open mind, with the knowledge that Ohuhu absolutely doesn’t stand behind their products and offers almost no after-sales support whatsoever. The Ohuhu “breathable” ankle brace arrived at the same time as the knee brace, and both stunk to high heaven. I don’t know what these overseas companies are putting into these rubbers, neoprene and cloth, but they all have a very bad smell to them that just does not dissipate. The positive marks I can give the ankle brace is that the velcro grips very well, and it stays in place. The negatives are that it’s on the small side, which means there’s not as much support as one would like. It’s made from polyester which absolutely does not breath, and your foot and ankle will be sweating in this after a couple of hours. And the smell. Goodness, the smell. I don’t know why these things from China smell the way they do, but it’s unbearable. Even after washing, the smell stayed (Don’t wash it in water over 60 degrees Celsius [140 degrees Fahrenheit, for us in the U.S.], by the way. So a hot water wash to kill microbes and bacteria is out.). And lastly, it’s $1 more for this ankle brace than one from one of the larger U.S. companies providing an identical item. The big difference being this Ohuhu one ships free from Amazon with Prime, whereas the more well-known company’s brace is one of Amazon’s dreaded “Add-On” items. It’s an okay brace, but I’m not a huge fan and neither is hubby.

With the knee brace, despite Ohuhu claiming “Seller Warranty:-12-Month Replacement Warranty, -30-Day Money Back Guarantee, -Lifetime Support Guarantee”, it’s been my experience after numerous products tried out for them, there is zero, and I mean none, aftersales support or recourse if something goes pear-shaped. No via email, not via Facebook, nothing. It’s made of the same polyester fabrics as the ankle brace, and while it’s stretchy and the rubber and neoprene keeps it 100% in place, it does not breathe at all. It’s made small, so the support is minimal, but on the plus side you don’t need to slide it up your leg to wear it, it opens up completely to wrap your knee. It also suffers from the same issues with a horrible smell that the ankle brace does, and washing does not get it out. I’ve made hubby put them in plastic market bags in the garage because I can’t get the smell out of them. At $9.99 (free shipping with Prime), it’s affordable, and cheaper than the alternatives from other major brands, but for me, if I can’t wear it because it stinks, it’s not going to do me any good. So it’s up to you if you want to pay a little more and get something with better coverage, support and no smell from another company, but I don’t recommend this brace either.

In the end, both braces are relegated to outside duties and light duties at that, considering the low levels of support they provide. After multiple washings in hot(ish) water, I cannot get the smell out of them, and there’s no way I’m wearing them out of the house with that smell. They’re cheap, and they ship free, and stay in place. That’s about all the good I can say about them, but I do not recommend either, and I’m not Ohuhu’s biggest fan either.

Ohuhu products are available on Amazon.com

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Ohuhu. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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Smiley: Efferdent Fresh Guard Starter Kit #Review #Freshguard

I was very fortunate to have had braces. Although you’d be hard pressed to get me to admit it at the time. The last thing anyone wants when they’re starting high school is a mouth full of metal. But now, with the benefit of age and understanding I know that my parents did me a huge favor (and laid out no small amount of money) to ensure I had a straight, beautiful smile. Part of maintaining that for all these years has been wearing my retainer from time to time. Yes, I still wear my retainer, much to my husband’s amusement, all these years later.

And anyone who has one knows that keeping them clean is paramount. The absolute LAST thing you want in your mouth is a gunky, nasty retainer. Toothpaste isn’t the same animal from when we were kids, so I can appreciate Smiley360’s offer to try Fresh Guard by Efferdent. Gentle on the appliances we put in our mouths, but rough on germs. It’s also good for mouth guards and removable braces. Since I don’t have those, just my retainer, I’ll be sticking to that.

What I really like from jump street is that you can just drop it in a glass or bowl, pour the crystals and let the fizz carry the junk away. Which is exactly what I did. I notice right away that despite the emphasis on “fresh”, there’s instead a very distinct chemical smell. The instructions say to wait for the water to turn clear, and you’re good to go, but the smell makes me want to rinse it right away, which I do. And I’m glad I did, because there’s still a slight “off” taste. I can’t imagine what it would have been right from the glass to my mouth. It doesn’t seem any cleaner than when I use a toothbrush and toothpaste, so I’m hard pressed to see the benefit from this product.

My kit also comes with a Fresh Guard wipe, which I have to assume would be better suited to something without ridges or pointy edges like my retainer, because it kept getting caught. It didn’t do a very thorough job at all.

All things considered, I’m not a huge fan of this product, and don’t particularly see the need for the additional expense. If it did a better job than a toothbrush and toothpaste, I could see it but it doesn’t. It might also be seen as step backwards with the smell. Shame, really, because I wanted to like this product.

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I received the above product free of charge from Fresh Guard by Efferdent and Smiley360.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.