[northoceanbeach]

what pads do you think are most important. i know i need some shin guards, and probably some elbow forearms. but what about a pressure suit? do you all wear those? and how often? i am going to tart learning trials tricks and drops. thanks.

 

[DJrider04]

What are you going to be doing. The more pads you where, the hotter you will be, and the less mobile so to say. Forearm pads are kid of pointless, ive only landed there once, I usually hit my shoulders. If you are going to be doing a lot of "extreme" stuff, and risking bruising yourself up pretty bad, I say go for the suit, its going to be better than just single pads. For trials, im not really sure that'd you want pads....

 

[ieatsoap]

what pads do you think are most important. i know i need some shin guards, and probably some elbow forearms. but what about a pressure suit? do you all wear those? and how often? i am going to tart learning trials tricks and drops. thanks.

Rockgardn Flak Jacket w/ Roach freeride knee pads.
Dress for the crash, NOT the ride.

 

[DJrider04]

Yeah, thats what I wear also. But, if your going to be doing trials type stuff, is the full body armor really nessessary? It also depends on how high you are and how much danger is involved. But if your 2 feet off the ground, armor isnt going to save you that much.

 

[northoceanbeach]

freeriding basically, with some practice doing trials stuff. let's just say freeriding. but i am learning so it won't be anything huge

 

[ieatsoap]

Yeah, thats what I wear also. But, if your going to be doing trials type stuff, is the full body armor really nessessary? It also depends on how high you are and how much danger is involved. But if your 2 feet off the ground, armor isnt going to save you that much.

Agreed.

 

[DJrider04]

Well, its really down to the point where, do you think you can take the injury. If your not going huge, theres a limited number of things that can happen, and most of them arent that bad. When I was just starting, all I did was go over the bars. First day I got my new bike, over the bars. When I DH race I tend not to wear my armor due to mobility, but I think I might. Last race I got a brusied clavacle, cut both knees deep, and smashed my neck on a rock under my fullface. Most of that could be avoided with some bodyarmor. I do wear pads, but on a water bar, my front tire blew out, sent me into a tape line to bruise my clavacle, then, I went into a small rockgarden. Its all user preference.

 

[northoceanbeach]

i don't care TOO much about scrapes and bruises, but if i break something then i can't ride for weeks or months. and i can't take that. so i want to not break something so i don't have to take a break from riding.

 

[eman]

well for trials you dont really need pads I think. You will be going like 5mph max, maybe 10. But you can just roll when you fall, or just land on your feet, you wont break a bone doing trials.

 

[TheSherpa]

Me: Rockgardn Flak Jacket and 661 Race Knee/Shin pads and a 661 Full Comp Bravo Carbon helmet

Yeswayjay: Kotex

-TS

 

[smelly]

for trials, you'll want a helmet and some knee/leg guards, preferably something that covers the back of your leg too, not just your shin.
for dirtjumps and downhilling type stuff, i wear a full face and knee/leg pads, the fox north shores. i like 'em because they have give the back of your leg some protection from the pedals. not much, but better than nothing.
actually, i'd say it's more important to wear pads when you're learning drops and jumps than when you're experienced. it's while you're still learning that you're more likely to crash hard. plus, as you get better you learn how to fall in order to minimize injury. for trials you won't want more than a halfie helmet and the leg pads, anything more will restrict your movement.

 

[milhouse]

Ironically that’s all pads do, protect you from scrapes and bruises and I guess in some rare occasions help to prevent breaking a bone.

 

[Dave99]

I really like the grey plastic Roach freeride leg pads. They articulate well at the knee and strap securely in place. The back is exposed to improve ventillation. I've used these a ton because I was always gouging my shins with my platform pedals. Things have gotten a lot better (and hotter) over the past few months so I've dropped the leg pads. So far so good but I miss them when I'm trying new stunts in the bush. I also bought some Roach freeride elbow pads based on the strength of the leg pads, but I find them too hot for XC with some stunt riding mixed in. I think the leg pads are enough for most riding where shinnings and stem-related knee gouges are the biggest concern. I also agree with another rider that I mostly fall on my shoulders and barrel-roll it out. And of course, the helmet + gloves are essential gear.

For DH, I bought an 661 Full Bravo 2 full-face helmet. It feels good just standing around but I haven't ridden it yet. Gonna try it tomorrow at Bromont in Quebec. Same thing with my bad-ass 661 Pressure suit. The pressure suit is pretty damn hot so it'll be a chore to climb but it's better than another cracked rib or a shattered vertebrae.

I'll let you know how it works out on Monday.

 

[---Matt---]

When I'm racing DH I use my UFO body suit, Fox 911 knee/shins, Thor SVR full face helmet and Fox gloves...

When I'm Dirt Jumping I use my open face Giro E2, Fox gloves and sometimes my knee/shins

When I'm doing anything else it's usually the open face and gloves... It's very rare for me to drop a pedal when I'm just riding around and not doing anything spectacular...

---Matt---

 

[jungleuk]

Fox 911 knee/shin
661 race elbow/fore-arm
Giro switchblade - sometimes with the chingaurd, sometimes not, depends on what kinds of ride I am gonna do......

never used to wear the elbow/forarm untill I smashed into a tree and put my arm up to protect myself. Hammered my elbow REALY bad. The next week I boguht the elbow pads btu didnt wear them becuase the elbow was really gooey still. Landed on it VERY hard and slid down a bank and over tree roots. Gouged out a couple of pieces of meat EXACTLY where I had got the tree rash the week before. Now I wear em all the time