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Decent knee/shin pads & impact shorts? Trust you guys more than retailer user reviews.

19K views 43 replies 19 participants last post by  Myoko  
#1 ·
I don't know if the ones priced at $100+ are any different than $30 pads/shorts, don't want to waste money just because something has a brand like Burton on it.
 
#2 ·
Azzpadz offer excellent tail bone protection if youre doing park. They are bulky though.
i use burton impact shorts and burton knee pads for warmth and comfort on the lift and when sitting. They offer very limited protection but better than nothing.

Dainese and leatt make some gear aimed more at mtb and moto but would work on the snow too.
 
#24 ·
Good. Probably discontinued because they make injuries worse. Had them and really messed up my knee worse than if o had nothing on. They harden on impact, so it was like landing on cement instead of snow. There’s a great article explaining how they work/don’t work in boxing, to explain what is happening. When the boxing trainer has them in his boxing gloves, it protects him from the punches he’s receiving, but for the person throwing the punch, it’s like punching a cement wall. So put that technology in a knee pad. If you’re sitting still and someone hits your knee with a bat, you’ll be OK, but landing on them, again, is like landing on cement, as you’re now landing on something which turned super hard. Kind of hard to explain, but I don’t recommend them and they were expensive too.
 
#6 ·
More expensive items use D30 or something similar, which is a flexible padding that stiffens on impact. Otherwise you're using foam/plastic padding that's far more bulky. More expensive items will also tend to have things like adjustment straps, while cheaper ones will just be a pull-on design.

These are generalizations, but if you try on a cheap set and an expensive set, you'll notice the difference. Whether you're willing to pay for that difference, well, that's up to you. How attached are you to your knees? 😁

(Seriously, if you've ever been subjected to a single knee-strike, you'll never complain about cost of knee pads again)
 
#9 ·
More expensive items use D30 or something similar, which is a flexible padding that stiffens on impact. Otherwise you're using foam/plastic padding that's far more bulky. More expensive items will also tend to have things like adjustment straps, while cheaper ones will just be a pull-on design.

These are generalizations, but if you try on a cheap set and an expensive set, you'll notice the difference. Whether you're willing to pay for that difference, well, that's up to you. How attached are you to your knees? 😁

(Seriously, if you've ever been subjected to a single knee-strike, you'll never complain about cost of knee pads again)
I was in a deep toeside carve on the icecoast and my back knee tapped the ice for a second and holy hell it left me down for a hot minute. Been bruised for a while and still a tiny bit weak after a week and a half. So definitely going all out on protection from now on.
 
#8 ·
I once saw a guy doing a boadslide on a rail on Seymour. His board slipped out and he sat down hard on the rail, right on his tailbone. They had to cart him away. This leads me to 2 conclusions:

1. Ima spend as much as necessary to get the best protective equipment.
2. Never, never, never gonna do a boardslide on a rail. Not for any money.
 
#14 ·
I've been wearing Burton impact shorts for years. One pair has lasted quite a few seasons, and I always have them on. I like them because they're comfortable enough to wear all the time even driving. I don't fall a whole lot anymore but I have landed on my tailbone a few times and came away with a bruise instead of a break. Still hurt, but only for a day or two.

I have broken my tail bone after landing on ice, and had to sit on donut shaped pillows for three weeks. It can be a season ender for sure.
 
#15 ·
Man, that happened to me too! I broke my tailbone closing day at Vail one year. Very unlucky. I popped off a roller full send into an icy mogul field. I was happy it was closing day, but it really ate into my biking season.

Any injury is bad news. You lay yourself open to injury every time you ride. I've been opposed to it, but maybe some padding would be a good idea. I wear armor when mountain biking. Getting some for snowboarding seems like a good idea, but I probably won't.
 
#17 ·
I used to wear the Azzpad for a couple of season then switch to the demon 3d shorts, more comfortable. I also use the 3D knee pads and that has saved me a few times on slipping on ice while toe side and my Level gloves with Biomex wrist protection. Recently, i have been wearing the Demon protective vest with back protector just in case, and that case happened today,as i was going thru some tree runs when i caught a small stump that knock me off balance in which i got pinballed until i smack into a tree backwards. I think i was lucky today.
 
#36 ·
I used to wear the Azzpad for a couple of season then switch to the demon 3d shorts, more comfortable. [...]
I need to update my tailbone protection. My available options are limited, I have this exact choice: azzpadz (D3O or original) and Demon FlexForce X2 D3O and Demon FlexForce X D3O. I already have Red impact shorts, but they make no difference for me, they are more padded where I don't need. So I'd like to level up.
Azzpadz is definitely less expensive, but I fear it could be unconfortable to wear. About D3O, is this really the best choice?
 
#18 ·
@drblast I definitely go with option #2. But it isn't just rails that can bite. I caught a heelside edge over a month ago after landing a jump. My butt was black for weeks, if this wasn't the interwebz I'd post a picture for the shock value. The backside of my knee joint turned black and blue too, I guess the blood trickled down. Still hurts a little. And I was wearing G-Form base layer, if not for these I think they would have needed to amputate the buttcheek. Not a perfect solution, I'd like more padding, but it's what I've got.

 
#20 ·
@drblast I definitely go with option #2. But it isn't just rails that can bite. I caught a heelside edge over a month ago after landing a jump. My butt was black for weeks, if this wasn't the interwebz I'd post a picture for the shock value. The backside of my knee joint turned black and blue too, I guess the blood trickled down. Still hurts a little. And I was wearing G-Form base layer, if not for these I think they would have needed to amputate the buttcheek. Not a perfect solution, I'd like more padding, but it's what I've got.

View attachment 156223
That is what i wear(G-form not the Demon 3D) except its the short version, same with my kneepads (G-form).
 
#25 ·
Burton Impact shorts have one secret feature no one thinks of.
You won't be cold in the ass so fast, sitting on a chair, snow, or wet bench.

Every year I see some pair, with 50% discount. Just be patient and buy them when they cost around 60-70$ tops.
 
#32 ·
I own both the Burton and the Demon impact shorts.

The Burton one is super slim but doesn't last. After a season the pads have torn and are only semi functional. It's bad enough that I don't want to wash them anymore.

Demon ones seemingly will last forever these are strong as hell. They are slightly bulkier but there is a clear difference in protection on falls. I was always skeptical of the Burton one because you have to trust the thin layer of D30 will harden on landing, which, I'm not totally convinced happens.

Another plus of the Demons is they'll integrate with upper body armor if you ever use it.

Whatever you get make sure it has the pee hole.
 
#35 ·
I have the Burton Impact shorts with gform. Which are just the same as the gform shorts you buy for biking with Burton logo which I also have. The difference though is the coverage of the tail bone and butt is much larger and solid on the Burton snowboard specific ones. The bike ones are fine and much cheaper! But if you find the Burton ones on sale they're worth it for the specific coverage it has. The bike ones have it with more breaks in the gform foam likely to allow for better comfort and contours on a bike.
 
#41 ·
@MountainMystic, are those Dainese really good for an almost-newbie? My issue, of course, is mainly tailbone.
I know I should learn how to fall, but on the other end I need to overcome the fear of trying new stuff.
I think they are good for any level of rider. you do need to get the sizing right so the the pads don't move around much. snug, not super tight, the coccyx/tailbone pad in the Dainese hard shorts E1 (made for moto riders) is far better than any snowsports crash shorts I've seen, I've bought (and then sold straight away) troy lee, EVOC & POC crash shorts.
I have fallen right on my frikken tailbone on boiler plate ice as a beginner. it was fkn bullshit. it HURT.

learning to fall is a good idea, but getting needlessly smashed in the process... That shit can get faarkd.

knee and elbow/forarm pads are worth considering too - less bruising when you are learning.
and definitely wear a good, well fitting helmet. you only get issued one brain, and it doesn't like taking too many slams.
 
#39 ·
Had a nasty fall beginning of the season and injured my tailbone. Spent days researching padded shorts and ordering different brands. The brand that did it for me was Triple 8 impact skating shorts. I bought some extra foam and slipped it in the tailbone area, and haven’t had an issue since.

For knee pads I like the Bodyprox brand on amazon. Cheap, but it works like a charm.

Wrist braces I go with Dakine.

So far these have served me well.
 
#43 ·
Thanks @MountainMystic. I can't find so manu images of those Dainese shorts but it seems theyd do not have such a big tailbone protector, but this is only what appears from the outside.
Other than that I have wrist guards because I am super terrified of breaking a wrist.
The tailbone protector sits where it is supposed to when sized correctly, and it's thick AF. lots of other crash shorts have wide looking tailbone pad, but they are often too thin, and IMO would make bugger all difference if you crashed on your ass.

Wrist guards are good too. I have Level gloves with built in wrist protectors, and there's another brand of guards that seems to have good user feedback, I think it's flexmeter, but not 100%. single sided and double sided versions.

double sided will give you better protection. These ones with a d30 layer are a new version, I think(??)