I love this company. You see, about four years ago I started up XSportsProtective. A PC, a Brother printer/copier/fax machine, one phone, one desk, one chair. A small rented space to call our store…

Last month, we served our 30,000th customer. XSportsProtective now has a team of people, including Susan in Customer Service, Lori in Web Administration, Ryan in the Warehouse, Kelly in Accounting, and Carol in Email Marketing. It’s a great group of people and I’m proud of how well we serve our customers.

As everyone knows, this is a tough time for retailing. Despite falling sales and companies going out of business all around us, we’re growing nearly 30% in 2009. Why? Because we have products customers want, in stock in our own warehouse, ready to ship. Got a question? Call Susan and she’ll go pull the item of the shelve and describe it/measure it for you. Ryan scans every item with a bar code scanner, so we make sure what you get is exactly what you ordered.

We are growing because we take care of our customers. It’s really that simple.

And that’s why I love what we’re building and I love my company. We are serving customers the way we like to be served, and our customers like that. That’s something I really proud of.

Jim

The folks over at First Tracks Online released news about a study on ski and snowboard helmet use in the U.S. You can read their original post here:
First Tracks Online Post about Ski Helmet Use


Clearly, we have a dog in this fight….. But, I’m happy to see that ski helmet and snowboard helmet use continues to increase across the U.S. Since head injuries are consistently the leading cause of hospital visits for both skiiers and snowboarders, and many of those catastrophic snowboard injuries can be prevented with a helmet, I’m just happy to see more people accepting helmets on the mountain.

Today’s Snowboard Helmets - light weight and fashionable

The quality of the snowboard helmets on the market today is outstanding. Even mid to lower price models (some well under $100) are light weight, well vented, and look great. There’s very little reason to NOT wear a helmet. If you haven’t tried on a snowboard helmet in the last few years, give it a shot. You will be suprised by how light and comfortable companies like Giro have made their Giro Ski Helmets and Giro Snowboard Helmets.

Mountain bike helmets: the most important piece of mountain bike protective gear you’ll wear. Here’s how to get the right mtb helmet for you.

What type of mountain biking do you do?

How aggressively you mountain bike determines the amount of protection you need from your mountain bike helmet. The risk of mountain biking injuries is higher with downhill, dirt jumping, or other high speed riding. For higher risk mountain biking, consider the additional protection of a full face mountain bike helmet.

For cross country, single track, and recreational mountain biking, a “regular” mountain bike helmet offers excellent lightweight and well ventilated protection.

Mountain Bike Helmets Certification

All helmets sold as “bike helmets,” including mountain biking helmets, must meet the requirements of the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) bicycle helmet certification standard. Look for the CPSC certification sticker on the inside of the helmet, and do not buy a mountain bike helmet that does not carry at least the CPSC certification.

A full face mountain bike helmet will sometimes meet additional safety standards, including the ASTM F 1952 Downhill Mountain Bike Helmet Standard, the ASTM F 2032 BMX Helmet Standard, or the even tougher DOT or Snell helmet standards.

Mountain Bike Helmet Fit and Shape

For mtb helmets to protect you from a serious head injury, the helmet has to fit properly and remain in place during a crash. These features help ensure a proper fit of this vital piece of mountain bike protective gear:

• MTB Helmet Shell Size. Measure the size of your head using our helmet sizing guide and select a mountain bike helmet that fits this size. Be careful not to assume sizing; age, height, and weight have little to do with how big your head is. Measure, measure, measure, and then pick the right size for you.
• Adjustable Fit System. Many mountain bike helmets have adjustable fit systems built into the helmet that allow you to rotate a dial and adjust the fit to your head. This is a great feature. We all have different sized and shaped heads, and the fit system allows you to tailor the fit of your mtb helmet to your own head.
• Helmet Straps and Buckles. Don’t overlook the importance of the straps and buckle to the fit and security of your mountain biking helmets. Look for a helmet that offers adjustable straps, and a secure buckle design that won’t break loose during a fall.
• Extra Large Heads. If you have a large head, and need XXL or XXXL mountain bike helmets, don’t worry. The Bell Triton (formerly known as the Kinghead) and Giro Atlas are both excellent extra large mountain bike helmets that include current features and styling.
  

  Start Shopping Now forMountain Bike Helmets

Sorry for the long out-of-stock… We received our shipment of 187 Killer Pads in this week, so the 187 pads are now ready to ship. You can buy your new 187 pads here:

• 187 Pro Knee Pads
• 187 Elbow Pads

Buy your new 187 Killer Pads from XSportsProtective, the leader in protective gear for action sports.

Skateboard Safety Gear and Skateboard Protective Gear - essential gear to keep you or your kids safe this summer!

The most important pieces of skateboard safety gear that you need are:

• A Skateboard Helmet. First priority has to go to your head. Unfortunately, we hear about tragic skateboard safety accidents quite often. Head injuries may not be frequent, but when they happen they are often catastrophic. Wear a helmet, period.
• Skateboard pads, including skate knee pads and skate elbow pads. No, you won’t die from a banged up knee, but an injury to your knee or elbow can sideline you from skateboarding for days, weeks, or even months. They’re pretty inexpensive, and skate knee pads and skate elbow pads do their jobs well.
• Skateboard Padded Shorts. Stealthy, but awesome protection, skateboard padded shorts allow you to try new tricks and heights knowing that your hips and tailbone areas have a layer of protection. Skate padded shorts are a great additional to your skateboard safety gear bag.

Skateboard protective gear, including skateboard helmets, offer good protection at a reasonable cost, so order your new skateboard protective gear today from XSportsProtective - the leader in action sports protective gear

ProTec Helmets are popular choices for skateboarders, dirt jumpers, inline skaters, kids and adults alike

O.K., you got me…ProTec helmets do typically appeal to a younger crowd. ProTec helmets have been around for decades, and their rounded-off skate style have set the benchmark for skateboarders since the 70s.

ProTec Helmet models include the ProTec B2 Helmet, the ProTec Ace Skate Helmet, and the ProTec Classic helmet

With most ProTec helmets, you can choose between different skate helmet liners. There is usually a version of the ProTec helmet that meets the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) standards for bicycle helmets. These CPSC certified ProTec helmets are good choices if you or your kids are going to use the ProTec helmet for bicycle use as well as a skateboard helmet.

The other “skate only” version of the ProTec Ace skate helmet, ProTec B2 skate helmet, or ProTec Classic skate helmet comes with a squishy foam liner inside. This softer foam conforms more readily to your head, resulting in a more comfortable fit. That makes this version favored by most people. BUT, this helmet liner does NOT meet the CPSC safety certifications for bicycle use. So, the “skate only” version of the ProTec Ace helmet, the ProTec B2 helmet, and the ProTec Classic helmet are intended for skateboard use only.

Other uses for these ProTec Helmets include light industrial safety, alternate sports like base jumping, paintball, etc, and finally…the ProTec Ace Skate is often used by “security teams” in various…undisclosed locations…that need lightweight head impact protection.

Order your new ProTec helmet, including the ProTec B2 helmet, the ProTec Ace Helmet, and the ProTec Classic Helmet, from XSportsProtective - the leader in action sports protective gear

The 187 Company makes a terrific line of knee pads and elbow pads that are very popular as skate pads, roller derby pads, and bmx pads

The 187 Killer Pads have carved out a nice niche in the skateboard pads space - high quality and well designed skate pads, offered at a very reasonable intermediate price. With 187 Pro Knee Pads, you get excellent fit, finish, and durability without carving a huge hole in your wallet.

Features of the 187 pads, including the “pro knee killer pads”, include:

• Pro-core padding. Pro-core gives you substantial impact protection for your knees
• Dual-density interior foam padding. Softer pads manage smaller impacts, while stiffer pads absorb the large blows
• Neoprene “butterfly” back closure - allows you to put them on and take them off without having to remove your shoes
• Double stitching to increase durability of the seams
• Replaceable knee caps, for when yours get trashed out and need to be replaced

The One Eight Seven company knee pads - the 187 Pro Knee Pads as well as the 187 Elbow Pads - are excellent choices. Order your 187 pads today at XSportsProtective, the leader in protective gear for action sports.

Gladiator Knee Gaskets, from Skate Designs, are a favorite for our customers who are looking for additional knee protection for underneath their knee pads. Skate designs gladiator knee gaskets are typically worn underneath your knee pads, where they provide:

• additional impact protection
• knee cap/patella stabilization
• an underlayer that helps hard shell knee pads stay in place
• keep your knee area warm

Skate Designs Gladiator Knee Gaskets - Favorites of…

• Roller Derby girls. The Gladiators are very popular as roller derby knee gaskets. Derby girls are hard on their equipment, and have found the gladiator knee gaskets to be a valuable addition to her regular knee pads.
• Skateboarders. The Skate Designs gladiator knee gaskets were originally made to be skateboard pads / skate knee gaskets. The skate knee gaskets do that well.
• Active sports athletes wanting additional knee support and protection. The gladiator gaskets are adaptive to many sports. They are a good choice for any athlete looking for patella support or an additional layer of padding and protection underneath their traditional knee pads.

Order your Gladiator Knee Gasketstoday from XSportsProtective, the leader in action sports protective gear.

The Giro Remedy helmet: advanced full face protection at a mid-price point

The Giro Remedy helmet has been a best seller ever since the Remedy was introduced a few years ago. The Giro Remedy helmet brought a lot of advanced features into the intermediate price range for full face helmets - at about $120-130.

The Giro Remedy helmet features at-a-glance

• Fiberglass shell - a tough shell for max impact protection
• EVA-lined chinbar - for those face plants, so your chin get some padding, too
• 14 vents and internal channeling - excellent ventilation around your head
• 3-position adjustable bolt-on visor - move up and down with a thumb screw
• Removable/washable interior lining
• CPSC bicycle and ASTM-1952 downhill certified
• 37oz / 1050g (Small)
• 39oz / 1108g (Medium)
• 41oz / 1165g (Large)

Just like it’s carbon fiber version (the Giro Remedy Carbon), the Giro Remedy is ready to protect you whether your heading out for a BMX race, downhill mountain biking, longboarding, big air/vert ramp applications, or any other freeride romp. The Giro Remedy is a great helmet for anyone who has big dreams on a medium budget.

Order your new Giro Remedy full face helmet today from XSportsProtective, the leader in protective gear for action sports.

The Bell Bellistic helmet offers full face protection at a value price

The Bell Bellistic helmet has been around a long time. It’s well known in BMX racing, downhill mountain biking, and longboarding. The Bellistic has survived because of one simple fact: it offers good full face protecion at a price that is a great deal (about $80).

Bell Bellistic features at a glance:

• A hand-laminated fiberglass shell - light weight
• An adjustable visor - easy to move up and down to suit your own preference
• EPS foam liner - to provide good impact protection for your head
• Adjustable chin strap
• Large eye port to accomodate lot’s of different goggles
• 15 built-in vents - helps keep air flowing inside the helmet
• CPSC certified for bike use
• 32oz / 907g (Small)
• 33oz / 934g (Medium)
• 34oz / 963g (Large)
• Very competent BMX helmet, mountain bike helmet, and longboarding helmet

The Bell Bellistic full face helmet is our of our favorites

Why? The Bellistic is very light weight (the Small size weighs only 907g), looks good, has a large eye port to accomodate lot’s of goggle sizes, and best of all - it’s only $80. That’s a great value in the full face bike helmet category.The Bellistic helmet is one of those full face helmets that our customers use all over the place. BMX racing, downhill mountain biking, longboarding, BMX and skateboard vert ramps, outfitting young bike riders with expensive dental work to protect… We hear it all. People like the Bellistic because it gives you full face protection without spending $150.

Order your Bell Bellistic today from XSportsProtective, the online leader in protective gear for action sports.