ProTec Knee Pads: That’s a Lot of Protective Gear

So you know you need some skate knee pads. Maybe the old knee pads finally died after too many days in the Pipe or on the trail. Maybe you or your child/spouse/sibling has just taken up inline skating or boarding and need to invest in some basic skate protective gear. ProTec makes a huge range of protective gear for all levels of ability and usage, including a number of different skate/mountain biking knee pads. Read about each of ProTec’s skate knee pads below or visit the XSportsProtective website to learn more.

ProTec Gasket Knee Guards are the lightest and slimmest-fitting pads in the ProTec skate protective gear lineup. Gasket knee pads offer knee support and unrestricted movement but almost no padding. Going skateboarding or biking and just want something under your clothes so you don’t hit on skin and bones? Going to a park that requires pads? Want some extra knee support while jogging or walking? The Gasket knee pad might be your answer.

ProTec Double Down knee pads are exceptionally low profile with a snug Neoprene body for a slip-on/slip-off design and a silicon panel around the lower interior to help keep the pad in place.  The Double Down is one of the most customizable skateboard knee pads around, however, the Double Down probably would not be a good choice for pipe or other activities where you’re likely to take substantial falls.

ProTec’s Street knee pads are a great knee pad for entry level or casual skateboarders or inline skaters. The Street knee pads feature EVA foam behind the knee, a full-coverage molded plastic cup over the knee, and solid Neoprene backing material for a snug fit.  These are a slip-on/slip-off design, so you need to take off your shoes in order to put them on.

ProTec Park knee pads differ from Street knee pads in several key ways. The molded plastic knee cup still offers full coverage, but is slightly slimmer than the knee cup on the Street knee pad. Overall, the Park has a longer but slimmer profile than the Street. The Park knee pad has a butterfly closure, so you can take it on and off without removing your shoes.

ProTec Drop-In knee pads are high-end skate protective gear for aggressive skaters. They feature natural suede-embossed leather at key wear points, gusseted stitching, and friction/rip resistant nylon. The Drop-In knee pads sport a butterfly design for easy on/off without having to remove your shoes. A replaceable hard cap with a built-in wear indicator makes it easy to see when you need a new cap.

Which ProTec Helmet Do I Need?

One of the most popular lines of helmets we sell at XSports Protective are made by ProTec. You can find a ProTec helmet for just about any sport–skate helmets, skateboarding helmets, mountain bike helmets, BMX helmets. With such a wide product line, it’s difficult to figure out which ProTec helmet will best meet your needs. The helmet liner is your best guide there. (Note that the liner is the padding that is right next to the plastic exterior shell of the helmet, not the soft, squishy foam pads for comfort and fit that sit next to your head.)

We’ve created a handy page that looks at each of the three different types of liners used in ProTec helmets and offers some guidelines as to what type of helmet is best suited to a specific sport or sports.

Briefly, ProTec helmets are made with three different kinds of liners—2-stage soft foam, stiff expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam, or surface-activated expanded polypropylene (SXP). Each Pro-Tec liner is designed to cushion your head in the event of an impact. However, each type of liner is best suited for a particular kind of impact. The 2-stage liner is designed to withstand multiple small impacts, such as you might get at the skate park. The EPS liner is designed to protect you in the event of a major collision, such as a bicycle crash. Pro-Tec’s patented SXP is a high-grade multi-impact liner designed to protect even the most aggressive riders.

To read more and to see a detailed photo of each type of helmet liner, check out this page from the XSports Protective website. Whatever ProTec helmet (or other helmet) you choose, be sure to inspect the interior and exterior for cracks or other damage after any serious impact. If you take a hit hard enough to make you say, “Wow!” please check your helmet.

Triple Eight Brainsaver Rubberized Helmet

A helmet is often the first (sometimes the only) piece of equipment a person buys, and we sell a lot of helmets at XSports Protective. Skateboarding helmets, roller derby helmets, snowboarding helmets, ski helmets, bike helmets–you name it. One of the most unique helmets we carry is the Triple Eight Brainsaver rubberized skate helmet.

What’s a rubberized helmet, anyway?

The Triple Eight Brainsaver rubberized skate helmet isn’t made of rubber, but it does have a rubberized coating on the outside of the helmet that helps keep your skate helmet looking new. Glossy helmets are gorgeous when you first get them, but a spill or two can scratch the finish. Some folks like that look–the scratches are like battle scars. Some people would rather keep their helmet smooth and blemish free. With the Triple Eight’s Brainsaver rubberized skate helmet, you can literally just “wipe out” small scratches and rub marks on the helmet. It’s pretty cool. Just like the classic Triple Eight Brainsaver helmet, the rubberized Brainsaver is multi-impact, with a soft, one-inch thick, dual-foam inner liner designed to rebound to its original shape after a low-force impact. The rubberized series of Brainsaver helmets include Triple Eight’s Sweatsaver terry cloth liner, rather than the standard foam liner. The washable terry liner absorbs sweat and keeps your brow-drip free so you can concentrate on skating.

Always remember to check your helmet for cracks and other damage. Multi-impact helmets like the Brainsaver (both rubberized or gloss finish) were designed to retain their protective qualities even after a small impact, making them ideal skateboard helmets or roller derby helmets. But no helmet is impervious to every impact. Our rule of thumb here is, if you take a hit or a fall that makes you say “Wow,” you should probably replace your helmet.

People who say “You can’t put a price on safety” probably never had to buy separate ski helmets, snowboarding helmets, mountaining bike helmets, or skate helmets. Helmets can seem expensive, but a helmet is also the most important piece of protective gear you’re going to buy. Let’s face it: your brain is your most valuable organ (you can do fine without an appendix or even a gall bladder, but an unscathed brain is kind of a necessity). If you love multiple sports but your budget doesn’t allow for multiple helmets, you might want to check out some of these multi-sport helmets.

There can’t be that many multi-sport helmets out there, can there?

You’d be surprised. Helmets need to meet certain safety standards for different sports. Advances in protective materials  mean that manufacturers have the technology to design helmets that can provide effective protection in both warm weather and cold weather. A multi-sport helmet can protect your head provided it meets the safety standards for a given sport. For instance, if you buy a snow/skate/bike helmet and then decide to try motorcycle racing, you’re going to need a new helmet. No matter what the sport, if you take a hit hard enough to make you say, “Wow,” take a few minutes to examine your helmet for cracks or other signs of damage. Better the outer shell of your helmet should crack than, say, your skull. The helmets listed below meet the various safety standards for the different listed sports (it’s by no means a complete list).

ProTec Multi-Sport Classic Snow Helmet for Multi-Sport has the look and style of a classic skate helmet, but its also meets safety standards as a bike helmet and snowboard/ski helmet.

RED Trace Multi-sport Helmet is certified as a ski helmet, snowboard helmet, skateboarding helmet, and cycling helmet.

POC Receptor Plus Multi-Sport helmet can be used as a ski helmet, snowboard helmet, skateboard helmet, mountain bike helmet, or water skiing helmet (it comes with both snow and water liners).

If you prefer full-face protection, try the Troy Lee D3 Fullface Carbon Fiber Helmet , which is certified as a  mountain biking helmet, BMX helmet, or snowboarding helmet.