Product: Corerat Leg Armour (size junior)
Price: $99CAD (seen in shops and online for $83-120CAD)
My Uses for this Product: Commuting, urban cycling, light muni, beginner trials, MTB.
I chose the Corerat leg armour for the following reasons:
- Multifunctional - shin and knee pad are attached to each other by velcro, and can be worn separately (i.e. knee pads for commuting, both for rougher stuff).
- Adjustable - can adjust knee and shin pad for optimal coverage (because they velcro together).
- Solid Kneecap Protection – because hey…you only get one set of physiologically intricate knees.
- Aeration – nice and cool with an open calf (calf protection attachment (Cordura) is optional and extra at $15CAD).
- Ease of Cleaning - shin pads come apart for cleaning for those with sensitive noses.
Construction: The construction is fabric-covered foam with the plastic armour over top. The outside is Cordura (I think) and the interior is some smooth synthetic material (like any armour). The plastic shin armour comes off (velcro) for cleaning. The knee pad velcros to the shin pad, so it can be adjusted vertically for different leg lengths. The knee cup is riveted to the knee pad. Four elastic straps velcro the armour around your leg (two on the shin, two on the kneepad).
How the leg armour has stood up:
I have used the armour for a month, and so-far-so-good (I will update if disappointed later on). The armour is very comfortable. I have fallen directly on the kneepads, slid down gravel hills on my knee/shin, smashed and slid my legs along concrete edges, etc. There are a few deep gashes on one kneecup, but no compromising damage. The straps hold the armour on securely; it does not slip, even when sliding at speed off of a bike. Like Roach DH pads, I doubt these would protect the area between your knee and your shin from sharp, pointy things (e.g. Scott Bridgeman’s knee injury – see muniac.com), but are good patellar protection. The sticker on one leg got wiped out fairly early on, but I don’t like being an unpaid billboard anyway.
Negative Comments from Other Riders:
Some bikers have reported that the pads can slip, though I haven’t found this (this may be a leg shape issue, or perhaps because they don’t have them velcroed on tight enough?). As well, Dylan Wallinger commented on mtbreview.com that his knee cup actually cracked upon impact after very little use.
Conclusion:
This product works for me because I like having multi-use gear for different types of uni- and bicycling. I find full leg armour quite warm in summer, and irritating when I don’t need full protection. I don’t mind the occasional bite to the calf from my pedals (and this might be avoided if I purchased the calf cover), and genuflecting seems to be my primary UPD technique, so the knee cups are faboo. However, if you are planning to do a great deal of “extreme” trials and/or muni, full coverage leg armour may be better for you. If you are a unicycle dabbler like myself, then consider this stuff.
Contact: http://www.corerat.com/products/products.html
This image from the website has the optional calf protection attached as well.
*Disclaimer: this is my first review, so let me know if I have missed out on anything important. thanks.