"As a strict believer in knee braces, I was stoked to give the POD braces a shot, and much to my delight I was instantly happy with them. The feel of these braces is incredible-we're talking high-level movement that feels not only natural but also very sturdy. Gone are the days when knee braces felt like rickety hinges that need WD-40, because the PODS feel like an extension of a normal human knee. The second thing I noticed is that they are insanely light (barely 1.3 pounds per brace), and as a result you can't really feel them on your legs. The construction quality is obviously great and the build is solid, but I did have issues with some of the internal pads (on the back of the straps and the inside of the knee) falling off and not staying in place. More adhesive can and will fix this on my next ride. The patella cup is interesting because it floats above your knee and provides pivoting protection, which is cool because it covers you when you sit down and stand up. I'd personally like to see more armor here, but that would definitely compromise the lightweight and movement of the brace. I had absolutely no problems with pressure points or discomfort from hot spots, and I can firmly state that these off-the-shelf braces feel as solid as any customs I've ever worn. We'll see how they stand up to the test of time, but my first impression is that the PODS are certainly right on par with some of the best knee braces on the market." -Chris Denison/ Braces typically worn: Cti2 or EVS Bartram Knee Pad
Adjustable stops allow increased...
Adjustable stops allow increased customization of the new POD, while some high-tech internals give the braces a natural, human-like feel of movement.
"My first impression of the new Pod was shock. How could a knee brace be this light? Larges fit my legs fine with the thinnest pads at the knee. I used the straps without any of the additional pad supplied. At first it seemed odd to have the patella cup sit so high and away from the knee, but it was only a minor glitch when removing riding pants. You just have to make sure the material doesn't catch at the edge of the cup. And the cup didn't bother me while riding, or while kneeling and working on bikes changing parts I was testing. I used the Pod for moto and for a five-hour off-road ride. After the initial day - when I wore both braces - I wore my prescription CTi2 brace on the left and the Pod on the right. There were a few places where I notice the pod touching, but no real areas of discomfort. And I am comparing the Pod to a custom brace that I have been wearing for 14 years! Overall I am extremely happy with the brace, and could easily wear them. One problem I had with the original Pod was the brace sliding down out of place on my leg. I had no problems like that with the new one." -Karel Kramer/ 6'1"/ 216 lb./ Used knee braces full-time on the right since 1986 and on both legs since 1993.
"I don't wear knee braces. They're not comfortable to me and they really disconnect me from the bike where my knees contact the seat and tank. My previous favorite brace was the first version of the Pod, but really I didn't wear it because best of the worst is still a worst. After a couple rides with the new brace, it's definitely my new favorite. The brace feels narrow, almost non-existent between body and bike, and I rode without problems all day as far as feel on the bike. I had the lockouts installed top and bottom on day one, and at the end of the day my shins had paid the price. The bottom of the brace had made its mark on me with a few light but wide bruises. The brace never bothered me once on the bike, but when off the bike, especially when walking, they were uncomfortable. On day two at the track, with the lockouts removed, I did a few short motos and one long one. Just like day one, everything was great on the track. The brace did throw me off a little on some rutted turns, but that's a case of getting used to a slightly restricted leg movement. It just seemed to take a little more effort to get my leg up and out in a few sharp corners.
Otherwise I had a great day and the braces didn't hinder my riding at all. I got some rubbed-raw skin on the insides of each knee, and one shin had a little bald spot where the brace's bottom contact had been rubbing. The knee skin was a minor problem and I think I just need to toughen up there. I may look into ways to make the bottom more comfortable on my shin. The floating knee cups don't seem in the right place, and it's easy to push through your riding pants and find the bottom of your knee unguarded. But drop down to the ground and they seem to be in the right place. I'm considering adding these to my list of 'every time' equipment if they continue not to hamper my riding and if I can improve on the comfort just a bit. For brace wearers, you need to try a set on. For non-brace guys living with the guilt, this updated brace is worth a good, serious look." -Pete Peterson