Looking for Knee Brace recommendation

[DragonFZ]

I recently Hyper extended my knee. I'm lucky it was only a sprang injury. I currently have the EVS Sports - Sport Knee Brace. Which is ok, but I'm wondering if anyone have some experiences with other different brands and models. I'm going to return the one I have, since I paid for a pair and only got one (Amazon). Twice. Its a glitch in their system and refund only to fix issue.  Thank you 

[Mayhem]

Bump for some info anyone might have 

[0000]

I've used and still have this Techware sleeve. It's probably about as comfortable as something like this can get lacking straps and visible bracing. It also fits under pants and works with the Leatt knee guards no problem. Whether it's useful depends how much support you think you need though.

It doesn't look like it'd do much, but the donut feature actually seems to help position the kneecap or at least limit it's movement in unproductive ways. Downsides to this particular model are that it requires occasional repositioning and the need to reinforce the stitching to keep the metal stabilizers from poking through on top. This is an easy fix despite the complaints of "failure" in the reviews (just sew it bros).

If you're looking for more support, I've had my eyes on this one, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. If anyone tries it out, I'd be keen to know how it works out with your EUC riding.

[DragonFZ]

I've ordered EVS Sports - Sport Knee Brace ($400), four times on Amazon. 1st 2 times, I only got a single knee brace instead of a pair. The 3rd order I received the knee brace with a defect, the Velcro material separated from the Eva foam padding. The 4th order was fine, but after 12 days, the Velcro material separated from the Eva foam padding. I'm returning it. This is a good knee brace with 5 straps which held in place really good and supported my weaken knee. No issues wearing the brace while riding a Sherman with Clark Pads. If only EVS used better adhesive for the Velcro material. 4 of the 5 straps are non elastic sturdy straps that will last. The 5th strap is made of Eva foam and velcro (for comfort). I can see after repeated use the velcro will separate from the foam.

I also tried the Leatt Z-Frame ($230-300). It is marketed as an entry level knee brace. It is a great pair of knee guards. The plastic is special, a lot more rigid and tougher than Leatt Dual Axis. More free moving feel than EVS Sport Knee Brace. The Z-Frame is not a knee brace. The top 2 straps has its own buckle, but it is one longer partial elastic strap that same pivot point. It's like a 3 1/2 straps. A proper knee brace should have 4 straps to ensure a good binding and shouldn't have play once you lock it down.  Returned it. Note: the straps are made of thick velcro material, but it will wear from the loop pivot point when tightening the straps.

Side note on straps: on a knee brace, the straps shouldn't be elastic. It has to hold in place without give. Especially the 2 closest straps to your knee (above and below). The other 2 straps varies with manufacturers for comfort.

I've to mention another entry level Knee Brace by EVS Sports - RS9 ($240). It only has 3 straps. This is not a knee braces, but it is a very good knee guard (the plastic material is much stronger and rigid than Dual Axis. It may offer some protection of a knee brace for EUC, but not for dirt bike riding. According to a review, it doesn't bind tight like other knee brace. 

I placed an order for Pod K4 v2 ($430 to $520)

True2One Paul rides with Asterisk Ultra Cell 3.0 ($660). This brace has one of the best custom fit off the shelf system in the market. I just can't justify spending that much more.

Edited October 1, 2022 by DragonFZ
Update

[Mayhem]

10 hours ago, DragonFZ said:

I've ordered EVS Sports - Sport Knee Brace ($400), four times on Amazon. 1st 2 times, I only got a single knee brace instead of a pair. The 3rd order I received the knee brace with a defect, the Velcro material separated from the Eva foam padding. The 4th order was fine, but after 12 days, the Velcro material separated from the Eva foam padding. I'm returning it. This is a good knee brace with 5 straps which held in place really good and supported my weaken knee. No issues wearing the brace while riding a Sherman with Clark Pads. If only EVS used better adhesive for the Velcro material. 4 of the 5 straps are non elastic sturdy straps that will last. The 5th strap is made of Eva foam and velcro (for comfort). I can see after repeated use the velcro will separate from the foam.

I also tried the Leatt Z-Frame ($230-300). It is marketed as an entry level knee brace. It is a great pair of knee guards. The plastic is special, a lot more rigid and tougher than Leatt Dual Axis. More free moving feel than EVS Sport Knee Brace. The Z-Frame is not a knee brace. The top 2 straps has its own buckle, but it is one longer partial elastic strap that same pivot point. It's like a 3 1/2 straps. A proper knee brace should have 4 straps to ensure a good binding and shouldn't have play once you lock it down.  Returned it. Note: the straps are made of thick velcro material, but it will wear from the loop pivot point when tightening the straps.

Side note on straps: on a knee brace, the straps shouldn't be elastic. It has to hold in place without give. Especially the 2 closest straps to your knee (above and below). The other 2 straps varies with manufacturers for comfort.

I've to mention another entry level Knee Brace by EVS Sports - RS9 ($240). It only has 3 straps. This is not a knee braces, but it is a very good knee guard (the plastic material is much stronger and rigid than Dual Axis. It may offer some protection of a knee brace for EUC, but not for dirt bike riding. According to a review, it doesn't bind tight like other knee brace. 

I placed an order for Pod K4 v2 ($430 to $520)

True2One Paul rides with Asterisk Ultra Cell 3.0 ($660). This brace has one of the best custom fit off the shelf system in the market. I just can't justify spending that much more.

I was also looking at the pod k4 v2 as an option but decided to purchase asterisk ultra cell 3.0 since they have the best custom fit. I also liked the 3 piece knee coverage vs the 2 piece of the k4. 
 

I spoke with another local nyc rider Sam Pacheco of Ai Rides who also wears them and he strongly recommended them. He’s had them for some time now with no issues with them. So I decided to take the plunge and try them out. 

Edited October 1, 2022 by Mayhem

[0000]

Thanks for the education, didn't realize their was a whole different category for proper knee braces.

What type of riding are you guys doing - and do you think this tier of protection would be appropriate for the high mobility required on trails or are we just talking for more relaxed, relatively straight-legged urban rides?

[Mayhem]

1 hour ago, Vanturion said:

Thanks for the education, didn't realize their was a whole different category for proper knee braces.

What type of riding are you guys doing - and do you think this tier of protection would be appropriate for the high mobility required on trails or are we just talking for more relaxed, relatively straight-legged urban rides?

I only do street riding, “straight leg riding” isn’t something you wanna do on any surface as you’re not going to be ready for any unexpected dips/ bumps/ pot holes you may come across. Throwing you off balance and transferring all the impact to your entire body.
 

Personally I’m looking for more leg & knee protection. While knee/shin guards can offer good protection against impact they offer little to no protection on ligaments which knee braces can provide. 
 

Knee braces are often used in motocross where you’re constantly changing riding position and putting your foot down in the dirt to maneuver the bike. So riding with them on a trail shouldn’t be out of character for them. Just have to find a pair that is comfortable & suits your needs. I’ve spoken to a few euc riders who use them and they prefer them over conventional guards. 

Edited October 2, 2022 by Mayhem

[0000]

OK maybe could've been a little better in my phrasing, was just trying to gauge if this type of protection would be appropriate to trail riding as I'm constantly bent knees going into deep bends to absorb impacts and quick elevation changes over terrain.

I hear you, but it's still a little unclear to me if something like this would work out as being atop a dirt bike where the shocks are constantly conforming to the terrain vs atop a non-suspension wheel where your knees (and body to a lesser degree) are constantly performing this task. Definitely wouldn't assume 1:1 relationship unless you've personally tried it I would think. That said, it'd be great to hear from someone who has! ^{They're a little pricey to just try on a whim.}

Basically I'm wondering if this will be something I might need to consider in the future as a workable option to keep up with the relatively high-intensity trail rides and not end up with perma-F'd knee function.

[Tawpie]

@Forwardnbak rides with a proper knee brace, he mentioned that his knee is borked and requires more care and protection than usual. Perhaps he can weigh in?

2 hours ago, Vanturion said:

Basically I'm wondering if this will be something I might need to consider in the future as a workable option to keep up with the relatively high-intensity trail rides and not end up with perma-F'd knee function.

Perhaps a suspension wheel? I think the biggest thing you'll want to be careful of besides falling and wrenching your knee is the alignment of your legs. That thought is in the absence of medical training, but I can imagine it's not good to work a knee hard if your legs aren't lined up properly. A brace (an expensive one) might help a lot with maintaining alignment, but I can also imagine it'll change how you ride so you'll want to take it easy until you adapt.

[DragonFZ]

45 minutes ago, Vanturion said:

OK maybe could've been a little better in my phrasing, was just trying to gauge if this type of protection would be appropriate to trail riding as I'm constantly bent knees going into deep bends to absorb impacts and quick elevation changes over terrain.

I hear you, but it's still a little unclear to me if something like this would work out as being atop a dirt bike where the shocks are constantly conforming to the terrain vs atop a non-suspension wheel where your knees (and body to a lesser degree) are constantly performing this task. Definitely wouldn't assume 1:1 relationship unless you've personally tried it I would think. That said, it'd be great to hear from someone who has! ^{They're a little pricey to just try on a whim.}

Basically I'm wondering if this will be something I might need to consider in the future as a workable option to keep up with the relatively high-intensity trail rides and not end up with perma-F'd knee function.

I ride a Sherman, mostly on the streets and bike paths. For off road and challenging terrain, Chase Hinz is the person to ask. He had a knee injury and currently has the Morbus knee brace. 

I was looking into knee brace before my incident, and I agree, they're too pricey to try on a whim. I was happy with the Leatt Dual Axis, it has proven its worth several times. It might be unnecessary to get a knee brace. In addition, Leatt Dual Axis is a lot more comfortable and easier to put on than any knee brace. Motocross riders who wears knee brace either have a vulnerability to knee injuries or doing as preventive measure. According to a couple of motocross riders, they don't know if it actually protects or prevent knee injuries (MCL, ACL type). For sure, it will prevent crushing injuries (weight of motorcycle x speed) since it is almost like a steel cage around your knee. Maybe it is necessary for this generation of 50+ mph and 100+ lbs wheels.

[Forwardnbak]

2 hours ago, Tawpie said:

@Forwardnbak rides with a proper knee brace, he mentioned that his knee is borked and requires more care and protection than usual. Perhaps he can weigh in?

Perhaps a suspension wheel? I think the biggest thing you'll want to be careful of besides falling and wrenching your knee is the alignment of your legs. That thought is in the absence of medical training, but I can imagine it's not good to work a knee hard if your legs aren't lined up properly. A brace (an expensive one) might help a lot with maintaining alignment, but I can also imagine it'll change how you ride so you'll want to take it easy until you adapt.

When i was looking at the knee guards, i decided the extra $ to step up to the z brace was worth it as a preventative measure against twist injuries. 

My knees were okay then :/ mostly still are. 

The only times i’ve crashed and damaged knee were the times i had my cheaper guards on. 

I do think the brace helps against twist injury which is good, the amount of times you can step off and over extend your knee or twist it the braces would help. 

You can also lock the position to a few preset spots so if you had trouble fully extending your knee after injury you can set different positions (leatt z brace, little pins, haven’t tried it really)   

Suspension wheel would be the best choice to help with a bung knee but of course you’d also want guards on. 

[The Brahan Seer]

I am still looking at the options. I think the knee braces used by MX would help us in a higher speed crash but probably overkill for trail riding. My thinking is we tend to keep our feet on the pedals more than MX. I came across this link* that provides interesting info for other options. Seems to be the jury is still out regards the pro's and con's. Building leg and ligament strength certainly helps a lot with the stuff I'm doing.

*https://familydoctor.org/knee-bracing-what-works/

[0000]

10 hours ago, Tawpie said:

@Forwardnbak rides with a proper knee brace, he mentioned that his knee is borked and requires more care and protection than usual. Perhaps he can weigh in?

Perhaps a suspension wheel? I think the biggest thing you'll want to be careful of besides falling and wrenching your knee is the alignment of your legs. That thought is in the absence of medical training, but I can imagine it's not good to work a knee hard if your legs aren't lined up properly. A brace (an expensive one) might help a lot with maintaining alignment, but I can also imagine it'll change how you ride so you'll want to take it easy until you adapt.

For sure on the suspension wheel, but I think I'll still be in a holding pattern on that for quite some time.

For me, I'm not so much worried about misalignment, it's more the repeated impacts and stress from probably overuse I think. Like I really started to notice a wearing ache particularly after a cumulative 4-hour trail ride one day which stuck around for quite some time. You're totally right, suspension would be the ideal way to go for decreasing this kind of wear and tear, but I'm just wondering if a brace would still give me the extreme flexibility I need while mitigating some of the cumulative wear in the mean time.

[0000]

10 hours ago, DragonFZ said:

I ride a Sherman, mostly on the streets and bike paths. For off road and challenging terrain, Chase Hinz is the person to ask. He had a knee injury and currently has the Morbus knee brace. 

$$$! It does look interesting though. That's good to know, I noticed in a couple videos he tends to ride a lot rougher stuff than I like to get into so that makes sense he's already switched to the knee brace over the knee guard. Well, hopefully he'll make a video review on it sometime, or I'll try to get his opinion in YT comments.

10 hours ago, DragonFZ said:

I was looking into knee brace before my incident, and I agree, they're too pricey to try on a whim. I was happy with the Leatt Dual Axis, it has proven its worth several times. It might be unnecessary to get a knee brace. In addition, Leatt Dual Axis is a lot more comfortable and easier to put on than any knee brace. Motocross riders who wears knee brace either have a vulnerability to knee injuries or doing as preventive measure. According to a couple of motocross riders, they don't know if it actually protects or prevent knee injuries (MCL, ACL type). For sure, it will prevent crushing injuries (weight of motorcycle x speed) since it is almost like a steel cage around your knee. Maybe it is necessary for this generation of 50+ mph and 100+ lbs wheels.

For sure, the dual axis has saved my ass knees more times than I care to count. Now it's more the cumulative bending/jostling stresses I'm focusing on lately. Tawpie's right, suspension wheel is probably the best way to mitigate that, but I don't want to make the move yet. Another way is to stick to less dynamic trails, but that's not as fun! I doubt I'll ever be one for the heavy, high speed wheels - anyway, good to know, thanks for the info.

[0000]

8 hours ago, Forwardnbak said:

When i was looking at the knee guards, i decided the extra $ to step up to the z brace was worth it as a preventative measure against twist injuries. 

My knees were okay then :/ mostly still are. 

The only times i’ve crashed and damaged knee were the times i had my cheaper guards on. 

I do think the brace helps against twist injury which is good, the amount of times you can step off and over extend your knee or twist it the braces would help. 

You can also lock the position to a few preset spots so if you had trouble fully extending your knee after injury you can set different positions (leatt z brace, little pins, haven’t tried it really)   

Suspension wheel would be the best choice to help with a bung knee but of course you’d also want guards on. 

Did you notice any mobility/flexibility impact while wheeling around or difference in comfort with the Z braces over what you had before?

[Tawpie]

6 hours ago, Vanturion said:

Another way is to stick to less dynamic trails

I'm not sure that's a viable option.

Wear and tear are going to happen, knees are remarkable things but it's unlikely evolution or the creator fully appreciated how fun an EUC actually is. You might consult with a physical therapist, they probably have hints… (here's a sneak preview: good nutrition, strength training, adequate rest, and keep that kneecap from flopping around).

Maybe lurk in some skiing forums! The mogul riders are harder on their knees than you are—maybe there are secrets they'll share?

[Jappierre]

I use the leatt c-frames and i really like it. They dont have inner swivel but the outside one are bigger then the other kneebrace from leatt.

[Forwardnbak]

16 hours ago, Vanturion said:

Did you notice any mobility/flexibility impact while wheeling around or difference in comfort with the Z braces over what you had before?

i found that initially they felt a little more restrictive but i got used to that really quick. Now they are fine for me and i hardly notice i’m wearing them. I did have someone comment on a video that they rubbed for them. I think how you have your pads set up make a difference. 

The 4x velcro straps are not the greatest quality/thin (have held up fine though) and a little more annoying adjusting the extra strap whenever i change pants/shorts.

Good point about the straps they aren’t actually fixed to the brace so could be upgraded or replaced years later. 

i have no regrets buying these 

 

[DragonFZ]

23 hours ago, Vanturion said:

Did you notice any mobility/flexibility impact while wheeling around or difference in comfort with the Z braces over what you had before?

The Z Frame brace is very comfortable and it is smooth movement, it doesn't feel like you have it on... comparing it to the EVS Sports knee brace. EVS knee brace it creeks and you're flexing and bending against the brace.

[0000]

On 10/3/2022 at 12:16 AM, Tawpie said:

I'm not sure that's a viable option.

Wear and tear are going to happen, knees are remarkable things but it's unlikely evolution or the creator fully appreciated how fun an EUC actually is. You might consult with a physical therapist, they probably have hints… (here's a sneak preview: good nutrition, strength training, adequate rest, and keep that kneecap from flopping around).

Haha, too true. Only so much you can do and joints can definitely be "used up" in spite of the mitigation effort to slow that process short of ceasing activity. The things they don't tell you as a kid.

You know I did hear of some kind of material that I think they were going to start testing for knee (cartilage) replacements in the near future that showed promise. As much as I hate all of the futurist hype BS that circulates through the academia industry-->journalist-->public pipeline that usually ends up being nothing, this one did look pretty interesting. There's probably better info on it out there, but it was the first thing that came up in a search.

On 10/3/2022 at 12:16 AM, Tawpie said:

Maybe lurk in some skiing forums! The mogul riders are harder on their knees than you are—maybe there are secrets they'll share?

Good thinking, if any group had some kind of metric for measuring when their first knee replacement surgery is it'd probably be them! Other than the basics you already hit on, only other thing I'm doing is supplementing this fancy stuff. No idea the bio-availability though or if it really does anything. Probably just gets points for placebo, but at least that's something. ^{I think... maybe.}

Edited October 4, 2022 by Vanturion

[DragonFZ]

Just got the Pod K4 v2 today. It is definitely better than the EVS Sports - Sport Knee Brace. The foam material is thinner but denser and mobility is better, not restrictive like the EVS. I feel the fitment is better. Yes, you get what you pay for. In this case, I spotted a deal on Amazon for Pod K4 ($425, reg. $450-520) vs EVS ($390-410). I am out of an EUC at the moment. I will be testing it out as soon as I get a new motor for my Sherman.

[Mayhem]

8 hours ago, DragonFZ said:

Just got the Pod K4 v2 today. It is definitely better than the EVS Sports - Sport Knee Brace. The foam material is thinner but denser and mobility is better, not restrictive like the EVS. I feel the fitment is better. Yes, you get what you pay for. In this case, I spotted a deal on Amazon for Pod K4 ($425, reg. $450-520) vs EVS ($390-410). I am out of an EUC at the moment. I will be testing it out as soon as I get a new motor for my Sherman.

Nice… my asterisk arrived a couple days ago but there size chart was off for me so I’m waiting for the new size to come in. In the mean time I also ordered some k4’s so I can compare them side by side and provide some more feed back as well. 

Edited October 5, 2022 by Mayhem

[DragonFZ]

2 hours ago, Mayhem said:

Nice… my asterisk arrived a couple days ago but there size chart was off for me so I’m waiting for the new size to come in. In the mean time I also ordered some k4’s so I can compare them side by side and provide some more feed back as well. 

I would be very interested in a side by side comparison. If the Asterisk is that much better and within the K4 return period, I will upgrade to it.

[Mayhem]

9 hours ago, DragonFZ said:

I would be very interested in a side by side comparison. If the Asterisk is that much better and within the K4 return period, I will upgrade to it.

Yea I’ll do a write up with some pictures and compare them. I should have both in hand this week. 

Edited October 5, 2022 by Mayhem

[360rumors]

On 9/7/2022 at 8:45 AM, DragonFZ said:

I recently Hyper extended my knee. I'm lucky it was only a sprang injury. I currently have the EVS Sports - Sport Knee Brace. Which is ok, but I'm wondering if anyone have some experiences with other different brands and models. I'm going to return the one I have, since I paid for a pair and only got one (Amazon). Twice. Its a glitch in their system and refund only to fix issue.  Thank you 

I have leatt z frame. I’m pleased with them but haven’t crash tested them. If you want even stronger protection you can try leatt c frame.