Torture Tested: PODMX K700 Knee Braces

Question 1: Do you moto?

Question 2: Do you have knees?

If you answered yes to both then congratulations! You ride dirt bikes (sweet!) and you’re a human being (bonus!). This also means you should be wearing knee braces. I’ll let it slide if you grew up in the era when the only knee braces available were custom made units that you needed a prescription for so your insurance could cover the $1500 expense.

Nowadays, there are no excuses. There are more knee brace options made specifically for motocross than ever before, and most of them are OTF (off-the-shelf). Even better, you can pick up a set for well under a grand, and they can be just as good, or better, than custom braces.

The PODMX knee braces fall right into that category. Introduced a few years ago and distributed in the U.S. by Fox Racing, the PODMX K700 and K300 are some of the latest and greatest in knee brace technology. The high-end, all carbon fiber K700 is easily one of the lightest braces on the market.

Features:

• Polymer Hinge System in the K700 knee brace features Synthetic Ligaments that function like the human knee, to provide secure natural motion.
• Self-tracking patella guard that remains in position in front of the knee to transfer impact energy throughout the knee brace without directing impact to the knee
• Carbon composite frame
• Anti-bacterial, moisture wicking, frame liner
• Large straps that also feature the moisture wicking comfort fabric
• POD ligament knee braces are medical grade products, covered by most heath insurance plans, with a doctor's prescription. Check with your doctor and insurance provider first.
• MSRP: $424.95 per brace OR $799.95 for a pair

The K300 has all of the same features of the K700, but with a glass-reinforced nylon frame, and thus, more affordable at $264.95 per brace or $499.95 for a pair. While the two different models are very similar, they are not identical. Having only tried the K700, we cannot say that the K300 would perform the same.

The K700 braces use a simple, but well thought out strap system that does an excellent job of keeping the braces in place. With hook and loop adjustments on both ends of the straps, you can get a snug fit that will not loosen up while riding.

I’ve found that first cinching down the strap below the knee and above the calf allows me to secure the braces as I like (snug but not tight). From there I adjust the bottom strap, and then the top two.

Thanks to the anti bacterial padding, especially on the shin area, not only have I never experienced any discomfort, the padding itself remains virtually odorless after nearly four years of consistent with the same braces. For some people that would be eye opening. For my own sweat-soaked equipment to not smell after four years of usage (and, admittedly, zero washing), well that’s a frickin’ miracle! Hmm, does PODMX make clothing? If they do, it’s about to take over my wardrobe.

Onto the rest of the brace, the floating patella guard can throw you off at first, as it does not actually come into contact with your knee, so it can feel as if nothing is protecting you. Don’t fret…it’s there. With the top and bottom plastic extensions that are actually attached to the padding, there are virtually no gaps in protection.

The brace itself is a very low profile design, that I find actually helps with gripping the bike with your knees, rather than being a hindrance. Since the human knee is a complex joint that expands and contracts (and narrows and widens) depending on its angle, PODMX came up with an artificial tendon that joins the top and bottom halves of the braces to help mimic the knees natural movements. Not only does innovation provide excellent protection, but after four years of use and abuse, they hinges still don’t make a sound as there are no moving parts.

   The PODMX K700’s have been my go-to braces for several years, and for good reasons. They’re light, durable, slim, don’t chew up gear, and keep me from smelling like a wet gassy dog.

For more info, check out www.podmx.com.

To purchase PODMX braces in the U.S., visit www.foxhead.com.

-Bayo

*As a side note, I have also used the K700s for snowboarding and they have been a big help, especially with my less than perfect left knee. On a trip to Whistler, BC I was enjoying a foot of fresh powder and near whiteout conditions, when the trail disappeared beneath me. I’d come across a CAT track traverse cut into the hill that created a 10-foot cliff that I couldn’t see. The next thing I new I landed on flat, packed snow with all of my weight on my left knee. If not for the braces, I’m positive that I would have been sitting in the ER for the rest of the day, rather than riding some of best conditions I’d ever been in.