Prized vs. Amortized
It’s a justification nation, and I know I’m not the only parent weighing the cost benefit of every piece gear I buy my grom. Mountain bicycling or hockey, protective gear is the hardest to factor. More money, more better can sometimes be a reality, but there’s always a question of min-maxing vs. the still-growing, lightweight, green-limbed participant. It’s also impossible to unknow what I know. I have a hard time buying things for my kid that I wouldn’t use, or at least wouldn’t choose, myself, even factoring in my bonus body size and sweatiness.
Sure, there are some items, like her lightweight kid-friendly ABUS YouDrop full face, that I wouldn’t suit me {if they even made my size} down to a simple calculation of mass and momentum, and maybe the same could be inversely true for crashing in armour? Welcome, then, to an expensive dilemma I came across in May. Sure, my grom grows slowly compared to a lot of my friends’ weeds, I mean, weans, but she still grows, and despite stretching them out, it came time for some new armour. Knees & elbows.
{All Photos: MEATengines}
Claire has been using, and loving, 7iDP Transition Youth armour for a couple of few years now and she’s always been happy with it. A huge and instant improvement for pedaling over everything she’d tried before and her pads still have life left, we’re replacing them because she obstinately keeps on growing. I’m confident that she amortized them as best as possible with the amount of pedaling we put in. Not to mention hitting the deck a fair few times. The easy choice, and the more affordable choice, would have been to buy the next size of the same-same and continue on.
My issue, and I fully admit it’s an issue; my issue is that I’ve quite happily ridden 7iDP knee pads, along with many other options, but in my ongoing experience the new Chromag Shift pads are worth the extra scratch. For me. I’ve never worn pads, even less protective pads, so comfortably, for more hours in a day, for more days in a row. Soaked with rain or sweat, I’ve yet to experience uncomfortable repercussions from pedaling up one more climb. And yes, fit is personal, and yes, even with five sizes, even if they had double the sizes, they aren’t going to be the best fit for everyone. Caveat emptor, it’s a great idea to try on shoes, armour, and helmets before buying them. All the better if it’s from the place investing in stocking the product for you to try on.
That all said, [aside][/aside], there are so many options out there it’s certainly unrealistic to expect every shop to stock every option and it’s been my experience that both 7iDP and Chromag’s sizing charts are accurate. With armour, for those on the cusp, I generally recommend sizing down since there will always be some amount of stretching in. Not an issue in Claire’s case, with her charting easily into XS knees and elbows.
Claire had previously tried on, and comparatively didn’t love, the Chromag Rift armour compared to her 7iDP pads, so if Chromag hadn’t updated their armour options it would have been the next size of the same-same for her. But, again, the Shift is a next level product. I have only worn one of my two pairs of Rift pads once since I first pulled the Shift armour on, and that’s because I keep a pair in the car as spares and forgot to grab my gear bag in the morning. No complaints, the Rift pads are good, but the Shift pads fit me and my purposes much better.
Yeah, so. To park my rambling somewhere, after way too much time trying to make a decision, I went with my guts, put up the extra cash, and bought Claire a set {elbows & knees} of Shift pads in an XS. Then I grounded myself for feedback ranging from “I like the 7iDP pads better” through “Meh, they’re okay.” But I’m happy to report, instead, a win, albeit for the extra outlay. The Clairebarian’s experience mirrors my own. With shorts, or under pants, she loves pedaling in the Shift knee pads and the fit and flex of the elbows is excellent. Climbing out of the saddle, and descending. I’m almost, nearly, maybe sold on trying a pair of the arm-our myself*.
*{If any AOM-Groms have tried the Shift elbows, especially if they’re typically elbow pad haters like me, I’d be interesting in hearing your feedback.}
**{Shout-out to cycling community organizer and F!RST L!GHT fabricator Thomas for the torch work.}
I’ll finish up by acknowledging – MEATengines’ PPP Review Policy – that I’m given the gears frequently by a few friends about how much crotch-grabbing-bear product we use chez MEAT. There was a time, not that long ago, that the only Chromag bike that we’d ever owned was Nina’s old Sakura {now a commuter/ATB}. These days, between Claire’s used Samurai Voyager**, my used Will’s Arcturian Voyager**, and Nina’s Minor Threat, we have three of them not to mention that Claire & Nina love their ratchet shorts.
The Whistler concern generally sells well considered, high-quality stuff. Anywho, I’m not sure if you should salt what I call gear reviews anymore or less than elsewhere in bicycle media land, but either way, sprinkle to your preferred taste.
Chromag Shift knee pads, recommend by Drew-Bob; recommended by The Clairebarian.
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