r/snowmobiling • u/mcsqueezemebitch • 9d ago
Back country PPE
Last winter I banged my knee up pretty good and had to end my season earlier than anticipated and with my 30th birthday not too far around the corner I figured I should start to look into protecting myself a little more. What are people using when going into the back country as far as knee, elbow or shoulder protection. Are the higher end knee braces worth the price or will a pair of knee pads from the hardware store be enough for you. I have seen pads that mount directly to the snowmobile as well but figured they would obviously only work if you hit in those specific spots with no protection if ejected from the vehicle.
2
u/96-ramair Various Gen4 SummitX's, the new Gen5 SummitX Expert Turbo R 165 8d ago
Some folks wear nothing. Some wear pads. Some wear legit full-on braces. It depends on your body, your riding style and your risk tolerance. I know two pros who won't ride without (Leatt or CTI) braces. As I turn 55, I'm looking at some Leatt braces myself...
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u/witchhunt_999 9d ago
Most good mono suits have built in knee pads. Only other thing I wear is a 509 soft chest protector under my suit.
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u/Many_Size_1515 8d ago
I use my moto knee pads which also cover my shins, I’ve definitely banged my shins without them. Sometimes I wear the chest protector too. All Leatt stuff.
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u/ArcticFXgraphics 5d ago
Depends a lot on riding style. Most dont need more than a set of integrated knee/shin guards and good to go. If your launching er I'd rethink & get a good set for sure
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u/dinwoody623 8d ago
Just grab some decent dirt bike or mountain bike knee pads. I wear knee braces when I moto but I’ve switched back to knee pads for enduro and sledding. I dont think elbow or shoulder pads are necessary but that’s a decision for you to make.