“I managed to avoid hitting any trees with my elbows, but with these on, I’m kind of tempted to give one a nudge anyway.”
Buying elbow pads is a bit like buying health insurance; you probably don’t really want to spend your money on it but, the moment you need it, you’re sure glad you did. 100% have a massive array of mountain bike specific protection on offer now, with four unique ranges depending on whether you like the full-on Iron Man level of protection, or something more understated that would fit in well at your local yoga class. Somewhere in the middle of all this is the Teratec+ range, and I’ve been putting the Teratec+ elbow pads through their paces for a few months now.
The Teratec+ are a full-sleeve style elbow pad. There are no straps or Velcro, just a stretchy mesh on the inner forearm and padding on the outer. The elbow pad is naturally curved, articulating just above the elbow which means that it moves nicely with your arm, without any pinching or bunching.
The main padding on the elbow and forearm feels a little like the G-Form style soft, putty-like, slow- rebounding material. Extensive googling couldn’t help me find out anything more about this but suffice to say, it feels sufficiently thick to stop the hardest of impacts.
Above and below the main line of elbow padding is a thinner foam pad, extending the protected area around your forearm as well as up and around the triceps area.
They feel like the most coverage and protection you can reasonably expect from an elbow pad that doesn’t utilise a hard plastic shell. Personally, I prefer pads without the hard shell as they seem to still offer ample protection for 99% of the scuffs that my elbows face, and get the benefit of increased flexibility and ability to form to your arm. There is also a band of silicone grip at the upper cuff to stop them sliding around.
On the trail the Teratec+ elbow pads felt great. The bend in the elbow feels just right and, after a few moments, I tended to forget they were even there – ideal really! The full-sleeve style is undoubtedly a hotter style pad than something that is really only covering a protruding elbow, but it does give a boosted sense of confidence on the trails. Riding in the spring and autumn, when temperatures are just a little bit cooler and the trails a bit more slippery, I think I would find myself wearing these frequently. The sleeve style helps them stay in place and they do a great job of not budging – even over the roughest terrain – without feeling restrictive. As luck would have it, I managed to actually avoid hitting any trees with my elbows during the review period but, with these on, I’m kind of tempted to give one a nudge anyway.
REVIEW: LANCE PILBROW
DISTRIBUTOR: FE SPORTS
RRP:$139