Having decided to enter the women’s Gravity Enduro style race, the Fox on the Rocks Funduro, for the first time, I thought it would be a good idea to invest in some safety gear (after I crashed). Leading into the race, I went out two weeks before and did some training runs with a fun group of riders. They showed me a few stages and everything was going like clockwork until the 3rd run down the hill. A bit of fatigue, a bit of confidence and poor front wheel placement on a root section resulted in a crash that left me with some sexy gravel rash on both my right elbow and leg. That’s when I thought, "Yes, I need elbow guards for the race."
I tried on a few different elbow guards and ended up settling for the Fox Launch Pro D30® Elbow Pads. One of the reasons I like this elbow pad is that it’s actually quite comfortable, whilst still giving a good area of protection. Some heavy duty elbow pads can be quite bulky and uncomfortable but the Fox Launch follows the profile of your arm. It also has a handy strap on the top side to stop it from moving on your arm.Some of the sections of Fox on the Rocks were a bit rocky so I was looking for an elbow pad that had a hard, shell-like protection. The cool thing about the Fox Launch elbow pad is that the hard shell is removable and replaceable. Luckily, though, I didn’t have to test out its durability! I have no doubt the impact-reducing technology in the D30 would have protected me though.
If you’re looking for an elbow pad with some added protection, particularly if you’re riding fairly rocky trails, I have no problem recommending the Fox Launch Pro D30. It’s much better to invest in some protection in the beginning rather than spend your night scrubbing gravel out of your elbow (I’m talking from experience). Safety first!
By Janine Jungfels - Pushys Sponsored Athlete