# Wrist guards, anyone where them?



## GavinHope (Jun 14, 2010)

I'd be interested to hear people's views on wrist guards: do you wear them, did you use to wear them, do you avoid them, recommend them, hate how they don't fit inside your gloves?

I started off snowboarding use a set, and for my first few trips they came in really handy, probably saved a few niggling wrist injuries. But soon after I grew out of them... recently wrote a post on the subject - so interested to see what others think.

Cheers, Gavin


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## GavinHope (Jun 14, 2010)

sorry for the horrendous spelling mistake in the title, all I can say is that it's late here. Oops!


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

I've never worn them, but have thought about picking up a pair for park riding. You'll hear a lot of people claim they actually make injuries worse, and while that may be the case in some situations, I'd say they likely prevent or minimize injuries in far more situations. It's kind of like not wearing a seatbelt because in some situations, they can actually make the situation worse. That's great, but in far more situations they'll save your ass.


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## jon611 (Jan 13, 2010)

I'm all in for some wrist protection. Last year I got a pair of Level gloves with a wrist support system built in, love them. I'm certain they helped when I was just starting, since learning to fall a little better they probably are less useful, but it's nice to know there is something there if I do fall awkward.


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## earl_je (Oct 20, 2009)

I wear gloves that have wrist guards built into them when I'm lapping the park or just jibbing around. They arent completely solid, feels like 3-4 fairly flexible strips running across my wrist. I like them better that way (solid ones may actually cause forearm fractures) because they have a little 'give'. 

I don't wear one when I'm out in the backbowls or trails.


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## snajper69 (Jan 4, 2010)

linvillegorge said:


> I've never worn them, but have thought about picking up a pair for park riding. You'll hear a lot of people claim they actually make injuries worse, and while that may be the case in some situations, I'd say they likely prevent or minimize injuries in far more situations. It's kind of like not wearing a seatbelt because in some situations, they can actually make the situation worse. That's great, but in far more situations they'll save your ass.


+ 1 I always have my on, they fit in the gloves just fine. Better be safe than sorry.


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## lareaper (Aug 4, 2009)

I don't wear any but sometimes when I wreck on a jib in the park and land on my wrist I really wish I did. Last season I did that and it hurt for a week or two after but if I wore wrist guards I doubt it would've happened. They just seem like they'd be very uncomfortable to wear.


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## GavinHope (Jun 14, 2010)

@linvillegorge - yeah, that's one of the points I was hoping to hear: the possibility of an injury being made worse. I have a similar view to you. And, in the case of beginners, they tend to have lots of low impact, low speed falls. Balance related errors where they're prone to putting a hand down to stop them. In that type of situation I'd say the wrist guards come in real handy.

@lareaper - that was one of the main reasons I stopped wearing them (ages ago). I had the style that fits under the glove, and they were a hassle, and a little uncomfortable. Plus, they restricted the choice of glove.

Interesting that lots of people seem to like either the in-glovee designs or the over-glove.

Cheers for the input, Gavin


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

I will be wearing these this season:
Flexmeter wrist guards








The pair I have are all black though. They fit under my gloves fairly easy and you can't even tell I'm wearing them.


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## Extremo (Nov 6, 2008)

I wear Dakine wrist guards on my left hand because I broke it a few seasons ago. But they're nothing special, the main reason I chose them was because they fit under my gloves. I like those flexmeters and I found some motoX wrist guards that look pretty sick. 

Allsport CTi OTS Wrist Brace - Off the Shelf wrist brace protection for all sports - Discount Price


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## yusoweird (Apr 6, 2009)

I wore Level wrist guard gloves until I stop the habit of putting my arms out when I fall. I like the fact that it is built into the glove. Very easy to put on and take off. I sold them, but sometimes I wish I still have them to wear.


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## tAo77 (Oct 14, 2010)

I broke my left wrist two years ago, no wrist guards. I always wear them now, yes they are a bit uncomfortable and yes they do restrict your glove choice. I must say after a broken wrist those are very MINOR issues. As for the point of making an injury worse...well a fractured forearm heals much quicker and with less chance of surgery then your wrist. There are 23 little bones in your wrist that you can break some with very delicate blood vessel structure and any serious injury in there can lead to multiple surgeries and worst case a fused wrist... IMO wrist guards are absolutely worth the inconvenience.


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## lions81 (Nov 19, 2008)

I just bought a pair of red wrist guards last week. I just had surgery on my wrist last year after fracturing the same spot three times, so I really hope these guards help


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## noahj (Dec 25, 2009)

This season will be my first snowboarding. From research, i bought a pair of Level mitts i plan on using this winter.

For those who have worn the Level gloves/guards, do they really do a good job of protection? Does that little piece that just hangs on the wrist area really work? I'm looking at it and just can't figure the benefits.


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## Nixtro21 (Dec 2, 2008)

i have burton gloves with built in wrist guards that i dont even notice. I figure they certainly cant hurt, although i've been having trouble locating the name of the pair i have being that i need new ones. But ya *knocks on wood* i've never hurt my wrists since i got them so i guess they have to be doing their jobs.

edit: found em 
http://snowboards-for-sale.com/burton_snowboard_gloves/gore_support_glove/


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## jon611 (Jan 13, 2010)

noahj said:


> This season will be my first snowboarding. From research, i bought a pair of Level mitts i plan on using this winter.
> 
> For those who have worn the Level gloves/guards, do they really do a good job of protection? Does that little piece that just hangs on the wrist area really work? I'm looking at it and just can't figure the benefits.


I have the Level Fly gloves and that little piece is surprisingly effective. I had my doubts, but last season(my first season) they proved themselves more than a few times. The only thing you have to do to make them work is ensure the velcro around the wrist/guard is snug.


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## Extremo (Nov 6, 2008)

jon611 said:


> I have the Level Fly gloves and that little piece is surprisingly effective. I had my doubts, but last season(my first season) they proved themselves more than a few times. The only thing you have to do to make them work is ensure the velcro around the wrist/guard is snug.


I'm actually looking for the Level Sector but can't find any sites that sell them. That one in your link had them but they're sold out.


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## WolfSnow (Oct 26, 2008)

I brought some online, they fitted under my gloves but were rather uncomfortable, although after reading this thread, I may reconsider putting up with them.


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## earl_je (Oct 20, 2009)

tAo77 said:


> I broke my left wrist two years ago, no wrist guards. I always wear them now, yes they are a bit uncomfortable and yes they do restrict your glove choice. I must say after a broken wrist those are very MINOR issues. As for the point of making an injury worse...well a fractured forearm heals much quicker and with less chance of surgery then your wrist. *There are 23 little bones in your wrist that you can break some with very delicate blood vessel structure* and any serious injury in there can lead to multiple surgeries and worst case a fused wrist... IMO wrist guards are absolutely worth the inconvenience.



Only 8 little wrist bones or "carpals"


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## tAo77 (Oct 14, 2010)

earl_je said:


> Only 8 little wrist bones or "carpals"


Too True! Thanks for the correction, guess I was including the whole hand minus the finger tips...


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## john doe (Nov 6, 2009)

I'm getting some of the Level Fly gloves for this season. After a dislocated ulna in July while at the skatepark I have to have a brace of some sort. It will suck spending as much on gloves as I did on boots but the gloves seem to be a really high quality.

Before and after of the dislocation.
http://home.earthlink.net/~zymurgyjwt/wrist-lateral.jpg
http://home.earthlink.net/~zymurgyjwt/wrist-lateral-correct.jpg


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

I just ordered the level gloves for my son. Ill check his out, if there good I'm gonna get them for my wife and I.


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## GavinHope (Jun 14, 2010)

tAo77 said:


> I broke my left wrist two years ago, no wrist guards. I always wear them now, yes they are a bit uncomfortable and yes they do restrict your glove choice. I must say after a broken wrist those are very MINOR issues. As for the point of making an injury worse...well a fractured forearm heals much quicker and with less chance of surgery then your wrist. There are 23 little bones in your wrist that you can break some with very delicate blood vessel structure and any serious injury in there can lead to multiple surgeries and worst case a fused wrist... IMO wrist guards are absolutely worth the inconvenience.


Good point (minus the incorrect number of bones... not that I knew, just read the other dudes comments)


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## NYSnow (Nov 28, 2009)

Wrist guards should be more common in snowboarding. Most people only start wearing them after they break their wrist - like me. I broke my left wrist 1 day into a Swiss snowboarding trip ending my snow vacation early. I am lucky I work in an orthopedic hospital and able to get it surgically repaired when I flew back a couple of days later. Any inconvenience and discomfort of wearing wrists guards is nothing compared to a wrist fracture and any pain, stiffness or loss of motion you can get from the injury. Fortunately my wrist fracture healed well and I have almost no symptoms now. We see a ton of wrist fractures every year from snowboarding. I would also rather fracture my forearm then my distal radius or scaphoid and a wrist brace usually prevents these more serious injuries.


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## Penzer (Oct 25, 2010)

Used to wear wristguards under gloves but it destroyed the gloves over time.

Now I wear dakines with built in wrist guards, love them and would recommend them to anyone.


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