# Recommendation on wrist guards



## lernr (Feb 3, 2012)

I rock Level Superpipes for non-backcountry riding.

Second season and I wish the thumb had leather cap but still holding up alright I guess - no duck tape yet


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

I have the SPPro but they come apart after 2 seasons (about 50 days) . The plastic spikes are all gone and I closed the holes with glue (looks like crap). The Kevlar is tough...but the water goes trough it, and it should be lower on the fingers where you actually hold the board. They are not really warm, but they do protect you a lot. I will use the inserts in a different glove-shell next season, unless they improved the design drastically.


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## lernr (Feb 3, 2012)

I thought the spikes were metal? Mine are all there, maybe I don't use the gloves as much...

You are right, GTX XCR whatever, my gloves do get soaked in our PNW rain. Never froze in them, but I do run hot.

I was also thinking that at some point I'll be using the plastic guards in another shell :thumbsup:


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

lernr said:


> I thought the spikes were metal? Mine are all there, maybe I don't use the gloves as much...
> 
> You are right, GTX XCR whatever, my gloves do get soaked in our PNW rain. Never froze in them, but I do run hot.
> 
> I was also thinking that at some point I'll be using the plastic guards in another shell :thumbsup:


It's plastic....some broke and I took the others out (i never liked those spikes). the G-tex holds...but the tip of the fingers and the top, where the rubber meets other fabric, let water in. 
They're good if it's a cold crisp day...but if it starts warming up or it's wet snow...not good. I do feel I can plow trough branches with them thou..they are hella tough.


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## Irahi (May 19, 2011)

Flexmeters are the best wristguards I've ever used. The gloves are crap, but the standalone single splint wristguard + a high quality glove is my preferred setup. The flexmeters themselves are a bit bulky, so you're pretty likely to have to size up on the glove, but they're very comfortable to wear and provide excellent progressive protection, so they absorb a lot of impact before transferring it anywhere.

I have a pair of level superpipes as well, and they're a really nice glove, but the wrist protection just isn't as good.


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## looking4snow (Mar 25, 2012)

Irahi said:


> Flexmeters are the best wristguards I've ever used.


Do you have Flexmeters with neoprene on palm side: Flexmeter Single Wrist Guards

Or with flexible plastic: Flexmeter All Season Wrist Guards


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## tonto (Mar 15, 2012)

Irahi said:


> Flexmeters are the best wristguards I've ever used. The gloves are crap, but the standalone single splint wristguard + a high quality glove is my preferred setup. The flexmeters themselves are a bit bulky, so you're pretty likely to have to size up on the glove, but they're very comfortable to wear and provide excellent progressive protection, so they absorb a lot of impact before transferring it anywhere.


Funny that you mentioned Flexmeters. After posting the thread, I ran across some pics of wrist guards. The Flexmeters got my attention and I started looking more into them. The one I am leaning towards is the Flexmeters double-splint. I'm sure the single-splint version probably offers better protection than the Burton R.E.D. impact wrist guards I currently have, but now I'm a bit paranoid about protection and thought the double-splint version may be better for me.

The next concern I have is sizing. On one website, it gave sizing recommendations based on the circumference of your palm, which would set me at a size large. But then I went on the Alps Gear website where the measurement was based on the distance from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger, which would set me at a size medium.

Another concern I have is whether or not I would need to buy a new set of gloves. My current medium Dakine Rover gauntlet gloves are large enough to allow me to use the Pro-tec IPS or Buton R.E.D. wrist guards. The Flexmeters seem a bit more robust & thick, so do I need to purchase a new set of large Dakine Rover gloves?

Thx,
Tan


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## Irahi (May 19, 2011)

looking4snow said:


> Do you have Flexmeters with neoprene on palm side: Flexmeter Single Wrist Guards
> 
> Or with flexible plastic: Flexmeter All Season Wrist Guards


I have both. The all season ones with the double splint are a bit overkill for snow, in my opinion, although if you're looking for overkill, these are the guards to get. They're much more rigid, come pretty close to immobilizing your wrist altogether, and are quite bulky. They are, however, much better if you intend on using them without gloves at all, the hard plastic plate on the bottom side is extremely rigid, and is great for striking pavement or rails without damaging anything. 

The single splint wristguards are much easier to fit under a glove, and allow for a greater range of motion so they don't interfere with ratcheting down bindings or anything.




tonto said:


> The next concern I have is sizing. On one website, it gave sizing recommendations based on the circumference of your palm, which would set me at a size large. But then I went on the Alps Gear website where the measurement was based on the distance from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger, which would set me at a size medium.
> 
> Another concern I have is whether or not I would need to buy a new set of gloves. My current medium Dakine Rover gauntlet gloves are large enough to allow me to use the Pro-tec IPS or Buton R.E.D. wrist guards. The Flexmeters seem a bit more robust & thick, so do I need to purchase a new set of large Dakine Rover gloves?


If you wear a medium glove, I find it pretty unlikely that you'd need a large in the flexmeters. 

The biggest challenge with glove sizing is getting your upper palm section through the wrist of the glove, so if your gloves have any sort of adjustable wrist (velcro, draw cord, etc...) you'll probably be fine. Otherwise if it's already pretty tight in the wrist, you'll most likely have to size up in your gloves, especially if you're looking to get the double splint wristguard.


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## looking4snow (Mar 25, 2012)

Thanks for review! Irahi, when you remove that small triangular shaped thing of the All Season ones, is there still some hard material to protect the palm or just neoprene, or something else? I understand, that All Season are more bulky, but I'm not sure, if Single ones will give enought protection, if I will fall on the ice or rail/box really bad. What do you think about it?


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## Irahi (May 19, 2011)

looking4snow said:


> Thanks for review! Irahi, when you remove that small triangular shaped thing of the All Season ones, is there still some hard material to protect the palm or just neoprene, or something else? I understand, that All Season are more bulky, but I'm not sure, if Single ones will give enought protection, if I will fall on the ice or rail/box really bad. What do you think about it?


The all season ones do have a plastic splint inside the neoprene on the bottom side in addition to the hard plastic removable shell, so they are fundamentally different in that regard. The bottom splint is pretty flexible though, and doesn't seem to have the same graduated compression design that the top has, so it doesn't resist more the farther you bend it. The bottom splint does not seem to provide any extra protection against hyperextension (bending your wrist backwards,) it only provides more protection against direct impacts (like hitting a rail) and bending your wrist forwards (which isn't very likely to happen on a board.)

I find that the neoprene on the bottom side of the single splint is enough to take hits on ice just fine, the only thing it wouldn't stand up to is if you managed to take a shot directly on the wrist from say... a sharp corner on a rail and it managed to puncture your glove. Otherwise it does just fine on flat, hard surfaces, and the joint protection is second to none.

The all season wristguard's advantage is definitely suited more for street play, it doesn't help with joint damage, but it does help protect against straight impact damage on hard, edged surfaces, or rough surfaces like pavement.


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## looking4snow (Mar 25, 2012)

Thanks man! Probably last question.  Is it possible to use Flexmeters with elbow and forearm guard?
Dainese - SNOW ELBOW GUARD AIR - Multisport Winter - America - Inglese
or
Forcefield Limb Tube Elbow Armour | Forcefield Body Armour and Climate Control


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## tonto (Mar 15, 2012)

Irahi, thanks for all the information on the Flexmeter. I ordered the double-splint version already.

looking4snow, if the elbow armour/pads can go over the end part of the Flexmeter, then it may work. The Flexmeter goes up quite a bit up your forearm. I think the total length is around 9" or so, so measure from your knuckles to approximate where it ends. The Dainese may work OK since there are velco straps (assuming the straps are long enough to accommodate the Flexmeter. But the Forcefield Limb Tube is designed to be a snug fit, so I think you will have trouble sliding that thing over the Flexmeter.


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## Irahi (May 19, 2011)

looking4snow said:


> Thanks man! Probably last question.  Is it possible to use Flexmeters with elbow and forearm guard?
> Dainese - SNOW ELBOW GUARD AIR - Multisport Winter - America - Inglese
> or
> Forcefield Limb Tube Elbow Armour | Forcefield Body Armour and Climate Control


Most forearm protection doesn't really fit with the flexmeters, you'd definitely have to get it over the wristguards, which can be a challenge since most armor is designed to fit close to skin. For reference, they reach about halfway to my elbow, so anything that comes down farther than that will be an uncomfortable fit.


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