Bluegrass 2018 Armour and Pads Range
Thu 5th Oct, 2017 @ 9:30 am
Bluegrass has just released its new range of body armour and pads for 2018 and our man in the dirt, Ben Winder, was at the launch to get the skinny (bad pun fully intended) on the new line up and give us his thoughts on some real-world experience in the new kit.
The range is made up of two different lines, one is a lightweight range ‘Skinny Protection Series’ which they call a second skin. These are designed for trail riding, but still offer a high level of protection. They’ve designed this range closely with their EWS riders. There might be smaller pads, and more lightweight pads on the market, but this pad is where Bluegrass decided was the best compromise of protection to styling and warmth.
The other half of the range is their ‘Solid Protection Series’, this have been designed with Downhill racing and bike park days in mind, with a much greater level of protection, for a more aggressive rider in mind.
The pads are available at two different price points; one a high-end version that features D30, extra comfort due to additional straps and ease of use, they’re also made from more durable materials. The body armour is only available at one price point.
Skinny Knee and Elbow
The high-end Skinny has a Kevlar fabric cover over the D30 protection, a stronger sleeve and a slightly comfier fit than the low-end Skinny. The pad is held in place by silicon bands at either end of the pad. The knee pads felt good, the sleeve hugs the leg well, and didn’t slip down at all. It’ll be interesting to see how the elastic holds up after prolonged usage. I did have one small gripe though, in the middle of the knee there’s some stitching that was noticeable whilst riding. The elbow pads offer a substantial amount of protection, which has made them quite bulky, this isn’t necessarily a problem though.
MSRP:
- Skinny D30 Knee – £85
- Skinny D30 Elbow – £80
- Skinny Knee – £45
- Skinny Elbow – £39
Solid Knee and Elbow
A much more substantial pad, include a lot of the same technology as the Skinny pads, but with a lot more protection, harder wearing materials and more adjustments to get the perfect fit. The D30 version feature, a top and bottom strap, a zip down the side so the pads are easily removable. The zip was something I thought would be irritating, but it’s been well protected from the inside and something that’s impossible to notice whilst riding. The pads are warm, you wouldn’t want to do much pedalling in these, but with the zip they’re easy to remove without taking your shoes off.
MSRP:
- Solid D30 Knee – £105
- Solid D30 Elbow – £100
- Solid Knee – £60
- Solid Elbow – £60
Solid Back Protector
This body armour features D30 shoulder pads, D30 back protector and soft chest protection. The suit is made from a lightweight material to try to keep this breathable as possible, yet it’s still pretty warm with all the protection on. It also is compatible with a hydration pack, which slots in on the outside of the back plate. The suit feels well protected and comfortable whilst standing in, I did find the suit rose up a little whilst riding, but they do have a ‘shorts clip’ which works with some riding shorts, mine didn’t.
MSRP: £170
Skinny Back Protector (not tested)
A much lighter version to allow for extra breathability and comfort, with the only protection being a back plate, it is considerably less protected than the solid version.
MSRP: £130
