HexPad apparel gets protection in shape

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN — According to these guys — and no one knows more about speed on a skateboard than they do — there's a hill in Colorado with the distinction of being the fastest skateboarding street in the world.

Although it isn't impossible to sleuth out, they're hesitant to say exactly where it is. They even prefer not to mention the town it's in.

That's because skateboarding on a road is illegal in Colorado, albeit a misdemeanor of the jaywalking variety, punishable with a $22 fine. But for the throng of more than 100 gritty gravity-fueled street surfers who gathered last weekend for the second annual Buffalo Bill Downhill Race on Lookout Mountain, that kind of money can add up quickly.

It's one of the reasons the enthusiastic crowd of longboard racers is so stoked about the fledgling Buffalo Bill event. For two days out of the year, a steep, twisted mile and a half of South Lookout Mountain Road is closed to car traffic and opened to skaters donning leather speed suits, body armor and full-face helmets for head-to-head competition in one of only three legal skateboard races in the nation.

It's a far cry from the tradition of "outlaw" racing the clan is accustomed to, with the benefit of hay-bale safety barriers and U-Haul shuttle rides providing skaters some 50 laps on the polished pavement overlooking both the Coors Brewery and the Continental Divide.

And the showcase of the state's seemingly endless assortment of steep mountain streets has captured the attention of longboarders throughout North America.

"I'm a racer myself, and I felt like there was good demand for a race like this in Colorado," event organizer Justin DuBois said Sunday. "There are a lot of kids that want to race and don't have a place to go besides outlaw races, which are super dangerous and you can't really get away with it. The sport is growing. There are just more and more fast people out there. Every year the kids keep getting faster and faster and more capable of skating gnarlier roads, and the courses just have to advance with that."

Despite appearances to the contrary, the Buffalo Bill downhill course does not fall within the upper levels of the gnarly scale that can see skaters reach rolling speeds of about 75 mph on the aforementioned unmentionable street. Still, the Jefferson County race course is considered a gem for its total package of tuckable straightaways combined with half a dozen tangled turns demanding the utmost technical skill.

Adding to the adrenaline mix, racers share the two-lane street with three other leather-clad speed freaks, jockeying for slots through a combination of drafting and "drifting" that places riders precariously close to one another as they skid through hairpin turns at 40-plus mph.

Bear in mind, skateboards don't have brakes. So the experts-only sideways skid is about the only way to check speed going into a tight turn.

"I wore out some pants learning how to slide to a stop," said 54-year- old masters division champion Tad Drysdale of Kirkland, Wash.

After buying his first longboard more than 20 years ago, Drysdale didn't find the courage to ride it until age 47. Now he's a sponsored racer.

"Every time I get on that board, I feel like I'm 13 again," he said.

In its second incarnation, DuBois' downhill race saw a doubling in registration that reached its 96-rider cap nearly two weeks before the event. Skaters came from Vermont, Rhode Island, California, Washington and Vancouver, with dozens of freeriders tagging along to simply sample the goods.

The word is out on our downhill skateboarding scene, and devoted riders are eager to see it for themselves.

"This event puts Colorado on the map, absolutely," said 2009 champion Zak Maytum of Boulder. "Last year was our first year, and a lot of people didn't really give us a chance, but there were enough of us from Colorado who had been to the big events and knew a lot of the top riders that they trusted our word that this was an unbelievable course. The location is great and the hills around this area are great."

As the owner of a skateboard parts company, Venom Bushings, the 18- year-old Maytum has seen what he terms "exploding" growth of downhill racing on longboards firsthand. And thanks to the abundance of quality riding terrain, he said Coloradans are leading the charge.

"Colorado is on its way up really, really fast," Maytum said. "The hills that we practice on around here are so much more difficult and so much more advanced than what people in other scenes have that we just have to learn fast."

Maytum finished second to reigning International Gravity Sports Association (IGSA) world champion Kevin "K-Rimes" Reimer of Vancouver in a tight final race that Maytum led nearly the entire way Sunday. Bolstering the Colorado clout, Golden's Kyle Wester, 22, finished third.

Wester has skated since he got his first longboard in seventh grade, but he took up racing only two years ago. He's been addicted ever since.

"I just love longboarding," Wester said of his decision to pursue the sport's rootsy speed discipline over the more glamorous park and vert ramp events showcased in televised contests such as the X Games and Dew Tour. "Sliding, racing, hills — I just like going fast."

Reference: Scott Willoughby, Denver Post

Photography by: Matt McClain

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons encourages physical activity as part of an overall health and fitness plan. You can have fun, but it is always important to be safe!

To improve skateboarding safety, a growing number of communities provide supervised skateboard parks. These may have professionally designed "bowls" and "ramps" or other designated skateboarding areas that are located away from motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

Skateboarding is an activity in which you move quickly over hard surfaces. It can lead to injuries that range from minor cuts and bruises to catastrophic brain injury. Each year in the United States, skateboarding injuries cause about 50,000 visits to emergency departments and 1500 children and adolescents to be hospitalized. (Source: AAP, March 2002. )

Most hospitalizations involve head injury. Even injuries that heal quickly can cause pain and anxiety, cost time, and money and may lead to disabilities. This can include loss of vision, hearing and speech; inability to walk, bathe, toilet, dress or feed yourself; and changes in thinking and behavior.

Skateboarding is not recommended for young children. That's because they are still growing and do not yet have the physical skills and thinking ability a person needs to control a skateboard and ride it safely.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP):

• Children under age 5 years old should never ride a skateboard.
• Children aged 6 to 10 years old need close supervision from an adult or trustworthy adolescent whenever they ride a skateboard.

When young children are involved in skateboarding accidents, they are often injured severely. Skateboarding is a special risk for young children because they have:

• A higher center of gravity, less development and poor balance. These factors make children more likely to fall and hurt their heads.
• Slower reactions and less coordination than adults. Children are less able to break their falls.
• Less skill and ability than they think. Children overestimate their skills and abilities and are inexperienced in judging speed, traffic and other risks.

Serious skateboarding injuries happen when you lose control and fall or run into a motor vehicle, road hazard, pedestrian, another skateboarder or bicyclist. You are at risk for injuries:

• If you don't use protective equipment.
• If you don't keep your skateboard in good condition.
• If you skateboard on irregular surfaces.
• If you attempt "tricks" beyond your skill level.

Sixty percent of skateboard injuries involve children under age 15; most of those injured are boys. At highest risk are:

• Inexperienced skateboarders. Those who have been skating for less than one week suffer one-third of injuries, usually caused by falls.
• Skateboarders who do not wear protective equipment. Every skateboarder should wear standard safety gear. This includes a helmet, wrist guards, elbow and knee pads and appropriate shoes. Skateboarders who perform tricks should use heavy duty gear.
• Skateboarders who go near traffic or use homemade skateboard ramps. Both activities are particularly dangerous.
• Experienced skateboarders who encounter unexpected surfaces or try risky stunts. Irregular riding surfaces, rocks or other debris can cause you to fall. You can stumble over twigs or fall down slopes. Wet pavements and rough or uneven surfaces can cause a wipeout. Avoid risky behavior. Don't skateboard too fast or in dangerous or crowded locations.

Skateboarding injuries often involve the wrist, ankle or face. Many injuries happen when you lose your balance, fall off the skateboard and land on an outstretched arm.

• Injuries to the arms, legs, neck and trunk range from bruises and abrasions to sprains and strains, fractures and dislocations. Wrist fractures are quite common. Wearing wrist guards can reduce their frequency and severity.
• Facial injuries include breaking your nose and jawbone
• Severe injuries include concussion, closed head injury and blunt head trauma.
• You can suffer permanent impairment or even death if you fall off the skateboard and strike your head without a helmet. Most brain injuries happen when your head hits pavement. You are most at risk if you skateboard near traffic and collide with motor vehicles, bikes, pedestrians or other obstacles.

You can prevent most skateboarding injuries if you follow all of these recommendations:

Proof that McDavid's Hexpad Shorts are great for rodeo and other sports where you need tailbone padding and protection.

The important thing is that they stay in place, otherwise they won't do much good.

In case you weren't convicned you needed to wear sports protective gear hear is a great montage of crash videos.  For more crash videos be sure to visit www.CrashBus.com.  Also get sponsored and recieve discounts when you "hop on the bus".  Join now and you'll save on sports protective gear.

C.Y.A. Protective Gear Launches “Crash Bus” on The Loop’d Network

Specialty retailer dives into social media with interactive fun while offering action sports athletes “Proof you should gear up!” 

Carlsbad, CA - C.Y.A. Protective Gear, a  retailer of safety gear for sports, and Loop’d Network^™, the leading social network for action sports and youth culture, today launched the “Crash Bus” online community at ( www.crashbus.com ).  A killer way to engage young action sports athletes, Crash Bus features a video challenge between members to submit their “crash videos” and compete for a coveted “seat on the bus”.  Members will have the chance to “ride” weekly and C.Y.A. will provide opportunities to win protective gear as a reward for the best of the best.

“The irony is that we are really using Crash Bus to underscore the importance of gearing up to athletes and enthusiasts alike”, said Jason Zinn, President of C.Y.A. Protective Gear.  “Safety gear can prevent serious injuries and even save lives, but you can’t preach to this audience.  Everyone loves a good crash, but no one wants to see anyone get hurt.  These crash videos either demonstrate what can happen when you are not protected, or show that choosing to wear protective gear can mean the difference of walking away or not. Partnering with Loop’d to create a strong association and re-enforcement through community is what we are going for here; Crashes happen, so it’s smart to protect yourself.” 

The community will also offer members sponsorship opportunities, contests, and discounts on protective gear including Helmets, Pads, Knee and Ankle Braces, Back and Spine Protectors, Neck Braces, Mouthguards and more from top brands like Dainese, EVS Sports, SixSixOne, Bell, Shock Doctor, Pro-Tec, DonJoy and Aircast.

“Crash Bus is a unique community on the Loop’d Network that also delivers an important message”, said Scott Tilton, chief executive of Loop’d Network.  “C.Y.A. has found an innovative way to engage athletes in an interactive community while reminding them that Protective Gear can reduce injuries and in some cases save lives. It all fits together as a part of the member experience on Loop’d.” 

More…

To join the C.Y.A. community and win a chance to ride the bus visit www.crashbus.com to register and create a profile.  Once registered, members can interact and enjoy all the benefits of the community and explore across the Loop’d Network.

About C.Y.A. Protective Gear

C.Y.A. is the choice for action sports and team sports athletes alike. Focused on offering the best sports safety gear and pads, C.Y.A. is the number one destination for quality protective gear, competitive pricing, superior customer service, 24/7 access to the site and customer accounts, and a complete source of information for injury prevention and treatment. For more information, visit www.CYAProtectiveGear.com.

About Loop’d Network

Loop’d Network is THE social network for action sports and youth culture. A place for Pros, Am’s and Fans to share with friends, discover what’s happening in their favorite sports, showcase their talent, and explore life. Our unique approach to social media and brand engagement provides unprecedented opportunities to personally connect with a highly influential youth demographic in more relevant and authentic ways.  For more information, visit www.loopd.com.

Get your butt covered! 

Here is a look at our favorite padded shorts for Mountain Biking, Motocross, Skateboard and Snowboarding :

Crash Pads - Crash Pads makes great padded shorts and padded pants.

• Crash Pads Mesh Long Underwear- They'll keep you warm and they have padding on the tailbone, hip and knees.  Great for sking and boarding
• Crash Pads Mesh Underwear - Cooler material makes these shorts good for summer sports like skatboarding although they have all the right padding for snowboarding as well.
• Crash Pads Power Underwear - If you don't like the idea of mesh the high tech moisture management fabric in these shorts provide compression and have the same padding that is ideal for snowboarding as well.
• Crash Pads Mountain Bike Short - Desigined specifically for Mountain Biking these shorts combine all the features you want in a bike short, but have all the padded spots in the hip and leg areas to protect from falls while riding.  Great way to protect from abraisions as well.

Zoombang Padded Shorts-  Zoombang's unique padding material is a polymer that is specially designed and engineered to behave like no other material in the world.  At rest the material is soft and conforms to the exact shape of the player.  However when an impact occurs Zoombang will instantly becomes firm and behave as a solid.

• Zoombang Hip and Tailbone Shorts - A true compression short with wicking properties, but with the built in padding on the hip, tailbone and thigh areas.  The coverage on these shorts isn't as full as the Crash Pads on the tailbone area, but it's it's a lighter short if you are looking for a little less padding and more comfort.

Dainese MTB Impact Short - The ultimate protection for Mountain Biking.  Dainese flat out makes the best protective gear we've seen.  What else would you expect from the Italians.  Through some baggy shorts overthese and your are protected.

Rockgardn Padded Shorts - Known for the mountain bike gear Rockgardn shorts are ideal for downhill and overall protection for mountain biking and work great fro motocross as well.

• Rockgardn CYA Shorts - These padded shorts are ideal mountain biking or motocross. Each ergonomically designed pad for the hips, tailbone, and lower quads is constructed as a half-inch thick “sandwich”, made from two layers of EVA foam with a center layer of impact-distributing ABS plastic.

McDavid Padded Shorts - McDavid makes some great padded shorts, but the they are better for team sports like football and baskeball. If you happen to be reading this for some of those sports be sure to check them out.

The Azzpadz - Designed for Snowboarding.  Not really a short, more a pad you strap on.   We like it, but we find the shorts are more comfortable to wear. 

Playing volleyball can be pretty tough on your joints and muscles, so it’s important to practice the right safety measures to avoid long-term injuries. Here are some common problems that volleyball players often have, and ways to avoid them.

1) Hand injuries

It’s pretty easy to sprain or fracture the bones in your hand and wrist when reaching out to block a spiked ball. Remember to avoid using your fingers to block if possible, because they are the most fragile bones in this area of the body.

2) Ankle sprain

Sometimes the ligaments in your ankle can become stretched or torn when the foot is bent the wrong way, or if you’re using the area too much. If you are noticing some soreness or stiffness in your ankle, it’s a good idea to find a sports brace to wear while you play.

3) Patella Tendinitis

Colloquially, this condition is known as Jumper’s Knee. It happens when the tendon connecting the kneecap to the bone becomes irritated and inflamed, and without the proper care it can actually result in rupture. If you notice any soreness in your knee while jumping or running, it is best to take a break and rest the area for a while to minimize damage.

4) Back Injuries

The back is very vulnerable to strain during the sport of volleyball, due to the intense amount of jumping, bending, and twisting involved. It actually accounts for up to 14% of all volleyball-related injuries. Make an effort to keep your back in line while jumping or spiking so that the area doesn’t have to suffer from repeated strain.

Is old sports protective gear better than brand new just because you are used to it?  Is having a broken in pair of shoulder pads better than having the latest technology built into your protective gear.  We've seen in the last 3-5 years an incredible amount of innovation in the quality and level of protection that manufacturers of sports pads and protective equipment have been developing. 

When you look at the materials developed by innovators like Zoombang, McDavid, Shock Doctor and T-Pro we'd take innovation, increased protection, lighter weight, better fit over some ratty equipment that probably has lost much of it's original padding.  With millions of dollars on the line for these professional athletes I'm surprised they aren't going for the best gear they can get.  Maybe part of it is superstition?  Then again many top athletes are using these new technologies.  Ladanian Tomlinson and Mark Bulger use Zoombang and Dwane Wade and many other NBA players are using McDavid's Hexpad shorts and shirts.

Here is the article that got us to address this topic.

TAMPA - Among the players in the Lightning dressing room, Marty St. Louis is known as the most superstitious.

But St. Louis says luck has nothing to do with why he keeps the torn assembly of fabric, padding, plastic and Velcro that make up his shoulder pads.

They are one of a kind. The blue mesh exterior is fraying off. The white padding is exposed by a tear across the bottom of the left pad. Ten years of sweat gives the fabric a shiny hue.

Finland's Koho brand, since bought by big-money retailer Reebok, hasn't been producing nongoalie equipment for three years, so even if St. Louis had the inclination to get a new pair, he would have a tough time.

"Maybe you could get them on eBay," St. Louis said, joking.

Hockey players have a tough time giving up on helmets, shin guards and other equipment, but there's something about the feel and comfort of worn shoulder pads that makes them special.

"I've had mine since I was 16," said center Brad Richards, 27. "They're going to stay with me. They're not going anywhere. I don't know if it's weird, but I can change skates 100 times a year, gloves, all that stuff, but my shoulder pads, if I didn't have those, I'd be lost forever."

Much like someone having a worn-in baseball glove or a favorite pair of sneakers, some hockey players don't want to let go of their favorite equipment, no matter how ratty it becomes.

Some players are the same way with other equipment.

Chris Gratton has used the same helmet since his first year in the NHL in 1993-94, gluing the protective foam into his helmet when it falls out on a monthly basis.

But shoulder pads are the one item that players universally hesitate to replace. As they get older, they get better. The padding molds itself to fit the player. And any wear and tear can be fixed with some stitching in the equipment room.

"I'll probably never get a new pair," St. Louis said. "I will renovate them. They get banged up. You need to restitch them. It's like an old pair of slippers. When you get a new one, they're not as cozy."

Lightning head equipment manager Ray Th