New Product: POD K8 Kneebrace

Australian joint protection specialist, POD, is now the world’s biggest-selling kneebrace brand in motocross and action sports, and their top-of-the-line K8 model (first released in 2015) has played a key role in that success story. As has their line-up of sponsored athletes across MX/SX, enduro and Dakar disciplines – guys such as Chris Birch, Taddy Blazusiak, Blake Baggett, Steve Holcombe, Ben Bloss, Jonny Walker, Thad Duvall, Billy Bolt, Ricky Brabec, Andrew Short, and Australia’s Dean Ferris, Matt Phillips, Daniel Sanders, Brett Metcalfe, and world surfing champion, Tyler Wright.

Not one to rest on their laurels, however, POD has thrown a heap of R&D into evolving their K8 brace, and they’ve just released a much-updated version of it that’s claimed to be stronger, lower profile, more comfortable and more effective in preventing injuries. The new K8 sill uses a pre-impregnated carbon frame and comes in four frame sizes to optimise fit. But for 2018, it gets an all-new Impact Guard design (with two low-profile panels, not three); a slimmer Hinge Housing with improved ligaments, new Dampening Inserts and rubber Knee Grippers; an all-new closed-cell EVA foam liner; and a new QuickLoc Clip System on two straps, which allows you to anchor the brace to your leg quicker and easier.

Transmoto recently attended the product launch for the all-new K8 in Victoria, so we’ll be bringing you in-depth feedback about the brace in the coming months. In the meantime, though, here’s the information the crew at POD Active released about their new and improved K8:

Today, athletes are training harder, bikes are getting faster, the intensity is increasing and lap times are dropping, though protective equipment hasn’t evolved or improved as fast. Until now! The new POD K8 is a culmination of everything that we’ve learnt – in the lab, plus from the demands of our world champion athletes over the past decade. Patented and medically certified, this Knee Protection System is clinically proven to reduce the prevalence and severity of common knee injuries. This brace sets new standards for knee safety in action sports.

Key Features

Here’s an insight into standout design elements of the much-updated new K8:

Inspired by the human body, POD has taken hinge design to another level with a patented hinge that uses shock-absorbing synthetic ligaments, and is now 17% thinner for better feel against the bike.
These ligaments, tested to 100,000 cycles without failure, are engineered from Vectran Fibres that are five times stronger than steel, to provide progressive, multi-directional motion control. This breakthrough technology delivers new levels of comfort, performance and reliability, making traditional mechanical hinges technically obsolete.
The ligaments form part of the patented Knee Protection System. The hinge housing controls the range of motion, while providing a smooth contact surface against your knee, plus your motocross pants – to avoid abrasion and damage. Load-dampening hinge inserts can be integrated to limit full extension and reduce the time the knee is in the ‘at risk’ position.
Formable knee grippers, plus interchangeable hinge shims and pads, then capture and control the knee for a precise and secure fit.
Low-profile forged carbon frames allow for optimal load transfer away from the knee joint, without compromising feel for the bike. This advanced composite technology and construction process, adopted in aerospace and Formula 1, is exclusively used by POD.
Adaptive Cuffs accommodate muscle motion and disperse load. Antimicrobial frame liners enhance comfort, reduce odour, plus capture the interior straps and clips to anchor the brace to your leg, and stop brace migration during your ride.
CE impact tested and certified full coverage patella guards protect against impacts, handlebar strikes, plus enhance comfort when kneeling.

The result is a completely interchangeable modular kneebrace system that allows you to replace parts of the brace, at home or at the track, if they get damaged or wear out over time. And that saves you time and money. Simply remove the patella guard and wear them skiing, surfing, wakeboarding, mountain biking, whatever.
POD is so confident in the strength and protection of the unbreakable K8 frames that they back it up with an industry leading five-year warranty.

PRICE & AVAILABILITY

The new K8 Kneebraces are available in a carbon/silver colourway only. The RRP for single braces is $570, or $1140 a pair.
For your nearest POD dealer, go to the Monza Imports website, who exclusively distributes POD’s K-series braces in Australia.

For more information about the K8 and POD’s full range of braces, check out the POD website and/or this video insight into the new K8…

ABOUT POD ACTIVE

POD Active is an innovative Australian product development company that specialises in joint protection for elite athletes and active people. Our mission is to reduce the risk and severity of ligament injuries in sport and recreation without restricting movement or compromising performance and comfort. Our patented products integrate seamlessly with modern sports equipment, effortlessly enable natural motion, and actively minimise the risk of injury. We call this technology Protection On Demand. The POD Kneebraces are distributed in over 50 countries, with Australia’s distribution partner, Monza Imports, being integral in making POD the #1 worldwide brand in motocross and action sports. POD Kneebraces combine extreme function and performance with the confidence derived from a medically certified device.