Specialized Safety Gear for Uncyclists

We all know, bicyclists and unicyclists alike, that a helmet, knee, elbow and wrist pads are staples of safety gear. They protect the head, elbows, knees, and wrists, and to a degree, the hands.

Together with protective eyewear and, to a different degree, close-toed shoes, this is all the protective gear you really need to ride safely. That, paired with knowing how to fall safely will help minimize the long-term effects of those unplanned dismounts you will periodically experience even long after you’re no longer a novice rider.

But even with all of this said, there’s another type of safety gear that offers a higher degree of protection to the knees and legs than standard knee pads, and which is specifically designed for unicycle riders.

It’s called leg armor. Here’s what it offers.

About Unicycle Leg Armor

Leg armor, specifically the Kris Holm leg armor we sell here, is optimized for the needs of unicyclists and sold in pairs.

The design of leg armor incorporates a knee pad that shields the knee against impacts, but this armor offers much more protection than just to the knees.

This leg armor offers full coverage of and protection for both the front and back of the lower leg, extending just about the knee on the front and covering the whole shin down to the ankle; along the back, the calves are shielded against impact as well.

They’re built tough, too, from 1200 denier ballistic-grade nylon that is extremely tough and abrasion resistant, with a design that resists sagging. They’re also backed with wicking polyester that is quick-drying and which helps keep you cool and comfortable in the heat.

The shielding at the front of the shin helps prevent those painful shin impacts and will help shield your shins against the cranks and pedals in the event your feet ever slip off the pedals. They also shield your shins against impact should you experience a full-blown unplanned dismount.

As for the knee pads, they fully cover the front of the knee, helping to soften the blow of any unexpected impacts. In addition, the shielded knee design also helps protect the rider against incidental contact with the crown of the unicycle fork. A hard run into a square fork crown can be quite painful - but not with this leg armor. The design of the knee is also low profile so as to avoid the fork crown in the first place.

In addition to covering the front and back of the legs, they also shield the inside of the lower leg with polyurethane patches that are tough, abrasion-resistant, and specifically designed to protect the inside of your lower legs against run-ins with the tire.

This is an insightful optimization to this piece of unicycle safety gear as scuffing your lower leg against the tire at speed can result in a painful burn. If you’ve been there, you know.

The coverage of the knee also incorporates another design aspect that improves rider comfort - the knees are well-ventilated, not just at the front, but also at the rear, helping to keep this leg armor cool and comfortable, even in hot, muggy conditions. There’s nothing worse than extra coverage and padding in the humidity, but with these, you’ll remain reasonably cool and dry.

They’re lightweight, comfortable, and easy to get on and off, too, which makes them less cumbersome to use, despite the adequate coverage and protection they afford.

Now that we’ve covered all that, let’s address the elephant in the room: cleaning them.

As you’re probably well aware, an activity this strenuous asks along from your gear, not just your clothing, but your safety gear as well. Some of it is a lot easier to clean than others, and what isn’t easy to clean will start to smell sooner rather than later.

Especially something made of polyester and nylon, like this leg armor.

But here’s what might arguably be called the best part of this unicycle safety gear. Unlike some knee, elbow and wrist pads, these are completely machine washable, which streamlines cleaning and maintenance, especially after a long and grueling ride.

Of course, you can also wash them by hand, too. They offer you that flexibility.

Falling Safely

While leg armor like this can help protect you, just like a helmet, gloves, knee, elbow and wrist pads, the first and most important aspect of safe riding and avoiding injury is knowing how to fall safely.  

If you know a fall is imminent, don’t necessarily try to resist it. The worst thing you can do is tense up when going into a fall.

The second worst thing you can do is stick out your arms to try to break your fall. If you stick your arms out, you’re likely to break your wrist or elbow. It is not something you want to do.

In addition to not extending your extremities, you want to be able to roll into the fall. Doing so will help you bleed off energy so that you can dissipate the force that you experience when hitting the ground.

You don’t want to hit the ground and stop. You either want to roll or slide if you can. Draw out the impact over the longest reasonably achievable window of time to avoid injury.

For more information on how to fall properly and avoid injury our previous post, How to Fall Off a Unicycle, Safely. That post will have most of the information you should need.

That, paired with being prepared with appropriate unicycle safety gear should help protect you better and keep you more comfortable while riding, too.

Gear Up with Unicycle Safety Gear

You’re in the right place if you’re here for unicycle safety gear. Take a look through our full collection of helmets, knee, elbow and wrist pads and leg armor and refresh your current inventory. You can also get in touch with us if you have any questions about product specifics before you buy.