After 2 of my riding buddies broke their wrists recently I'm thinking of getting some sort or wrist guard – like the kind my mother made me wear when I was a kid skateboarding.

Im not a fan of pads and normally take the naked approach but I may comprimise with wrists as I really dont want time off exercise.

Riding – light DH, freeride mainly steep terrain drops rocks etc.

What do you use or recommend? DOnt really want something that will go under my pads on my hads though as that may mess up the bar grip.

How did they get their wrist injuries? All the wrist guards I've seen have the reinforcement to prevent an over-extension of the wrist ie pushed back. That doesn't go well with gripping the bars at all. Perhaps they need to land differently, but it is a big mental leap to learn to bringyour arms in and roll rather than hands out.

Got some 661 ones and i like them. I had carpal tunnel operation at the end of March and as such have a nice scar that runs up the palm of my hand. It is still sensitive and my hand won't bend all the way back like my other hand.
Had a fall the other week and got up all ok and i did land on my hand.

They take a little getting used to as the one i got has plastic plates that you can slide in and out. I run without and just the velcro straps offer enough support. With the plates in they offer loads of support. All in i think they are good but i'm not sure i'd use them if it hadn't been for the operation.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=957

This is what i use.

I used to wear them pretty regular for skating – wouldn't wanna ride a bike in them though, they tend to restrict wrist movement a fair bit.

Rector Protectors

The skating ones would be far too restrictive. I used the 661s for a few months after my wrist op but they are quite cumbersome too. You could try some gloves with built in wrist support. I've got some great fox ones but I can't find replacements anywhere. These are good, too:

http://www.krisholm.com/khu/pulse

The snowboard or skateboad style wrist guards have a peice of metal in which stretches along your wrist and up your palm which would prevent you gripping onto the bars as mentioned above. The only solution I can think of is the CTi wrist brace that I'm fairly sure they don't make anymore
Even if they still did the price would be rather high, I think the custom made knee braces are circa £1500 for a pair. Still might be worth having a look to see if you can still get them.

Iain

Rector Protectors

*sniggers* you'd think that would be protecting another part of your body!

mmmm think I will just have to MTFU and get on without any….

Someones missing a business trick here. If POC sold them and stuck £70 tag on them they would probably sell to all the weekend warriors at GT or Kirroughtree.

http://www.snowboardsecrets.com/flexmeter_single_order_page.htm

these have a flexible splint on the back of the hand, might be better on the bars

I swap between the 661s and these snowboard guards:
http://www.edgeriders.com/product_info.php?products_id=5210

The snowboard guards definitley offer more protection and stability but have quite a thick pad on the palm which does get in the way a bit – but still rideable. I have fairly severe arthritis in my left wrist and would struggle to ride without it, (and a fairly hefty dose of meds!)

The 661s offer some support but I'm not convinced that they would help much if I landed on an outstretched hand…they do get in the way less though.