Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives

Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives Lightweight Pads And Gloves

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It’s a pretty bold move to name your protectives company after the Hindu Godess of Death, but the times we’ve met owner Brad Waldron, he’s been reassuringly absolutely nerdy about helping people avoid injury, and innovating not for the sake of it, but with research partners in universities making sure those innovations are moving toward better protection overall.

At Eurobike we spoke to both Brad, and marketing manager Patrick Ribera-McKay, about some things that aren’t quite ready yet, but will be soon. They showed us the production samples, and are at the point of making final tweaks before sending them into a proper production run.

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First up are all new, lightweight knee and elbow pads, which they’re naming the Mission and Strike. These don’t replace Kali’s existing hard shell pads, but expand the range into softer, lighter weight pads for all preferences.

Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives
These are for elbows…
Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives
… and these are for knees.

For the Strike, Kali are working with a polymer manufacturer who can formulate individual prototype polymers by special request. They have a kind of waffle design to the armour itself, increasing ventilation. It looks similar to an existing pad by Dainese, but the difference is that Kali have put a secondary pad behind the latticework, meaning sharp objects like twigs and branches can’t poke through the ventilation holes and reach your knee.

Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives
The Strike pads are made with a polymer latticework for better cooling, though it’s backed by a full pad behind to stop anything getting through to your skin.
Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives
The material apparently phase changes on impacts.

Patrick said that Brad often wears a pair of prototype or competitors pads all day in the office to test them for comfort, then randomly during conversation will slam a knee into something to see how well they work (as well as this, they do a lot of repeatable lab testing with weights and sensors). The Strike is CE1 rated, and the padding is made of a polymer named Xelion, which apparently phase changes in a similar way to D3O. RRP for Strike kneepads will be US$85.

Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives
It’s a medium weight pad with a bit of extra protection in the sides.
Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives
It’s also very flexible.

The Mission is a lighter weight form of protection, yet also CE1 rated, and inside it is a DU Polyurethane pad – apparently also acting in a similar way to D3O. RRP is going to be US$45 for Mission kneepads.

Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives
The Mission pads are lighter weight protection.
Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives
Not quite as flexible as the Strike, but still compliant.
Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives
The pads will come in three sizes.

Both the Mission and the Strike will have breathable mesh backs, silicone grippers, and each be available in three sizes. Patrick said he’s been riding prototypes for a year now without issues.

Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives
Breathable mesh backs help make them comfortable for longer.
Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives
Silicone grippers help them stay on.
Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives
Kali still make their existing Vaza hard shell pads too, but want to offer lighter weight pads for racers and trail riders.
Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives
Of course, if you’re trying new things or riding DH, maximum protection is highly advisable.
Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives
As well as sample pads, Kali were showing their new Venture gloves.
Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives
They have silicone grip patterns on the fingers and palm…
Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives
… and come in a bunch of different colours.
Eurobike 2017: Kali Protectives
The tops have TPR protection for your smaller fingers and knuckles.

David started mountain biking in the 90’s, by which he means “Ineptly jumping a Saracen Kili Racer off anything available in a nearby industrial estate”. After growing up and living in some extremely flat places, David moved to Yorkshire specifically for the mountain biking. This felt like a horrible mistake at first, because the hills are so steep, but you get used to them pretty quickly. Previously, David trifled with road and BMX, but mountain bikes always won. He’s most at peace battering down a rough trail, quietly fixing everything that does to a bike, or trying to figure out if that one click of compression damping has made things marginally better or worse. The inept jumping continues to this day.

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