International Dealer News IDN 147 February/March 2019 | Page 55

PRO GuIDe POD K8 forged carbon knee brace The new POD K8 knee protector features a patented hinge that uses shock-absorbing synthetic ligaments. These ligaments (tested to 100,000 cycles without failure) are engineered from Vectran fibres that are five times stronger than steel, providing progressive, multidirectional motion control. The inspiration for the design “comes from the human body itself,” says Brett Nicholas, CEO of Australian Manufacturer POD Active. “The POD K8 has taken hinge design to another level with a breakthrough technology that delivers new levels of comfort, performance and reliability, making traditional mechanical hinges technically obsolete. “A culmination of everything that we’ve learnt in the lab and from the demands of our world champion athletes over the past decade, this patented and medically certified knee protection system is clinically proven to reduce the prevalence and severity of common knee injuries – there’s no question that this brace sets new standards for knee safety in action sports.” The high strength Vectran fibre ligaments form part of the patented knee protection system. The hinge housing controls the range of motions while providing a smooth contact surface against the knee and motocross pants – avoiding 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, 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. “We’re so confident about the strength and protection of the unbreakable K8 frames that we back it up with an industry leading five-year warranty”, says Nicholas. Additional features include adaptive cuffs to accommodate muscle motion and disperse load; antimicrobial frame liners enhance comfort and reduce odour, plus capture the interior straps and clips to anchor the brace to the rider’s leg and stop brace migration during the ride. CE impact-tested and certified, full coverage guards protect against impacts and handlebar strikes and enhance comfort when kneeling. The result of what is, in effect, an entire design system is a completely interchangeable modular knee brace system that allows the rider to replace parts of the brace at home or at the track. POD Active is an innovative Australian product development company “specialising in joint protection for elite athletes and active people”. Its patented products “integrate seamlessly with modern sports equipment, effortlessly enable natural motion and actively minimise the risk of injury”. This technology is known as Protection On Demand. The POD knee braces are distributed in over 50 countries - “making POD the #1 brand in motocross and actions sports worldwide. POD knee braces combine extreme function and performance with the confidence derived from a medically certified device”. POD ACTIVE Torquay, Victoria, AUSTRALIA Tel: [phone] [email protected] www.podactive.com UFO-Plast adds ‘Akan’ helmet and ‘Sierra’ jacket Recent news from Italian off- road specialist UFO Plast has included their ‘Saichen’ cooling vest and body suit, ‘Avoir’ boots, ‘Mystic’ goggles, X- Concept chest protector and the ‘Quiver’, a new entry level helmet that followed up on the success of their 2017 launch of the ‘Diamond’, their full featured top-end MX helmet with Rotation Impact Absorbing System (RIAS). EICMA saw the company add another new helmet, the E1 approved all conditions ‘Akan’ Enduro/ADV. The external shell is in high resistance thermoplastic resin and features include a classic anti-scratch, transparent polycarbonate visor that offers wide visibility and a second, integrated sun visor with up-down mechanism and two front air scoops with practical closing system. www.idnmag.com In their extensive apparel range, the new ‘Sierra’ Enduro jacket for off-road racers is camel-back ready and designed with removable sleeves. Features include two scoops to increase the air flow, four front pockets, a wide back pocket and a forearm document pocket. UFO PLAST S.R.L. Bientina (PI), ITALY Tel: [phone] [email protected] www.ufoplast.it INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019 55