The One Pad To Rule Them All?
Modern bikes can do anything; go anywhere, so make sure your protection can too. The new Oseus VPD Knee protector gives the freedom to ride anywhere. Light and flexible enough for all-day trail riding, yet tough enough to keep you protected on those gnarly DH courses. The POC Oseus VPD lets you do it all.
The word “Oseus” is derived from the word Osseus, which means composed of, containing, or resembling bone; bony. Quite apt for a knee pad, then? If you’ve ever had knee injuries you will know how important a good knee pad is for protecting those bony bits.
POC has been making body protection for skiing and cycling sports for eons and has become synonymous with quality, and safety. Their new VPD Oseus knee pad is no different from their predecessors and features all the hallmarks that POC are known for.
The protectors are highly flexible and are designed to ensure no resistance against leg movement, making it easy to pedal.
Separate patches of VPD on the inner knee protect against knocks from the bike frame.
Features
The Oseus knee pad features the same VPD material found in their other POC VPD armour. VPD stands for visco-elastic polymer dough, which is a POC-patented shock-absorbing medium that is found throughout their lineup.
The Oseus is certified to CE EN 1621-1, Level 2 standard, the toughest standard to pass which is higher than usual for knee pads and has been tested at -20°C and +25°C, to ensure you are protected in a broad range of temperatures.
The core protective areas of the Oseus knee pad cover the entire knee cap and top of the shin from typical front-on impacts. In addition to this, there are two smaller VPD patches on each side of the knee joint to protect from lateral impacts such as frame knocks.
The Oseus uses a perforated sleeve design which provides additional breathability and comfort without the need for bulky velcro straps. This provides all-day pedaling comfort and remains in place due to a combination of elastic cuffs and grippy silicone dots on the inside of the sleeve.
The unique pad design gives extreme flexibility and ensures no resistance against leg movement, for absolute pedaling efficiency. The main pads are not removable but they are machine washable (do not tumble dry).
An elasticated cuff with silicone dots keep the pads stable and in place.
On The Trails
We’ve been testing the POC Oseus on long rides, with plenty of uphill pedaling, and have been impressed with the level of comfort they provide. The slim profile and overall flex of the pads really make a big difference. This is something we’d expect from a much more lightweight, and under-protected pad, certainly not something that’s been rated at a level 2.
Pulling on the Oseus knee pads is a straightforward affair with the smooth, stretchy sleeve design. We quite like this design as it does away with any straps, which can tend to rub after a while. The elasticity of the main sleeve and small silicone dots on the inside of the cuff combine to give a stable and comfortable fit, and the pads stay in place for the majority of the time.
Sure, we did have to pull the pads up now and again, but it certainly wasn’t something we were constantly doing. We have yet to experience a knee pad that doesn’t slip. All pads tend to slip, to some degree.
The POC Oseus knee pad covers the entire knee cap and the top of the shin.
The malleable materials of the VPD pads in conjunction with the elastic sleeve give the pads a good amount of stretch. We can tell you, this is noticeable after a few hours on the bike. Long uphill climbing trails, sitting down in the shuttle bus, or just walking around the bike park heading for the post-ride burger and beer. They just felt very comfortable and not at all rigid and stiff like some heavier pads can be.
The main front VPD padded section is large enough to cover the entire knee and the top of the shin, with the two smaller lateral VPD pads well placed for those frame knocks, and trust us, they are placed in exactly the right spot. Oh, and yes, they work perfectly with DH pants. Due to their low-profile design, even the uber-cool skinny pants will not be an issue.
The breathable and perforated sleeve design does away with bulky straps.
What we’ve been most impressed with, and our key takeaways would be the comfort factor. These are one of the most comfortable pads we have ever tested, in recent years. Whether you are grinding uphill all day, hike-a-biking, or shuttling downhill trails, the POC Oseus pretty much goes unnoticed, which is all you can ask for in a knee pad.
A level-2 rating for knee pads is quite unusual and is something to bear in mind if you are thinking of using these as your downhill pads. At first glance, they don’t look like they would be burly enough, but if POC is right on this one (and we’re sure they are), then this could be a game changer as you’d only really need one pair of pads to do it all. We have yet to experience a big impact event, and fingers crossed that’s not going to happen anytime soon.
If they do become commonplace amongst downhillers, then this will save you dollars in the long run as you’ll have one pad that covers all bases, and this will justify the hefty price tag. We will continue to test the Oseus and report back if we find anything of note, but we’re excited to see what they can do in the long run.
The balance of comfort, flexibility, and functionality makes these an ideal choice for everything from trail riding to downhill.
The POC Oseus, a do it all pad.
Conclusions
The POC Oseus knee pad offers the protection of a level 2-rated knee pad with the flexibility, breathability, and comfort of a lightweight enduro pad. Whether you’re pedaling hard on uphill trails, hike a biking, or shuttling gnarly downhill trails, the POC Oseus is a pad that can handle them all.
What you get with the POC Oseus is a pad that is flexible, comfortable, and offers serious protection from trail riding to serious downhill racing. Could the POC Oseus VPD knee pad be the one pad to rule them all?
Where to Buy / Price
- Oseus VPD Knee Pad: $225.00AUD
- Can be purchased straight from the POC website, or ask at your local bike shop.
