New Product Launch - POD K8 3.0 Knee Brace

[@armourbl]

I have the 2.0 version and looking forward to getting a pair of the 3.0 hopefully soon.

[@adamhrachowina9119]

Try before you buy ! I've got the V8 carbon and V3 here but am considering returning the V3. While these are better in some areas they are causing me problems in others. The new top half is way better with the hinge and frame angles corrected and the upper stays flat against your thigh when the leg is fully bent without riding up like the previous version. They are comfy until I stand up straight... After that it's a mixed bag for me personally: The new lower is far too bulky and has rendered most of my pants useless, these are the same pants I've been using with the K8 og carbon, sizing in same XL. I simply can't get the calf over the new brace. The shorter lower i feel is too short, although this will depend on how long your lower leg is and what brand of boots you wear. For me it now sits right on the boot cuff and after a while on the bike the cuff pushes the brace upwards out of the boot and out of position. This also leaves a gap between the boot and brace where the shin is now unprotected. Sometimes they stay in, other times they ride out, very annoying. The lower cuff isn't as comfortable, only flexes down the center and doesn't conform to my leg shape as good as the OG K8 does. If fastened tightly the release clips are pretty impossible to unclip requiring the strap to be loosened anyway, so pretty pointless, the OG design I felt was better. The outer shape of the carbon lower frame has changed in shape, it doesn't flare out the same and being narrower than the OG K8 when stood up straight it moves closer to my leg and adds a side load to my knee. At first I thought it was the large rivet head securing the padding causing the issue, but it's the carbon frame that puts pressure on the inner knee pad which is very thin and has a hard plastic clip in the backside which I can feel through the thin pad, fitting a thicker pad only compounds the issue. The OG K8 is a different shape in that area and is one of the few off the shelf braces that I could wear without causing pain there. The padding in the knee plates where the OG K8 was bare plastic is a nice touch and has better coverage, but with pants on it binds against the other cap causing a jerky knee movement and annoying squeak making the brace feel more restrictive than the OG V8 - Presumably though this will improve as the padding surface beds in. I'd like to use a little talcum powder to smooth out the movement although I can't try this if I plan to return the brace for a refund. A £600+ brace that's meant to be a huge improvement over the original for me it's brought more issues than it's fixed. I've been waiting a month for them and had really high expectations but first wear has left me a little deflated. The choice is now is whether to get three pairs of riding pants altered at the tailors, perceiver and see if I can dial the new brace in a bit better, or just return them and save some money 🤔