Product & Innovation
The Ultimate Knee Support for Snowboarding
Have you checked the weather forecast?
The snowboarding season is almost here! In this time of COVID-19, it seems to be an ideal activity. It provides enough space to socially distance while enjoying fresh air and seriously scenic views.
Since we’ve introduced the K1s to the world, we’ve received a fantastic response from elite snowboarders. We’ve also become an official supplier to Canada Snowboard and the Canadian National Snowboard Team! We couldn’t be prouder to help Canada’s national teams and snowboarders across Canada reach their goals.
Our K1 is the ultimate new generation of knee support for snowboarding. Let’s take a deeper look into why this is and how it outperforms traditional knee braces.
Packability
First things first - snowboarding is not exactly a minimal gear kind of sport. Goggles, neck gaiter, base layers, boots, board, helmet, did you forget anything else? Oh yes. Don’t forget to add a knee brace to your list.
Stoko K1 is 60% lighter than a conventional knee brace and 6 times more packable. It is a pair of tights with knee support seamlessly integrated into them, so it wouldn’t take much space. As an option, you can even wear them right away as a base layer and tighten up the support only when you need it. Less hassle - more time to snowboard.
Protection For Both Knees
A conventional knee brace is designed only for one of your knees. As a result, your other knee is completely ignored. Essentially, you protect your injured knee while putting greater pressure on your uninjured one. This can lead to a higher chance of getting injured.
Given that the K1 can be worn like a pair of tights, we secure both of your knees - providing extra support for the injured knee and protecting your other knee against injuries.
Two-in-One
With traditional braces, you need to wear them on top of your base layers so you're left with a heavy and clunky weight on your leg.
Our Stoko K1 is the ultimate gear for snowboarding. It provides support for your knees and can be worn as a base layer. Our fabric is breathable and stretchy, allowing your body to cool down even when snowboarding by minimizing heat and perspiration.
Slipping
Carving down a hill is an exciting feeling, but not when a bulky knee brace is slipping down your leg. When you're going full speed, there’s nothing worse than the distracting feeling that your brace is sliding. What makes it worse is, if a knee brace is in the wrong place, it won’t provide the maximum support that you need. Unless you want to stop every 30 minutes and take off your ski pants to readjust it, there's nothing you can do to stop your knee brace from staying in the right place.
This isn't an issue for the K1. We’ve created enhanced compression around the waist and ankles to ensure that it stays in place, while compression around your knees reduces pain and improves blood flow, providing additional comfort. There’s nothing holding you back anymore - enjoy your snowboard session with no limitations.
Freedom of Movement
Snowboarding requires mobility and the ability to have a range of movements. With a clunky, cumbersome knee brace, that’s a hard ask.
Instead of relying on rigid material to create structural support, our Embrace System™ uses high-strength cables that are inserted into the fabric and distributed throughout the garment. This makes the K1 lighter without compromising support and allows you to have freedom of movement. Hit the slopes and push your limits.
Washability
Wearing a conventional knee brace for a long time means stink and sweat by the end of the day. Imagine wearing one over thermals and under your pants, it would be even worse. Figuring out how to wash your knee brace can be quite daunting - trying to align all the straps after you take them out is not an easy task.
The K1 is very easy to take care of - just throw it into the washing machine and it will be ready to go for your next sweat session.
You don’t have to limit and compromise your snowboarding experience. The K1 was born because we were tired of being held back by the issues of traditional knee braces, and we know that you are too. That’s why we created a product that inspires movement and provides support and comfort without compromise.
Still unsure about K1? Head out to our product page to find out more!
photo credits: @chriswitwicki | rider: @mikeyciccarelli