Cramster offers a wide range of protective riding gear. Amongst them is the Bionic Knee Guard.
The keyword here is “bionic.” In simpler words, it means the two parts of the knee guard move in the same way the leg moves about the knee. What makes this design rather special is that it stays securely on your legs without restricting knee movement. This translates to a more comfortable ride.
When you look at the knee guards, it is evident that Cramster has gone for the plain and simple approach that gives importance to function rather than looks. The entire thing is made from black materials: the outer shell, the padding, the Velcro straps…even the rivets are painted black. If you are the kind that flaunts their gear, then this is not something you would be interested in.
Looks however are not everything. What is more important is whether or not the knee guards help absorb the impact during a crash and reduce the chances of injury. Cramster claims the knee guards are made from shatter-resistant plastic. The inside has moulded foam padding. And there are three adjustable elastic/velcro straps that allow a perfect fit and eliminate discomfort. One is above the knee and the other two go over your calf muscles.
The upper part of the knee guards stays snugly on the lower thigh, while the lower part extends to the middle of your shin. The bionic joint is over the knee and provides no hindrance to folding and extending your legs. In fact, you can sit cross-legged wearing these, they are that comfortable.
The outer shell is plastic which protects from abrasions and also spreads the impact to a larger area and reduces chances of severe injury. The foaming on the inside protects your skin from chaffing against the hard plastic shell and absorbs some of the impact.
The curved shape and the numerous straps ensure less wind buffeting and a very secure fit.
For a list price of 1,500 INR, which is less than half of most other branded bionic knee guards, this would seem a very prudent purchase indeed. The only reason you wouldn’t want to buy these is if you don’t like its looks.
LOL, same thing happened to me. After one and half months the rivets came out itself-no crash, accident or rough usage. I have bring DSG pent so din’t need knee protectors any more, but Cramster really sucks.
I wanted a pair of knee guards and between the Cramster costing Rs.1500 and the Alpinestars Bionic knee guards priced at Rs.5250, i opted for the Cramster.
But they say, quality comes at a price and sure it does.
These cramster knee guards gave way on the first usage itself. One of the rivets just popped out and i was shocked. How would this protect my knees if the very rivet holding the bionic knee guards itself is flimsy?
I promptly returned the pair and have since been very happy with my Alpinestar knee guards.
These are cheap replica’s and the FOX and AXO knee guards which have flooded the market (obvious fakes) are shockingly similar to the cramsters. I am also forced to think that the AXO’s and FOX’s and Cramsters are all manufactured in the same mold.
My advice to others is to stay away from the cramster products… at least for the riding gear which one shouldn’t compromise on for safety.