"butt pads" aka crash pads

[isakswings]

Ok I laugh every time I hear the kids say butt pads... I can't help it! Anyway, dd is currently using some homemade crash pads another mom made for her dd. Her dd didn't like them so when my dd started working on axels last year, she gave them to us. Dd's used them, but she seems to get frustrated when inserting them. Currently, she only uses them when working on doubles. Boy does she get bruised working on those... much more then she did working on her axel!

Anyway, in order to avoid the frustration of inserting the crash pads, I took a look at one of her friend's crash pad shorts. I am not willing(nor can I right now!) to pay 50.00+ for a pair of these shorts. However, I am quite certain I can MAKE dd a pair. We have a pair of white, spandex bike shorts. Dd's friend's mom said I could borrow her dd's shorts so I could try and trace the shape of the pads in her dd's shorts. I do not think it will be too hard to add padding to a pair of exisiting bike shorts. Maybe I am insane to think I can do this, but I think I can and I think I can do it for MUCH less then 50.00+! Has anyone else ever done this? Also, I know some of you have made your own pads and I think someone used something from a medical supply store, yes? I am also wondering if I should start protecting dd's knees now. Her knees have some pretty impressive bruises on them.

I will search this thread too, but I am interested in any advice you can share!

[Kat]

No sewing advice, but yes, please do protect her knees.  A bad knee injury now could mean trouble down the road.  I doubt my mom's horrible knee arthritis is caused by injuries, but it is definitely worse in the knee she injured in a car accident when she was in her 20s.  For that reason, I always am careful about my knees!

[mailjohnb11]

You need to check out http://www.crashwraps.com. They have a unique "diaper" style removable crash pad that works very well and is very popular on the east coast.

[irenar5]

These are the shorts that I have been using:
http://www.allsportprotection.com/McDavid_Roller_Derby_Padded_Shorts_p/mcd023.htm

They are VERY low profile and can be worn under leggings.  Tailbone protection is twice as thick as the hip protection.  The pads are made out of multiple separate circles- the idea is that during a fall  the circles spread and absorb the force of the impact.

I fell very hard on my hip just last week and did not even have a bruise.

[Sk8tmum]

We just shoved skating safe crash pads in tights. Can't see them, last forever, and work like magic. Any hygenic... Spray and wipe with a disinfectant and they're clean.

[lutefisk]

After breaking an arm during the first year in which I returned to skating, after a long time away, I decided to "gear up".  I went the d3o route and after several crash and burn incidents, including a huge belly flop just last week (tripping over my own toe picks), I can attest to efficacy of this brand of ballistic foam.  I started off with the d3o padded shorts and knee pads offered by SeKu and indeed those are expensive.  More recently I have purchased snowboarding d3o padded shorts from REI (bought them off-season at half price), and also have found d30 knee pads from other sources (a sailing store which caters to dinghy racers; APS in Annapolis, MD) that are less spendy than SeKu.  But, the "bottom" line for me is that adequate protection will always be way cheaper than engaging the services orthopedic surgeons.  I also skate with flex-meter wrist guards unless I'm taking an ice dance lesson.

[slcbelle]

We just shoved skating safe crash pads in tights. Can't see them, last forever, and work like magic. Any hygenic... Spray and wipe with a disinfectant and they're clean.

Ditto.  And I bought the Bunheads knee pads because they are less bulky.

[sampaguita]

Ditto.  And I bought the Bunheads knee pads because they are less bulky.

Have you ever fallen on your knees with Bunheads knee pads? How effective are they?

[slcbelle]

Have you ever fallen on your knees with Bunheads knee pads? How effective are they?

Hey, Sampaguita!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Why, yes, I just fell on my knee *HARD* two days again.  Can't say how effective the Bunheads would be as I wasn't wearing them!     I always were my SkatingSafe tailbone pad, Burton RED wrist guards, and the Ribcap.  But, I only use knee and hips when learning new jumps and have yet to fall on my knees when wearing the pads.  All I was doing the other day was experimenting with the size of the Bronze Power 3 turns and then next thing I knew I was down.  I have lovely bruises to show for it.  But, FWIW, it seems the massive bruise is right where the Bunheads' padding would have been had I been wearing them.

[lutefisk]

I find that most of my worst falls occur not when I'm concentrating on an element but instead when I'm just aimlessly skating around (ak:a goofing off) or when my attention is momentarily focused elsewhere (like when a kiddie with an EZ-skater suddenly changes course right under foot).  Those kind of falls seemingly come out of "nowhere".  Since those moments are unpredictably, I always gear up.

[sampaguita]

Hey, Sampaguita!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Why, yes, I just fell on my knee *HARD* two days again.  Can't say how effective the Bunheads would be as I wasn't wearing them!     I always were my SkatingSafe tailbone pad, Burton RED wrist guards, and the Ribcap.  But, I only use knee and hips when learning new jumps and have yet to fall on my knees when wearing the pads.  All I was doing the other day was experimenting with the size of the Bronze Power 3 turns and then next thing I knew I was down.  I have lovely bruises to show for it.  But, FWIW, it seems the massive bruise is right where the Bunheads' padding would have been had I been wearing them.

Happy Thanksgiving too!

Sorry to hear about your knee. I hope the bruises go away soon.

[KateSkates]

We just shoved skating safe crash pads in tights. Can't see them, last forever, and work like magic. Any hygenic... Spray and wipe with a disinfectant and they're clean.

I have the Skating Safe hip, tail bone, wrist, elbow, and knee pads. I have two little kids at home and can't have a skating injury right now so I wear them to every practice. They were not cheap but were worth every penny, especially when I see all the ice time others miss because they simply were not prepared for the inevitable crashes. Quality foam, at least at our local store, is expensive and by the time you bought bike shorts and foam I don't know how much money you'd save.  Honestly, I recommend the gel pads by skating safe over the foam pads anyway.

[accordion]

If you can sew the bike shorts/pants from scratch it will be easier. Probably the best solution is to make pants that have patch pockets for the padding. This is what Se_Ku have done. Their pockets are on the inside of their pants. I have the Se_Ku pants and I agree that the D3O padding is fantastic.

My daughters both skate, I made their skate pants as here in Oz ALL skate clothing is always pricey. I used an out-of-print pattern from Jalie that you can download from their website: http://www.jaliesewingpatterns.com/2010/03/jalie-2215.html The pattern is very straightforward and easily altered to fit. My youngest got two pairs for Christmas, made up in navy merino jersey. Cosy without sweat.

My eldest has asked me to make her a pair of leggings with pockets for the pads, like my Se_Ku pants. Apparently we are going to share them. She wants to use them for lessons... she needs the confidence boost for nailing jumps. The Jalie pattern was too flared for her so she has opted for the Cake Espresso leggings instead: http://sewingcake.com/5555-leggings/ Again, these are a downloadable pdf pattern, all the sewing blog reviews have been very positive. I will cut them out and pin or baste the inside leg seam. Miss almost 14 will carefully pull them on, we will place the pad on her upper outside thigh, and trace around it with tailors chalk. The leg piece will come off, a patch pocket sewn on, leggings finished and a new patch organised for the cocyx pad.

We are in the middle of summer holidays so I have a few weeks to make them 

Hope this helps!