tailbone protection

[VAsk8r]

My mom (who has an account here but I think/hope never reads) is an alpha-level skater, and she requested some kind of tailbone protection as her Mother's Day gift.

She would be embarrassed to wear those thick padded shorts, and I don't think she'd like the Waxel pads. She normally skates in leggings so something discrete is best. I've seen other skaters wearing gel hip pads, but now that I'm actually looking, I don't see them on any skating sites, and I don't know if those are made in a tailbone version anyway.

These Zoombang Three-Point Protective Shorts look like they're more discrete than other shorts I've seen; has anyone seen them in action? http://www.amazon.com/Zoombang-Three-Point-Protective-Shorts-Womens/dp/B003Y7RDI8/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1335833936&sr=1-1

Any other ideas? I've never bought any kind of padding so don't know what I'm doing.

If you think this is a weird Mother's Day present request, well, I'm just glad she didn't ask for plants again 

[jjane45]

My mom (who has an account here but I think/hope never reads) is an alpha-level skater, and she requested some kind of tailbone protection as her Mother's Day gift.

She would be embarrassed to wear those thick padded shorts, and I don't think she'd like the Waxel pads. She normally skates in leggings so something discrete is best. I've seen other skaters wearing gel hip pads, but now that I'm actually looking, I don't see them on any skating sites, and I don't know if those are made in a tailbone version anyway.

These Zoombang Three-Point Protective Shorts look like they're more discrete than other shorts I've seen; has anyone seen them in action? http://www.amazon.com/Zoombang-Three-Point-Protective-Shorts-Womens/dp/B003Y7RDI8/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1335833936&sr=1-1

Any other ideas? I've never bought any kind of padding so don't know what I'm doing.

If you think this is a weird Mother's Day present request, well, I'm just glad she didn't ask for plants again 

skatingsafe has tailbone pads, looks pretty discreet

[hopskipjump]

My skater uses those shorts.  She likes them because they don't get in the way.  She has a pair of padded Jerry's shorts and the pads are thicker so they make things like a backwards broken leg spin difficult.

The nice thing about the Zoombang is that when she out grows them you can cut the pads out and sew them into bigger athletic shorts.    The downside is the gel get cold and clumps.  I don't think it hinders how it works.  The gel material is used in bullet proof vests.

She hated the waxel pads. Waxel's would shift while she skated.

[VAsk8r]

skatingsafe has tailbone pads, looks pretty discreet

How do you hold something like their spine pads in place? They look like, if you tucked them into your pants, there'd be a good chunk hanging out the top that would just flop down over your butt.

[jjane45]

How do you hold something like their spine pads in place? They look like, if you tucked them into your pants, there'd be a good chunk hanging out the top that would just flop down over your butt.

I use a DIY version from Acton pad left overs. same height but much wider than skatingsafe. No it does not hang above the pants. Never had any trouble staying in place with Spandex Capri pants inside skating pants. hip pads on the other hand, move a little bit.

[sarahspins]

Padded shorts aren't actually that obvious under a pair of pants... I don't know how old your mom is, but if it was my mom I'd feel better knowing she had hip protection as well as tailbone.

BTW, I've posted it before, and I don't think that multi-sport and especially motorcross type padding is really suitable for skating.  If you look at what you linked there's very little padding over the lower part of the tailbone, which is where a skater is more likely to fall, where the padding is on those is more like lower back protection.  Likewise there is protection for the iliac crest on the pelvis (which is where you would hit falling off something like a bike or skateboard, but not necessarily how one falls on the ice), but no protection for the "hip" bones (the greater trochanter at the top of the femur) which is where a skater is more likely to impact than on the upper part of the pelvis.  They offer adequate protection for a variety of sports, and for a younger/lighter skater they may in fact be enough, but don't offer enough padding in the places that matter... I know they wouldn't for me.

Where I tend to fall the most lately is actually on my "sit bones".. and I haven't found a practical way to pad that area that doesn't result in interfering with movement or just plain looking ridiculous.

[hopskipjump]

Zoombang padded skating shorts were made specifically for figure skaters.

[sarahspins]

Zoombang padded skating shorts were made specifically for figure skaters.

Really?  Because they don't really look any different than some of the multi-sport padding available....

[dak_rbb]

My daughter who was off the ice for several days last year after falling on her tailbone now wears a skatingsafe hip pad over her tailbone pretty much all the time.  She's small, but you can barely see it. She adds waxel tailbone and hip pads for working on double axel.

[sampaguita]

I use 1/2" waxel pads. I skate in sweatpants, so I wear them underneath compression shorts. No problems with shifting whatsoever.

For a Mother's Day gift, I think a SkatingSafe pad will be nice, but for the money, I think the Zoombang shorts are better, if you can find someone who can attest to its effectiveness. It is sold by skating shops, so it's definitely something that has been used by skaters:

http://www.skatersedgeshop.com/zoombang-protective-skating-shorts-p-337.html

Maybe you can call the shop for advice on SkatingSafe vs Zoombag? It says that it contains a unique polymer (Akton, maybe? LoL!) so the thickness should not be a problem.

[Sk8tmum]

How do you hold something like their spine pads in place? They look like, if you tucked them into your pants, there'd be a good chunk hanging out the top that would just flop down over your butt.

Girl skater tucks them under her skating tights and under her pants; they don't move at all. Boy skater tucks them under the compression leggings he wears and again they don't move.  They don't flop over at all, they don't move, and they are indestructible ... we're on 5+ years with one of the pads, and they neatly cushion the weight of a 145 pound skater landing out of a triple ... plus, nicely hygenic as you can wipe them off with a cleaner after use (note, they go OVER knickers, not under).  I like that you can clean them easily.

And, you absolutely cannot see them at all when in use ... they are invisible ... used them in competition, and nobody can tell they are there.

[VAsk8r]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I probably will get her either Jerry's or Zoombang shorts. She doesn't wear tights or compression pants, so I'm still concerned pads wouldn't stay in place. And she insists on skating in a massive coat, so the pads shouldn't show.