UltraCrash vs d3o--which are best?

[lutefisk]

I've been reading through the recent posts about hip, knee and tail bone protection with great interest.  It appears that the two major contenders in the protective padding arena are UltraCrash and Se_Ku/Ice bounce's d30 pads.  My question is does anyone know of a website or other info source that compares these products in a controlled way?  Anecdotal reports are reassuring but I'd still like to see some science before parting company with money.  That said, I'm not against spending top dollar for top protection.  Having broken an arm last March I can attest that even the most expensive safety gear is far cheaper than a preventable injury.  There must be something chicer than stuffing vast quantities of bubble-wrap down my shorts...

[littlerain]

I would love to know if such a source exists!

[aussieskater]

I think I read once (maybe on here) that Akton make the gel for the skatingsafe pads.  Maybe someone else can confirm?  I can say that the skatingsafe padding is the same mustard yellow colour as the stuff pictured on the Akton site (= sort of kind of technical "confirmation" that Akton makes it   )

I headed over to the Akton site, and found this technical information pdf - is this the sort of thing you're looking for?

http://www.akton.com/files/physical-testing.pdf

[Query]

There must be something chicer than stuffing vast quantities of bubble-wrap down my shorts...

I'm anything but chic, but in my view, athletic training (learning how to fall properly) is a cooler approach than relying on compensatory equipment - but there is nothing wrong with equipment if it makes you feel comfortable.

But what's wrong with bubble wrap? Good engineering design.  I.E., a minimal cost solution to the required design constraints, leading to low weight, elegant simplicity, and low failure rate. What's not to love?

I think bubble wrap makers should hire famous beautiful figure skaters to endorse their product.