Creature Comforts

[scrub]

Part of that came from when I tore my MCL… ripped it in a couple places. Damn tree.

UGh, how long did it take to heal? I tore mine in a collision with a tree in January and that knee is still giving me grief.

[Spenser]

Part of that came from when I tore my MCL… ripped it in a couple places. Damn tree.

UGh, how long did it take to heal? I tore mine in a collision with a tree in January and that knee is still giving me grief.

To be clear, ripping it in a couple places was referring to the ninja suit, haha. I got lucky with my MCL. Partial tear, didn't need surgery, healed on its own. I don't think I ever had any instability issues. I'm terrible about doing PT, but all my activities are leg-based so it happened naturally.

I think what affected my recovery the most was actually fracturing the top corner of my tibia (lateral condyle?) Essentially got caught in a mini slough and rolled over a small cliff, tree hit the outer side of my knee area on the way down, so the lower leg flexed out to the side quickly/too far. That split second of pressure was so great between those two outer corners of bone, they said that's what fractured it. That's what caused all my swelling, had to be in a straight brace for a few weeks, which sort of locked up the joint and atrophied. I did range of motion PT for a while which helped, but it was definitely months before I got it back to the point I could move around pretty normally. Then… in may I fell through a shitty old dock on a fishing trip and got set back a little longer, but in some ways I almost think it helped push my range of motion a step ahead. That hurt like HELL though..

It happened in January 2011.. I was able to skate around (just cruising) that spring/summer, and I was pretty good by late summer/fall. Went back into riding feeling 100%, haven't had an issue since.

Of course, it will depend on your particular injury. Just don't skimp on any necessary PT, and you'll have the best chance at a speedy recovery. Hopefully yours isn't too bad either.

Edit: Bikes. Consider biking, if you don't already do so. I just rode for miles on a flat road a few times a week, half pushing for speed to build muscle, half cruising to gently cycle the joint.

[scrub]

Of course, it will depend on your particular injury. Just don't skimp on any necessary PT, and you'll have the best chance at a speedy recovery. Hopefully yours isn't too bad either.

Edit: Bikes. Consider biking, if you don't already do so. I just rode for miles on a flat road a few times a week, half pushing for speed to build muscle, half cruising to gently cycle the joint.

Mine was a pretty low-speed collision with a tree so not too bad, the tear healed pretty well even though I kept riding on it through April. General weakness of the knee was my biggest issue, then I re-injured it skateboarding (stepping off a frontside nose slide) and I may also have ramped up my running and cycling a bit too quickly so I have been going to PT and rested a bit.

[kimchi]

Throwing these on the list. I have really flat feet, so I can't get too crazy with arch support insoles. These are pretty flat with great impact foam. Can't imagine boots without them now.


Screenshot 2023-09-22 144104.jpg

Ah I should have added footbeds to my "must" list. I'm rocking Superfeet Carbon Custom Winters right now.

I have Reminds in my skate shoes and really like them. So far tried Medic Classic and Cush Classic, and just got a new Cush Impact. Cush Impact was a little bit of a surprise, I expected them to be same build with an extra "impact" cushion layer, but they have that layer and all existing materials are softer. Skating them for the first time today after travel and waiting out a week of terrible smoky air.

I'm curious if I "need" custom footbeds. I tried a bunch of aftermarkets (SOLE, Superfeet, Align, etc.) that didn't quite do the trick... but then again I tried a different set of custom footbeds (older Superfeet Cork) that didn't work. I'm really liking the Reminds so I may try these in my boots at some point this season.

[michaelangelo]

@spenser I’m pretty sure it was you, this would’ve been way back in the early 2010s of EZ. Didn’t know shit about boot fitting and that also was a game changer

[C.Fuzzy]

3. Bibs. I exclusively wear bibs unless I'm riding in summer-like warm conditions. No pow down my ass crack unless I REALLY done fucked up, don't have to deal with ineffectual uncomfortable powder skirts or proprietary jacket to pant connections, and more comfortable since I can give my ass more space without worrying about how the waist fits.

Not only bibs for me... but specifically ones with the kangaroo pouch. I've tried others and they lack the convenience of 1 big pocket, and I prefer a symmetrical centered weight distribution. I don't like having my phone weight hanging off to one side. I also prefer the double side zips, vs. 1 side or a center zip.

8. Shokz Bone Conduction Headphones. These were a gamechanger for me. I wear them all the damn time. I initially bought them because I wanted to listen to music while still being able to hear baby. Nowadays unless I really need noise isolation, I reach for these over my noise-cancelling over-the-ear headphones. I wear them just around the house, running, skateboarding, snowboarding, wherever. I still retain situational awareness, and they're damned light and comfortable, enough so that I've left the house multiple times forgetting that I was wearing them and have fallen asleep in them a bunch. My only real concern is their life span, since they have a small irreplacable lithium ion battery.

Can other people hear these?

[coleslawed]

on the grid fleece topic, i’d recommend folks check out the blooming cottage industry around handmade Polartech Alpha layering pieces. most of it is marketed towards ultralight backpackers/thru hikers, but I love my Senchi for splitting.

[kimchi]

8. Shokz Bone Conduction Headphones. These were a gamechanger for me. I wear them all the damn time. I initially bought them because I wanted to listen to music while still being able to hear baby. Nowadays unless I really need noise isolation, I reach for these over my noise-cancelling over-the-ear headphones. I wear them just around the house, running, skateboarding, snowboarding, wherever. I still retain situational awareness, and they're damned light and comfortable, enough so that I've left the house multiple times forgetting that I was wearing them and have fallen asleep in them a bunch. My only real concern is their life span, since they have a small irreplacable lithium ion battery.

Can other people hear these?

Probably comparable to a chairlift-mate listening to music loudly with ear buds. My wife occasionally comments in the car while I'm listening to music while baby's asleep in the backseat. I jack up the volume so I can hear over the road noise, and she can faintly hear buzzing. I started wearing over the ears before bed if I'm listening to something with loud audio-- e.g. explosions and gunshots on an action movie.

[kimchi]

3. Bibs. I exclusively wear bibs unless I'm riding in summer-like warm conditions. No pow down my ass crack unless I REALLY done fucked up, don't have to deal with ineffectual uncomfortable powder skirts or proprietary jacket to pant connections, and more comfortable since I can give my ass more space without worrying about how the waist fits.

Not only bibs for me... but specifically ones with the kangaroo pouch. I've tried others and they lack the convenience of 1 big pocket, and I prefer a symmetrical centered weight distribution. I don't like having my phone weight hanging off to one side. I also prefer the double side zips, vs. 1 side or a center zip.

Interesting. I had one bib with kangaroo pockets and wasn't feeling it. I just don't like carrying weight in my gut or legs, whether jacket or bibs. Any weight goes in my bib chest pocket (which is a must), highback bag, or my pack / vest if I'm wearing one.

Only issue with chest pocket is I need to be careful about where I put my phone if I'm wearing an avy transceiver. On those days I usually put the beacon on my chest and phone in my leg pocket furthest from the beacon.

[C.Fuzzy]

3. Bibs. I exclusively wear bibs unless I'm riding in summer-like warm conditions. No pow down my ass crack unless I REALLY done fucked up, don't have to deal with ineffectual uncomfortable powder skirts or proprietary jacket to pant connections, and more comfortable since I can give my ass more space without worrying about how the waist fits.

Not only bibs for me... but specifically ones with the kangaroo pouch. I've tried others and they lack the convenience of 1 big pocket, and I prefer a symmetrical centered weight distribution. I don't like having my phone weight hanging off to one side. I also prefer the double side zips, vs. 1 side or a center zip.

Interesting. I had one bib with kangaroo pockets and wasn't feeling it. I just don't like carrying weight in my gut or legs, whether jacket or bibs. Any weight goes in my bib chest pocket (which is a must), highback bag, or my pack / vest if I'm wearing one.

Only issue with chest pocket is I need to be careful about where I put my phone if I'm wearing an avy transceiver. On those days I usually put the beacon on my chest and phone in my leg pocket furthest from the beacon.

I've not encountered the transceiver issue but likely only bc I'm not wearing mine where I'm at now. Maybe that's why some bibs have an offset pocket. I prefer the kangaroo I guess mainly for my phone as it keeps it safest and warmest, and gives easiest access I guess. 1/4 zip my jacket and reach in to the chest pocket. And I really don't take a falls to the sternum, while I will fall on my hips and legs more. Just find this is what works for me. But, that's just me.