Giro is branching out with their new Loam knee and elbow sleeves, expanding their use of D3O padding beyond gloves. The new sleeves pack a lot of features to keep your joints safe and scuff-free, and they come in a huge range of sizes.
The padding is D3O’s XTI impact-absorbing material, which is soft and flexible when you’re just pedaling along, but hardens instantly when it hits something to diffuse impact forces. Giro specs the Trivent version, which has slots in it to improve both breathability and flexibility, and it’s a custom 8mm thickness for both the Loam knee sleeve and Loam elbow sleeve.
The pad is covered by Ax Suede stretch microfiber so it won’t get chewed up as you hit rocks, roots, etc.
The rest of the sleeve combines a highly breathable lightweight mesh back panel with an Italian-made stretch woven material. It’s then given a CAP armor print, a ceramic material printed in a grid pattern over the sleeve that helps it slide over the terrain rather than snagging and tearing.
Not only does this protect the material, Giro says it also helps keep you from getting caught up, helping smooth impacts just a bit more.
They mostly use Giro’s Renew Series materials, which contain at least 50% recycled material. The knee pads come in six sizes from XS to XXL and run $119.95. There’s also a burlier version called Lobo that’s coming soon and uses a thicker, removable 11mm D3O LP1 pad.
The arm sleeves also have six sizes and run $89.95. Both are unisex, and they’re available now direct and through retailers.
