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Introduction/Background

Asterisk builds high quality knee braces for use in action sports. You may wonder, "Why should I use knee braces? I've never had a knee injury." This is exactly the thought process Asterisk is trying to change. Of course their product is great for anyone rebounding from an injury, but they are looking to change people's perception of braces as just being a tool for recovery. They want to show snowboarders that braces can be a great way to lesson injuries or, better yet, prevent them altogether.

The Asterisk Cell knee brace has been greatly received in the motocross community and riders are now using the brace as standard safety equipment. You can add knee braces to the list of helmet, boots and goggles as "must have" gear before you even get on a bike. The connection to snowboarding is the fact that both sports share one major thing, and that is the prevalence of knee injuries. I'm sure it will take a while for snowboarders to warm up to the idea of wearing braces before they have an injury, but Asterisk is hoping to build a presence in the snowboarding world.

Asterisk Cell Knee Braces Review

I wore the Asterisk Cell braces on several occasions this season and was surprised just how comfortable and unobtrusive they really are. I first tried them on my dirt bike and noticed that after a couple of uses, I forgot I even had them on. I'll admit I was fairly skeptical the first time I put them on to go snowboarding. I wasn't sure how much they would interfere with my movement. It seemed like a bit of overkill. I took out the removable kneecaps for a lower profile look and fit under my snowboarding pants. After I had my snow gear on, it was hardly noticeable to the casual observer that I was even wearing the braces.

Once I got on the slopes, I was pleasantly surprised. I was expecting a somewhat limited range of motion, but that was not the case at all. First, I took a few cruisers down the groomed runs and then headed over to the park and pipe. I can honestly say that I was able to do any trick or grab I could normally do without the braces. The construction is top-notch and the fit is great. It takes a couple of uses to get the fit dialed in and to get a feel for how much to tighten the straps. One place I could really see knee braces being useful is in boardercross. Knowing how well the Asterisk Cell braces work, I can't think of a reason a racer would choose not to wear them.

The biggest drawback I can see with the Asterisk Cell knee braces is the cost. At around $550, they are fairly expensive. Keep in mind that these braces are very similar in construction and quality to "medical" braces, which cost upwards of $600 each.

The Bottom Line

While I'm sure it's not going to happen overnight, if companies like Asterisk continue to offer products like their Cell knee brace, more and more snowboarders will gradually begin to use some type of knee protection. If you have had any type of knee injury I would certainly recommend taking a look at the Asterisk Cell braces. While nothing is a guarantee, if you like to go big or go fast and have healthy knees, you may want to check out these braces to make sure your knees stay that way.