POC, Hip VPD 2.0 Shorts, Padded Mountain Biking Armor for Men and Women

Love them so much I have two to alternate. I always fell on my right hip. Now I’m getting better on the bike I fall hardly at all but it doesn’t hurt to have the protection. I did have to size up in the shorts I wear over them so you don’t know I’m wearing them. I hand wash them in the sink and hang in the tub to dry. I wish they made these without the shammy for skiing.

I got these shorts to wear under my pants when I’m practicing at skate parks. I roller skate on quads in mostly concrete bowls. After bumping my tailbone a few too many times I started looking into padded shorts. These have worked wonders for me. I have taken multiple spills that would have been absolute day ruiners if I wasn’t wearing these shorts. Sometimes after I fall I just lay there and look at the sky and wonder why I would ever skate without these. My hips have thanked me.I also like that these have a flat and smooth profile so they don’t look nearly as ridiculous as the other ones that have deeply ridged squares and blocks all the way around. I also feel that they work better but I’m not sure because I stopped wearing my other ones when I got these.I’m 5’6” female, 130lbs. My waist is 26-27. I felt a little unsure about what size to get but I ordered a medium and they fit perfectly.

For me there are no dislikes, and that's why I have two pairs. I went down and didn't feel a thing, I like that they have padding for the tailbone. They're comfortable, I don't notice them while riding, I'm thinking of purchasing a 3rd pair for those busy weeks when I ride alot more.

Background: I previously fractured my pelvis and collarbone in a DH over the handle bar crash. Although I suffered serious injuries to my pelvis and collarbone, POC's full face helmet and VPD air knee pads protected their respective areas so decided to stick with the brand for additional protection.Pros: These shorts are very well made. The side and tailbone pads sit exactly where needed. The side pads are fixed. The tailbone pad is removable and sits just above your butt crease to protect your tailbone but out of the way so you're not sitting on it while paddling. I'm certain these pads would of prevented my pelvis fracture if I had them at the time.Cons: The bottom leg grips are too narrow. The shorts would be way more comfortable with wide 1"-1.5" elastic bands typically found on cycling shorts. I have thin thighs so it's not too bad but if you have large thighs compared to your waist size, you may find the leg bands digging into your thighs. A padded chamois would of been nice too.Other thoughts: There is a very thin chamois like "pad". It's not a full on chamois pad. It's very thin with minimal thickness. It's more like just the top surface/cover of a soft chamois pad to prevent saddle shores or chafing issues. It'll do the job for shorter rides which for me is <2 hrs.Fit: I'm very thin, 5'8", 134lbs with 29-30" waist. The small fits comfortably and is the usual size I order for cycling products.

Been looking for something to protect my aging hips urging mountain biking. These are extremely comfortable, fit perfectly and provide excellent protection. Kinda wish the lateral pads were removable, but not a big deal.

In September, I hit some gravel while riding my bike and went down resulting in a broken hip. So, when I recently saw these I thought the idea would be great. But, as others have said the chamois is almost non existent. I didn't believe that it could be that bad, but it is. It is essentially not there at all. Next, the leg grippers are scant. And, then the shorts length runs significantly shorter that any other cycling shorts I have owned.The chamois is so poor that I wear these over regular, decent cycling shorts. That makes for a very hot situation having two layers and it is only spring time.I won't even comment that they have to be hand washed. That was clearly disclosed.Finally for the cons, with the weight of the pads and the stretchy material I worry that the pads become lower on the sides of my legs than they should be as gravity pulls them downward during the ride. Possibly, that isn't a real concern.The only pro is that they should, hopefully, prevent another broken hip. But, at the cost of this item plus the cost of having to wear regular cycling shorts under them, I won't be buying another.

I had a slow speed crash on a road ride and landed hard on my left hip. I subsequently developed a hematoma (big swollen lump) there. I've been using these over my cycling shorts while my hip heals, to help protect the area 'just in case'. Thankfully I haven't had to test it's impact effectiveness, but the padding is dense and covers the area nicely. They looks like they would be stiff and awkward when you take it out of the box, but wears well, and I stop noticing that I'm wearing them after a few minutes of riding. Just what I needed while my hip heals, and I may use these when mountain biking in rocky, technical places.

when you crash and land on them. I have a 32" waist and the medium fits snug and a little tight around the thighs. I don't notice them at all while riding, but there are noticeable wear marks on my thighs afterwards. I don't think I would want these looser, however. They disappear under my Endura SingleTrack pants beautifully and provide confidence that my hips will have some protection if needed. These are now an essential part of my gear. Be careful to not allow any velcro straps from other protective gear to contact the waist band; they will stick and removal of some of the waist band fabric will be inevitable (see photo).