[snowdesignr]

Hey Guys,
I'm doing some research for Vans PRO-TEC line and was hoping to get your impression on the design and quality of their products.

1) Do any of you currently own or use PRO-TEC helmets or Gear? If not what do you currently use or recommend and why?

2) What is your impression of the style and quality of PRO-TEC products?

3) What color/style/material/cost do you typically look for when buying new helmets and pads?

Thanks,
All comments and complaints are welcome!

 

[mandown]

i like helmets that come in easter baskets and have scratch-n-sniff bologna stickers.

 

[blackohio]

Helmets dont fit well and don't seem to be well made. Too short front to back. My old Auger the rubber trim wasn't glued well, the lined popped out along the face all the time.

Pads seem cheap and not geared towards mtb.

As for what do we look for? Just look at 661, race face, fox they all make exceptionally good products.

 

[dump]

I have a set of pro-tec knee pads... they're well built and work great. Can't speak for the rest of the line.

 

[jimmydean]

My kids have worn ProTec lids for years (just got my daughter her first last weekend), but they have never fit my huge melon (short front to back).

 

[Zark]

I've always viewed Pro Tec as cheap BMX gear, not that good. I recently tried on some Pro Tec knee shin guards when looking for new gear. It was cheaper, more comfortable and looked pretty good. It impressed me much more than the POC and Alpinestars stuff I'd just tried on.

 

[MarkDH]

Pro-Tec Gravity knee pads, best pads I've used, much more protective than 661 Kyle Strait. I have no complaints about the quality either. If you made an elbow pad in a similar style I would buy it. In black, of course.

 

[eaterofdog]

I wrote this detailed review:

Protec helmet suck, head on fire.

 

[Dirtjumper999]

Helmets dont fit well and don't seem to be well made. Too short front to back. My old Auger the rubber trim wasn't glued well, the lined popped out along the face all the time.

This.

I like my half-lid helmets to be fairly low-pro. And Pro-Tec's design seems very bulky and wide. I wore several Pro-Tec's for a couple years because my prices on them were great. My Auger lasted all of 2 months before the trim started peeling.

As far as new designs go, I would love to see a helmet that was a mix between a skate-style helmet and an all-mountain style helmet. There are a couple companies out there doing something similar, but they are more like blocky xc helmets.

I don't know why, but I have yet to wear some Pro-Tec pads that fit well under jeans, even baggy jeans. The gusset behind the knee always pinches me. I have a set of older gravity knee pads and IPS, and then a set of really old ones of which I cannot remember what model.

I have since gotten a set of POC's and once they warm up a bit, I can't even tell I have them on.

I think the very best way to make sure your pads are fitting the masses is to take some to a skatepark and have kids wear them for the day, free product testing right there.

 

[Gunner]

My foam padding in the last Protec bmx helmet I bought came unglued after a week. That's why it was my last Protec.

 

[dante]

I think they should have massive vents, and be much lighter. And not mess up your hair too much. Maybe do away with that whole "buckle and strap" thing altogether...

 

[w00dy]

I have a classic skate lid of theirs. No single-use foam just closed-cell pads. Great helmet. Not sure if they're allowed to sell them anymore because it doesn't meet standards. Perfect for a beater park helmet. The thing's probably a decade and a half old now.

 

[kickstand]

10+ year old abused pro-tec still in very useable condition, no complaints, other than it is super hot

 

[jdcamb]

Send me some free stuff, I will check it out and then get back to you. OK?

 

[bizutch]

Model the padding internally like that of an MTB helmet. Sticking my head inside a giant styrofoam box with a couple of strips of poofy tape sucks.

Why skate style lids have no skull oriented contour padding is beyond me.