Posted: 2008-01-21 10:57:33
The purpose of a forum is for open
discussion & ideally something positive will result.
This topic is about finding a good kneepad-jeans
combination.
I understand the importance of
fashion & aesthetics, but this should be the icing on the cake. Fashion
should follow function, and ideally be an aesthetic display of the function
itself. Here’s an example; Nike Air. Nike found a way to make their shoes perform
better, and integrated the function into the styling of the shoe. They made
wearing shoes with visible Air soles fashionable, and they made a fortune.
DISCLAIMER: I don’t wear Nikes or motorbike jeans. I’m giving examples of what
our industry is not doing by comparison.
I have seen many people quit skating
due to chronic injury. Knees swollen & scarred, wrists that never fully
heal, and the occasional head injury. Unlike many sports, rollerblading has not
developed functional & fashionable gear. The best solution our industry has
for rollerbladers who want to wear pads is talking them out of it. This might
be good enough for teenagers or adults skating knee-high ledges, but I need
more.
This is what kneepads-under-jeans is
all about, taking a functional solution & making it fashionable. I
understand that Pro-Designed pads torn through JNCO jeans look stupid, so we
need a better solution. I have bought knee pads from companies like Fox,
Pro-tec and 661 who offer a better solution. It’s just a shame that the money I
pay them won’t do any good for rollerblading.
I know that our industry
has been in depression for a decade, but nothing justifies the attitude you’re
promoting. Companies like Nike, Fox, and Quiksilver began by making functional
sport-specific clothing. Most start-up companies in rollerblading print generic
clothing with simple logos. There’s a reason Nike can sell generic clothing
with a simple logo to anyone. They made people’s lives
better by making better gear for their activities.
