Randoms: New Gear From O'Neal and Dakine - Pond Beaver 2021

Apr 21, 2021 at 3:55
by Daniel Sapp  
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O'Neal Flow Knee and Elbow Guards

O'Neal's Flow knee and elbow guards are the brands' lightest weight protection sleeves. They utilize IPX soft gel technology for mobility and protection. The pads are in a lycra sock sleeve and ideal for all-day riding according to O'Neal. They're minimalist and easy to stash in a pack when they're not needed. There's additional ventilation on the back of the knee for extra comfort.

I've had the pads on hand for a number of rides now and can attest that they are incredibly comfortable. The sleeve keeps them nicely in place when pedaling and there are no pinch or hot spots. Out of all the knee pads I've pedaled in, these are easily some of the more comfortable ones I've worn and I will be keeping them in the regular rotation. The knee pads are available in sizes XS-XXL and the elbow pads are available in sizes M-XL. They sell for $79.99 and $59.99, respectively. More information is available at oneal.com



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O'Neal Pike Helmet

The Pike helmet from O'Neal is the brands' flagship trail helmet. It has IPX A-Cell technology for rotational impact management that also provides protection in lower-speed crashes. These are meshed with a comfortable liner. There's a two-piece shell with up-down, front-rear, open-close positioning via O'Neal's 3D Multi-Positioning-System. The visor is ratcheted and in the top position, there's plenty of room to rest goggles when they're not in use. The helmets' dual-flow air system is designed for maximum air circulation and the liner is designed to be washable and replaceable. The helmet is secured via a Fidlock magnetic closure. It's available in two sizes, XS/M and L/XL and sells for $149.99 USD.



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Dakine Sentinel Glove

The Sentinel glove is designed to be extremely durable, built as much like a work glove as a bike glove. It has outseamed construction for increased comfort, dexterity, and durability. There are reinforced knuckles with added protection and additional abrasion resistance and touchscreen compatibility in the palms. The gloves are available in sizes XS-XXL and sell for $48 USD. More information is available at dakine.com



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Dakine Hot Laps 1L Waist Bag

The Hot Laps 1L is a condensed version of the larger 2L bag. It's made to carry a single water bottle and has one pocket for organizing tools, snacks, and accessories. There are external straps for lashing on pads and the entire bag is made out of 450D ripstop recycled polyester. It sells for $40.



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Drafter 14L Pack

Dakine's Drafter 14L pack has been updated with a new weight-saving frame that Dakine say increases comfort and breathability. The hip belt now has bolstered padding and a large fleece-lined phone pocket. There's a quick stash on the shoulder harness for sunglasses and a magnetic hydration buckle coupled to a 3L Hydrapack lumbar reservoir for a low center of gravity. There is a main pocket for larger items and a front pocket for tools, parts, and essentials. The pack now also includes an adjustable and removable storage system for an e-bike battery while external straps can carry a helmet or extra pads. The pack is also spine protection compatible. It sells for $145 and has a lifetime warranty.



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Agent 0/0 Knee Pads

Dakine's Agent 0/0 knee pads are available in XS to XXL sizes and offer a host of features. The pads are CE certified to EU 2016/425 (CRITT protocol VTT-007) and feature a perforated and breathable construction. There are off/on attachment straps that don't require riders to take off their shoes and the pads are lined with DK Impact energy absorbing foam with Polygiene odor control technology. There is interior patella support along with back of calf compression for an extra secure fit. Thigh and calf straps are adjustable and there are elastic silicone grippers to help keep everything in place. The pads sell for $115 USD.



Pond Beaver 2021


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64 Comments
  • 103 2
 Those leather gloves look hot. Not as in “That’s hot!” But as-in, “I lost 40% of the water content of my body out my hands during that ride.”
  • 30 0
 I bet they are good in the winter though.
  • 12 4
 I would be curious to hear some reviews. I bet they'd be perfect for 90% of winter rides when it's hovering around 35-40 degrees.
  • 106 1
 @fullendurbro: I was a little confused until I found out you're referring to freedom units.
  • 5 2
 @Muckal: Lol, I knew someone would say something.
  • 8 0
 @fullendurbro: my winter rides are closer to 15-30 freedom units, it’s definitely time to move south
  • 8 3
 @Chief2slo: My winter rides are closer to 55-65 freedom units, this southern life is great Smile
  • 1 0
 Fox used to do some leather ones but the grip was terrible in anything other than bone dry weather
  • 5 0
 They basically designed a roper glove lol. Those things are $10 a pair...
  • 7 0
 @jmtbf: what is this winter you speak off?
  • 1 1
 From the guy who complains about the trails, but never volunteers to work on them. IF you ever picked up a shovel in your life, these gloves are the best.
  • 2 0
 @Muckal: Everything is priced in freedom bucks so you might as well get onboard with freedom units too.
  • 4 0
 @rtclark: by "you" you mean anybody but you, Myanmar and Liberia (which is a translation of?? Exactly!)?
Joking aside, on YouTube I learned that the US and A widely uses metric anyway? Since it's on YouTube it must be true, right?
  • 1 0
 @AustinsHardtail: The one time I have been to Austin it was 2 degrees or like 35 eagles? I felt cheated.
  • 2 0
 @Muckal: My job is done nearly entirely in metric, except the part where I make stuff, which is in imperial units since all the tooling and machines use it exclusively. My favorite is buying the occasional metric tool, but it has to mount into an imperial collet, so I get an 18.5mm ream with a 1/2" shank. I do have metric gears for my lathe, but I've never installed them since no one has ever asked me to make them a metric fixture.
  • 3 0
 @Patrick9-32: Yeah, Texas weather hates everyone. It'll be 70 and 25 (eagles) in one week (no joke, this has happened).
  • 1 0
 @AustinsHardtail: I rev my F350 and fire my AKs until the freedom units get to my liking #MAGA
  • 1 0
 @fullendurbro: I, too, am curious
  • 2 0
 @AustinsHardtail: in New England we do that in a day.
  • 1 0
 @BikesBoatsNJeeps: I used to do land surveying where we used a ten scale of the US foot. But also did work for the govt and some other companies that did everything in metric, while some of our other customers and all architects worked in imperial. Sooo much fun constantly converting numbers around. And when I built things for personal use I used CAD set in engineering 10ths but shopped home depot in standard feet. I feel your pain man.
  • 27 0
 the bee's knee pads
  • 7 0
 Those Agent knee pads look solid. Would save me 5 minutes of preride prep when I get my shoes on, helmet up, stick on the gloves and then remember that I forgot to put on my knee pads.
  • 2 0
 I love my gform elines. It’s good to see another company making something similar
  • 2 0
 Agreed, much prefer strap-on vs slip on, as I mostly wear pads after long fire-road climbs with the pads off...too bad they don't have a little more shin coverage though, sucks to blast through some loose rocks and kick one up into the shin (or ankle tbh)!
  • 8 0
 The O'neil's pads pretty much just look like re-usable Bontrager wavecell helmets for your knees and elbows.
  • 20 0
 Should've called them O'Neal Knee Helmets.
  • 7 0
 @rickybobby18: O'Kneel
  • 3 0
 Darn it! I just got the 1l evoc hip pack that cannot carry a water bottle and then dakine comes out with one that can carry a water bottle for the same price a few weeks later...
  • 3 0
 This is an update for one they've had for a bit with almost the same features less the 2 vertical straps. I bought it summer of 2019.
  • 3 0
 Those Agent knee pads look great - I don't know why all of these companies want us to have to take our shoes off all the time : ) I have been using Scott Grenades which are great but its a drag taking them on and off.
  • 3 0
 That knee pad design is being used a lot and I think that it is super sick. Having the cut out rubber makes for great breathability and still decent protection. I'm happy to see more company's using this idea
  • 1 0
 Had an old pair of dainese like that. Not so good in mud, and as I found out to my cost, not so good a preventing spiky bits of rock hurting your knee...
  • 1 0
 @mountainsofsussex: Yea I know what your talking about. They are not the kind of pads you would take DH riding but for your normal chill days they are beyond perfect.
  • 4 0
 Dangerholm should do a fit test on a bunch of knee pads. Or anyone with quads.
  • 5 0
 I'd watch/read that. As someone that has larger quads/calves than average, kneepad fit is hard even going by manufacturer measurements.
  • 2 0
 @rickybobby18: This! Yes please!
  • 1 0
 Stihl make similar gloves for 1/3 the m.en.stihl.ca/STIHL-Products/Accessories/Protective-Hand-and-Footwear/2106356-106396/-Proscaper-Landscaping-Gloves.aspx

Stihl is a cool brand even. No sense getting ripped off with those dakine gloves
  • 1 0
 I have similar pads to the Dakine. I have the dainese trail skins. After a crash last week I realized there's one big flaw with this style of padding. They don't slide in a crash. My elbow pad slid right off my arm when it made contact with the ground and didn't protect me. I could feel the honeycomb design grip the dirt rather than slide. I'm looking into a smooth hardshell now.
  • 1 0
 I meant O'Neal pads not dakine
  • 1 0
 Picked up some of the Agent 0/0 Knee Pads.
I can say that they are the ONLY strap on pads that I've ever used that stay exactly where you strap them. I had a pretty good crash in them this weekend too.
The strapping is a little complicated and they don't breathe great but they work.
  • 4 0
 Or buy 5 pairs of work gloves...
  • 1 1
 Anyone know if DaKine is still doing shorts & jerseys? Can't seem to find anything on their website. Seems like there isn't much out there for riding gear this year.

Edit: I see they have updated their US site since I last checked. Nothing on their Canadian site though.
  • 3 1
 Yes they are, www.dakine.com/collections/bike
Looks like plenty new stuff in stock, but maybe it's a Canadian thing if nothing is showing up. Maybe when they start letting the US back in Dakine will let you buy things?
  • 15 22
flag srh2 (Apr 21, 2021 at 13:02) (Below Threshold)
 @dirtpedaler: I don't disagree with the borders needing to be reopened.
Time to let people get on with life. We can't continue to cancel life to protect every life.
  • 15 2
 @srh2: I'm as anxious as anyone (ok, probably far more anxious than most) to get back to Canada - but we're literally at the goal line here.

Just 2% of the population of Canada has been fully vaccinated, and the country only has enough doses for about 17% of the population.

Once everyone who wants a vaccine has the opportunity to get one, I agree with you 100%. We can't drag our feet on behalf of the anti-vaxxers.

The US will be at "everyone (16+) who wants a vaccine can get one easily" in another month or two. Canada is probably 3-4 months behind us. While I'd love to do some biking in BC this summer, I'm happy to spend another summer riding local trails if it means saving lives.
  • 18 16
 I see I'm getting down-voted for my last comment.
What I meant to type was:
The borders should definitely stay closed. Nobody should travel anywhere. We should all stay home, social distance, sanitize, wear our masks...even if we go outside...but we should be staying home!, get vaccinated. It's the only way we can all be safe. Life is just too dangerous!

Let's all do our part. Just two more weeks...just two more weeks...just two more weeks...
  • 1 0
 The thumbnail image looks like someone facing backwards, straddling the top tube with their knees just out of the bottom of the shot. I thought it was some armored under shorts.
  • 1 0
 I have one of the smaller Drafter packs. It's been going strong for several years and shows no signs of quitting. I'd like that hip pack too. Pity Dakine seems to have disappeared from the SA market....
  • 2 0
 Those agent pads look nice, but I wasn’t terribly impressed with the fit of my last Dakine pads
  • 1 0
 Just got a pair of these. They fit terrible, are super uncomfortable, and the stitching is incredibly low quality. Avoid at all costs.
  • 1 0
 @PhoS: thanks, I think poor stitching has become Dakine’s “thing”.
  • 2 0
 My dakine backpack from around 2005 is still going strong, I hope they still build their stuff to last
  • 1 0
 I’ve got a pack from the ‘99-2000 snowboard season that’s still in rotation as a day pack for hikes. Glad to hear I’m not the only one rocking vintage Dakine.

Their newer gear isn’t as bombproof. I’m a big fan of their cross x gloves as the extra padding has saved my hands many times. However, first crash always results in a split seam in the same spot each year (right where thumb meets hand at the web.) So the gear still has its merits but is not as indestructible as it once was.

I suppose that makes for since as they’re a business and having gear last for DECADES doesn’t exactly keep the money flowing their way.
  • 1 0
 Didn't know Kingdom Bike made knee pads too.
  • 1 0
 Look at the duck bill on that helmet! Holy shimoly
  • 1 0
 Those O'Neal knee pads have Mushizo's stamp of approval.
  • 1 2
 On those Dakine gloves. Nobody needs palm touchscreen compatibility. Put it on the index fingers and chop off $18.
  • 2 4
 I used to really like Dakine but they have lost the plot lately.
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