Forearm Brush Shields - I Be Seeking

I’m gonna bleed to death on the trail. Not from crashing, but from millions of brush micro cuts like below. Plus apparently in my new years of geriatrics I bruise even easier. So when I go to work, my co-workers think the need to call social services to investigate husband abuse! I’m pretty sure that your basic UV Sleeves are not enough. I bleed and bruise even through my winter arm warmers..



So! What am I asking?
I’m “trying” to avoid full on body armor. I can just picture a summer ride with those on and all my water consumption blowing out my forearm pores in an pressure cooker.

Seeking something in between a UV Sleeve and a forearm pad. Something that can take brush hits all day without shredding. But light enough that really breathes.

Anything you come across?
TIA!

Mikie

 

Sherwood 7200s with tape. Then if there’s ever an iMTBtrails long sleeve, you can have the elbro sleeve stains.

 

I should add that I do own two pairs of arm armor.
Pro Tech which the elastic wore out on about the third ride then they became miserable to try and keep up on my arms.
Troy Lee 5550’s, they are my latest. I’m going to wear those out just putting them on and taking them off they fit so tight in attempt to keep them in place. Best I have used so far, but hot.

 

I'm using these now, and they stay up better than the Troy Lees...


G-Form Pro Rugged

 

Wrap your arms in ace bandages before every bushy ride?

Or try a long sleeve form fitted under garment?

Or simply long sleeve (DH/MX) jerseys?

 

Dumb question... Why don't you just wear a long sleeve jersey? I never liked long sleeves until I started riding in the Gabes. Buckthorn! Now I wear my Moxie jersey 80% of the time. It also provides sun protection...

I need to buy a couple more. @DangerDirtyD laughed when I told him I wash it 4 times per week.

 

I just checked ebay and I saw some tattoo pattern arm coverings. You'd "all dat" wearing those.

 

@Mikie If you have an old pair of sun sleeves, coat the leading edge with latex. Might provide enough of a hard barrier to deflect the majority of the brush? I've thought about doing that to the front of some high soccer socks to reduce the brush cuts.

 

Welcome to old man skin.
I Look down and i have a purple patch in the arms. What'd I hit? Aw crud....

So I wear tld soft arm guards sometime, but they are black and hot these days.

I'll be watching this thread, Sun shade type arm guard protection that breaths well.....

 

Stop leading through the brush with your forearms. Problem solved.

Other than that....try looser fitting long sleeves.

 

I’ve taken to wearing long sleeves for the sun protection as well

 

Toughen up. Chicks dig scars.

 

Sounds like the iMTBtrails long sleeve jersey is necessary.

 

Mikie long sleeves will not help. I wear 661 arm guards when the chaparral gets tough, but have not seen that for years. The fricken mustard, that tears my arms and also the chamise. If riding deer trails or Malibu cyn trails I wear the arm guards, but they do feel hotter than bare skin. I came out of the Three Amigos Dos Vientos (Dos Mercedes). I was dripping from both arms, looked like yours. I shocked some ladies out walking when I got back to the truck. I carry a first aid kit so on the tailgate I hit it with alcohol pads and cotton pads then drove home. Bloody mess.
Happy deer trails in the costal sage scrub.

 

I agree long sleeves won’t make much of a difference, but oh how wonderful a long sleeve iMTBtrails jersey (with the deep pockets in the back) would be!

 

I used to put strategically placed Duct-tape on my arms "under the jersey" before events that I knew would make hamburger.
Not sexy but effective. If you have hairy arms don't use Gorilla tape.

 

I searched “arm gaiters” and got this among other possibilities:

https://www.rshughes.com/

Cyclotourist is onto something. Normal fabric will be ruined by catclaw and not wholly effective otherwise.

I wear long sleeves and let em get ripped up along with some of my flesh.

 

Agreed. I have worn both long sleeves as well as long sleeved under shirts under my jersey and I bruise and bleed right through them. I have a pair of winter insulated arm warmers and those get bloody on the inside as well.

 

I use a pair of these Troy Lee Speed arm guards. They have a minimal amount of padding and offer a little protection from UV and the occasional branches. I've liked them so far. I paid about $40 for them.

 

If you want something cheaper. ...

A few years ago I set up an early season Palm canyon night ride. I warned everyone to bring hard shell arm and leg pads since catclaw would be horrible. Well guess what I forgot to pack? Friend and I had got a motel 6 room and I noticed the phone book. Tore off a thick sheaf of pages, wrapped around each leg, tucked into socks and duct taped on. Also duct taped a sheaf to each arm. Worked great, I lost no blood except to cholla balls kicked up to unprotected spots. Phone book pages were a little worse for wear. But what else are you going to use the phone book for these days?

 

I'm just curious how this will pan out with our imtbtrails fashion consultant...
Paging @herzalot paging @herzalot !


(paging pun intended)

 

I meant to comment on this... That's actually pretty clever.

 

... yeah but I look like a cutter!

 

240z. plastic water bottle, cut off the neck/cap. cut the bottle in half vertically. secure to forearm via zip ties/velcro/tape/etc. Trim as needed for precision fit. recycle when finished. you are welcome.

 

I thought about doing it with some paint on plastic dip as well. Basically just the front or leading edge. But I spilled enough Stan's on shorts and shirts to notice that it sets up as a pretty solid and flexible layer that you can't wash out.

 

Ok like evdog & Redman I once had to improvise. Desert/Moto team race. Came into the pits with NO visor. While my teammate was out on his loop, I fashioned a visor out of a Coors-Light twelve pack box. Turned out so good, I used that helmet for a couple play rides thereafter before it started to look stupid. Plus I wasn't sponsored by Coor's I was sponsored by Hamm's..

 

My arm guards fit into my camel back so I carry them when there is a chance, I almost always climb first so at the turn around if is nasty I will put them on. It is August here on the south coast so everything is dry and wide. Of course wide to me since I am still on my feet dreaming of the day to return on two wheels. My legs have gotten scratched but my forearms are doing well. Well except the damage I do around the abode. I am old so if something looks at me funny I will bruise or get cut. You could always go with some good fiber board and duct tape. But put it under the sleeves so you do not look like a total dweeb.
But being Canadian I guess you cannot stop the dweeb.
Happy trails at a snails pace

 

Ted Shred



ski slalom forearm guards…

 

I used blue camp pad foam and athletic tape as my knuckle/forearm guards for ski racing in college. I ended up All Conference!


Yellow pages and duct tape for the win!

 

Speechless.