UFO-Plast

How UFO-Plast sizes its gear

Most of the adult range is one-size-fits-all: a single moulded shell with adjustable elastic straps doing the fitting. That covers a wide span of legs and arms, which means the strap arrangement, rather than the shell, is the part worth reading on a listing. Anything made for children is a separate product with its own shell and its own strap lengths, not a scaled-down adult pad, and each listing says which of the two it is.

Shell, foam, or both

The range splits three ways by what absorbs the hit. A plastic shell spreads a single sharp impact across a wide area and slides rather than catching. Foam, as in the padded shorts and hip protectors, soaks up the dull repeated knocks that come from falling on the same spot all session. The padded shells — Full Flex, Limited — put both together, plate outside and foam behind it. Knowing which of the three a listing is describing tells you more about how it will feel than the model name does.

Wearing it under, or over, what you already have

Padded shorts are cut to go under skating trousers, a dress or riding shorts, and the slim knee and elbow guards fit under most trousers and sleeves. The shells and the safety jackets are shaped to sit over a base layer instead, with outerwear on top. Where it matters, the listing says so, and the removable plastic inserts in some of the padded shorts let you shift a garment between the two.

One set, several sports

The listings name several sports each — skating, hockey, skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding and mountain biking — because UFO-Plast designs around the joint rather than the discipline. A set bought for the rink carries over to the hill without modification, which is worth knowing if you skate in more than one season. Everything is made in Italy, so the shell shapes and the strap hardware stay consistent from one item to the next and a second piece bought later matches what you already own.

Care

Sweat is what ages this gear. Rinse or wipe the shells, then leave everything somewhere with air moving over it — not on a radiator, where the heat stiffens foam and takes the life out of elastic. The straps and their stitching are what give out first, well ahead of the plastic, so they are the part to look over now and then.

Where to start

Skaters learning jumps usually begin with padded shorts and knee protection, then add elbow and hand protection as speed comes into it, and spine and back protection for anyone riding features. Skate Guru is an authorised dealer for UFO-Plast; questions about which size or which shell to start with are answered over email.