We've all been there, pushing rigorously up steep switchbacks, only to hang up on an off-camber section of gnarled roots and imposing rocks. What follows isn't pretty, often resulting in you tipping precariously onto sharp rocks and stumps. In this situation, it pays to be wearing the POC Joint VPD System Elbow Pad, which takes the sting out of nasty falls without restricting you from riding hard and fast on the trail. Differing from hard-cap elbow pads, the Joint VPD System Elbow Pad stays soft and pliable until impact, at which point VPD padding stiffens up to dissipate damaging forces. This gives you the proven protection you've come to love from burlier elbow pads, but without holding you back across technical sections where rider flexibility is key. Reinforcing the VPD pad, abrasion-resistant polyamide withstands scraping falls across rugged ground without tearing open. And to ensure a secure fit, the elasticized cuffs stay in place without slipping or migrating as you ride.