Do you have bad knees or do your legs get tired after ripping deep pow all day? Not quite slope ready at the beginning of a new ski season? Well, now there are a couple of devices that can not only help save your knees but also lessen the strain on your quads, keeping you out on the mountain all day without getting tired.
Developed by Colorado resident Walter Dandy, CADS uses a system of rubber loops, removable composite rods, cord, pulleys, and a harness to create a weight bypass of your legs. The rubber loops and the cord work together to lift the weight off your legs and transfer it to the rod anchored between the harness and your boots. The weight that normally would have been absorbed by your legs, is now forced down to your skis for a more stable ride.
When you bend your knees, the rubber loops of the CADS system are stretched. The stretch is then transmitted via the cords over the pulleys to the harness. This reduces your effective body weight and diminishes the required quad-contraction strength. Decreased quad contraction, in turn, reduces the forces across your knees.
In case you are not up for the literal "stick up your a@$" look, Ski Mojo has come up with a comparable solution that inconspicuously sits underneath your ski pants. Using a spring mechanism, the Ski Mojo exoskeleton promotes good posture and supports up to 1/3 of your weight, helping to alleviate dreaded thigh burn and sore knees.
A lightweight, comfortable harness and two Neoprene knee-supports with powerful shock absorbing springs are worn discreetly under your ski pants. A special clamp sits on the back of the shell of each of your ski boots. Weighing only 2kg (4.4lbs), the spring mechanism in the Ski Mojo system engages as soon as you start to ski, absorbing impact. As the Ski Mojo system runs down the side of your leg, it works as a side impact protection bar, further helping to prevent knee injury if you should fall.
All this quad and knee support does not come cheap. The Ski Mojo system retails for $525 and the CADS system a hefty $695. Cheaper than knee surgery, however?