Demon Flexforce Pro Low

My first intro to protective wear was at High Cascade a few years back... One day my coach looked a bit puffier than normal and one of the kids asked if he was sporting some padded shorts. My coach replied that he always wore them when he had something new he wanted to try. The day I decided to get my own pair was during a casual lap through the park at Bear Mountain. I slipped on a box and plopped down on my tailbone just enough to make it a bit too painful to ride. I toughed it out for a few runs, taking it easy, determined to finish the day, but a few more minor falls to that spot made it clear that it was time to go home.

When you snowboard, it's universally understood that you are taking a risk. From learning how to snowboard to learning your first front 9, everybody wants to progress and this means trying things that are just a bit out of your established comfort zone... meaning you may fall trying to figure it out. The thing is that some of those stupid minor falls can completely spoil your day. Padded shorts will only do so much, but I figure if they can prevent the stupid little things from cutting a day short they are worth the investment.




Padding/Protection

Like I said, padded shorts can only do so much; so I went with the Demon Flexforce Pro Low because it seemed padded enough to soften minor blows yet not look like a diaper, and flexible enough to fully maneuver in any situation.

The Demon Flexforce Pro Low feature strategically placed padding on the butt and thighs. In most situations if you fall on your side or on your butt you are all good, and I don't know many people who make an effort to fall forward on their face. The padding is not at all ultra-thick, but it really doesn't need to be... these shorts are only meant to take some of the bite off, which is exactly what they do.

I wasn't at all disappointed. This season in Colorado I had the opportunity to enjoy a lot more of snowboarding and so I was trying tons of new things and falling fairly often. On a powder day, no big deal but Copper had more hard, hard, hardpacked and icy days I'd say. Most of my falls were very minor, usually from standing to butt, a common predicament and one that padded shorts are essentially made for. You will still feel your impact, it may even still hurt, but the Demon Flexforce Pro Low are the difference between "I have to go home" and "Wait, just give me a second."

Low-Profile?

The key thing everyone looks for in padded shorts in a pair that won't look like a diaper. The Demon Flexforece Pro Low are extremely low-profile. I figured the best way is to just show what they look like under athletic shorts:

Without Flexforce, With Flexforce

Maneuverability

Two things that were equally important to me buying padding shorts: protection and maneuverability. I was looking for a short that had enough padding to make a difference on impact but also not so much padding that it would make lifting my legs impossible. The Demon Flexforce Pro Low matched perfectly, with sufficient padding thats broken up to create natural "hinges" allowing the shorts to follow the contours of your body.

These shorts did not stop me from doing one of my favorite tweaked tricks, the method... which takes as much maneuverability as you can demand out of anything (snowboard, bindings, boots...your body).

Breathability

The Demon Flexforce Pro Low, and probably any padded short available, are excellent for a super-cold day because they are guaranteed to keep you toasty... in other words not a lot of air flow. Even though the fabric is virtually see-through and you expect to not even notice them on, I'm talkin' some serious swamp ass.

I had the distinct pleasure of wearing these riding Bear Mountain end of season--days over 70°F--and even with all vents open it was virtually impossible to get air circulating. I think that as long as you are moving and riding along it's hard to notice, but come the end of the day or that break for lunchtime you will find yourself awkwardly drenched underneath your pants.

Demon Flexforce Pro Low

4/5 Cacti

I am completely satisfied with the Demon Flexforce Pro Low. They do their job without looking like a diaper and without hindering movement. The shorts stay put all day so no fumbling around trying to adjust wedgies all day. Overall they look and feel more like a pair of Under Armour boxers. I give the shorts a 4/5 cacti only because of the minor discomfort with breathability.

The Demon Flexforce Pro Low retails at $54.99, a pretty decent price tag considering some of the competing protective wear companies.