Mobius X-8 Wrist Brace

What it is

• Features CCRS and a tendon back plate.
• Palm-free design.

Mobius is fairly new to the market being only a few years old, but they’ve been making big waves in the protection market. We tested out there X-8 Knee Brace a couple years back; however, a recent injury has brought us to their latest innovation - the X-8 Wrist Brace. This year alone has seen some elite level Supercross racers like Jordan Smith and Justin Starling pick up the braces mid-season while others like Ken Roczen and RJ Hampshire have been running it all year long. Utilizing their patent pending CCRS (Continuous Cable Routing System) as seen on the knee braces, the design is intended to provide maximum support across the wrist area with progressive support while maintaining a palm-free design. The Tendon Back Plate is connected to the CCRS and is responsible for providing the support on the backside of the wrist. Additionally, an adjustable liner and the simple dial are designed to provide a precise fit and the odorless foam provides some comfort. It also has an adjustable range of motion from just 10 degrees and goes up to 70 degrees. The brace is available in sizes S/M and M/L and is available in White/Acid Yellow or Storm Grey colors and retails for $199.95

How it works

• Increased support and stability to the wrist.
• No hindrance on the left/clutch wrist.
• Hard to ride with on the throttle wrist.
• Simple, yet effective mounting.

An arm/wrist injury early in the year kept me off the bike for a few months and left my wrist weak and vulnerable once healed. We seeked out Mobius’ X-8 Wrist Brace for additional support in the event of a crash and really just for the needed support to hold onto the handlebars. The brace is simple and easy to put on with just a strap and the back tendon plate to secure it.

Our initial impression the first time the brace touched our wrist was that it’s a little foreign and it’d hinder the movement in the wrist too much. Having never worn any wrist protection before, it felt a little uncomfortable at first for our testers, but no more than ten minutes into the ride, most forgot the brace was even on, especially when worn on the left wrist. The range of motion was usually set to the max of 70 degrees, but we never felt the need for more no matter what situation we were in when wearing the brace on our left/clutch hand. It added much needed support coming off of an injury. Our healthy testers even liked having it on for some added confidence in the vulnerable wrist area.

Where the X-8 Brace didn’t work for us was when it went onto our right side/throttle wrist. We tried riding with the brace on our throttle hand but didn’t have much luck. Since bending the wrist is the preferred method to open/close the throttle, limiting the wrist’s range of motion to only 70 degrees with the brace made it difficult to ride and control the throttle. We’d keep having the drop the elbow to open the throttle past halfway without some serious re-gripping. This was especially difficult when standing up and over the handlebars. If needed, riding with the brace on the throttle hand is feasible, but not preferred and not something we would do regularly. Contrarily, riding with it on the left wrist is something that may be the new norm - at least for a while.

The brace also limits angled motion of the wrist folding back on itself as well as side-to-side. It only allows you to twist the wrist so much before the brace's range of motion is used up entirely. On a similar note, we’ve also used the X-8 for cross country mountain biking purposes and because the wrist is limited, it prohibits getting into a desired aero position. On the motorcycle this isn’t a realistic position to be in, but is the norm for cycling. However, when on a bicycle, the brace still does its job, but we don’t intend on using if for very long.

The palm-free design was a big plus in our book as it didn’t interfere with our grip on the handlebars. Some testers, but not all, experienced some minor blisters in their first couple rides with the brace on. Likely because they would regrip when dropping the wrist instead of bending the wrist and keeping the hand in the same spot. We made the brace snug on our arms but left a little wiggle room to allow our arm to expand and didn’t experience an increase in arm pump. The brace is very lightweight and didn’t feel like we had an anchor attached to our arm. The CCRS system has held up fine to months of normal use, including both roost and crashes.

Remember the brace's job is to transfer load. If it comes into play in protecting the wrist, like a knee brace or any other type of brace would do, the force has to go somewhere, and in this case that is the forearm/upper arm. The brace uses the stability of the arm to “strengthen” the wrist and decrease the deflection of the hand.

Overall, Mobius’ X-8 Wrist Brace delivered on its purpose and got me back on the bike much earlier than I would have had I tried riding without it (and I briefly tried). It provided critical support when the range of motion and strength wasn’t fully there and aided the bone as it got back to its 100% strength. The fact that we could ride/race and forget we had the brace on is something that makes this a true winner. Often times increased protection often leads to hindering mobility and hence abilities. I’ll continue to ride with the brace even when clear of injuries as the added support and lack of interference really appeals to me. At least on the left side...

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