Asterisk Carbon Cell 1 Knee Braces | Track Tested
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Price: $799.95 (pair); $399.97 (single)
Asterisk is the leader in off-the-shelf knee braces for motocross and in 2019 the manufacturer launched its first all-new brace in nearly a decade. The new Carbon Cell 1 is manufactured from military spec and aerospace carbon fiber prepreg that is made in America, and the design goal for the new Carbon Cell 1 was a brace that is slim in design, sleek in function, and comfortable and lightweight to wear. Weighing in at roughly one pound per brace, the Carbon Cell 1 features four Velcro-backed fastener straps and come with knee sleeves and optional boot tethers, to unify the protection and support of the brace with the wearer’s boot to guard against twist injuries.
On the Track
Through the years we’ve worn and tested just about every knee brace available, from full custom braces to flimsy off-the-shelf units that hardly qualified as knee braces at all. Truth be told, we really love the older Asterisk Ultra Cell for its unique adaptive hinge system that allows the hinge to bot only bend at the joint but conform to the wearer’s knee with side-to-side movement.
That said, we were shocked when we first put the new Carbon Cell 1 on, as it proved to fit just as well as the more-involved design of the Ultra Cell. The thin carbon fiber frame comes in small through extra large and finding the ideal fit is easy. The simplicity of the Carbon Cell 1 is actually its most appealing characteristic; slide it over your leg, strap it on, and ride!
Many knee braces are comfortable enough when you put them on, but the way they move inside riding pants and the way they feel against the bike can be completely different. Not so with the Asterisk Carbon Cell 1 as they have such a slim profile that they fit nicely inside all types of riding pants, even the slim-cut stretch pants that are all the rage these days. To be honest, it took us a moment to get used to the low-profile of the braces and the way they feel against the bike as they have a much more natural feeling than a bulkier brace. The design of the hinges and the protective pad over them is sturdy and does not attack the inner knee panels of pants or the sides of your bike graphics and seat cover like some do.
We’ve been riding in our Carbon Cell 1 braces for over six months now, and they are still in perfect condition. Whether you are protecting an old injury or simply guarding against the oh-so-common motocross knee injury, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option than the Asterisk Carbon Cell 1. We love ours.
