The US Military practices a style of written communication known as Bottom Line Up Front, or BLUF for those of you who like your FLAs (Four Letter Acronyms). BLUF was developed to put the conclusion or main point at the beginning, not the end of a communication, which allows the reader to act quickly, and dig into the details as needed. The BLUF on Mosko Moto’s Phase CE-2 Knee, Elbow, and hip armor is that after more than a month of use, these are the most comfortable CE rated pads I’ve ever worn – and I’ve worn a lot of different pads over the years.
Mosko Moto’s Phase CE-2 Armor has been a long time coming – but I’m happy to report that the wait has absolutely been worth it. In March of 2022, while on a visit to Mosko HQ, we got to check out a prototype set of Knee and Elbow armor. The idea at the time was to bring something new to the game by making these pads zip on and off, so the wearer could gear up or gear down as easily as possible. The concept was intriguing, to say the least – I mean, who wouldn’t want a comfy yet functional pad that they could don and doff as quickly as they could operate a zipper?
This iteration of Mosko’s separate armor was slated to launch in 2023, but Mosko ultimately pulled the plug and took the project back to the drawing board knowing they could come up with even better separate armor.
In the Spring of 2024, Mosko was again almost ready to launch a line of separate armor. The team took a complete size run of pre-production samples on one of their famous team trips for a final checkout ride, with all expectations being that the production order would be placed after the trip. Yet real world use has a way of ferreting out imperfections, and the team returned from the trip knowing there was still room to improve, so once again it was back to the drawing board.
A year later, Mosko finally launched their separate armor system to the world, and what they’ve come up with is outstanding. A complete Phase CE-2 system consists of Elbow and knee pads, as well as hip shorts that all feature Rheon Labs CE Rated Level 2 impact protectors. Phase CE-2 armor features a minimalistic design that focuses on comfort and airflow, which is something that you’ll appreciate from the first time you slip these pads on.
Look inside the top cuff on the Phase CE-2 Knee and Elbow pads and you’ll notice that instead of the big silicon band that’s used by other manufacturers, The Phase CE-2 has a bunch of little silicon lines that look like some kind of deconstructed topo pattern. This is one of the details that lead to such a long development time, but it’s something that anyone who has ever gotten a blister from other brands of armor with a big silicon band will really appreciate. Silicon gets really slick when it’s wet, and a big band of silicon on your skin plus perspiration from exertion plus movement from riding make a great recipe for hot spots or blisters. I’m happy to report that after plenty of hot weather (AZ summertime) riding, I’ve had no blisters or hotspots from these pads. Nice work Mosko.
Another big reason the Phase armor is so comfortable is that these pads breathe really well. Other brands use a solid textile as the face fabric (outermost textile) over their impact protector (armor pad), which in some cases is driven by the fact that these brands sell the same pads to both mountain bikers and moto users, so they need a textile over the impact protector for abrasion protection. Mosko on the other hand uses an open mesh over their impact protectors which allows for superior airflow compared to the solid textiles used by other brands. Moto users almost always have a jersey or something more protective like a jacket over their elbow armor, and riding pants over their knee (and hip) protectors, so abrasion protection is handled by other garments in a moto use case. Wearing a knee pad from another brand (a moto/MTB pad) on one leg, and a Phase CE-2 knee pad on the other leg under a super breathable pant like Mosko’s Keiger pant makes this airflow difference blatantly obvious. If the pads you’re wearing now make you hot, give the Phase CE-2 pads a try – you won’t be disappointed.
If you’re looking at the mesh face fabric on these pads and worrying about the durability, know that Mosko product developers have put the Phase CE-2 pads to the test in multiple mountain bike crashes where the pads didn’t have anything over them, and they survived without any functional issues. All of the Phase CE-2 armor is also protected by Mosko’s lifetime warranty and Crash Care Program, ( https://moskomoto.com/pages/warranty ) so even if you do manage to kill a Phase CE-2 pad in a crash, Mosko will help you out.
So what’s the catch? I’m more than a month into using Phase CE-2 armor, and the only thing I find myself wanting from the Phase CE-2 system is a fly in the hip shorts. In the long term, it’s going to be interesting to see how the silicon topo pattern holds up on these pads. The other brand of pads that I regularly use always have the same mode of failure in that the silicon band crumbles into a bunch of smaller sections and the pad no longer stays in place, so I’m keen to see how the Phase CE-2 pads compare. I’ll take a note to update this article when I wear out a set of Phase CE-2 pads.
The bottom line at the end of the story (BLES?) is that Mosko Moto’s Phase CE-2 armor system is awesome. The Knee and Elbow pads are hands down the most comfortable knee and elbow pads I’ve worn, from both a thermal comfort and fit standpoint. I haven’t had any issues with bunching material, tight spots, or pressure points, and the Knee pads aren’t doing anything weird against any bike I’ve ridden. I don’t always wear hip armor, but I’ve been really impressed with the fit and comfort of the hip shorts.
Separate armor is the way. If you’re already a fan of this approach to incorporating armor into your riding, then you need to try these pads – I’m willing to bet you’ll find that they’re more comfortable than what you’re currently wearing. If you’re an integrated armor rider, you absolutely need to try these pads. Yes, donning and doffing separate armor is going take a minute longer than riding kit with integrated pads, but a vented waterproof jacket will never compete with the thermal comfort of separate armor and layering for the conditions, so do yourself a favor and give separate armor a try. I bet you’ll like what you find.Grab the Phase CE-2 armor at www.moskomoto.com
