Onewheel Life: What safety gear do I wear?

What’s up, riders. Today, we’re going to talk about the equipment to wear while riding a Onewheel. The board does a lot of work to keep us safe but for everything else…It’s on us!


Head gear

The first thing to focus on is a helmet to protect your head. Brain bucket, topper, shell, call it whatever you like but I cannot emphasize enough how much you should wear a helmet when you ride your Onewheel! Here’s the advice I got from the staff at a local Onewheel dealer as I was getting ready to buy my first ride.

The right helmet for a Onewheel will protect you from impact from the front (I know it sounds like a given, nobody wants to fall flat on their face!) and from the back (as you will be riding on the road, you not only need protection from falling but also from potential collisions from vehicles behind you, as well as falling on your back).

The basics

I landed on this Bell helmet that has served me well so far! This helmet extends lower down the back of the skull specifically for that added protection. Adjusting chin straps is easy, same as tightening the crown around the head thanks to the ratchet (yeah, I’m just a rider, I don’t know the technical words).

The extra mile

I…don’t have an extra mile option to suggest for you yet! My Bell helmet has been great for just about any ride so far. I just wish it offered protection from dust, glare and bugs (it’s more of a problem than you might think!). I’ve been considering a light motorcycle helmet for long rides on motor roads. I’ll update this article if I find one to recommend!

Protective pads

Now that we got a nice helmet, let’s look at protective pads (for your knees and elbows) and wrist guards! They’re your first line of defense in case of falls – and we need to limit the damage!

The basics

For my basics selection, I went with the Eight Ball skate pads for Adults/14+. Sizing is nice, quality is there, and it’s affordable! You can also remove the inserts from the pads and wrist guards to wash your gear. Bonus: even if the set is designed for a wide range of sizes (mine goes from 14 to adult!) the elastic straps are just the right length to accommodate everyone.

Because they’re quick and easy to put on and off, I wear these every time I’m practicing control skills or going on short rides in areas I already know. For everything else…See below!

The extra mile

After my first attempts at riding the Pint X I hurt my hip and couldn’t find the confidence to get back on the board without extra protection. That’s when I shopped for something beefier to make me feel better, and to protect me in case something real bad happened.

I settled for this set of BMX protection pads – I call them the cheese graters! They have a really thick elbow and knee foam pad and a plate protecting the forearm and tibia. The straps mostly do a good job of securing the protection gear in place, but if you have chicken arms like me, you might need to tailor the straps so they have less play! I usually wear the arm guards over wrist pads whenever I go for a longer ride or when I’m going to ride somewhere I don’t know.

As for the BMX legs protections – it’s a little more complicated. When you wear them over a pair of jeans, I feel like they kind of hurt your mobility on the board until you get used to them. Because of that I only wear them in case of really rough rides (and wear the regular knee pads the rest of the time), or when I need reassurance during practice! This might change later.

Additional gear

We went over gear specific to protecting us in case of, frankly, life on a Onewheel. But there are a few more things you can wear to make your rides safer:

  • Light or reflective clothing to make it easier for drivers to see you. Always, always assume drivers can’t see you when you’re on the road. If you can add reflective equipment or lights to your Onewheel for visibility, even better.
  • A comfortable pair of shoes! I wear high top sneakers with gel insoles since I started riding. More comfortable rides means more time on the board, which means more time building muscle memory!
  • If you feel like you need the extra protection or reassurance, a pair of padded armored pants will do you good! After hurting myself when I first got my board, and I’ve been wearing them every time I’m practicing a new skill that might take me into a fall out I can’t out run!

The recap

Short ride, long ride, great weather, time of the day, it does not matter. I have heard many stories of Onewheel riders who decided not to wear their pads or wrist guards or helmets “just that one time” and instantly regretted it. Don’t be a cautionary tale!