The popular Behold back protector by Flaxta has been featured by The Verge and included in their "The best snowboarding and skiing gadgets". (Read the full feature here)

The Behold back protector was just introduced in January 2020 and it immediately started cleaning up on design awards. Basically, it’s a low-profile vest with a built-in back protector panel. The panel looks like it’s just a web of small rubber dots with holes in them. The thing is, it’s not just plain rubber, it’s a Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR), which is what’s known as a viscoelastic polymer. Basically, it acts sort of like a non-Newtonian fluid. When worn it bends freely with your back, but when it takes a high-energy impact it deforms and stiffens at the same time, so it both absorbs and spreads out the impact.

Because it’s so thin and it breathes so well (due to all the holes in it), my back didn’t get sweaty at all and I completely forgot that I had it on.

Spinal injuries are far too common in snow-sports. If you spend time in the terrain park, in the trees, or around rocks, or if you have a kid who is just learning, this is a cheap insurance policy. 

- Brent Rose, The Verge 

The Behold back protector vest, available in specific men, women and kids versions, is available at flaxta.com and through select retailers. (Click here to find your Back Protector)

About the Back protector

Behold is the most ventilated, flexible and low profile certified back protector on the market. The unique construction is possible thanks to Flaxta’s AVA compound (short for Absorb, Vent and Adapt), which has been developed together with leading polymer experts and members from Flaxta Science Crew. 

(Click here to find your Back Protector)

Word from the Editor

My process is this: I do a lot of research to determine what looks most promising, and then I call in the gear I think has the most potential. Generally, all of this stuff is either unisex or available in both men’s and women’s versions. And obviously, like everybody, I have my own riding style, and my own opinions, so your mileage may vary, and I’m sorry if I didn’t test your favorite piece of gear.

It’s amazing how much innovation and technology goes into finding better ways to fall down a mountain. I’m a snowboarding addict. Despite the fact that I absolutely hate being cold, I find myself looking forward to winter with more and more eagerness each fall. I’m also a huge nerd, which means every year I get all giddy about the new advances coming out that improve the ways we play in the snow, or so they claim.

This is the confluence of those gravitational forces in my life: my picks for the coolest new snow tech.

About Verge

Just in a decade, The Verge has become a top tech publication attracting 50 million+ users every month. The Verge has attained massive success across all platforms. On social media, it has 2.6M followers on Twitter, 3.5M fans on Facebook, 1.4M followers on Instagram. On YouTube, The Verge has gained close to 3M subscribers with its reviews and informational content.