 Poster: A snowHead
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My Ski Mojo arrived last week and I tried it out for the first time this morning, here are my first impressions.
First a bit about me. I'm a 62 year old bloke, height 174cm, weight 72kg. Been skiing at a recreational level for 20 years and for the last 3 years have been teaching on the dry-slope at Ipswich, qualified to BASI Level 1. I bought a Ski Mojo because, after a couple of days skiing on snow, I get very sore and swollen knees. I recently had an ACL re-construction and the surgeon confirmed that I have fairly advanced arthritic wear of the joint surfaces and damage to the meniscii. Since then, on the advice of both the surgeon and a sports physio, I have been using Donjoy Armour braces on both knees - expensive but very comfortable with a high level of support.
First Fitting: On first sight, this is a daunting task. The instructions which came with my Mojo where temporary, small-scale printed ones, I understand that, when supply catches up with demand, the instructions included with the kit will be better. However, there is an excellent series of video clips on the website http://www.skiallday.co.uk/sm/ which are very clear and easy to follow. It took me about 1 hour to fit and adjust everything to my liking - bearing in mind that I was fitting it over my Donjoy braces.
Subsequent Fitting: Once adjusted, putting the Mojo on is a doddle. It takes less time than putting my braces on. Wearing the Mojo in addition to braces does create a lot of bulk around the knee and my ski trousers were tight in this area. All this combined to limit my knee flexion in normal use to less than 90 degrees. I did find that I was still able to drive without difficulty.
In use: On Wednesday mornings I run a Coffee Morning at Ipswich for improvers and intermediate skiers. This morning, I wore the Mojo for the first time. I started with some warm-up runs with the Mojo in walk mode, i.e. "switched off". The only difference I noticed was the extra bulk around the knees. I then put the Mojo in ski mode (easily done using a button on each side activated through the trousers). What happened next was a bit of a shock. I had been prepared for a change in for-and-aft balance - I had heard that the Mojo tends to push you forwards as well as up. In the event, this wasn't particularly noticeable. What did happen was that I lost a lot of the feedback that I normally get from my skis. I felt curiously disconnected from the ground. It was as thought someone had anaesthetised my legs  . After several more runs, I began to relax again as I realised that the feedback was still there - just less of it. I was beginning to get the feeling of skiing on air  .
Conclusion After a few more runs I switched the Mojo off again - suddenly I felt like I was skiing with a dead-weight on my back. I had already decided that I would not use it regularly on the dry-slope because your legs are not subjected the same forces as they are when skiing on snow and it also interferes with any drills involving skiing on one leg  .
However, I was beginning to enjoy the sensation of skiing on air and I am optimistic that the Mojo will relieve the strain on my knees sufficiently to allow me to enjoy a week on snow.
We're away in Champoluc in just over two weeks and I will report when I get back on how the Mojo performs on snow.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Bev tried hers out on snow today for the first time at Tamworth. She reports similar experiences. Either way, the Mark 2 seems a big step forward. Any news of the shorts, mojo people?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I'm just back from a rainy week in Morzine and used my Mojo for 6 days.
I feel that it definatley helped by transfering the weight out of my knee and into the boot. I found it fine after the first hour or so.
My one problem is that at every lift when you turn off, the top points come out of the belt which is really frustrating. Luckly I have the ski pants which zip all the way off down the sides so at least I can get to them.
Has anyone else had this problem and is there a solution? There is a small hole at the top of the side bit so I wondered if I could rig something up.
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waterskibabe, I think that is where the shorts idea comes in. Bev found that the belt, which is made of polypropylene webbing, got a bit scratchy where the top of the rod connects. If they make the shorts in "tiny" she will be wanting some I think.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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johnw, very interesting and thoughtful report - thanks. My OH has one, and has tried out the new "Mark 2" a few times now (he found the old one a right faff). I'm surprised you can manage the Mojo and your other knee supports - he normally wears basic neoprene blue ones, but uses the Mojo instead.
Yes, the shorts would be good. My OH found the top thing coming out of the belt a few times, too - a more positive fit into the belt would be an improvement. He didn't find it happened on every lift though, like waterskibabe. that must be a pain. Maybe they need to be a bit longer?
This morning he skied without the Mojo - probably tomorrow morning he will give it another go (he can only do half a day - not so much because of the legs but general tiredness as he has coronary artery disease). He commented that there seems to be a slight delay between deciding to do something an actually doing it - maybe the same sensation as you report as a loss of feedback.
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pam w, Bev coped without her usual carbon-fibre supports today. Of course, Tamworth does not present anything like the challenges that a day on real piste would, but I am very hopeful that she will benefit when we go to Chatel on the 22nd.
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Chris Bish, when you say carbon-fibre supports, are those knee supports that Bev generally has to wear?
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pam w, Yes. She has no ACL in her right knee as a result of a motorcycle accident. She depends on a neoprene support with articulated carbon-fibre rods. I was amazed she managed without it today. Another credit to the mojo then.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I have stopped switching the mojo off when on lifts, I just sit there with my tips up 
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Chris Bish, great, that sounds very promising. Frosty the Snowman, we might have to try that. He's forever fiddling round with his trousers. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pam w, - there is no room in my ski trousers for both the mojo and my usual neoprene/carbon fibre contraption as well. I did wear an elasticated cotton support underneath the mojo on my bad knee, for a bit of additional support and to prevent any rubbing as the skin just underneath my knee is adhered directly on to a bone graft.
I will post more news of the mojo when I get it onto real mountains next week. 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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bev bish, thanks, look forward to that. Hope your trip - and the mojo - go really well.
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Sorry really silly plonker question - does the Mojo come with two knee braces or just one?
In all the photos I see that it's for both legs - I did think that you bought one Mojo for one knee as it were ?
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You know it makes sense.
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Weathercam, neither knee is braced. The mojo is a sprung device for both legs that can take up to 5 stone of body weight.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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So if I get one then, it protects both knees!
Dooh thought it was for only one - good news as my other knee is a wee bit shagged as well
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Poster: A snowHead
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Weathercam, It doesnt protect the knees, it just gives them less weight to carry and it does it equally to both knees. It would not work at all well if you set the spring tension differently for each leg
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Bev is off riding her horse right now. The significance of this is that despite a week of hardpack skiing and quite a few km at that, she has come back in pretty good shape. She used only the mojo for support and protection- no knee-brace. She solved the rubbing problem with a pair of Canterbury women's rugby shorts that come just above the knee. Sort of short-johns I suppose.
Like the OP she found a sort of "distancing" feeling when skiing, but I felt she skied well.
Weathercam, The manufacturers don't, as far as I know, make any medical claims, but bev bish, and Frosty the Snowman, are well known in snowHeads for severe knee problems. Taking weight off the knees, as Frosty, said, is what it does, and this helps.
The Mark 2 version is tiny by comparison with the first model. It consists of an articulated sprung rod for each leg held within a neoprene casing. It anchors to the ski-boot at the bottom and to a belt at the top.
I will get bev bish, to add further comments later.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Chris Bish, that sounds very promising. My OH finds that the under-bum strap tends to ride up, then the rods come out at the top. We are going back to France tomorrow and he has some ideas for tackling that problem. I telephoned the ski mojo company - the shorts are on the back burner for the moment, they hope to do those this coming summer so they're ready for next season.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| waterskibabe wrote: |
I'm just back from a rainy week in Morzine and used my Mojo for 6 days.
I feel that it definatley helped by transfering the weight out of my knee and into the boot. I found it fine after the first hour or so.
My one problem is that at every lift when you turn off, the top points come out of the belt which is really frustrating. Luckly I have the ski pants which zip all the way off down the sides so at least I can get to them.
Has anyone else had this problem and is there a solution? There is a small hole at the top of the side bit so I wondered if I could rig something up. |
I had a similar experience, funnily enough in Morzine, and we fit a lot of these too. The issue is caused because when you are sitting down the mojo is sliding forward, or the belt is moving. The former is fixed by running both the mojo straps tighter, the latter by spending a few extra seconds in the morning getting the belt spot on, ie black is shaped like a v, and the red section 'almost' straight.
The I found that running the rod just a liitle longer helped to reduce this happening, just the top rods. It pushes the belt up a bit, but normally stays put.
And if you want to killy this completely, when i run mine, I wrap some sports tape around the top of each 'spike' after popping it through, and then it never pulls out, however hard I hit a lift chair or slump back in the sofa at apres-ski. Any tough sticky tape will do, I have done mine just once to make my 'spikes' a little larger and more abrasive (Brown sports tape does this well) and it has stayed since.
Hope this helps others. If you have that sports tape, you can also wrap some around the bottom rods once you have set there length so if you hit any hard bumps there is no chance of them slipping. We set our customer's ones up this way, and its an old trick from my cycling days, where we wrapped tape round out seat-posts so if you hit a big pothole you wouldnt suddenly find your knees up by your chin
ScottyDog
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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scottydog, was on the phone to Adam yesterday and will be coming up to buy and be fiited with the Silver when they arrive - will also bring some duck tape then - nothing like shelling out £300plus to then have to use some duck tape
He did say how you thought it was a great piece of kit - was talking it through with my mate (a guide in La Grave) who had never heard of it - he said he'd be interested to see as many of them now have shagged knees though they don't show it!
Do you think you can also wear it whilst ski touring / skining?
Also mentioned to Adam your Google ad for Ski Mojo is pointing to a 404 "file does not exist"
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Weathercam wrote: |
scottydog, was on the phone to Adam yesterday and will be coming up to buy and be fiited with the Silver when they arrive - will also bring some duck tape then - nothing like shelling out £300plus to then have to use some duck tape
He did say how you thought it was a great piece of kit - was talking it through with my mate (a guide in La Grave) who had never heard of it - he said he'd be interested to see as many of them now have shagged knees though they don't show it!
Do you think you can also wear it whilst ski touring / skining?
Also mentioned to Adam your Google ad for Ski Mojo is pointing to a 404 "file does not exist" |
Hi, you don't have to use the tape, I have used mine without, we just find it reminds people where their rods need to be if they for some reason decide to play with them, and it reduces the chance of anything moving about. Most of the time nothing happens, but having done 6 weeks skiing with Ski Mojo I probably have more ski miles than most and I wear them at all the ski tests. If a bit of tape stops you needing to drop your trousers on the mountain, then why not!
I would say no to the touring. Have them on for the downhill sections, but not switched on for the skinning. The downward pressure on the rear of the skis gives it a strange feel and reduces forward momentum. You can do it, but its a little less fluid than normal. Although if your knee problem (like the one I have) is pretty bad there are some things you have to sacrifice doing, to stay on the mountain!
ScottyDog
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Ok went up to get my Mojo today and have it fitted - however one major issue in that the rods were pressing into my calf muscles big time - the fitter said he had never seen this before - now I know I have possibly above average sized calf muscles due to running & cycling but they are not that big, just well defined, even then do not think they are way over normal size!!!
It was such that it was really uncomfortable to walk in them.
So has anyone else noticed this?
I'm going back there for another fitting when Scotty's back from Munich to see if it was something obvious in the fitting.
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Weathercam, No.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
So has anyone else noticed this?
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Yes, my OH certainly notices this - he has quite chunky calves too though generally he's quite slimmish (75 kg). He finds the discomfort wears off when he's been skiing a while.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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My OH leaves off his knee braces when wearing the mojo.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| pam w wrote: |
| My OH leaves off his knee braces when wearing the mojo. |
I asked my Physio about leaving the braces off and he said that this would be risky given the degree of wear and laxity in my knees.
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Should have mentioned that I was having the Mojo fitted to my Garmont Axons(Touring boot) and the cuff / shell was a fair bit narrower than my Head Alpine boots - we did fit one rod to these boots (Head's) and though it was not as uncomfortable it still was rubbing against my calf - should imagine that if I was to walk any distance in then I end up with a blister / bruise.
Once I locked them down and was in ski mode then they were not too bad - but the fitter was concerned.
pam w, can your OH walk around in his ok?
Frosty the Snowman, thansk for your detailed response when not in ski mode can you get a finger / postcard / paper etc between your calf and the rod then?
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You know it makes sense.
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Weathercam, sorry, I honestly don't know as it has not been an issue for me
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Quote: |
can your OH walk around in his ok?
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we don't do much walking. 30 metres to the piste, and that's it. But he does find they rub a bit at first, then seem to settle in OK. With the Mark 1 he had problems with the top bit rubbing against his outer thigh but that seems not to happen now - he does wear them over long johns though.
But in answer to your question to FtS - no, he couldn't get anything in between the calf and the rod, not even a postcard, and it usually falls to me to force the lower rods into the fitting on the boot. I have to use some welly to shove the thing into his calf to make that possible, so I can imagine it's a bit sore.
Some older men, of course, have skinny lower legs, as Shakespeare noted:
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The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose, and pouch on side,
His youthful hose well sav'd, a world too wide,
For his shrunk shank
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though I have to say I'd never envisaged FtS as a "lean and slipper'd pantaloon" man.
The OH did find that the red belt rode up - but we have done a kind of jury rig which holds it down, clipped to the mojo bit that goes round above the knee.
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Poster: A snowHead
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pam w, thanks for that - think I'll wait to see what Scott says, see what boots he has them mounted on etc - I have emailed Ski Mojo but have had no response.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Weathercam, we felt that the fitting on the boot was a bit too close to the centreline, and that the rod would have taken a more "natural" line down to the boot if it had been a bit further off the centreline. However, the shape of the back of the boot is such that it's not possible to get it any further away (ordinary sort of boots, Nordica Speedmachine).
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FAQ
. Also, friction between the Mojo and the metal frame of my braces has worn holes in the Mojo's neoprene padding and presumably, will eventually damage the frames of the braces 
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