In this time of COVID-19, snowboarding seems to be an ideal activity—it provides enough space to socially distance while enjoying fresh air and seriously scenic views.
And with snowboarding season almost here, Vancouver startup Stoko is ready to ride.
Stoko has developed technology that embeds the comfort of a knee brace into tights. The K1 supportive tight mimics the natural support structures within your body to give your knee all the support of a traditional brace with unparalleled comfort.
Not surprisingly elite snowboarders love the K1 and this week Stoko announced that they have become an official supplier to Canada Snowboard and the Canadian National Snowboard Team.
“Stoko was born because we were done with being held back by injuries. We took all the fire we have for athletic pursuits and put it into creating a way to get off the couch and back on the trail, course, field, court and everywhere else athletes push themselves to reach their goals,” write Zack Eberwein, CEO of Stoko.
“Getting injured sucks. Trust us, we’ve been there. We wanted to change the game and that’s why we built the Stoko K1.”
The K1 appears to be the ultimate new generation of knee support for snowboarding.
Unlike traditional clunky knee braces, the K1 provides support for BOTH of your knees, won’t slip down your leg as you ride, can double as a base layer on cold days, and is washable. It’s also six times more packable and 60% lighter than a conventional knee brace.
Originally named Embrace Orthopaedics, Stoko was part of UBC’s Hatch incubator. They’ve since moved off campus to East Vancouver, changed their name and are now selling their tights online for $500 per pair.