How to Take Care of Kids Riding Gear
A ride-on vehicle like an electric ATV or a go-kart is an unconventional type of kids’ toys. It requires a bunch of protective equipment in terms of safety. Admit it, you would feel more comfortable and relieved if your child wore special gear while they’re on a wheeler.
Thus, we’d like to outline what items of riding gear is crucial to consider and how to take care of them to enhance their durability.
The Importance of Safety Equipment for Children
No doubts, riding a wheeler is a blast, but something could go wrong. Unfortunately, we’re not insured from unpredictable accidents while riding. There are dozens of cases of head injuries or fractures among children of different ages because of parents being unaware of safety guidelines.
Almost 20% of parents admit they allow their children to ride a bike with no protection on their heads. The reason for skipping wearing headgear can be different: some parents say that their kids ride on safe terrains. Others assume their little riders are experienced enough to ride with no helmet. Another thing is lots of children find a riding helmet too heavy and uncomfortable to wear, so parents just give up and let their kids ride with no protective gear.
In fact, the list of excuses can be endless. However, a gazillion of studies shows that putting protection on your kids is vital in order to avoid severe injuries in the future. Don’t think ignoring headgear for kids is a budget-saving option. Once it may save your kid’s life that is worth every dollar spent.
Thus, kid riding gear is a must-have that should be an integral part of your purchase when ordering a wheeler. We’d like to outline the most important pieces of safety equipment for kids that you should definitely check out.
Kids Riding Gear: Main Items to Consider
Here’s a list of paramount pieces of riding gear that you should pick for your children. Thanks to the wide range of products, you’re able to choose the perfect match for your kid according to their age, size, and taste.
- Helmet. It’s an essential headgear that protects the head from brain injury. We recommend looking for a DOT-Certified helmet for kids that are tested and meet the safety standards.
- Goggles. Some helmets come with matching safety goggles and some models are sold separately. Such gear is important if your kid is a fan of off-road riding like ATVing. So you don’t need goggles to ride a scooter.
- Gloves. They come in different styles and made with various fabrics, depending on the type of vehicle your child is going to ride. Such gear improves the grip and keeps your hands warm.
- Long sleeves. There are special long-sleeve shirts designed for riding such wheelers as bikes and ATV. The apparel tends to have a sleek design and shock-absorbing feature, which is a great plus for experienced riders.
- Boots. As your upper body should be protected, the same goes for the lower body. A pair of over-the-ankle riding boots with enhanced tread is a must for off-road riding.
- Elbow pads. This item is substantial when your kid is riding a two- or three-wheeler toy. Doing stunts, drifting, swinging – all of these need extra protection for your kid’s arms.
- Knee pads. Falling off the wheeler can be painful, and scars may appear. To avoid that, invest in solid knee protection for your kid’s legs.
Riding Helmet Maintenance
A riding helmet is the uppermost piece of protective gear for kids, hence, it should be checked properly. Inspecting your kid’s helmet has to be taken for granted on a regular basis. So what aspects should you pay attention to?
- Shell. Check your helmet for cracks. As soon as a headgear has a serious fracture, some parts attached to the shell may loose or split up. In this case, the helmet is no longer appropriate and it needs a replacement.
- Lining. Thick inner padding provides better protection and shock absorption. Check the lining for compression as the liner may get thinner over time. Avoid the padding placed wobbly. Check if the lining is one solid piece, any torn pieces are inappropriate.
- Straps and buckles. Check them for wear and tear. A helmet sits still on the kid’s head with the use of its fasteners, so you should test them for suitability. Avoid loose clips and fraying straps.
As for storage, hanging a headgear by the fasteners is not a good idea. As the stitching may end up losing in a while. It’s better to place the helmet in a box or on a shelf – think of a place out of reach of children and pets. Additionally, look for a safe spot where the equipment won’t get scratches and fade in the sunlight.
Speaking of cleaning a riding helmet, the very first thing you should do is to check the manufacturer’s instructions. As kids riding helmets are made with different fabrics, the producer of the specific headgear knows better how to wash it duly.
Generally, most riding helmets come with removable lining, so you can pull it out and wash it with no probs. Again, check whether the padding is machine-friendly. Use mild soap and warm water with a sponge to wash the shell. Take a towel to dry the headgear.
Riding Gloves Maintenance
Don’t forget to constantly wash your kids’ riding gloves, otherwise they could start stinking and collecting bacteria. To avoid these, you should wash the gloves as regularly as you wash your hands.
However, before taking care of the gear, you should be aware of how to clean the gloves of different fabrics. Here are the most common ones.
- Cloth riding gloves. You can hand wash them with mild soap in cool water. If they are too smelly, add a bit of vinegar while washing. Alternatively, you can put cloth gloves in a washing machine with laundry detergent (if they are suitable for it). Don’t use bleach.
- Leather riding gloves. It’s better to hand wash leather gear unless it is machine-friendly. Wash the gloves with mild soap or leather soap if possible. Rinse the gloves gently to remove the soap left.
- Neoprene riding gloves. Hand wash synthetic kids gloves in water with the use of mild soap. Hang them to dry and they will be ready to be worn in a few hours.
Elbow and Knee Pad Maintenance
As scooter pads are usually designed with foam padding, they tend to accumulate germs and could smell as bad after a couple of ridings. In order to prolong the durability and longevity of your kid’s protective gear, you should wash it from time to time.
As we already mentioned, check the manufacturer’s guidelines to find out if the pads are machine washable. If the answer is “yes”, use a gentle cycle and pour some detergent. Besides, the hard shells over the wraps are unlikely to be machine-friendly, so don’t forget to detach them before doing laundry.
If you’re not sure that machine washing is suitable for your protective pads, that’s ok, you can hand wash them instead. Soak the scooter pads in cool water with mild soap and rinse gently. In addition, you can clean the shells with a wet towel; add a mild soap if needed. Then dry it with another towel.
Conclusion
When it comes to kids riding, safety is at the forefront. Solid protection for your young riders is a must, whether they are rookie or advanced. And in order to keep your child safe for long, you should know how to take care of the equipment.
Don’t forget to check the riding gear for damages to avoid severe traumas. And don’t neglect to maintain the safety kit regularly. This article may help you slay sustaining the kid’s riding apparel with no worries.
