I attended a small Liberal Arts College in the Sierra Mountains. Although I left school with more than I came, there was something that I lost. Endless days of backcountry snowboarding left my knees completely shot. It’s a rare moment these days I can cross my legs without completely dislocating one of them. Kneeling leaves me with shooting pain, and while I know I probably need surgery – I’m a stubborn guy.
Videos by Outdoors
As the father of young kids, my college injuries drive them crazy. Digging for earth worms, identifying animal tracks, and picking spring flowers all require that I get down on the ground. The result is never good – yet, I’m unwilling to give it up. A few months ago, I came across a pair of pants made by Pnuma Outdoors called the Tenacity. Amongst the many features they boasted was a pair of removable, molded, EVA knee pads. I figured I’d give them a try.
Last weekend, I convinced my reluctant 4 year old daughter to head into the woods with me. It was a late-season winter day, and the thermometer was pushing toward 50ºF. The ground was sloppy, with the run off from the winter’s snowstorms. It was the perfect day to sit quietly – and observe nature with an inquisitive child.
Although the hike started on the trail, it didn’t take long to go bushwhacking. We found ourselves parked beneath a large maple tree, identifying a set of whitetail deer tracks through the melting snow. Normally the simple act of getting down to ground level would throw my knees into panic. To be honest, I even forgot they were there. It wasn’t until we were sitting for a few minutes that I realized I hadn’t winced in pain on the way down.
We continued our afternoon spotting birds, and sitting quietly as a flock of wild turkeys called in the distance. Sure, I’ll likely give in to the orthopedic surgeon…eventually. For now, I’ve discovered a feature that I never realized I needed in a pair of pants.
