Review on DonJoy Performance Bionic Support Brace by Charles Purnell

I compared this to my Shock Doctor 875. They are very similar. I'm tall in SD but medium in DonJoy Bionic. The most notable difference is that this DJ is inexplicably more than twice the price of the SD ($85 vs. $40). This is probably the defining moment for most. Still, I liked that the DJ had a lower profile where the gear housings are smaller than the SD and they're also covered in smooth neoprene on the outside. It should be noted that the DJ hinges are NOT removable - they are sewn in - so SD has the advantage that you can remove the hinges and continue to use the neoprene knee pad (e.g. when you heal and need less support) . . The SD hinges, particularly in the gear case, are a bit chunkier, but probably more importantly, they are open and could catch something. I'm a hockey goaltender and I was intrigued by the DJ's clever field service because you had to wear gear over it. The DJ benefit is that the back of the neoprene is secured with velcro at the top and bottom so you have an extra layer to adjust and you can open it up and lay it on a perfectly flat surface for easy cleaning and drying. SD cannot be opened. For better or worse, DJ is just a much simpler design (making the price difference a lot more confusing). It is made entirely of straight neoprene and has 2 simple horizontal straps. While the SD has a slicker design with various technical materials for breathability and X-Strap (none of which convinced me they make a huge difference). I don't see the fixation in the back of the knee as a problem with any of the bandages. The DJ has a larger patella hole that fits my anatomical shape better because it protrudes my patella and provides perfect alignment of the orthosis, while the narrower SD hole is just above my knee cup and is offset from the center. from my kneecap. It could just be a visible thing, actual function and hinge alignment has not been affected. Conclusion: Again, these two braces are very similar, they are both great and you can't go wrong with either. The differences are subtle and neither objectively good nor bad, but rather fine-tuned to preferences. I preferred the DJ mainly because of the smoother and lower outer surface and also because I wanted to wear it under my goalie gear. The large patella opening fitted me better anatomically. The fact that it went flat was also a bonus as I like to wash and hang my braces regularly. That being said, the huge difference in price doesn't justify these slight design preferences, so I'm bringing the DJ back and sticking with my SD.