Nicely made, supportive, and relatively comfortable but too small. I used the measurements on the guide but the brace was too tight and restrictive (S), I had to send it back for a size up (M) which they did not have at that time. The small is for a very small adult or average child.

I bought this brace following my Pilates instructor's advice. When I first put it on I thought I wouldn't be able to use it as the pressure on both sides was painful. I decided to try it at the gym the next day. It is the first time in along time that I felt no pain whatsoever during my 45minutes on the treadmill. I use it when I go hiking too and again I have no pain any longer. Amazing! Only comment it came without instructions and I think I needed a Medium size instead of Small. I am 5'4" and 110 pounds but with strong legs.

I compared this to my Shock Doctor 875. They are extremely similar products. I am a Large in SD but a Medium in DonJoy Bionic. The most noticeable difference is that this DJ is inexplicably over twice the price of the SD ($85 vs $40). That will probably be the deciding point for most.

With that said, I liked how the DJ had a lower profile where the gear housings are - they are smaller than in the SD and they are covered with smooth neoprene on the outside as well. Of note, the hinges are NOT removable on the DJ - they are sewn in - so the SD has the benefit of you being able to remove the hinges and continue to use the neoprene knee sleeve (e.g. when you are healing and need less support). The SD hinges, specifically in the gear housing, are slightly bulkier - but probably more significant is that they are exposed and subject to snagging on stuff. I'm a hockey goalie and the smooth external service of the DJ interested me because I needed to wear equipment over it. The DJ's bonus is that the back neoprene is Velcro'ed together too at the top and bottom, so you have that additional layer of adjust-ability and you can open it up and lay it completely flat for easier cleaning and drying. The SD does not open up.

For better or for worse, the DJ is just a much simpler design (which makes the price difference that much more confusing). It is straight neoprene throughout and it has 2 simple horizontal straps. Whereas the SD is a fancier design with different tech materials for breathability and X-strapping (neither of which convinced me they made much of a difference). I don't see binding in the back knee pit to be a problem on either brace. The DJ has a larger patella hole, which seemed to work better for my anatomical build because my knee cap would poke through it and ensure the brace stays perfectly aligned, where the SD's tighter hole just laid over my knee cap and would shift off-center from my knee cap. This could have just been a visible thing, the actual function and alignment of the hinges were not affected.

Conclusion: Again, these 2 braces are very similar, they are both great and you cant go wrong with either one. The differences are nit-picking and are neither objectively good or bad, but more fine tuned to preference. I preferred the DJ mostly because of the smoother and lower profile exterior surface and the fact I was going to wear it under goalie equipment. The larger patella hole worked better for me anatomically. The fact it opened up to be flat was a bonus too since I like to wash and hang dry my braces regularly. With that said, the extreme price difference didn't justify these small design preferences, so I'm returning the DJ and sticking with my SD.

Physician's assistant told me inside of my knee is garbage ( not offended by plain talk ) and outside perfect. Insurance said there was no medical necessity for a new knee brace. Secret: My knee did not regenerate. Me: High quality knee brace -DonJoy- keeps my knee mostly pain free and fully functional. This is my 3rd DonJoy; with all day, everyday wearing they last me a year. I'll continue to wear DonJoy until I have partial knee replacement. If appropriate, I'll wear on repaired knee.

I have chondromalacia, patellar tendonitis and a strained MCL caused by atrophied quads. I needed something to stabilize my knee cap at times when I need something lighter than my knee brace. The instant I put it on I got relief. It can rub a little bit behind my knee but I wear a compression sleeve with it so that's not a problem. It is easy to put on and seems well made.