The nights are long and chilly, and the trails are lined with moisture-burdened brush. My hands are consistently cold and wet, which means it’s handguard season here in the Pacific Northwest. But, before we get into how the third version of Sendhit’s Nock handguards perform, let’s get the obvious part out of the way: handguards are aesthetically divisive. I know plenty of folks who would never consider running them, based on looks alone. I used to be in that camp, until I saw some photos of myself and was reminded that I look stupid without handguards too, so they’re not really changing anything.

But, if you can get over the moto aesthetic, handguards bring a little extra warmth, and a lot of comfort and security when riding overgrown trails. Sendhit has carved out a niche as a leader in the space, and outfits a bunch of pro enduro riders. Nock V3 is (unsurprisingly) the third iteration of the brand’s handguard, and has been a strong performer on both normal, and electric bikes over the last few months.

Sendhit Nock V3 Overview

• Weight: 81 g each
• Aluminum bracket, plastic guard
• Can replace lockring on a wide variety of grips
• Price: $85

What’s New With the Sendhit Nock V3?

A handguard’s a handguard, right? Well, mostly, but the devil is in the details and Sendhit has been dialing in those details. The Nock V3 improves on the V2 in several ways. The V3 does away with the V2’s flip chip adjustment system, in favor of a simpler, and more secure direct mount. It also moves away from the one bolt, pivoting clamp of the V2, in favor of a two-bolt clamp, with a plastic shim that should protect carbon bars from damage in the event of a crash. Additionally, you can replace the clamp on a wide variety of lock-on grips with the Sendhit bracket for a simpler cockpit setup. Unfortunately, I like to run push-on grips, so I haven’t tested this feature in depth. Sendhit has also adjusted the shape of the V3’s shield for better knuckle coverage, and better resistance to deformation.

All of that combines to make for a guard that should be stronger, stiffer, and more streamlined. The V2 shields are also backwards compatible with the V2 mounting brackets if you want to mix and match.

Sendhit Nock V3 Performance

I was first introduced to handguards when I lived in the Rockies. There, a lot of the midsummer adventure riding takes place on seldom-maintained backcountry trails, so you’re often dealing with thickly-brushed trails that are constantly grabbing at your hands and controls. I’ve had my fair share of incidents where a passing branch yanked on my front brake at an inopportune moment.

Here in the PNW, the issue is more often blackberry vines. Sections of trail, especially climbs on old road grades in logged areas, have a tendency to get choked with spikey vines, making for a knuckle-tearing experience. I’ve been riding one particular climb fairly regularly that’s got a big blackberry problem, and I actually rode it two consecutive days, once without handguards, and the second time with the Nock V3. It was wild how much of a difference handguards made. I was able to ride faster and more confidently, and made it to the top without cutting up my knuckles. The only downside is that the handguards encouraged me to ride with such abandon that my unprotected thighs and arms got more cut up than usual.

Now that things are wet and chilly, I’m appreciating the Nock V3 even more. They cut the wind on my hands during fast descents, and minimize the amount of water that gets brushed from passing foliage onto my hands. I’ve been moving them from bike to bike to make sure that whatever I’m riding has handguards.

I’ve used handguards with a hinged one-bolt clamp, like the Nock V2, and that system is easier to swap between bikes, so if that’s a priority, I’d recommend looking at the V2 which Sendhit is still selling.

Beyond that, I was somewhat of the opinion that a handguard is a handguard, until I tried a pair of Crankbrothers’ Guardians. The contrast between the Nock V3 and the Guardian is stark. The Nock V3 is much stiffer and more substantial, and thus offers much better protection. The Guardians are very flexy and floppy, they often contact my knuckles, and don’t offer protection to anything beyond tall grass. The Nock V3, in contrast, does a really good job of deflecting impacts, and allowing me to maintain velocity, unbothered by passing obstacles.

For Now

My experience is that many more people are asking “should I even bother trying handguards” versus the number of folks asking “which handguards should I try?” If you are at all frustrated with brush impacting your controls or hands, you should try handguards. And, if you’re going to try handguards, the Sendhit Nock V3 is a great place to start. It’s a refined, easy-to-love product that I’m not interested in taking off my bike anytime soon.