What is the Bracehorn made of, and how does it hold up over months and years?
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Short answer: Dominic explains that the Bracehorn is made from a very firm, durable, heavy duty plastic with a smooth surface that allows the brace to slide. He chose plastic over metal deliberately, because metal would be too heavy, and a lighter device is easier to adjust, pick up and position. He also describes an intentional design decision that users should understand: the Bracehorn is meant to scratch on its inside surface. If the device did not take the scratching, the brace itself would be scratched instead, whether that is an AFO, a carbon fiber brace or another material. He notes that the Arizona foot brace, which is made of leather, is particularly sticky against shoes and very difficult to put on without a guide system, making the smooth sliding surface especially valuable.
In Dominic's words
It is a very, very firm, very durable plastic. And you want the plastic to be smooth and able to slide. I purposely used plastic instead of metal.
The reason is metal is too heavy, and a lot of times it is easier to adjust it or even to pick it up and put it in when it is lighter. And I purposely want the Bracehorn to scratch on the inside of the Bracehorn, because if it does not scratch, it is going to scratch the AFO or the carbon brace or whatever other material the brace is made of. So it is better that the Bracehorn scratches and the brace slides through it.
A lot of times there is a brace called the Arizona foot brace, which is made out of leather, and those are very sticky and they stick to the shoes. Without using some kind of guide system it is very, very difficult to put on. But it is a very sturdy, firm, durable plastic, and it is a heavy duty one.