[Closed] Knee pads as reviewed in new mag....who wears them?

Love my POC gear. Like you I'd have reservations about knee/chin gear. Sounds a bit OTT. 😀

I tried some of the Ion K lite pads at a demo day, you don't really notice them whilst riding and they have that D30 stuff in so they harden on impact but mouldable enough otherwise. I have ordered myself a pair as I've only got bigger ones which are awkward to pedal in otherwise.

Yes.

TLD 5450s now worn on every ride. Very comfortable and you're not aware of them.

This is after a very uncomfortable weekend in the local hospital getting my knee scrubbed and stitched under general anaesthetic. Knee pads worn on every ride after that. 🙁

I haven't read the mag yet but I do basically all of my riding in old-model 661 Rages. They're all day comfy, they make basically no difference to my pedalling (I've worn them 8 hours a day for weeks in teh alps, soloed the glentress seven in them...) and they have good protection. Sadly discontinued but Fox, ION and others have very similar pads. (the Rage has one particular downside in that the back of the knee is wide open for ventilation- it also sometimes lets mud and rocks fall in the back which can be annoying!)

There's a trend for minimal pads and imo it's mostly stupid. The pads usually have just as much enclosure so they're generally no less sweaty, they're not usually any less restrictive (because normal pads are barely restrictive at all) but they have less coverage and often less padding even when they do have coverage. So you're still getting probably 90% of the downsides and maybe 30% of the benefit. First time you take a knock on the side of your knee you'll wish you'd bought full pads...

(the exception might be if you want to wear them under trousers though)

knee/chin

That's some rather specific coverage...

I've got some of the Alpinestars Paragon. They're OK, breathable, the coverage isn't great and the pad is a bit inflexible. After a while the stretchy material at the top becomes a bit baggy, washing can help a bit to restore it, but eventually it slips again. Lightweight and airy though for XC-ish rides. Good value for money if you ride somewhere like Chilterns, Swinley etc

hardshell knee/chin 661 pads

I have the POC ones. They were the only ones that sized up correctly as I have big calves relative to the tops of my knees. I like them - even if I do have a bit of shin missing from just under where they fit 😳

I always used knee pads just on the DH bike. Uplift days and Alps trips only.

Last year I lost a Scott Grenade just before a trip to France and paid an eye watering sum of money for a pair of Troy Lee Raid's in an LBS. I'm kind of glad I did. They're so comfortable with no sore spots or chafing. I've started using them on every ride now. They'll be a bit hot and sweaty but I haven't been out riding in warm weather since Morzine last year.

The general consensus seems to be 'get some'...might just do that.

I have the Dainese Trail Skins & wear them every ride, as they are comfortable enough to not think about them.
Like you, I came from wearing hardshell knee/shin combos many years ago & they were so uncomfortable I only used them for downhill races & even then they would leave my knees red raw.
They have definitely come a long way...

TLD 5450 knee/shin for me, unless it's mega hot then Dainese Trail Skins.
Don't really notice the TLD when pedalling. Means I get away with wearing shorts all year round too.

I ride XC and now wear knee pads all the time after a mate had a nasty accident and spent a week in hospital (including two operations). By the time he came out all 5 others in the group had purchased pads.
I don't know I'm wearing them and could easily ride all day (Dainese Trail Skins).

Never wore knee or elbow pads before in the previous 25 odd years mtb'ing but when i bought my Scott E-Genius last year i thought i'd better get a set of knee pads just in case so i got those Poc VPD Air , have to say i've never worn them but i guess my ability to ride (more akin to a bimble) these days bears absolutely no resemblance to how i rode a few years ago - they're still sitting in the back kitchen so i may as well sell them.

My Raceface hardshell ones are coming to the end of their life but they've been great for probably 3 years now.

I wear them (and elbows/arm pads) on every ride. It's a bit rocky round here and bloody hurts when you hit the deck.

Got some IXS Dagger knee pads - they have a hard shell - wear them every ride. Glad I do as well. Sunday had an off and even with the pads now have a massive bruise on the side of my knee cap. Dread to think what would've been the injury if I hadn't been wearing them.

I always wear the type reviewed, but the trails here in Coed y Brenin are pretty hard if you come off!

Only at BPW.

I wear kneepads pretty much every ride, if they are comfy then why not
I'm now two rides into the Endura Singletrack ones and they seem pretty good for me.

Any advice for kneepads for skinny 8-year olds?
My lad has a set of cheap kids skate-boarding pads from Argos, which give him confidence, but they're not comfy.

Which pads are these? Link?

I've fully integrated knee and elbow protection into my standard ride gear now, a bit like helmet gloves, shoes, glasses.

Elbows are as low profile as I could find, knees are less minimalist because of the reasons Northwind cites.

The only place I ever wear pads is in trail centres and on some of the more committed "big mountain" descents. It's only the G-Form type, so they're comfy enough and would only prevent against minor impacts and abrasions. I'm happy that my riding is restricted by my protection.

I notice the review didn't make any comment on the effect on tan lines.

scotroutes - Member
The only place I ever wear pads is in trail centres

yeah, but you wear a parachute there too.... 🙂

Not deployed, not deployed!!!

ir_bandito - try youth elbow pads.

Sc_jr (a solid 11-yr old) has been through Raceface youth elbow pads (age 6), TLD youth knee pads (age 8), and is now on TLD 5450s XS,

661 knee pads all the time for every ride.

Cant say I notice them, till I'm on my knees 🙂

(Oh, and in winter they keep your knees warm)

I wear my knee pads all the time now.
I have tried a few different ones that have come recommended but settled on the POC vpd 2.0 ones which are really comfortable for all day riding Up and down, and seem to offer a fair bit of protection.

Others I have tried are the troy lee KG5450(the longer ones that cover some of your shin) I also like these and were very comfortable for all day riding too, however the grip around the top didn't quite fit my leg right and was baggy/loose it seemed more like the fit lower down was keeping them in position.

I have also tried the 661 evo?, (Grey ones with orange trim and the D30 stuff in them), these are really comfortable for going down but no good for pedalling uphill in, I found them too bulky.

Fox Enduro, these were very comfortable but very minimalistic, I liked wearing these. However had an off and pretty much worn them through around the pad, my knee was OK, just a bit of bruising though so they did work!

NB: The Fox ones are the only ones that I have crash tested though touch wood!

The fox ones which look like all the others 661 / nukeproofs work well and were only £30.. not sure if that was an offer though. Happy on 8 hour days with them though in all weathers. I've got fairly big legs but somehow have small/mediums

RaceFace Charge ones suit me, though they are really just padded knee warmers.

Also got Bliss Minimalist ones that were recommended on here, a bit more to them than the Charge's but still pretty light, they do have some of that clever hardening rubber stuff.

I must have sent back 8-10 different sets before finding ones that are comfy for all day xc bimbling

what was the name of the race face (minimalist looking) pads reviewed in the mag, please? don't have access to the mag, cannot find anything on here, memory has gone, and looking for something for a Easter (or should I call that Extended Spring Holiday Weekend?) Lakes trip....

I have the Dainese Trail Skins & wear them every ride, as they are comfortable enough to not think about them.

Yeap. Plus another.

Also got some Fox Launch Pads (fine for pedalling in, a little hot in summer) and have used 661 Kyle Straits (which were great). Didn't really wear them over the winter, but now things are warming up and trails are getting faster, I'm back in pads.

I'm another one who won't ride without something covering my knees.

Anyone running the D30 Troy Lee Speed knee pads?

Jamie - I also have the Troy Lee Speed knee pads.

Bought them recently as I wanted some shin coverage but there's not much and find them a wee bit tight compared to the 5450s.
Not had a chance to crash test them and will reach for the 5450s in preference.

Only wearing knee pads for DH or trail centres is fine for dealing with big knocks but the common problem is getting the grit out after a crash - and that can happen anywhere.

I bought the Troy Lee Speed pads and sized down, as advised. Rode last night and they were great. I am now a convert to the idea of minimal comfortable 24/7 pads.

Dainese Trail Skins - had them for a while now and they have earned their keep. A lot of these light weight knee pads don't have any side protection so keep that in mind

Only wearing knee pads for DH or trail centres is fine for dealing with big knocks but the common problem is getting the grit out after a crash

im too old not to, very rare that i bash my knee, but endura singletrack pads are very comfy, so its well worth it imho

+1 for Troy Lee Speeds. Just enough protection to save your skin without being too bulky. Not too hot that you have to slide them down on every climb.

Been wearing knee pads for mtb (XC, enduro, DH) on every ride for past 6 years and arm pads for past 4 years - now just part of routine kit for riding.

i wear my raceface ambush d30 pads whenever i'm on the MTB

I have the previous itteration of the trail skins I think. Like hexagonal rubber donuts under a thick neoprene. Anyway, they're much more comfy than the bluegrass bobcats ( ithink thats what they were called) they replaced, the bobcats were a proper thick pad probably for DH more than trail riding. Anyway they used to rub quite badly, especially in summer, giving me blisters.

The Dainese seem much more tight fitting and pliable, no rub yet and I've ridden them in minging gritty conditions. The sizing is quite tight, I have larges and I'm right on the upper limit of the size. The only annoying thing is when you crash, mud goes into the hexagons, then when you wash them the hexagons come away from the neoprene so you have to spend 10mins re-plug them through.

This is them [url= https://www.pinkbike.com/news/dainese-trail-skins-kneepads-review-2014.html ]Dainese trail skins[/url]

Been wearing knee pads for all off road riding for ages now. Started off with 661 rages, at the time they were awesome but for pedally stuff there are much better alternatives now.

Been rocking TLD 5400 and 5450 for a while now and really like them. The 5450 feels barely any different to the 5400 so I recommend the 5450 for extra protection and stays in place a bit better. Had them for a few years now and the elastic is getting worn and doesn't hold them up properly. Still in good shape just the elastic has worn out.

Still yet to read the knee pad test in the new mag but another set of TLD knee pads was high on my list.

I'm a POC tart - and have the POC VDP Airs (as reviewed), the VPD 2.0 and the VPD 2.0 DH pads, all for both knee and elbow.

It's the VPD Airs I use the majority of the time. Once they're warmed up and pliable, you really don't notice you're wearing them. Adequate coverage (so far, at least...), and real all-day comfort. And they're slim enough they fit under my Polaris 'longs' I use in the winter.

I won't go on any ride without at least knee coverage: look after your knees - you'll sure miss them when they're gone!!

Anyone running the D30 Troy Lee Speed knee pads?

Always wondered - how does D30 deal with sharp impact? It's the idea it's designed for blunt impact that's always put me off, living in a flinty area.

I use these: I'm no hardcore rider but they've saved me loads of times. Knees and elbows all rides.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/g-form-pro-x-knee-pad/rp-prod129608?gs=1&utm_source=google&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Chain%20Reaction-UK-PLA-PLA-All-MB-SE-Shopping%20QLB%20Manufacturer%20Mobile&utm_medium=base&utm_content=mkwid%7CsRGXEkp8t_dm%7Cpcrid%7C161810673982%7Cpkw%7C%7Cpmt%7C%7Cprd%7C531826UK

Did a 25 mile off-road commute each way today in my POC VPD AIR. Didn't even notice them after ten minutes.

Does anyone riding with flats wear shinpads? After a few gouges from slipping off the pedals when I was a hooning yoof I'm keen to get some!

I'm not very good at wearing pads other than when I'm on the big bike - I don't really think about it despite people asking (a chap thought I was odd for not wearing them an Wharncliffe last weekend).

I may look at some of the more minimal trail pads.

Not work shin pads for a very very long time - I just accept the odd kiss from my flat pedals!

Managed to try quite a few pads on during a jaunt around the Lakes and Dales over last few days.
They vary massively in terms of comfort, weight and level of protection so def a try before you buy scenario as described. The Fox Launch Enduro 'pads' are so thin they seem barely worth having. Like the POC ones and other faves were the RaceFace Indy pads not on the list - anyone have them/rate them? Is D30 generally a good thing and does it stand the test of time or get harder and do it's job less well as a result of aging?

I tried out the Dainese and the IXS ones for a couple of rides while Wil was testing them all. Neither set rubbed at all, which was a surprise - I usually wear pads and they usually rub. Body Glide solves that though.

Whether a given set of pads fits, slips, rubs etc. is a really individual thing though.

Still running a set of very old 661 Kyle Strait knee pads, but I think they're finally for the bin. Benefit of hardshell pads is the dont catch and slide down your knees as easily as some of the others. I've got a huge scar on my left knee from crashing and having the pad slip down to my shin. The POC gear looks really good but pricey

Rascal, I have race face Indy pads (as does my other half now).
Had POC VPD 2 pads before, which were ok, but just a bit big and overkill for me. The raceface are much comfier, happy to wear them all day (have done 60+km rides in them). Never any issues, D30 doesn't seem to harden with age (just with cold, so don't leave them in the car between rides!)

Dakine pads are nice and comfy too. The Slayer has enough knee and shin protection for most rides , the Hellion has bigger padding and side knee protection but still comfy to pedal in. I used to use Troy Lee and Fox but find the Dakine fit me a bit better.

I also wear TLD 5450s - last week I "loaned" them to my other half, she ended up wearing them round the shops after we stopped off on the way home, I waited till she got back in the car to point it out. Very comfy she says even if they are bit large for her.

upshift - Member

Does anyone riding with flats wear shinpads? After a few gouges from slipping off the pedals when I was a hooning yoof I'm keen to get some!

Any time I wear shinpads, I get pedal deathspikes in the calf instead 🙄 And some of the worst "pedal strikes" I've had were pushing bikes around the garage. At this point my legs look like the somme so I've given up.

Been loving my Dakine Slayers. Sadly though, I think I picked the wrong size! As the weather has recently been a bit warmer they've caused a bit of a rash.

So I've order the next size up, as well as some IXS Flows.

Anyone running the Flows? What size are you using? At 5 foot 9 and with pretty average legs, the size chart is suggesting XL's, which seems a bit ridiculous.

I've not worn shinpads since I was in my teens pretending to be Martyn Ashton. Had the worst shin/pedal interface ever the other week when I was trying to do a CX dismount and jump over a fallen tree. I swear it would have hurt less just to ride into it.

Just had some raceface indy's come today, look decent in the packet will try them on on my lunch break