[Closed] Knee Pad Recommendations plz!

Just bought some POC VPDs and they are very comfy and nicely shaped - can find some decent prices for new on ebay.

Dakine Slayers for me, highly recommended.

Recent review here -  https://enduro-mtb.com/en/the-best-mtb-knee-pads-you-can-buy/

I was looking at replacing my Ion K Pact with the new sleeve version, but even the XK are too snug, so will be looking at other brands in the next few weeks.

Carlos

I've had the IXS dagger, good protection but very uncomfortable to pedal.

Currently on fox pro launch, they are very comfortable and good level of protection, hard shell on the front and a lot of cushioning on the sides. Had a bad spill on a drop in Caddon Bank(innerleithen) and the knees took no damage. Only two sizes which is incovenient.  Bought them off evans for £49 when price matched with tredz.

If time would have allowed when I bought them, I would have also tried the poc vpd, although these are out of your budget.

My experience is by a bunch of types from CRC as a comfortable fit is paramount and you can return the ones you don't like. I settled on IXS Carve Evo as best fit for my legs.

Troy Lee Design thick wool type pull on that won STW comfort.

I had the v1 of the trail skins and didnt find them too comfy and they moved around a lot, was constantly pulling them up. Tried some of the Fox Soft Enduro knee pads, they really rubbed the back of my knee and also didnt stay that well put. Have now picked up some Troy Lee speed ones, the material is different, they fit a little better, but do have less protection on the front with none on the sides.

if you are considering hard capped knee pads, the fox hard capped ones are good, they have a good plastic cap, around the knee padding and a gap in the back to avoid rubbing.

Something that wraps around and attached with straps.....easy for on and off.......

Trail Skins v1 are the first knee pads for me which I can wear for full day without problems. They aren’t perfect but they don’t put any pressure on the knee caps which is the key for my comfort. They are definitely just-in-case type of protection, for bike parks I would choose ones with tougher surface material.

I guess "fit" is really personal ...

I have some Diannese soft pads I'd used for ages then prior to a bike park trip I just happened to be at Swinley the weekend before and the hub had a half price sale on Fox Launch Pro's....  My main reason for looking TBH was the "half price" ... and I tried them on and they "seemed" comfy ... especially in regards to the amount of protection over my soft pads... but I quite honestly expected they were going to quickly be pretty horrid to pedal in.. (based on the level of protection)...

I decided I'd keep em on and see how comfy they were... fully expecting to take them off after a shortish time but 4-6 hours later (to my surprise) I was still wearing them.  Next time I was back pedalling longer (Afan) and meanwhile I'd just been wearing the Launch Pro's ... but I figured I'd switch back to the soft pads and was more surprised they were if anything less comfortable... and day 2 I switched back to the  Launch Pro's.

I'm sure that for certain people the Dainnese are great and the Fox are uncomfortable.... but they way they fit me the Fox ones just seem to fit me better.

My personal feeling is you really need to try them on ... and this will at least identify ones that don't fit your calf and thighs ...

The problem with knee pads is that fit is so personal and the bloody manufacturers can't stop messing about with them. So, even when you do find a pair that suits you, once they wear out you have to start the search all over again.

I've got a set of Endura MT500, which never seem to get mentioned in these discussions, but suit me well. Decent protection for trail riding, including at the sides. I was out for 7 hours in the hottest conditions we ever get in Scotland last weekend and the pads didn't bother me at all. However, they don't look anything like the ones that Endura currently sell under the same name, so that's not much use to anybody I guess 🙂

yes I think like anything that has to fit you then you're only going to get a bunch of personal opinions before you realise you'll have to try them on. I had some alpinestars paragon that were comfy but fell apart, got some POC VPD which are not very comfy but are not falling apart so far. YMMV

Definitely a personal thing, but these on CRC look a bargain right now

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/ixs-flow-zip-knee-guard-2018/rp-prod168301

If you want cheap over anything else then 661 are worth a look. I have 2 pairs - 66 comp and 661 recons.

The comes ateca hard shell knee and shin pad - you canoedal in thembut I use them mostly for uplift and push up days.

The recon I use for all other trail riding - I had a knee injury and want to avoid something similar again (cut on my knee and bursitis which led to an infection and a week in hospital). Not a big crash at that either.

I haven’t crash tested them yet but imagine they’ll stop the same kind of injury again. That said they are quite lightweight so in a massive stack there’s only limited protection they could provide.

Generally they stay put although I guess I pull them up a bit occasionally during a ride.

The problem is everyone’s legs are different and fit is very personal. You really need to try a few pairs on.

Me and the mrs have the v1 trail skins and really like them. Bought them because they have a bit of side protection which has come in handy recently! We can pedal all day in them and like the fact they let air through the front, so when decending they help to keep you cool.

Had a pair of Dianese trail skins for a few years, can't fault them for anything but full on dh stuff, can honestly say I forget they're there when riding, don't slip and don't get 2 sweaty

I've  a pair of race face indy d30 pads that I use for more trail orentated riding. Lycra sleeve with a strap on the top, seem to stay in place, and under fifty quid.

I tried Poc VPD air elbow pads, Ion K-pact zip (knee), Ion E-lite (elbow) pads and Ixs Flow knee pads.

Poc were two articulated parts of fairly firm foam, the upper section of which didn't sit close. Ion were quite a bit stiffer than Ixs. The Ixs pads were the most conformable which helped get a close fit.

The Ion K-pacts offer more protection but are bulkier than I wanted.

I've just ordered Ixs Flow elbow and zip knee pads from CRC who have a special offer atm.

Dianese Trail Skins for the last few years and rate them highly however I'd suggest it's a bit like buying a helmet - you need to find something that is the right shape for you.

i went to the Evans warehouse and tried on all sorts before picking the Trail Skins.

I've got the original trail skins.  They're great. I work on the basis that the time I leave them off is going to be the time I bin it and smash my knees so I where them every time.  They're comfy and even in 38degree heat weren't unbearable.  The Velcro on one of mine has come loose so I just wrap that leg with a little electrical tape.

My first foray into knee armour since roach indys bitd has been successful with TLD speedskins

D30 top and front and below knee protection. Not much to the side but importantly I can ride all day in them. If they were restrictive in anyway they were likely to stay in the car

Another vote for The Dainese Trailskins - had mine a couple of years, fit well, good ventilation and the side protection is worthwhile. Certainly protected me a few times and have gone through the washing machine without bother. Mate has Alpkit ones which seem similar but a bit warmer.

Love my Fox Launch Pro, wear them even for an hour spin. I don't even notice I've got them on really.

tried some 7idp (covert i think) didn't like them at all, sent back and replaced with Fox launch which were instantly better and forgot about them entirely once pedalling for five minutes... But that's just my knees innit 😉 buy a load, send most back

I really liked my IXS Flow pads (none-zip version) however they stink and no amount of washing will get rid of said stench - they're band from the house, cars etc.

I've just replaced them with POC VPD Air's which I got on the cheap from A Cycles; they didn't look like they'd be comfy and they feel a bit bulkier but they're actually pretty nice to ride in.

Enduro mag have just done a pretty exhaustive test on loads of knee pads focussing on actual protection (fancy that)

https://enduro-mtb.com/en/best-lightweight-knee-pads-can-buy/2/

TLD for me. I had to order a load off CRC and fit and return. Other websites are available but CRC just come up hassle free for me.

Really like my ION zip knee pads. I don't buy into this 'soft padding' lark. Might be ok for gentle local rides but land on a sharp rock and they go straight through ,they are pretty expensive though, if I hadn't got mine cheap off ebay not sure I would of stumped up that much.

Trail Skins v1 are... ... knee pads which I can wear for full day....

This. They're light, airy-ish, unobtrusive and do a reasonable job at protecting your knees. I'd happily wear them for most things where I'd also wear an open face helmet, and do wear them for nearly every ride.

Otherwise I've had several pairs of 'bigger' pads and settled on some Fox Launches after my 661 Kyle Straits died - easy to pedal in and lots of protection. Scott Grenades/Rockets were also really comfy and could survive a nuclear strike, but were comparatively a little sweaty.

My knees didn't get on with TLD Bones (If I recall correctly) pads at all. As said above, you'd be advised to try on as many as possible.

Troy Lee Design Speed knee pads - very comfy had hard crash onto my knee last week end and i rode away without a scratch on me knee . , they do get a bit warm once temp gets above 23c, the elbow pads are pretty comfy as well

Happy with the Trailskins v2. They do collect a bit of mud in the wet but if you remember to take them off outside the house you’ll be ok.

As others have said, like helmets & saddles, suck it up & buy a few to try - I find some can be comfy straight away but an hour in I feel like someone is sandpapering the back of my knee...

I had some IXS Flows which were nice, and super comfy, but I tore them in a crash. Tried POC VPD Air & they skinned the back of my legs, replaced with with some more Flows which are now doing the same annoyingly.

The trail skin 2's look like an option I might try, otherwise i'm just going to buy a big bunch and try them all again

Sorry for slight detour but does anyone else find with the trailskin 1 pads that the plastic hexes keep coming out the the fabric front, especially at the bottom third of the pad?

I bought some fox launch pros and after five miles they’d worn a hole in the back of my leg. Going for a sleeve type design next as the gap which I thought would be good for ventilation just rubbed my leg in two

Ion K Pacts for me as I don’t buy into the light weight knee pads either, especially riding in rocky areas most of the time. Best pads I’ve had over the years (previously various 661 and fox launch pro’s). Fit me very well, lower profile than most heavyweight knee pads, bust most importantly great protection with their own D30 type inserts from sastech  (the people who make the protection in motorbike leathers) and they don’t slip down in crashes (unlike the fox launch pros)

I drank the 'kool-aid' with respect to knee-pads (I found that my trail skins 1 made excellent knee-braces)

however its worth noting that Gelert make a three pack of dry-bags in various sizes ( I got mine from Tescos...£5)

one of the dry-bags is an odd oblong shape which is ideal for storing your knee and elbow pads (with a couple of silica sachets for extra assurance)

I’ve been using the Troy Lee Raid pads for a while. Initially I was sceptical about them being so expensive but I’ve gotten lots of use from them, they’re comfy enough and they have saved my knees a few times.

Just bought some Dakine Slayer as as sort of middle weight option. First impression is good.

I use 7 IDP transition wraps for light use. They're light, comfy for all day use and can be removed without needing to take your shoes off.  They're on sale at the moment too.

Whilst on the subject, any thoughts on elbow pads?

My POC VPDs rub the living shit out of the back of my knee so they're definitely no good to pedal in 🙁

My POC VPDs are very comfy to pedal in, it’s all down to what fits each person, so buy loads and return the less good ones ! I use my TLD Speeds as my default pad for normal xc stuff. I have recently bought their arm ones too, but not ridden in them yet.

I use TLD Speed sleeves for XC stuff. Seems good so far. Was using Dianese Trail Skins v1 for anything a bit ‘more’ but crashed last week and the were dragged down my leg and I knackered my knee up again. Got some IXS Carves now. They seem more secure but not quite as good for pedalling.

I just bought a pair of the G Form ones from CRC half price for £45.

They're super comfy.

Their arm ones aren't bad.  Much more comfy when you're on the bike than off it tho because of their articulation.

POC btw - because "reply" doesn't seem to auto-paste.   They really need to sort out their forum software, it's ruuuubish.