With my summer trip to the Austrian Alps lined up, I’m wondering whether I should get some knee pads.

I’m not a DH rider so it will just be XC stuff. Is it a bit overkill?

If not, what do people recommend?

Are you used to miles and miles of down hill trails, not just max 2 minutes you get here? Will your concentration last, or will you slip and fall doing something silly.
Not all knee pads are full on DH armour, lighter protection is available, I’d suggest getting some and have less chance of a ruined holiday.
Only used the g-form pads which I reckon are fine for the majority of stuff I do here, I’d maybe pack something a touch more substantial for the alps but there better than nothing!

you wouldn’t have to ask that question if you’ve ever smacked your knee against a rock

it hurts

a lot

I did mine just setting off, so was going about 5 mph, I was hobbling around for days

I’d say get some pads. You spend a lot of time riding downhill, quite fast, surrounded by rocks. You will also get faster as the week goes on. Also it’d be pretty annoying to have a minor fall on the first day then spend the rest of the week sat in the hotel.

As zippy said, you have to recalibrate your head a bit in the Alps. I’d definitely go for knee pads. Most decent ones you’ll forget you’ve got on after a couple of miles. I prefer these personally, but just try some and see what you find comfortable with

I got a set of the Dianese trailskin ones recently, they’re amazing really. Hardly notice I’m wearing them for long rides. There are other similar style lightweight ones available. I used to have a chunkier set but hardly wore them due to comfort issues.

My 2p’s worth… I wear knee pads most the time when MTB riding, unless I know I am just going for a pedal round some local lanes etc. They don’t interfere with my pedalling and are comfortable, so don’t see the point in not wearing them. (POC 2.0 pads)

If it saves you gashing your knee open, wearing them seems common sense doesn’t it? Why wouldn’t you wear knee pads on a riding holiday to the Alps? You might also want to consider elbow pads and a full face helmet, depending on the type of trails you are riding.

Some riders seem to think it’s ‘hard’ not to wear protection…. but that’s just Darwinism at work 😉

Some years ago I had a fab holiday in Austria and had a silly fall, putting a hole in my knee. The injury wasn’t serious but had it not been the last day it would certainly have ruined my holiday. I got home and bought some kneepads and wore them – and still do – for most of my off-road riding.

[EDIT] – summary: get some

I would, might as well be safe than sorry. I wear them most time back home now as well after going through a year of ripping the skin off my knees…

1+ Trail skins.
I bought some last year after taking a heavy knock to my right knee. I hardly notice that I’m wearing them.
I’m glad I did, because 6 weeks later, I took another tumble whilst tanking it down a rutted trail. Front and back wheels in different ruts. I know that if I hadn’t been wearing them, I wouldn’t been able to ride out.

Anyway, If I was going away for a week to ride. I’d want to ride the whole week and not have to sit it out for sake of a couple of pads.

Many moons ago, I had a knee damaging accident windsurfing and about eight years ago dislocated m y patella on the other knee.
In wintertime I get quite annoying pain from the originally damaged knee, an aching and burning sensation, it’s nit life changing , but uncomfy.
Pain aside, quite simply being out of play, because knees are damaged is at best inconvenient.
Pads keep my knees warm and pain free in winter and help me feel less vulnerable when “trying” stuff all year round. Unless we are going for a canal side bimble, I wear mine all the time.

I always wear them- with good ones that fit, there’s almost no drawback, frinstance I was perfectly happy to wear them for soloing the glentress seven this year, no bother.

But on holiday especially- a small knock might only keep you off the bike for a day or two and at home you’d just limp on but on holiday that’s a waste of days.

Add to this that in the alps it tends to be either uplifted- in which case, a lot of descending, without sweaty pedalling- or very long climbs and very long descents- in which case, less bother to take pads off.

North wind +1

Thanks all. Bit of a no-brainer then really!

I’ll go to the LBS and try some on for fit.

I wear knee pads most of the time I’m out on the MTB, now and again I might just wear knee warmers, but I find my trusty 661 Kyle Straits (now without some of the side padding as they fell out after 7 years of abuse, the first pair eventually wore out about 5 years before that) keep my knees warm and safe. Tried other pads and they’re just not as nice. Although I did try out a set of lightweight Race Face slip on pads and thought they’d be a good compromise for simple trail centre action. In the Alps, I’d have a pair of knee pads on at all times. (I was an early adopter of knee pads over knee/shin pads as they never felt comfy)

What will I do when they are completely fragged now they no longer make them ?

The new 661s- Rages is it? Are very similiar. Same coverage and fit, but a lighter material and bigger hole in the back so they do sit differently. (cooler, but there’s a slight downside in that sometimes the hole in the back opens up away from my leg and stuff gets in!)

I’ve learned the hard way, and now ‘pad up’ when hitting any trails. For local XC trails/bridle ways I use Fox Enduro – these are basically used to prevent scrapes, but they wouldn’t prevent an impact with a rock from really hurting.

For UK trail centres I use POC VPD 2.0 – ‘fit and forget’ – pricey, but extremely comfortable and when they’re warm, you really don’t notice and pedalling isn’t hindered at all.

For the Alps I have the POC VPD 2.0 DH specific long kneepads. Wouldn’t want to pedal too far in them though…

This is all paired with equivalent elbow pads, and POC Spine/shoulder Tee for the Alps, and an Evoc Enduro spine protector backpack for all other places.

‘Sprung AC’ 2.5 years ago (no pads at all…), followed by a badly scraped knee (wrong knee pads…) and fractured arm and further damage to the (same) shoulder AC joint (wrong elbow pads…) on ‘Star Wars’ day at FoD last May meant I spent plenty of time (3 months off bike) and money researching and buying the correct pads for me.

I’m a firm believer of getting the right protection if it means you can carry on riding after a fall. Don’t want to spend any further time off my bike! 😀

Never wore pads when I was a kid on my BMX (many, many years ago) – but I seemed to heal up much faster in those days, and riding round with holes in my jeans and big scabs on my knees never bothered me. How times change – I no longer bounce as easily!

Yes. Get some knee pads. I would +1 to those that have recommended elbow pads too.

Interested to see about the Rage 661 pad being similar to the Kyle Strait. My KS are about five years old now and getting quite tatty and worn.
For the first couple of times wearing pads felt horrible, so I’ll probably order a pair of Rage and wear them alternately with the old ones , just to avoid new pad shock all at once !

I’m no very good at wearing pads, not because I think it’s ‘hard’ not to, mostly because I don’t like pedalling in them for too long (do wear them for uplifts and DH sessions though). However, if in the Alps id wear them.

I bought some Lleat ones last year that seem pretty good. Comfy and not too warm.