IXS Carve

The IXS Carve knee pad is a lightweight, slim, gravity pad. Two straps top and bottom keep the pad firmly in place without feeling tight and uncomfortable. A full silicone strip keeps the pad from slipping out of position. Backed up by the integrated horseshoe design, the pad stays in place and doesn’t shift under high impact. The slow rebound, high-impact foam used keeps the pad nice and flexible but at the same time doesn’t limit protection. The same energy-absorbing foam is used all around the pad, offering sublime protection in all areas that could be damaged. Due to covering the whole knee front and back it did occasionally get quite warm and sweaty on the inside and even with the thin mesh strip down the back for ventilation, didn’t prevent the front of the pad overheating. This, however, didn’t cause any movement or discomfort. For me the snug fit and flexible padding meant pedalling was comfortable and efficient. Occasionally getting sweaty is a minor issue, overcome by the pad’s overall superb performance and incredible high impact protection.

Dan.

Mark Alker

Singletrack Owner/Publisher

Mark has been riding mountain bikes for over 30 years and co-owns Singletrack, where he's been publisher for 25 years. While his official title might be Managing Director, his actual job description is "whatever needs doing" – from wrangling finances and keeping the lights on to occasionally remembering to ride bikes for fun rather than just work. He's seen the sport evolve from rigid forks to whatever madness the industry dreams up next, and he's still not entirely sure what "gravel" is. When he's not buried in spreadsheets or chasing late invoices, he's probably thinking about his next ride.

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