7iDP Sam Hill Knee Pad review

The full name of these is 7iDP Sam Hill Knee Pad Holographic LTD Edition Series 1. That is quite the mouthful. Not that you should put knee pads in your mouth.

• Brand: 7iDP
• Product: Sam Hill Knee Pad Holographic LTD Edition Series 1
• Price: £109.99
• From: 7iDP
• Tested by: Aran Francis for 3 months

Pros

• Bodyheat-moulded comfort
• Impressive protection level
• Low-profile plays well under trousers

Cons

• Expensive
• Hologram aesthetic not too everyone’s taste

Knee pads are one of those products you buy and stick with for a couple years. And most of us just want one set of pads to use for everything.

The pads cover a good amount of knee area and feature a nice long sleeve that covers a long way up the leg, meaning even your skimpier riding shorts won’t leave you with that silly looking thigh gap that all the kids make fun of.

One of these fancy pads’ main features is that they claim to mould with body heat to fit the knee. This was actually noticeable, not just a gimmick. And it’s something that needs to be considered before you make any judgements when first trying them on.

My first thought with these pads was that they were fairly harsh, stiff and overly uncomfortable for a brand new set of knee pads. However, sure enough after having them on for few minutes they had softened up, moulded to fit my knee and had become the complete opposite of my pessimistic ‘grumpy reviewer’ first impressions.

These are the most comfortable pads I’ve ridden with. I will say the aforementioned malleability is to thank but the smooth sock that surrounds the pads and the elasticated cuffs also do an excellent job at securing them in place throughout a whole day’s riding.

I’ve had knee pads which may have provided excellent protection yet were so uncomfortable you would have to lower them to your ankles before every climb. The Sam Hill’s are not like those. Once you’ve warmed them up, and that initial harshness goes, you can have them on all ride. I have even gladly left them on for the drive home on many occasions. 

Whilst comfort is one thing, obviously protection is the main focus. The malleable material is hard enough to take the brunt of an impact but not so hard that you end up just banging your knees on the pad or simply the ground impact being transferred into your leg. There’s a degree of energy dissipation at work here I think.

The coverage is also excellent surrounding the knee well, extending beyond the ‘CE mandatory protection zones’. Furthermore, The Sam Hill pads includes softer padding extending even further which covers those times when you bash odd bits of knee on bits of the bike in a crash or clumsiness when messing around in the carpark. I’ve hit the ground on a lot of surfaces in these pads, most notably a tarmacked BMX track, and the Sam Hills have coped well on every incident.

The pad inserts themselves easily come out of the knee sock, so you can hand or machine wash them quickly without deforming/damaging the pad. Although the label does tell you to avoid the machine, a low temp and keeping them away from a dryer has proved fine so far. The mesh material that provides good comfort and breathability on the bike also dries fast to further simplify this process. 

As for negatives, the price is the main issue. With these limited editions coming in at over £100, it is a hefty price tag. However, I would argue that these pads do perform better than most and given most of us keep hold of a good set for so long, it’s an investment you won’t regret should you press the button on a pair.

I’ve put them through a solid amount of abuse even by my standards and they have coped very well. In fact they look and feel almost as good as new, aside from some tiny scratches on the logo where they met with the BMX track mentioned earlier.

Overall

Knee pads are judged off level and type (level 2 being the most impact protective and Type B being the highest coverage). 7IDP’s main advert is that they “make Level2 Type B pads that are more comfortable than their competitors Level 1 Type A pads”. From my experience this really sums it up. Whilst they feel harsh initially, once the pads have moulded to your knee shape they fit comfortably and offer great protection. They’re suitable for an array of rides and as a result are a great option for your next do it all knee pad. 

Review Info

Ben Haworth

Orange Switch 6er. Stif Squatcher. Schwalbe Magic Mary Purple Addix front. Maxxis DHR II 3C MaxxTerra rear. Coil fan. Ebikes are not evil. I have been a writer for nigh on 20 years, a photographer for 25 years and a mountain biker for 30 years. I have written countless magazine and website features and route guides for the UK mountain bike press, most notably for the esteemed and highly regarded Singletrackworld. Although I am a Lancastrian, I freely admit that West Yorkshire is my favourite place to ride. Rarely a week goes by without me riding and exploring the South Pennines.

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