Washing them regularly. I found all my knee pads become uncomfortable if not cleaned. All the sweat, grime and dead skin cells on the inside make the comfiest pads rub

Opposite to this, I find washing them distorts them and makes them rub.

I'm experimenting with Bodyglide - every pad I've had has rubbed, sometimes they're find for a few months, sometimes they're terrible after the second use, sometimes they're OK one day and bad the next. So I think lubrication is the only answer.

I gave up wearing knee pads to be honest, used to have a pair of 661 kyle strait pads I wore them every ride from when I got them in 2011 to 2018 when they finally disintegrated and never found another pair thats fit me well enough since and thinking of all the offs I've had I've never landed on my knees. Felt weird at first, like riding naked, confidence took a slight hit, but quickly got used to not wearing pads again

It’s all about doing your own risk assessment I guess.

It’s a fairly likely point of impact if you fall off a bike.

My knee is still healing from an impact in July 2024, was wearing pads but it was direct onto rock. Either the pad slipped down or there was too much energy in the impact.

Nothing daft, just front wheel washed out on a corner.

3 months off work and 5 months before I could ride a bike with a modified crank.

1) Different manufacturers have different fits, particularly the ratio between thigh circumference vs Calf.  Can be hard to find one that works especially if you have big calves.  Race Face and 661 seem to be good for the big calved amongst us.

2) Wear bib shorts and tuck the top of the pad sleeve under the bottom of your shorts, tends to stop them sliding down.

3) Straps on thighs are crap and doing them up tighter will make the pads slip down.  Straps above the widest part of the calf help to stop slipping.

4) Once you find a set you're happy with buy another pair for spare/when the first set wear out.

I'm currently enjoying 661 Recon for normal riding and 661 Recon advance for more scary stuff.

If I don't plan on doing owt too daft I often don't both.

I found some elbow pads last year that proved to be wearable for me. G-Form sleeves, stayed comfy and mostly stayed put. 

Just got my eldest a set of Dharco Gravity and he says they’re a bit inflexible when he pedals… 

They might not be the most protective, but they're not bad for "trail", and I'm much more likely to be wearing them then any other pad. And they've lasted really well.