i used to laugh - still do - at the full-on protection worn by some.
i laugh at my mate carrying knee/shin, forearm/elbow pads and fullface up the hill whilst i pootle up with just my XC helmet.
went to a bike park on sat where i busted my knee.
when we arrived i felt really underdressed. almost all had full body armour, my mate had everything but shoulder pads and then there was me. with my XC lid. i do have a piss-pot but it is in storeage along with other snowboarding stuff.
i'm thiking minimum knee/shin pads and poss a fullface. it mussn't be killer expensive as it'll only be worn on bikepark days.
i did have a pair of Brand-X knee/shin pads for kiteboarding but they split at the knee when falling onto sand from standing, so Brand-X are out of the question.
many thanks
J
661?
yeah 661 gets my vote
Yep, 661 kneepads, maybe a Specialized Deviant?
i have mates who ride much more quickly than me, but don't wear any protection aside from a lid, and i've recently started using 661 kyle strait knees and raceface hardfaced elbow/arms. feel a bit over-dressed at times, but know damn well i'll be happy i was wearing when i do, inevitably, use them. more you ride the more chance you have of stacking it.
the kyle straits are like wearing thick knee warmers, at 36 quid on crc are a bargain IMHO, and i'm really pleased with them. the RF ( rally, IIRC ) pads are fine too.
[sslight hijack - how does the sizing work on the Kyle Straits ? been thinking about getting some for a while but not sure whether to go for a l or m
Iain, best way i can describe, is take the thickness of your knee between finger and thumb, and take a measure off the front of the knee cap towards your thigh. measure upper leg there, then do the same from the bottom of your knee cap towards shin. measure there. crc have a sizing table. HTH. there's maybe an inch of margin on the straps.
Dont fall?
I went for the Thor ones, as I couldn't get the 661s around my calves.
cheers Del - think I need an L
I'd suggest trying on pads, 'cos the fit can be pretty varied depending on your legs.
Second flyingmonkeycorps suggestion - I think it's worth trying before you buy
I'd suggest trying on pads, 'cos the fit can be pretty varied depending on your legs.
Absolutely agree - I've tried on Dainese, RaceFace, TSG and Brand-X and found they all fit differently. FWIW the BrandX mkII ones fit my legs best - I know the OP has had a bad experience of them so probably will discount them off-hand anyway. In their defence I've done a [b]lot[/b] worse to them than falling onto sand from standing and they've been fine. I did manage to split the knee cup on one of the mkI BrandX pads but that was falling at speed onto rock in Morzine - I was not fussed at all that the plastic knee cup was split because my own knee came out of it unharmed.
661 Kyle Straits knee pads - comfy like knee warmers, nothing like wearing armour.
On our summer hols last year the entire group kept taking the p*ss as I'd raved so much and made everyone get them - they weren't taking the p*ss by the end of the trip when they'd worn them on average 50km per day for 6 days and all crashed enough times to be grateful to be wearing them.
Yeah, I do love the Kyle Strait knees myself, although I've not crashed on them yet. I found the fit of them COMPLETELY different to the 661 Veggie Wraps though, so be careful. I think RRP is only 40 quid, so I'd say it was worth the extra 4 for peace of mind.
thanks for the response guys.
yeah, no lust more for the Brand-X.
am i right in thinking that the Kyle Straits have a substance similar to the cornflour effect? flexible yet hard on impact?
if so it would sound like a good solution to a generally uncomfy situation.
also seen 661 veggies. are these similar to the Kyle Strait?
cheers
J
DONT get 661 Veggy wraps, I made that mistake thinking they wouldnt be too bad. There shite, really uncomfy and the straps are ****.
Kyle Straits are leagues ahead in comfort.
sorted, thanks David.
661 elbow / shins and full face, dont always wear the full face, depends on .
A.how much time you want off work
B.how much pain you like if you dont wear them
I've often wondered how people can pedal uphill with that gear.
time off work is always a given.
don't much like pain, mind.
i think by the looks of the Kyle Strait there is enough movement to allow you to pedal normally.
i have the pisspot and might pick up a full face if found at the right price.
POC is great.
Raceface FR are great hard shin + knee pads. 661 Kyle Straits are IMO the best knee pads around, they're just superb- no restriction at all on your pedalling, not too hot and sweaty either, and great protection, they even have side protection for tube knocks.
POC stuff is brilliant, I've not found any that actually totally suit what I want yet so I don't own any but their quality and design is second to none.
Got Kyle Strait Knees and love them. Got Large first time as they felt best when i tried them on but they got baggy after a while so i got Mediums last time around and after a bit of use they are a perfect fit nice and tight but not restrictive.
The ones that have the smart foam in them are the 661 Evo's. I have a set of Evo elbows and they are great as they are a lot easier to have on than the Dianese 3x that I had before.
Had a set veggies as my first knee pads and, as said above, they are really rubbish.
so all the Kyle Straits listed on CRC are essentially the same? the Earth, Patriot and Slim?
any major differences other than the colourway?
all the same ££ so can is it just a choice of colour?
I think the slims have less side protection
Earth and Pat are just colour variations. If you're vain don't get the Pats as the red went pale pink on my mates in a few rides.
They really are that comfy. Don't get me wrong, eventually they'll p*ss you off but I can happily do a 40km ride in them.