Recommend me some lightweight knee protection

After a bizarre falling over incident while out running a relay race on Saturday, I managed to lacerate my leg under my left knee to the extent that I had to have a general anaesthetic to have it washed out and a 2 night stay in hospital. I’m thinking it would be a good idea to get some protection while the wound is properly healed. I don’t usually wear any and not had any major offs but know it would be my luck to fall on it when I get back out on the bike. I can’t bend the leg at the moment due to position of the wound so I have some time to make a decision. What lightweight knee protection to stop me knackering my knee up any more?

I use Sweet Protection. YMMV, some people feel that you need to try them on to be sure that they’re comfortable, I don’t think that’s so important with 3DO or similar based pads.

G form

Apologies for linking to filth, and trust that you will buy them from somewhere else if you can….

my daughter has dakine slayer pads that are realy low profile and nice. I wish i had bought some when i bought hers.

the wife has some nukeproof ones but they arnt half as nice and less protection than the dakine ones (plus you probably cant buy them now)

IXS Flow evo+ (or something like that) are very good and pretty unobtrusive.

Heard great stuff about Rapha pads, would like to try them

I have a pair of raphas and they are great for trail riding.  Not sure they would take big impacts but are good for what I want them for

I’ve been through several, and I think it’s hard to recommend someone without them trying them on. My (admittedly limited) experience is that what fits snugly and stays put on one person still might slide down on someone else’s leg.

having said that, after lots of frustratingly non staying-put brands, I found the IXS flow to be perfectly stable.  And almost totally unnoticeable, even on really long pedally rides.

+1 for the Rapha ones for unobtrusive trail riding protection. Not as hardcore as some, but very comfortable and I barely notice that I’m wearing them. I think it depends a bit on how hard you’re intending to crash / the sort of riding you do tbh.

These are great at the lighter end of the knee pad spectrum. Very comfy and cheap!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116221454025?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=gDdJtALdQBi&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=-3QT41gCRXG&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Not a recommendation but something to check before you buy. The washing instructions for my Sweet Protection knee pads is don’t wash! Wipe with a damp cloth.

IXS Flow evo+ (or something like that) are very good and pretty unobtrusive.

+1

Work well with slim fitting shorts/under trousers/dry suit

The washing instructions for my Sweet Protection knee pads is don’t wash!

Not even checked my IXS ones, but they have had a few washes with no apparent detriment

Thanks all, lots to look at here, which is nice while I sit with my leg up resting 👍

I have Paragons elbow protectors, they have similar for the knees. These are one of the lightest Ive seen – but they will only offer enough protection for slow speed tumbles, but are pretty comfortable. I only ride mostly flat / not high speed forest trails – techy roots and rocks actual Nordic forest stuff, so speeds are never high and no long descents. Good for when you just topple over.

https://www.alpinestars.com/collections/cycling-protections/products/paragon-lite-knee-protector

But for knees Ive used an older version of Troy Lee (these new ones seem more flexible, and have that D3O impact hardening stuff, the old ones are from before these materials, Ive had them for years and have another unused pair waiting) –

Stage Knee Guard Solid Black

I have the mid level knee guards and light elbow ones on pretty much always when riding trails. Most of the damage is usually from just hitting the ground when falling from slow speeds, and they work well for that.

The Alpinestars Paragon ones are totally flexible, and they can be rolled up into small pouch that takes very little room. Troy Lee ones cannot. The Paragons only protect the pad area – the fabric around it is just thin flexible stuff.

I’ve got some of these and they’re really really good

https://off.road.cc/content/review/body-armour/leatt-ultralite-airflex-knee-guard-review-12761

Sweet protection.  Substantial enough to provide some proper protection, but comfy enough that i pretty much forget I’ve got them on after a few minutes.

Not a recommendation but something to check before you buy. The washing instructions for my Sweet Protection knee pads is don’t wash! Wipe with a damp cloth

My Sweet Protection Knee Pads have been through the washing machine with the rest of my minging mtb kit at least once a week for about two years, they look and feel identical to the day I bought them.

Second vote here for the Leatt Aeroflex knees, as per el_boufador above; they’re definitely at the ‘Very Light’ end of the pad spectrum though.  The D3O is removable, so you can wash the sleeves.  They only cover the front of the knee , there’s nothing on the outsides, so they are definitely only for lightweight riding or lower consequence situations.

Mine stay put very well when pedalling and don’t feel that much different to wearing a set of roadie 3/4s.  The size guide worked fine for me too.

At the other end of the scale, I’ve another set of Leatts, their chunky ‘Zip’ model with lots of side padding, a big D3O knee cup and that all important zip to get them off quickly at the end of a hot day…  These are for those high consequence days, big rocks, big mountains, remote trails..

+1 for the Rapha’s. I have had various pads over the years and these are def the ones I will put on to pedal all day but don’t feel like a compromise for my trail riding.