Looking for a breathable light trail knee pad for all year round use.

I’m not a particular hardcore rider, I don’t do big jumps etc but always have a tendency to come back with a cut of a gash on my knee!

So before that gash becomes to bad I’m looking for some decent pads

Fox Racing Launch Pro came up as sale items and I hear 661 bring mentioned a bit.

But pads are an unknown to me so any user advise greatly appreciated!

Dainese Trailskins

POC VPD Air

Race Face Ambush for me.

Shatner Bassoons V7.  Best trail pads around.

If you have reasonably chunky legs, snap a pair of these up quick…

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ixs-flow-evo-knee-guard-2018/rp-prod167197

I’m happily wearing the XL and I’m not exactly a man mountain – just got cyclists’ legs.

ION  KPACT.

Always bought Kyle straits, theses are much better, ooze quality.

£60, no silly pricing

I bought some of those IONs, they were indeed exceptionally well made. Also exceptionally small, unfortunately, and had to go back.

What frog stomp says.

Mine have stayed put when I have crashed and they don’t agrivate the excema I get in the back of my knees

G-form. They’re lovely. Word is born.

Edit

£40 from Evans

drat 😕

kinnel, you must be rocking big legs mate. My xls fit snug but fit very well ,  I’m just over recommended measurements and they are perfect fit , will obs stretch with use.

I’ve tried some 661 recons – they failed to protect my knee in a crash. Took a big impact and the pad got dragged down my leg so I still got a gashed knee. So avoid those!

Tried on both M and L Ion K-Pact zips and didn’t like the fit. They felt very stiff and too tight round the calf but loose at the top. Like the ratio was wrong (or my leg ratio is odd)!

Ended up trying some Scott Grenade Evos and they’re what I went for. Little bit more flexible and comfy to pedal in. Get good reviews but I haven’t crashed in them (yet) to test that. They are substantial though and have chunky d30 padding in them.

Interesting that there are 9 different recommendations! Need to try a few different ones I guess!!

You’ll probably find not many shops you can actually go into to try them on stock much either. Could mostly only find Fox in stock – the d30 launch pro I was thinking about seemed to lack protection on the sides of the knee and were ludicrously expensive. I ended up having to order multiple pairs online and just send back the ones that I didn’t want.

I have the Fox Launch Pro for more gnarly trail rides and uplift, but for all day pedal forget you’re wearing them comfort then I really like my POC VPD Air. Not quite as much protection as the Fox but they have always worked when needed.

The fox launch pro are quite a hardcore shell protection , imho

the fox enduro may be more suitable for trail riding, size is accurate I’d say. Price on a good day £32, they get hot on me

i have the gform, they have slipped and cut my knee (currently on offer at crc, I do like them though. Fit like a glove

my heavier duty pair are dainese trailskins, they are ride all day comfort and easily slideable onto outside shins to keep cool when peddling uphill, they then pull back into place and hold perfect just fastened on my calf, never moved whilst riding and crashed on them a few times , definately my pair for enduro events

for xc duty’s I wear raceface charge that have no padding but Kevlar material so you’ll avoid cuts and grazes but bruise if u crash ..

As u can see I’ve tried many and still looking for the do it all pair

my mates rave about the grey ixs on crc £35, I have the padded liner shorts by ixs and they are quality so I guess the knee pads are too

POC VPD Air

Very comfortable, build quality seems to be a step above most competition.

Could use a little more coverage on the upper shin, but otherwise theyret perfect

Going to try the IXS ones – maybe with and without the zip. Set of POC ones and maybe a few other of the suggestions above!

Although not sure about the zips on the IXS. Good idea in theory but I imagine they can start to unzip on there own when used a lot. Maybe!

need to find stock of the POC ones. Out of stock at the usual places which makes me think they are a pretty good choice if everyone has snapped them up!

i see that the IXS have a bottom strap and the POC a top strap.

As someone who does not like kneepads, I get on well with the RaceFace Charge pads.

Very minimalist knee warmer style with a little bit of padding and kevlar front. wouldn’t prevent breaking your kneecap but do prevent cuts.

I have pair of summer weight ones and winter “subzero” versions and wear them on most of my rides.

I do have other kneepads for the Alps, BPW etc when I know I won’t be pedalling up hills.

Dainese Trail Skins, very happy to pedal in these. Wore these for a weekend of bikepacking, helped keep my knees warm

Just to add on zips – the Ion K-Pact zips seemed a fiddly feature to me. Whilst it’s a nice idea you can take them in and off without taking your shoes off I think they may undo. The medium wouldn’t even do up over my calf and the large only just and felt like it might undo. Whilst also being loose on the top strap.

Maybe the k-pact without zips might be a better option. They felt nice and substantial in terms of protection.

knees wore through the lining of the Trailskins and ended up rubbing themselves raw on the rubber padding.

been using alpine stars paragon pads myself. they are super comfy. hate having straps or zips to consider. they’re a bit baggy on the thigh tho for me but this is a problem with every pad ive tried, loose on the thigh / tight on the calf. freak legs.

Yeah thats my worry with the zips, does seem like a decent idea, but only if they stay put. IXS reviews seem postive enough on CRC though.

Off to measure my legs lol

You’re going to get a different answer off everyone, as from personal experience it’s very dependent on leg shape!

Only after wearing them for a day will you start to notice rub spots, which gets a bit tedious.

I found the Dainese pads were almost great, totally let down by the rubbish velcro bits.

Very true – cant find XL POC ones online so will try out some of the others!

I dont get on with knee pedals and because of this barely wear any, but after trying and not getting on with Dainese and Fox Launch Enduro I have started to like the Troy Lee Speed knee pads.

The material feels nice, almost woven like, they dont bunch up behind my knee and dont slip down my leg.

I have some of the older Dainese Trails skins and wouldn’t recommend them. Comfy enough but you can’t wash them without the mesh-like D30 material coming away and having to painstakingly put them back together.

The Trail Skins 2 look like they’ve fixed this but…

Another ION user here, very well made and just the right amount of protection for everyday riding. Soft knee pads are ok for light falls but hit your knee on a sharp rock and it will go straight through.

I had a pair of of MK1 dianese trailkskins worn for every ride over a couple of years. Light, pretty comfy, but always seemed to be found just below the knee following a crash. Sure they helped the initial impact but were dragged down in subsequent slide resulting in bloody knees on more than one occasion. Swapped for a pair of Troy Lee 5400s back in the Spring. These are way more comfy, have a harder pad, and a much more secure fit. I have taken a few minor falls with these and not scuffed skin yet.

G-Form so comfy I forget I have them on. In fact i could still have them on now………..I’ll have a check………..

POC VPD Air – I have these for snowboarding, they are all-day comfy.

I’m a wheels on the ground type of MTB rider, so I don’t have full knee pads etc. I use Race Face Charge pads, which are basically a knee warmer with a bit of extra padding. Stops the little thorns etc ripping your shins.

After a 18 months or so they are getting a bit loose, so might buy a new pair for xmas.

Lower straps do all the important work, top ones are mostly decorative.

+ 1 on the Troy Lee Speed Sleeves. Got mine after they did well in the STW test. Didn’t disappoint.

Tried some POC ones and didnt really fit my legs very well.

Ordered the IXS Flow in both L and XL to try as the reviews say snug. XL were ok but if the bed in and get any looser they would be too big so large was a better fit.

However the zips are a bit fiddly so have ordered a large pair without zips.

TLD speeds look pretty good, but think will stick with the IXS ones now.

No mention of Alpinestars paragon,  like gold dust? forget you are even wearing them they feel that good.

Fingers crossed for you Jay – I said the zips were fiddly in the Ions – guess the same for the ones you ordered!

I have POC VPD Air, RaceFace Charge and Troy Lee Speeds. I wear the Troy Lee ones most by far. The POC are a bit less comfy but still great. I haven’t worn the Charge ones since getting the Troy Lee pads…

Bliss Minimalist.

Bliss Protection ARG Minimalist knee pad review

The Bliss pads are good, but mine fell apart after a few washes (the lycra ripped). They still work OK, but I was disapppointed by the company’s response when I sent them pictures, which was, basically, tough luck. I could understand this if it looked like I’d crashed in them, but these were torn at the back – you’d have to have had a pretty weird crash for that to happen!

JP