Knee Pads

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After taking flying lessons the other week on the MTB and severely damaging my knee, I have decided to purchase some knee pads to hopefully reduce the injury next time.........and you just know that there will be a NEXT TIME !!!^_^:angry:^_^

Regardless, I have narrowed the choice down to two makes, Nukeproof Critical Enduro and Alpinestars Paragon, both about the same price

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/nukeproof-critical-enduro-knee-sleeve/rp-prod132015

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/alpinestars-paragon-knee-guards-2017/rp-prod160470

Now I'm in a quandary of which ones....thoughts ?
 

Randy Butternubs

Über Member
I haven't used those but I've used somewhat heavier-duty ones of a similar design but with extra velcro straps for adjustability.

I've found the sizing to be very important - too tight and they are uncomfortable but too loose and they slide down. Actually, I found I couldn't get a good compromise and ended up re-jigging them by removing the 'sleeve' and just using the straps loosely, with an additional string running up to my belt to stop them slipping down. This is a real faff to put on but works well and is comfortable, and has the additional benefit of being cooler (since I removed the sleeve).

This is for use with trousers though - if you are wearing shorts it might not be such a bother to frequently readjust their position if they slip.

In terms of the size of the pad there is a trade off between protectiveness and sweatiness - a bigger pad protects more of your leg but since the pad is basically wholly non-breathable it is sweatier than a small pad.

Another thought - ideally I would want to feel them up before buying (or be prepared to send them back) as you want to be sure the padding is pretty stiff and hard. The first link you posted looks like it might be a bit minimal? As I see it, for impacts to the knee it isn't so much about absorbing the blow as it is about spreading the force. On a smooth floor I can fall to my knees without much pain but I want protection from things like pointy rocks.

I'd consider something with a hard plastic over-shell actually so long as the whole is designed to flex easily. This can be a bit misleading as a thick, stiff pad with a plastic covering might look 'a bit much' but is not necessarily any less comfortable or any hotter than a thinner pad.

For example I usually wear these:
images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTUdOm2IBNtF7Ihei5dkQH21iilX5JPJux4dV9xZjefcMjItzep.jpg

They look like they would restrict movement but actually since they are articulated they allow my knees to bend much more freely than my simple foam pads did. They are also far more protective. I'm not suggesting you get these, they are just to illustrate my point.
 
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