armour?

brutaldeluxe09
brutaldeluxe09 Posts: 96
edited May 2011 in MTB buying advice
does anybody have any thoughts on what are the bebst knee/elbow pads? I'm 5ft 8 of small/medium build and don't want to pay silly money but want something that won't annoy me. I can't for the life of me seem to tell what's good and what's not by simply looking on-line so would like to hear any experiances.

Comments

  • CharlieH
    CharlieH Posts: 410
    Can't help with elbow but I love my 661 Kyle straits knee pads. I would happily wear them all day and simply forget I have them on. Always get great reviews.
    One word of advice though, they don't fit under Endura singletrack 3/4 shorts as I've just found out :(
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Kyle straits are the best balance I think- not too expensive, not restrictive, not too sweaty or uncomfortable for most people. Not the most protective either but they have good coverage and decent protection. Scott's Grenade is the same pad with a hard shell and comes highly recommended, to me they felt slightly stiffer but I've never ridden in them. Fox's Launch is a very obvious copy, but done slightly less well.

    POC and 661 have VPD/D30 impact reactives but I'm not convinced they're any better.

    Elbows is harder... Only ones I've ever been really happy with is my POC Bones but they're very expensive and a bit silly looking.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • RedJohn
    RedJohn Posts: 272
    I like 661 Kyle straits as well, excpet they don't cover the shins, only the knees. They sit fairly high on the knees, higher than you might think if you try them on. Where do you usually get scratched/bashed? Make sure that whatever you get covers that area!

    PS you can also toss the Kyle Straits in the washing machine when they're filthy.
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    He did ask for knee pads ;)
    Uncompromising extremist
  • RedJohn
    RedJohn Posts: 272
    Oh yeah ...
  • brutaldeluxe09
    brutaldeluxe09 Posts: 96
    yeah I've seen the Kyle Strait knee pads and they look good and not exspensive, might grab me some of them! Do they do elbow pads too?
  • getonyourbike
    getonyourbike Posts: 2,648
    Kyle Straits for knee everytime
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    brutaldeluxe09 wrote:
    yeah I've seen the Kyle Strait knee pads and they look good and not exspensive, might grab me some of them! Do they do elbow pads too?

    661 do elbow pads but they've never made a really good one IMO. The Race is half decent, and the Evos are OK but ridiculously sweaty and enclosed for the level of protection you get (soft elbow pads seem to be hard to do well).
    Uncompromising extremist
  • CharlieH
    CharlieH Posts: 410
    I have a cheap pair of fox elbow/forearm pads I got from Stif a few years back and they seem really good. I glanced off a few tree trunks at Gisburn a few weeks ago and they never shifted. They are also really comfy to ride in.

    I don't know what their latest pads are like though

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