Protection

rapid_donkey

I have 661 Kyle Strait knee pads (replaced by Rage?). They are lovely and feel like they would do well in a crash.
Problem is, when I go out riding I like to feel mobile and ride as quick as I can. I think I have worn the knee pads once. Last time I went to the Peaks they stayed in the boot of the car when I got there. I certainly wouldnt wear them at a trail centre anyway.

YeehaaMcgee

Kyle Straits are great. I've ridden all day in them, and they're fine. I've had some nasty injuries to my knees in the past, so I'm paranoid about hurting them again, so I tend to wear knee pads if I'm going to be pushing myself.
They're also great for snowboarding, not just for crashing, but for slumping onto your knees whilst you regroup!

Thewaylander

Yeh always wear my Kyle straits when i ride.

The amount of people i've seen stretchered off trails of all levels with knee injuries is scary, harder to walk out of anywhere if your knee's are injured compared to most other parts of you.

prawny

Same here done 30+ miles in my Kyles Straits, probably not worth it for that sort of ride but it was a bit nippy and I wanted to cover my knees. For trail centre blasts I almost always wear knees and wearing elbow pads more often now too. For long XC days out in the hills not sure, depends on whether I was planning on forcing the pace or not.

sofaboy73

riding in the peak with bountiful supply of knee magnets / rocks, i always ride with knee pads. have had the kyle straits and cuirrently use the fox launch pro, can happily ride for many hours in them. I find the fox's a little tighter and warmer than the 661, however they definately stay up better in crashes

ilovedirt

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

Kyle Straits are great. I've ridden all day in them, and they're fine. I've had some nasty injuries to my knees in the past, so I'm paranoid about hurting them again, so I tend to wear knee pads if I'm going to be pushing myself.
They're also great for snowboarding, not just for crashing, but for slumping onto your knees whilst you regroup!

I found that mine always really chafed on the backs of my knees, wasn't good. They got really hot too...

felix.london

Thewaylander wrote:

Yeh always wear my Kyle straits when i ride.

Me too. Don't have an issue wearing them on huge Alpine climbs in August. Have never damaged my knees but getting scarily close to the big four-oh so would like to keep it that way if I can and they do seem to give some extra support as well as protection...and they keep your knees proper toasty like on cold days.

Saying that - nearly every off I have I scrape or bruise one of my hips and/or thighs so should really invest in something for that region

Kowalski675

felix.london wrote:

Thewaylander wrote:

Saying that - nearly every off I have I scrape or bruise one of my hips and/or thighs so should really invest in something for that region

Aye, I'd been contemplating that too. I looked at Knox padded shorts when I nearly bought a DRZ400E a while back, with protection over the hip bone and top of thigh.

sofaboy73

felix.london wrote:

Thewaylander wrote:

Saying that - nearly every off I have I scrape or bruise one of my hips and/or thighs so should really invest in something for that region

me too, forgetting to take the car / house keys out of the shorts pocket and in the riding pack hasn't helped either!