Knee pad type

Rad2474
Rad2474 Posts: 162
edited August 2014 in MTB buying advice
Thinking of investing in a set of kneepads,looked t the 661 rage and fox and nukeproof ones on crc all get good ratings.
I want them for when i ride at Hamsterley and was wondering wether i should go for hard shell or soft i don't do downhill just the red black and blue routes. Any advice in this area would be most welcome.

Comments

  • Lewis A
    Lewis A Posts: 767
    For trail centre and all round riding Dainese Trail Skins are great, they feel odd at first compared to regular pads, but are so much more comfy.
    Cube Analog 2012 with various upgrades.
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    I've got some Fox Launch Enduros and they're pretty damn awesome, not huge amounts of protection but just enough to ward off the knocks and being essentially a padded lycra sleeve means they're super light and hardly noticeable while riding.
  • ej2320
    ej2320 Posts: 1,543
    I was looking for pads a while back, go for the soft/d30 type ones for more comfort

    basically I was between the trail skins and raceface ambush
    went for the RF in the end because I wanted a bit more protection but if you don't want as much padding go for the trail skins.. the ambush can get a bit warm
  • CitizenLee
    CitizenLee Posts: 2,227
    I generally hate pads, but I find these really comfy and soon forget I'm wearing them.

    Bliss ARG Keenpads

    The use Armourgel which is similar to the D30 stuff.
    Current:
    NukeProof Mega FR 2012
    Cube NuRoad 2018
    Previous:
    2015 Genesis CdF 10, 2014 Cube Hyde Race, 2012 NS Traffic, 2007 Specialized SX Trail, 2005 Specialized Demo 8
  • poah
    poah Posts: 3,369
    I've got the trail skins and they are pretty dam good. Light, good fit, don't slip down and they have side padding as well http://wp.me/p4HYH0-M
  • Ferrals
    Ferrals Posts: 785
    I've also got the trail skins.. problem is I can't quite bring myself to wear them, I've worn them around the house and they feel comfy but the thought of powering up a hill in them is stopping my from putting them on. I'm sure I'll be posting a picture of a destroyed knee soon! :-)
  • CitizenLee
    CitizenLee Posts: 2,227
    Ferrals wrote:
    I've also got the trail skins.. problem is I can't quite bring myself to wear them, I've worn them around the house and they feel comfy but the thought of powering up a hill in them is stopping my from putting them on. I'm sure I'll be posting a picture of a destroyed knee soon! :-)

    Run up and down the stairs a few times ;)
    Current:
    NukeProof Mega FR 2012
    Cube NuRoad 2018
    Previous:
    2015 Genesis CdF 10, 2014 Cube Hyde Race, 2012 NS Traffic, 2007 Specialized SX Trail, 2005 Specialized Demo 8
  • Angus Young
    Angus Young Posts: 3,063
    Ferrals wrote:
    I've also got the trail skins.. problem is I can't quite bring myself to wear them, I've worn them around the house and they feel comfy but the thought of powering up a hill in them is stopping my from putting them on. I'm sure I'll be posting a picture of a destroyed knee soon! :-)

    What's the issue?
    All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
    Kona Process 134 viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=12994607
  • poah
    poah Posts: 3,369
    Ferrals wrote:
    I've also got the trail skins.. problem is I can't quite bring myself to wear them, I've worn them around the house and they feel comfy but the thought of powering up a hill in them is stopping my from putting them on. I'm sure I'll be posting a picture of a destroyed knee soon! :-)

    they don't bother me at all - I forget they are even on and try to take my shorts off over them :lol:
  • sofaboy73
    sofaboy73 Posts: 574
    depends where you're riding but i would go for ones that have a flexible plastic shell built in to them eg the fox launch pro etc.

    can't see how thinner (no shell) pads provide anything more than abrasion protection and on a knee vs tree / rock interface your still going to be coming off worse. i end up doing a fair few rocky downhills in the peak and launch pro's have saved my knee's on more than one occassion and they're not uncomfortable to wear.
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    As above it really doesn't matter where or what you ride the fact is if you fall off you are going to land on your knees which is why knee protection is big business. Knees are a bit like wheels they can put up with all kinds of abuse until you hit them or sideways load them but unlike wheels they are quite difficult to fix.

    I prefer the floating hard shell pads they can be bulky but Fox Launch or their virtually identical Nukeproof clones have it sorted they're all-day comfortable especially after wearing them in. Have tested mine a lot they shrug off trail rash like it never happened and for proppa impacts they are amazing. Just get up and carrying on riding

    Get some you won't regret it
  • poah
    poah Posts: 3,369
    sofaboy73 wrote:
    depends where you're riding but i would go for ones that have a flexible plastic shell built in to them eg the fox launch pro etc.

    can't see how thinner (no shell) pads provide anything more than abrasion protection and on a knee vs tree / rock interface your still going to be coming off worse. i end up doing a fair few rocky downhills in the peak and launch pro's have saved my knee's on more than one occassion and they're not uncomfortable to wear.

    remember that they are not ment for DH runs.
  • Ferrals
    Ferrals Posts: 785
    Ferrals wrote:
    I've also got the trail skins.. problem is I can't quite bring myself to wear them, I've worn them around the house and they feel comfy but the thought of powering up a hill in them is stopping my from putting them on. I'm sure I'll be posting a picture of a destroyed knee soon! :-)

    What's the issue?
    I think the heat and restriction will slow me down going up hill and as a lot of my rides I'm in semi xc training mode they stay at home :oops: to be fair, I'm recovering from a shoulder injury so am just cruising the downs and when I'm back to speed and riding more tech trails I'm sure I'll wear them. Will prob give them a crack this week and realise they aren't a hindrance at all and never take them off :lol:
  • sofaboy73
    sofaboy73 Posts: 574
    POAH wrote:
    sofaboy73 wrote:
    depends where you're riding but i would go for ones that have a flexible plastic shell built in to them eg the fox launch pro etc.

    can't see how thinner (no shell) pads provide anything more than abrasion protection and on a knee vs tree / rock interface your still going to be coming off worse. i end up doing a fair few rocky downhills in the peak and launch pro's have saved my knee's on more than one occassion and they're not uncomfortable to wear.

    remember that they are not ment for DH runs.

    fair point, but you still get rocks and tree's other than on down hill runs. having wacked my knee on some lovely lumps of rock in coed y brenin recently i'll stick to the greater protection of the plastic shell
  • Angus Young
    Angus Young Posts: 3,063
    edited August 2014
    Ferrals wrote:
    Ferrals wrote:
    I've also got the trail skins.. problem is I can't quite bring myself to wear them, I've worn them around the house and they feel comfy but the thought of powering up a hill in them is stopping my from putting them on. I'm sure I'll be posting a picture of a destroyed knee soon! :-)

    What's the issue?
    I think the heat and restriction will slow me down going up hill and as a lot of my rides I'm in semi xc training mode they stay at home :oops: to be fair, I'm recovering from a shoulder injury so am just cruising the downs and when I'm back to speed and riding more tech trails I'm sure I'll wear them. Will prob give them a crack this week and realise they aren't a hindrance at all and never take them off :lol:

    They're only knee pads, not a spacesuit.
    All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
    Kona Process 134 viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=12994607
  • Angus Young
    Angus Young Posts: 3,063
    Ah, yes, I see how they might be a little sweaty and restrictive. Nice and bouncy, though.
    All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
    Kona Process 134 viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=12994607
  • poah
    poah Posts: 3,369
    Ferrals wrote:
    Ferrals wrote:
    I've also got the trail skins.. problem is I can't quite bring myself to wear them, I've worn them around the house and they feel comfy but the thought of powering up a hill in them is stopping my from putting them on. I'm sure I'll be posting a picture of a destroyed knee soon! :-)

    What's the issue?
    I think the heat and restriction will slow me down going up hill and as a lot of my rides I'm in semi xc training mode they stay at home :oops: to be fair, I'm recovering from a shoulder injury so am just cruising the downs and when I'm back to speed and riding more tech trails I'm sure I'll wear them. Will prob give them a crack this week and realise they aren't a hindrance at all and never take them off :lol:

    my knees only heat up when I'm standing still, they stay cool when cycling
  • Angus Young
    Angus Young Posts: 3,063
    POAH wrote:
    my knees only heat up when I'm standing still, they stay cool when cycling

    If I'm standing still for any length of time I drop them round my ankles because I like the nonchalant teenager look.
    All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
    Kona Process 134 viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=12994607