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Best Mountain Bike Knee Pads Reviewed
If you are planning on going on a mountain bike adventure, your first port of call will be to purchase a quality bike.
However, this is not all that you need! You also need to ensure that you invest in protective gear, such as bike knee pads.
You may be contemplating if you actually need a pair of mountain bike knee pads. Trust us when we say, you need them! Time and time again we’ve seen too many injuries result due to improper protection. The skin around the knee area is not very durable, and you can end up do some serious and permanent damage if you don’t have the proper protective gear.
That’s why our team here at have scoured today’s saturated market to help you find the best mountain bike knee pads. Our team has reviewed our top 5 pair of knee pads so you can spend less time researching, and more time hitting the trails
Knee pad protection, comfort, and durability have all been enhanced by a considerable degree in recent times. They are more breathable and light than ever before, as well as boasting enhanced style. Therefore, there really is no excuse when it comes to buying knee pads. Plus, there is something for all budgets today.
There is simply no telling when you could end up having an accident, and that is why you need to make sure that you are protected for all eventualities.
Considering that, below, we are going to take a look at five of the best mountain bike knee pads below so that you can get a better understanding of which sort of products will be right for your adventure.
Check Out Our Favorite Mountain Bike Knee Pad
Top Mountain Bike Knee Pad Comparison Chart
Best Mountain Bike Knee Pads
1. FOX Racing Launch Pro D3O Mountain Bike Knee Pad
FOX Racing Launch Pro D3O Mountain Bike Knee Pad
Delivering high levels of quality, reliability, and style, you won’t be disappointed with the FOX Racing Launch Pro D3O Mountain Bike Knee Pad.
The thing that we like the most about these knee pads from Fox is how they manage to combine new and old technology effectively. Plus, the comfort and the fit are excellent as well.
The design has clearly been well-thought-out, giving you great peace of mind next time you go mountain biking.
At the heart of the design of this product is the D30 knee-cup, which has a great shape and has been wrapped in a material that is incredibly hard-wearing.
There is a thick plastic cap at the top, with Velcro attached to this. The aim here is that the plastic will not snag during a crash, ensuring that the knee pad does not slide down our leg.
You do not have to worry about overheating with the FOX Racing Launch Pro D3O Mountain Bike Knee Pad. While the neoprene sleeve is quite thick, it has been perforated heavily to ensure you do not overheat. You can also tailor the fit with the use of Velcro straps. Overall, there is a lot to like about the FOX Racing Launch Pro D3O Mountain Bike Knee Pad.
2. POC Joint VPD 2.0 Mountain Bike Knee Pad
POC Joint VPD 2.0 Mountain Bike Knee Pad
You will struggle to find better knee protection than what is offered by this knee bad! It contours to the knees effectively, delivering a comfortable and snug fit.
For those who have been involved in the world of mountain biking, you may be aware of the fact that POC has a reputation for creating some of the highest levels of protective items in the sport today.
The POC Joint VPD 2.0 Mountain Bike Knee Pad certainly does not let the team down. They stay in place effectively, so we never had any problem with movement. This is thanks to the simple design with the straps. You should also find no problem when it comes to maintaining your complete range of motion.
Finally, durability is a big plus when it comes to the POC Joint VPD 2.0 Mountain Bike Knee Pad, as you can expect them to last you for a long time, which is always good news.
3. Leatt Airflex Pro Mountain Bike Knee Pad
Leatt Airflex Pro Mountain Bike Knee Pad
From the side protection to the CE protection and great ventilation, there is certainly a lot of good qualities that are associated with these knee pads.
If you have never heard of Leatt before, this is a company from South Africa that speicalises in protective products, so you know you are going to get the best of the best.
The use of AirFlex gel in these kneepads is interesting. The name of the pads, and the protection offered, comes from the AirFlex gel, which is pre-shaped knee pieces of triangular segmented geodesic gel.
Aside from this, there are three further firm foam pads, with one that sits above the knee pad and then one at each side of the knee.
You can see that there has been a lot of thought behind the design and construction of the Leatt Airflex Pro Mountain Bike Knee Pad, and it pays off, as the performance is excellent.
The knee cap is very flexible. It comes with a silicone gripper, which aids in terms of ensuring that these knee pads stay in place whenever you are pedalling on your mountain bike.
One thing you may have noticed is that there are not any straps. Because of this, the importance of using the Leatt sizing guide cannot be overlooked. If you do not use this, there is an extremely high chance you will end up with knee pads that are not right for you.
4. Kali Protectives Strike Mountain Bike Knee Pad
Kali Protectives Strike Mountain Bike Knee Pad
You can expect excellent performance with these knee pads. With good protection and a great range of motion, you will have knee pads that you can always rely on. The Kali Protectives Strike Mountain Bike Knee Pads have Xelion padding to provide the main protection. This is a material that looks like honeycomb and sits at the front of the leg, over the knee cap.
It will run toward the high shin area from the knee down. At each side, there is a small cut, which is designed to enable the pad to flex correctly without there being any creases or bulges.
The Xelion material is very soft. In fact, you can bend it with your hands with ease. It would then simply move back to the natural position slowly.
There are then two foam padding blocks on the inside and the outside of each leg. These blocks are quite thin but they are in a beneficial position. Should you experience an off-kilter impact, you want to make sure that there is some type of protection outside of the chief armour patch.
In terms of the sleeve part of these knee pads, they are a decent length, providing you with a small amount of sun protection too, which is always a nice touch.
Plus, we feel that purely having a little bit of added fabric below the knee pad is advantageous when riding a mountain bike. It will protect you from thorns and branches that could end up getting in your way.
5. Alpinestars Paragon Mountain Bike Knee Pad
Alpinestars Paragon Mountain Bike Knee Pad
These knee pads are lightweight, slim, and offer excellent value for money, ensuring comfortable pedalling protection.
The sleeve is elasticated, bringing great levels of comfort while also being breathable. Extending down to the shin, you get plenty of protection without having to worry about any movement of chafing.
We can tell that the Alpinestars Paragon Mountain Bike Knee Pad has been designed with ease of wear and use in mind. They are very easy to pedal in, incredibly durable, and lightweight as well.
An elasticated sleeve design is used, ensuring the kneecap is encircled correctly, from the tip of the kneecap to the mid-shin, ensuring a broad level of protection so you are protected from pedal strikes and falls. We feel that Alpinestar has really managed to find a good balance between comfort and protection.
You will also get silicone grippers are the top of the knee pads, as well as a second one that is over the calf, helping to ensure the Alpinestars Paragon Mountain Bike Knee Pad stays in place while in use.
Flexible and well constructed, you get the freedom that you need from these knee pads while still being fully protected. We are sure you will not be disappointed if you decide to go for this option.
Top Mountain Bike Knee Pads Features To Consider
Now that you know more about some of the best mountain bike knee pads for sale today, we are going to end by discussing some of the most critical elements and characteristics people need to be looking for when buying this sort of product.
Size
The first thing that you need to do is take your dimensions so that you can make sure the mountain bike knee pads you purchase are right for you.
After all, everyone has different sized legs and knees, so you need to make sure that the pads you purchase are right for you. Keep your measurements handy while shopping. You should measure four inches below and above the knee to determine what sort of knee pad is going to be the right size for you.
In addition to this, it is important to make sure you read the size chart every time you consider a pair of knee pads. This is because different brands and companies use different size charts, so you do not want to get caught out in this regard.
A lot of people are confused regarding the sort of fit that they should expect when it comes to wearing their kneepads. Kneepads need to keep in place. That is the most important point.
Of course, they should not be restrictive to the point whereby you cannot move your knee fully, as this is also a safety hazard. The fit should be snug. Not only is a loose fit uncomfortable and dangerous, but it can lead to chafing because of the bunched-up fabric that occurs as a consequence.
Price
Of course, you will need to consider the price of the knee pads. A budget is something we all have to adhere to when buying any sort of product in life, and it is likely that mountain bike knee pads are no different.
It is not a good idea to simply look for the cheapest knee pads you can find, though. You need to make sure that the knee pads are the right fit for you, and then you can differentiate based on price.
Reviews
A final recommendation when looking for the best knee pads is to take the time to read reviews that have been left by other individuals online. This is beneficial because you can get a real insight into the quality of product and whether or not other people would recommend it.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, there are a lot of different factors that need to be considered when you are searching for the best mountain bike knee pads for your needs.
However, we hope that the ideas and suggestions that have been mentioned above will help you to determine which option is going to be right for you. We are sure that if you go for one of the five knee pads that have been mentioned above you won’t be disappointed.