Which knee pads are you guys using?

Posted by: WeTYC...

Vik, is the back side of the SmartFlex on the G-Form totally smooth, or does it have any channels in it to maybe allow a little air movement between the sleeve and pad?

So I've currently just got these G-Form pads: https://www.jensonusa.com/G-Form-Elite-Knee-Shin-Guards

I haven't bought any other G-Forms yet although I plan to. The pad material feels smooth on these at the rear side of the pad. They do have some ventilation holes on the shin area to let air through. I wear them for all day rides with no issues in the cooler parts of the year. I have not worn them in the summer here in Coastal BC. My friends do where the smaller G-Form pads all summer and I have not heard about any issues with heat build up or lack of ventilation being an issue. So I expect they'll be fine, but I won't know until I get a set.

I'll buy the "rugged" version next: https://www.jensonusa.com/G-Form-Pro-Rugged-Knee-Guards

These use different pad materials so not sure how the rear of the pad differs. I'll post something here when I get them.

Does anyone have experience with the Leatt 3DF 6.0 Knee pad?  I see they're getting a 21 rating. Looking more for moto riding, sledding and gravity laps with these.

Like how bulky of a pad is it? Does it fit under your riding pants and do shorts fit over the top? How hot are they?

Just got a pair of Leatt 3DF 6.0 recently, but I haven't ridden in them yet. So far, I'd say they are quite bulky, but on par with my Dakine Hellions. They fit nicely under my shorts (Dakine, TLD Skyline, older cut knickers) and don't get stuck. I was right into the middle of the sizing chart and they fit well but I'm hoping that they won't stretch too much. Anything specific you'd like to know?

Pads are another personal item you need to try on in person so go to  shop with lots of brand in all sizes and try on a bunch

and pay list

/\ 5 minutes in a shop and a few dollars extra, save you months of buying and returning pads. I bought like 5 pairs online that didn't work out like an idiot. 

Plus, selection at the shops on the Shore is outstanding

Yup ^^ and after all the wanking around i bet it cost you mo money than if you just bought it at your LBS,

Some things you can buy on line but pretty much everything that needs to fit you to work right

be it pads or ski boots or shoes or clothing needs to fit, consider if you go down wearing pads that don't fit right

they may not stay in place to save your skin

i did manage to get a prefect fit online with AT boots but I was lucky and i did some research

Chromag rifts have become my knee food of choice.

I'm on the Leatt 3DF 5.0. The site only lists zip options, but mine are pull-up.

As long as I hoist them up properly they're great, if I leave them at all low I get some chafing behind the knee. 

As above, went to a shop and tried on everything.

Posted by: DanL

Chromag rifts have become my knee food of choice.

Same.  I put them on at the house and take them off at the house - even when I have to drive 45 minutes to the trails.  They're super comfortable and don't move around.

Posted by: martin

Just got a pair of Leatt 3DF 6.0 recently, but I haven't ridden in them yet. So far, I'd say they are quite bulky, but on par with my Dakine Hellions. They fit nicely under my shorts (Dakine, TLD Skyline, older cut knickers) and don't get stuck. I was right into the middle of the sizing chart and they fit well but I'm hoping that they won't stretch too much. Anything specific you'd like to know?

How big they actually are? Looking to wear them under NF pants for gravity, and under Fox moto pants and my sledding suit. 

Good side protection too?

We need more good knee pads with shins that aren't plastic roach style pads from the 90s. Most of the options are either terrible looking (IMO) or don't fit me well at all.

My Race Face flanks from 2015ish are getting pretty fucked lol. They haven't fit well or been comfortable in like 3 years, I don't want to buy another pair since I don't like them anymore but I find them the least shitty out of all the rest of the options I could find locally.

I think the plastic caps came back into style when people realized that they slide over hard ground better than fabric knee pads (which tend to just get pulled down out of place). I just updated from my RF Ambush (D30) to RF Roam (with plastic caps and D3O), but havent had enough time on them to say if they are better or worse. The deal breaker for me is that I need a pad that I dont have to take my shoe off to put on. There are very few apart from RF that have this option.

Posted by: Ride.DMC

Posted by: DanL

Chromag rifts have become my knee food of choice.

Same. I put them on at the house and take them off at the house - even when I have to drive 45 minutes to the trails. They're super comfortable and don't move around.

I've crashed in mine twice and they've pulled down and messed up my knees both times. Time for something else.

Thinking about leatt airflex.

I am running the Fox enduro sleeves for easy trail rides and the full-on burly d30 ones for park and proper smashing. Easy trail rides are about surfing and playfully riding in a relaxed atmosphere, mostly with my kid, whereas shuttle or park laps require way more protection, again with my kid most of the times.