6 Best MTB Knee Pads Reviews and Buying Guide 2022
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This is an-depth review article that is 3000+ long. Inside, the review will answer questions that you will ever need to know about buying a knee pads. Additional, this review was updated last year three times to include answers to questions that first time buyers had about the knee pads.
Like the section on how to wash a knee pads was one of the concern that first time buyers had and we decided to include that as well. So if you have any question, please leave a comment or contact us and we will be happy to help you. Now let dive in and look at....
Table of Contents
Hand Picks Best MTB Knee Pads
Like the section on how to wash a knee pads was one of the concern that first time buyers had and we decided to include that as well. So if you have any question, please leave a comment or contact us and we will be happy to help you. Now let dive in and look at....
Best Value | Best Rating | Premium Choice |
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McDavid 6440 HEX Mountain Bike Pads | JBM BMX Bike Knee Pads and Elbow Pads | LAUNCH PRO D3O KNEE GUARD |
JBM BMX Bike Knee Pads and Elbow Pads
The JBM BMX knee and elbow pads with wrist guards lets you engage in extreme and aggressive sport without you worrying about a fall or an injury.
Its quality made with premium materials that deliver superior support and excellent cushioning.
For instance, the hard plastic material handles cracks and spills effectively without cracking or falling apart. Quick Interesting Features to Note:
High impact resistant: The knee pads features high quality materials that are tough and durable PP, PE that are breathable and allow a person to have better riding experience with awesome protection.
Designed for all: The JBM knee pads are a size fit for all. It includes adjustable straps that are flexible to fit a person with different sizes of elbows and knees. The knee pads stay together in position there by providing the rider with custom secure fit.
Combo packages: You get lots of accessories when you buy this item. Apart from the JMB knee pads, you get the following: Wrist guard, knee pads, and elbow pads. All of which will give your elbow, wrist and knees superior protection.
Adult only: The knee pads are designed to be used by adults who have riding experience and not young people.
LAUNCH PRO D3O MTB KNEE GUARD
The fox launch D30 MTB knee guard lets you ride your bike, inline skate with lots of confidence knowing that all the vital body parts are safe and well protected from injury.
The fox racing launch pro knee pad are designed to offer you the right balance of comfort and protection. Quick Interesting Features to Note:
Delivers long riding experience: You can ride your bike for 5 hours without feeling that the knee or elbow pads are failing or wiggling. Its elastic materials keeps the knee pads in position such that you wouldn't even feel if you have this pads on.
Velcro Strap: It comes with a Velcro strap that covers the neoprene straps for light compression support. The full neoprene sleeve guarantees perfect fit and protection around the calf region.
Fits Fantastic: Fits your knees and elbow well that you won't even notice that you have it. With this knee pads comes the superb support that will improve your riding experience.
Bodyprox Anti-Slip Avoidance Knee Protector
The Bodyprox knee pads thick sponge collision will give you additional stability and support to your knees when making those reflex actions.
You don't have to tore your knees, what you need is a knee pads like this which is thin and doesn’t' irritate your skin and smell. Quick Interesting Features to Note:
Effective for longer use: The individual stitching makes this pads hold in place and puffed for effective use in an extended period of time.
Custom fit: They are comfortable and stay in place, you don't have to worry about the knee pads pinching or bunching your skin. They are light weight, sturdy and well-made.
Durable: Comes with lots of pads to protect your knees from all kinds of injury and fall. Their quality is unbelievable excellent that is because the pads are capable of absorbing injuries and shock.
McDavid 6440 HEX Mountain Bike Pads
With McDavid 6440 knee pad you will feel like crawling on a cushioned pillow. That is because they are so soft.
They are capable of protecting your Achilles and calves during a Tyrolean traverse by just rotating the pads around the calves. Quick Interesting Features to Note:
Feather light for light compressional support: The knee pads provide light support compression for those people with knee injuries without hampering restriction. The fact, that they are light means that you can cycle for 12 hours in running, climbing and riding and you won't feel like the pads are pinching you or move out from their position.
Fits and feel: The pads will give you a snug fit to your knees and wrist that you won't feel the need to adjust after every sprint, slide and tackle.
Quality material for long lasting experience: It has a nice combination of materials. The rest of the pads are made up of 80% fabric, nylon and spandex take 20%. The combination is excellent because it allows for better flexibility and comfort to the body of the rider.
Fox Racing Titan Pro MTB Shin Guards
The Fox racing knee pads provides premium coverage to the entire shin. They come with a Velcro closure on the upper strap that lets you adjust the length for custom fit secure fit.
You will love the quick release mechanism feature which lets you unfasten the crossing straps in the back of the knees/calf. Quick Interesting Features to Note:
The upper and lower straps: The fox racing launch safety box has both the upper and lower straps attached on the sides of the hard plastic located on the snaps-on the knee guard. The role they play here is to let you adjust the straps for custom secure fit.
Snap buckle: On each side of the knee pads, there is a snap buckle for easy take on and off without you having to remove your shoes.
The knee pads stays in position: Even in extreme sports or situation the knee pads will stay in position with or without pants. That is what differentiated this knee pads from other.
Fox Head Mens Launch D30 Knee Guard
You will feel like having an extra layer of skin. That is the experience you will have when you get yourself a pair of Fox Head Mens Launch D30.
You will also notice that the upper straps are fitted in such a way they won't circulate when tightened. Quick Interesting Features to Note:
Hard tough pads: You have enough pads on the knees and shin that gives you enough support and aid movement. That means no matter what situation you are in, the knee pads won't get in the way of your ride.
Fit and feel: Comes with a silicone gripper that keeps the pads in place for a snug custom fit. The knee pads have elastic straps at both ends-top and bottom to hold the pads in position. You will never feel the need to adjust the straps, which still preserves the elasticity and keeps the Velcro in an excellent shape.
Things You Should Know Before The Best MTB Knee Pads
Buying a knee pad is not that simple. It is not as easy as getting inside a restaurant selecting what is the menu. That is because knee pads are designed different to fulfill specific purpose. They perform different functions when worn. That's why this MTB knee pads Reviews article for those who wants best for them.
The knee pad for extreme sports is made differently from a knee pad for other casual activities. For that reason, in this section I want to go through everything that can assist you make the right decision about choosing a knee pad.
Check out the factors that you want in knee pads, then use those to select the product that you want.
What do You Want to Use the Knee Pads for?
Why are you buying a knee pad? Do you want to have it for light activities like kneeling down? Or you want to have one for extreme sports like biking, snowboarding?Knee pads for light activities are made using different materials same for those designed for sport activities.
If you play football, volleyball or rugby you will need a knee pad without hard-shell. A soft fabric knee pad will be ideal for any sports because your movement won't be hampered. Hard-shell knee pads can cause a problem because they can impair movements.
For those of you who love extreme sports like biking, you will need a knee pad hard plates in front of the knee cap. The purpose of hard plates is to prevent you from breaking your bones.
The pads made for extreme sports are designed to absorb shock and injuries. Depending on what you need the knee pad, don’t blindly choose an item that may be uncomfortable for you.
They are designed with certain characteristics. So you need to choose the item that fits your ideal situation.
Padding/Cushioning
Pads are important in a knee pads. They are the one that shield you from injuries and shock. Fortunately, pads come in different forms. Not all pads are designed the same. Here are the different forms of pads and their function.
Foam padding: They are firm and efficiently. They perform the role of absorbing blows from impact. However, they are not that efficient if you fall.
Specially formulated gel: This is another type of pad that performs the role of shifting your movement and adjusting itself when your knees perform certain bends.
Fabric type padding: They are not the efficient but they do provide the basic support that you will need to have on your knees.
Size
You need to select the right size. Before you buy any knee pad you may need to measure the size of your knee.
Let me caution you about something. A loose or tight knee pad won't give you the right balance of comfort and protection that you need.
You want something that fits your snugly without wiggling or pinching you. If you are a sports persons, choose a knee pad that comes with multiple sizes.
The Material
Materials play an important role when it comes to the selection for a knee pad. They determine the lifespan and durability of the knee pad. The material will tell you if you have a knee pad that provides lasting performance or not. They are different types of material that are used to make knee pads. I will just outline a few which I think we help you make up your decision.
Elastane/Spandex/lycra material: These materials are elastic in nature. Like any elastic material, they aide smooth movement in the knee pads. They are the ideal material if you want to choose a knee pad that you will use for running, climbing and other extreme sport activities. Additional, elastic materials prevent sweat from accumulating and the knee pad from getting wet.
Cotton material: Cotton material is durable. Cotton material give the knee pad that soft and breathability state that adds softness. For that reason, cotton material hardly irritates the skins. They also prevent sweat.
Polyester/Polyethylene terephthalate material: The polyester is a strong material that is rich in a combination of natural fabrics that adds extra strength and durability to knee pads. With a polyester material, the knee pad is able to endure falls and tough conditions without ripping. Polyester materials are water resistant and they don't collect sweat even for a 5 hour ride.
Neoprene/ Polychloroprene material: The Neoprene is a rubber like material that is capable of offering excellent flexibility and chemical flexibility. Knee pads made from Neoprene material are abrasion resistant. In case you fall the Neoprene material in the knee pad softens the blows, thereby losing the impact.
Metal material: Knee pad made from metal material are heavy duty and offer superior protection than any other types of knee pad. Metal knee pad can protect you from all types of injuries and shock. Although they will offer you that heavy protection and withstand vigorous blow and can't crack.
However, they are not that comfortable to wear. They will not move with your legs like other knee pads made from silicone or neoprene material. The question is who should use the metal knee pad?
Metal knee pad are perfect for cyclist or motorcycle riders but You cannot use in sports. That's why there are so many knee sleeves available for particular sports. You can find knee sleeves for basketball, squats, football etc.
Silicone material: If you look at the lining of knee pad, you will come across silicone most of the time. That is because it is used there to prevent sliding of the knee pad while you are doing motion activities.The advantage of silicone materials is that it creates superb grip with skin and even protect the skin against sweat.
Plastic material: Plastic knee pad are made for a person who participates heavily in the contact sport. They offer the basic protection like other knee pads. However, plastic knee pads lack flexibility and never stretch enough to give the leg more room for movement.
Rubber material: It is heavily used in the manufacture of knee pad that is because it is water proof and elastic in nature. It is also water resistant and gives your knees that ultimate support and protection that it needs.
How to Clean MTB Knee Pad
Knee pads have complicated designs and structure, because of that people wonder how they can wash these items and still use them. Most knee pads have sensitive materials that when you wash with detergents it may harm the knee pads and make it lose its effectiveness and strength.
Not every detergent will work well with the knee pad. They are two ways you can go about washing a knee pad. You can either wash it with hands or machine. I will explain in both cases. Let start with the first case.
Washing the Knee Pad With Hands
Now before we do the washing, it is vital that you know that knee pads can be smelly. And if you have not washed it for that long, this odor may prevent you from washing it. Fortunately there is a way you can end this odor.
All you need to do is place the knee pad in a ziplock baggy with charcoal pouch. Doing this will absorb the smell and you will be left with an odorless knee pad. You can leave it a ziplock baggy as long as you want or until you are satisfied that the smell has disappeared.
Oxygenated Type of Detergents
Like I said before, not every detergent will be perfect for washing the knee pad. Top choice in our case is the oxygenated type of detergents like oxy clean detergent.
These types of detergent are effective in removing all the dirt and bacteria in the knee pad. Once you have the detergent, you can clean the knee pad gentle to remove all the soils and stains.
After you have done that, never dry. Instead, let the knee pad sit on water or lemon juice solution for some hours....I leave mine for 4 hours in the water.
After 4 hours, remove the knee pads and wash it again with the same detergent, then air dry it.
Some Interesting Questions About MTB Knee Pad
Will the knee pad withstand tough terrains?
Yes. But it depends on the kind of knee pad that you have bought. Look through the features, the material and ask yourself what is the purpose of the knee pads? If you have answers to those question, then am 100% sure that you will choose a knee pad that stand tough terrains.
How long will I last with the knee pads?
If you are playing football, you can last with it for two seasons. That is if you take care of it well for lasting performance. On average I think, you can stay with for two years if they are maintain well.
What can I do with tight knee pads?
You need to stretch them out using your shoes overnight. If you have large shoes, you can use them to stretch the pads.
How can I keep my knee pad from smelling awful?
There is no way about it. You only need to wash and clean them. Don't spray them like other people in the forum have, I did that and it caused an irritation to my skin.
Conclusion
There is no article about best MTB knee pads that does in-depth analysis like this. I believe I have answered every question that you need to know when you landed on this site. It is not like you came.
My belief is that the information I have given you, won't make you sit at the fence but assist you to make the right choices. If you still have a question, you can leave in the comment below and we will be happy to assist you promptly.
