# Knee/Shin Pads



## jen0910 (Mar 25, 2009)

Hi, not sure if this topic has been brought up before but I couldn't find a current thread. A recent combination of riding with new (and more aggressive) friends, new pedals, and night rides has been tearing up my knees and shins and I decided I needed some pads to prevent future scars. I have been wearing my boyfriends old hard 661 knee shin pads and they aren't great. The velcro straps move around and lot so they slide down and the pads in general are too long for my shins and they dig into my ankles on longer rides. I do mostly trail riding and would ideally like something that is low profile to prevent cuts and scrapes but also allows me to pedal freely. I would like knee protection and like 3/4 shin protection for pedal hits. Any suggestions would be great. Thanks!

I have been looking into the Fuse Echo pads but they seem new and don't have many reviews.

Fuse Protection » 75 KNEE SHIN COMBO

I also tried on some 661 Exo pads but I didn't like the way that they fit.


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## BikeDestroyer (Jul 25, 2012)

You might want to also check out the G-Forms

PRO-X Knee-Shin Combo | G-Form


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## jen0910 (Mar 25, 2009)

Thanks for the suggestion, I have seen a lot of good reviews of those but I am worried that they wouldn't stay in place because they don't have any straps...and I would look like a robot, lol.


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## silvascape (Sep 11, 2014)

G Form pads are great. They are light and comfortable and they dont move around. They do their job but are not heavy duty hard pads and the lycra part can rip fairly easily. I like mine though.


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## jen0910 (Mar 25, 2009)

Thanks for the input, do you have the knee/shin combo pads or just knee pads? Is the sizing chart on their website pretty accurate?


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## silvascape (Sep 11, 2014)

I have the knee pads but wish I had bought the knee shin combo. I initially bought them for bmx racing so was not as worried about shins but now that I also wear them for MTB I wish I had bought the combo pads and will do so in the future. The sizing is pretty accurate but if you are on the border of sizes then go smaller size. I also have the elbow pads which I rate highly. The only thing I find with the gfrom pads is that if you have a high speed sliding sort of crash (which I have had bmx racing) then you tend to get a burn under the pads (nylon burn) which can still be ouchy. Having said that a superficial burn is way better than a break or severe gravel rash. I have found that for elbow pads any of the hard options seem to be good for direct impact but then they can move when you slide and I got gravel rash anyway. The GForm pads dont move so are good for impact and the slide afterwards but you can end up with a burn.


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## silvascape (Sep 11, 2014)

The fuse pads are sort of the next level up in terms of protection compared to the GForm. I have not seen the new model but like the older model. More durable than the GForm pads but also heavier, hotter and more restrictive IMHO.


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## Asterope (Mar 11, 2014)

Depending on whether I am trail riding or DH-ing, I wear either the Fox launch enduro pads (lighter weight, comfy and easy to pedal in) or POC VPD pads (bulky, flexible and fantastic protection but pedalling in them is not as comfortable for long distances)

The launch enduros dont have a strap but they stay up well and don't move around, whilst the POC VPDs have a strap. 

They are both hot to pedal in for a long time - but it's best to take that with a grain of salt as I live in the tropics and everything gets hot


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## JCWages (Jan 26, 2015)

Kali makes the Aazis Plus 180 and Plus 130 knee/shin guards. I like them because they are somewhere between a full shell guard and the ultralight G-Form or foam based guards. They cover quite a bit of area, have 3 straps, flex well for pedaling and are super cheap at $29. I think I have the 130. It covers most of my shin.

If your feet are slipping a lot I would try different shoes like 5 Ten Freeriders and good pedals like Wellgo B219.


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## jen0910 (Mar 25, 2009)

Thanks for all of the input and opinions. I am torn between the fuse pads and the g-form, I have looked at the Kalis and they seem nice too. I wish I could try them all on. 



F8L said:


> Kali makes the Aazis Plus 180 and Plus 130 knee/shin guards. I like them because they are somewhere between a full shell guard and the ultralight G-Form or foam based guards. They cover quite a bit of area, have 3 straps, flex well for pedaling and are super cheap at $29. I think I have the 130. It covers most of my shin.
> 
> If your feet are slipping a lot I would try different shoes like 5 Ten Freeriders and good pedals like Wellgo B219.


I actually have clipless pedals and I never really had a problem before. I just got the XTR pedals with a bit of a cage around them and the cage is apparently rather sharp. The problem isn't that my feet are coming off of the pedals while I am riding, its more that if I fall/crash and unclip the pedals hit my shins.


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## JCWages (Jan 26, 2015)

jen0910 said:


> Thanks for all of the input and opinions. I am torn between the fuse pads and the g-form, I have looked at the Kalis and they seem nice too. I wish I could try them all on.
> 
> I actually have clipless pedals and I never really had a problem before. I just got the XTR pedals with a bit of a cage around them and the cage is apparently rather sharp. The problem isn't that my feet are coming off of the pedals while I am riding, its more that if I fall/crash and unclip the pedals hit my shins.


Ouch!

The G-Forms have no real side padding and zero rear padding. The Kali's have some side padding and thicker material in the rear although I am careful to call it padding. The Dainese Trail Skins and Fox Launch Enduro offer more padding than the G-Form and probably pedal easier than the Kalis. So have a look at those as well.

You'll need to determine if side padding is important to you or not. Striking the sides of your knees on a top bar or stem (when falling) hurts. If you tend to fall a lot I would skip the G-Forms and get something more substantial like the Trail Skins or Kalis. Just my opinion.


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## jen0910 (Mar 25, 2009)

Stripes said:


> I know this sounds crazy, but you also have to check for fit.


I know, I wish I could try the pads on before ordering! I work at a bike shop right now so I can order stuff through them but I am kinda screwed if they don't fit because I can't return them.

I don't fall that much usually but I have been doing a lot of night riding on some technical trails and I did a race in the rain and fell because the rocks were super slippery. Now I have a bunch of scars on my shins/knees that I am trying to heal and not get any more.

That is a good tip about the lack of side protection with the gforms. I do hit my knees on the top tube even if I don't fall sometimes.


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## JCWages (Jan 26, 2015)

Can you go to other shops to try on guards?

The alternative is to just pay regular non-employee pricing and order them. At least you can return them if they don't fit and you're only out the shipping. You don't have to feel bad about it either because a lot of us do that. 

Kali AAZIS Armor Review - Mtbr.com

Dainese Trail Skins Kneepads - Review by mattwragg - Pinkbike

The Aazis seem like the best option for you given they actually offer shin protection and you can still pedal well in them. The Dainese are nice pads and offer better side protection but offer little shin protection and have less adjustability than the Aazis but more than most light guards. Since most guards are designed with men in mind, it is a good idea to either test fit before buying or buy ones with adjustable straps.

Here are more options in the light category.
Round-up: Best new lightweight knee and elbow pads - Mtbr.com


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## GGR Girl Wendy (Mar 19, 2014)

I have been using Kali for years. They don't slip. Many pads will start slipping over time, which defeats the entire purpose of pads. The Kali's don't. The problem I find with Gforms is they rip very easily. Get caught on a branch or a snag and they are ruined.


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## jen0910 (Mar 25, 2009)

GGR Girl Wendy said:


> I have been using Kali for years. They don't slip. Many pads will start slipping over time, which defeats the entire purpose of pads. The Kali's don't. The problem I find with Gforms is they rip very easily. Get caught on a branch or a snag and they are ruined.


Thanks for the info, I do get snagged by branches and thorns frequently so that is good to know.


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