# Knee/shin guard recommendations?



## Jyn (Apr 6, 2009)

Need something that covers knee down and doesn’t move. Recommendations?


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## kevinboyer (Jan 19, 2012)

https://www.raceface.com/products/details/flank-leg-guards

RaceFace Flank Knee/Shin Armor from BikeBling.com

I like these RF Flanks so much I bought 2 pair. No problems with them at all. No slipping, stays put.


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## dv8zen (Nov 30, 2017)

Some things I learned with arm and knee pads:
- if the pads have a lot of room to stretch through elasticity, it will slip
- if the pads are secured to parts of the body at the thicker part of a taper, it will slip to the narrower part of the taper (fat part of calves to lower part)
- silicone grippers can tug/pull on the skin and cause hair to become ingrown and itchy

Based on this, get a brand that has the bands that go around close to the joints, esp above the calf for knee/shin. Make sure the elastic and bands are stretched fairly taut, not just barely tensioned. If it's uncomfy, take it back. Don't expect it to break in, like it were some stiff material like leather.

I've tried the older RF Flanks and liked them. They ripped up though, from pedal pins eventually treating the holes in the neoprene as perforations. They addressed this weakness in the newer one, at cost of ventilation.


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## sapva (Feb 20, 2017)

Use soccer shin guards, Nike Mecurial. They stay in place (over full length socks) and so light I forget they are on.


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## Dr Evil (Sep 20, 2015)

Been riding the IXS Cleaver and absolutely love them! Comfortable, don't move and aren't too hot in the summer. iXS Cleaver Knee/Shin Guards | Jenson USA


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## Fairbanks007 (Sep 5, 2009)

I've been using these Alpinestars Moab knee pads for about 6 years: https://www.alpinestars.com/products/cycling/protection/moab-knee-shin-guard

I prefer hard shell pads to protect against slipped pedals and the ever present rocks of New England. They stay put reasonably well, though I'll usually wind up adjusting them about twice in a 2 to 2 1/2 hour ride that's got a moderate amount of climbing. Never had a problem with them feeling too hot. A couple of times a season I squirt them off with the hose and hang them outside to dry.


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## silentG (May 18, 2009)

I have tried a couple different knee/shin combos.

To me the trick is to find the right blend of good fit/comfort and then how much shin protection is enough.

The X factor will be the mix of up vs down as some pads are great going down but might feel a bit wooden on the uphill.

The good, bad, and ugly of what I have tried might help you figure it out.

I'm currently on RF Flank which are very comfortable, pedal great, and work really well.

They can be warm but I ran them over two Arizona summers without feeling like I was going to die.

My only beef with them is that once in awhile I will get a rock or something that pops up at speed or I run into something on the side (branch, piece of a log, etc) of a trail and will drill me on either side of the shin pad.

I had this happen with what looked like a boulder at the time - probably 8-9 inches square - a few weeks ago and it put a dent in my shin and hurt like a mutha with a nice goose egg on my shin to show for it.

If the Flank had a bit wider shin pad they would be pretty close to perfect.

They don't so that has me looking around right now for something with a bit more consistent shin coverage.

I have tried POC Bone Leg in the past and had issues with getting the fit just right.

I have a pair of IXS Cleavers that I have been rolling the past month or so. They are comfortable, pedal well, but I have had a heckuva time with strap rub behind the knees so I'm going to send those on their way.

I tried a pair of IXS Assaults and they were no bueno. Sent them back to Jenson as the fit was not so good as far a conforming to the leg. Should have learned my lesson before laying down coin on the Cleavers I guess as IXS and I aren't simpatico I guess.

I'm thinking about giving Kali Aazis 180 a whirl to see how those work/don't work.

I have had Leatt knee pads (the 3DF ones) in the past that I wore out eventually but they were really good and checked all of the boxes.

That makes me intrigued by the Hybrid Ext full shin but there aren't a ton of reviews out there on them to gauge how well they pedal and they aren't inexpensive to try out.

I wouldn't knock soccer shin guards as I have used those before and they are light, tough, and work really well. 

In some respects that is a good way to go as you can pair them with whatever knee pads you favor and you have a pretty flexible setup.

Sorry for the word avalanche, hope this is helpful in some way.


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## sapva (Feb 20, 2017)

I'm curious why so much attention to knee protection. Am I not crashing enough  Seems like the material would bunch up behind the knee and quickly cause irritation. Also most of those knee/shin combo pads seem to leave the mid-lower shin exposed. This is the area where I have always taken the most abuse from rocks, mt. laurel, pedal bites, etc.


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## kevinboyer (Jan 19, 2012)

sapva said:


> I'm curious why so much attention to knee protection. Am I not crashing enough  Seems like the material would bunch up behind the knee and quickly cause irritation. Also most of those knee/shin combo pads seem to leave the mid-lower shin exposed. This is the area where I have always taken the most abuse from rocks, mt. laurel, pedal bites, etc.


9 times out of 10 when I've gone down, my knees have always taken the brunt of the impact, hence the need for knee protection. The lower part of the shin is known to take the brunt of pin strikes from flat pedals which I ride. Not sure how long you've been riding or how aggressively you ride, but it's not the matter if you go down but more of when you go down. All knee pads are different. I was very fortunate that the Flanks fit me perfectly without ever demoing them. I also own a pair of the Bliss Team Knee/Shin pads which fit me perfectly as well. They are very similar to the Flanks.

Bliss Black Team Pair of MTB Knee and Shin Pad | Bliss | FreestyleXtreme America | United States


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## Jyn (Apr 6, 2009)

sapva said:


> I'm curious why so much attention to knee protection. Am I not crashing enough  Seems like the material would bunch up behind the knee and quickly cause irritation. Also most of those knee/shin combo pads seem to leave the mid-lower shin exposed. This is the area where I have always taken the most abuse from rocks, mt. laurel, pedal bites, etc.


Honesty, for me, they're to protect tatttoos. But coming from motorcycles, knee protection is a must.


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## Jyn (Apr 6, 2009)

Thanks for the recommendations. I’ve got the RaceFace, Alpinestars, and Kali’s on my list. 
I also considered soccer shin guards with a compression sleeve and separate knee pads.


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## jeremy3220 (Jul 5, 2017)

sapva said:


> I'm curious why so much attention to knee protection. Am I not crashing enough


I wear knee pads in case (when) the bike completely washes out under me, I hit a tree at speed, completely eat it on a jump, rocks, etc. Shin injuries tend to be more superficial. I've found grippy pedals and learning to get away from the pedals when I need to mostly eliminates pedal strikes.


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## JPmtb (Dec 2, 2017)

I use the race face flank, works great.


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## Rolling In Peace (Jul 20, 2012)

I want to ride in knee/shin guards this summer due to a ski injury to my right leg. I want to be cautious about further injuries to this leg

I’m torn between the Leatt EXT 3DF Hybrid and the Kali Azis Plus 180. Seems like the Leatt has better protection however the Kali may be a better fit since they have more sizes. Does anyone have personal experience with both of these and can make a recommendation?


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## silentG (May 18, 2009)

I have used both.

The Kali is bulky like hockey goalie pads it feels like. They also lasted one ride before my pedals ripped holes and gashes on the backs of the pads.

I just picked up the Leatt to replace RF Flank 
(over a year on these dudes, also recommended) and the Leatt are comfy, not bulky and pedal just fine. Better shin coverage than the Flank.

If you can spare the coin I would say Leatt is much better and feel/look better constructed.


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## silentG (May 18, 2009)

I would say that both the RF and Leatt fit a bit small in the thigh area while I found the Kali to be a bit large for the listed size


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## raaden03 (Nov 6, 2017)

I wear Leatt Knee & Shin GuardD 3DF Hybrid EXT. Durable and offers great mobility for my legs.


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## Rolling In Peace (Jul 20, 2012)

Perfect. Thanks guys, these were exactly the kinds of feedback I was looking for! Leatts it is!


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## Sadistic (Apr 24, 2019)

*For any new inquiry...*



Rolling In Peace said:


> Perfect. Thanks guys, these were exactly the kinds of feedback I was looking for! Leatts it is!


Same, I also use Leatt Knee & Shin GuardD 3DF Hybrid EXT. They are extremely comfortable, easy to put on (slip on, just turn them around strap up and they slide right on), and provide exceptional protection. I wear them out here in the Summer Vegas heat and they still keep me cool.


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