New knee pad brand- flexible, insta-hard pads

[Tele 'til You're Smelly]

http://www.earnyourturns.com/22353/r...pads/#comments From EarnYourTurns- thoughts? Sound like the long john shimmy and stiff-when-cold issues issue may be deal breakers, but too bad because they sound pretty cool otherwise

[repete]

One of my friends put his kneepads to use a few years ago, the plastic shell cracked when he hit a rock. I know he hurt his knee but not seriously, if there was greater energy absorption behind the shell perhaps he would have suffered no injury. I wonder how the g-form pads would work against a direct impact with a solid object, they seem like they are better designed for sports in person to person contact.

[James]

I read that article a few days ago. I also have a a pair of those exact knee pads so I decided to try them. They did not stay on long enough for me to leave the house. They were the most annoying and irritating knee pads I have ever used and I have used all of the ski ones. I never thought of them as comfortable but something about wearing them over a thin base layer and walking around drove me nuts. Obviously based on the article YMMV.

[MattB]

They would look pretty awesome on the outside of the pants. Like Spider Man.

[Dostie]

They did not stay on long enough for me to leave the house. They were the most annoying and irritating knee pads I have ever used and I have used all of the ski ones. I never thought of them as comfortable but something about wearing them over a thin base layer and walking around drove me nuts. Obviously based on the article YMMV.

Your experience was my expectation, but they seemed to work fine. I did expect them to wiggle down my leg so I pulled them higher than I would have if they were next to skin. They did slide down a bit, but settled into a decent position for the duration of a 1400' skin up and ski back down. Over a pair of long undies they do cause the fabric to bunch up a bit behind the knee, but it wasn't unbearable. Good to hear another experience. I think the main thing I don't like is they aren't easy to add on at the trailhead without taking your pants off. BD kneepads can be easily added with pants on.

[chamonix]

I use the Voile Knee pads. With side zips on my Arcteryx bibs, I skin up with the knee pads in my pack, then at top of climb open the side zips from above (to just below the knee), slide in the knee pads, then fasten the clips on the outside of each knee. Zip the side zips closed, good to ski down. On cold days at the resort, they seem to keep my knees warmer too. I just hate skinning up with Knee pads on, cuts off my circulation, and makes me overheat..

On my AT setup, I don't wear knee pads. Knees can get colder on the down, but transitions are quicker.

[Nurse Ben]

I have used the "insta hard" shin pads for muni riding, they're kinda expensive, never really tested them for anything other than pedal bites, not sure if I'd trust them like a BD hard shell pad. Like Repete suggested, a combo hardshell lined with that foam would be cool, though it'd be kind thick.

I have had a couple big rock hits with the BD's, one hit was hard enough to melt my ski pants onto the plastic shell of the pad. I did have a really sore knee for a few months, but the hit was hard enough that it flipped through the air, so without the pad I figure it would have been a knee reconstruction.

A big hit is a big hit, not sure anything can protect you 100%.