All Arround MTB

O’Neal’s Dirt pads are hot and sweaty, but they offer secure, low-profile protection at a bargain price. If you’re after breezy or easily-removable day-ride protection, these pads aren’t for you.With only a thin strip of mesh fabric up the rear of the otherwise neoprene construction, they don’t take long to heat up and get sweaty even in winter. The snug, tubular design isn’t easy to whip off in between enduro stages either – that’s what O’Neal’s Junction Lite pads are designed for. That sweaty hug, plus broad top and bottom Velcro straps, gives them excellent security when you crash, though. The segmented ‘IPX’ foam is pliable enough that you can still pedal OK but hardens on impact to meet EN-1621 L2 motorbike protection standards. They’re slim enough to sneak under skinny jeans, too, and at $67 are a bit of a bargain. Price $67

These ‘premium’ versions of Bluegrass’s Skinny pads use a D3O knee cup – which hardens upon impact – to boost protection without affecting comfort. With no straps, they rely on the tightness of the sleeve to keep them up, along with silicone grippers at the top and bottom. The mesh back helps keep everything in place and stops the pads flaring when your knee is fully bent. It also stops things getting too sweaty. We found the pads comfortable even on long days in the hills – but only once we’d pulled the lower opening up so that it sat above the calf muscle rather than across it. The pre-shaped D3O knee cup conforms to the leg nicely, wraps around the knee and offers a decent amount of coverage. It never once restricted movement on the bike. While its high volume means that it doesn’t feel as tightly pressed to your knee or as secure as the D3O cups on some other pads in this category, it stays put well enough without constant readjustment. HIGHS - Comfy for all-day stints in th

These futuristic-looking offerings are aimed at everything from aggro trail riding to DH racing. The soft knee cup gets a hard-shell covering to help you slide rather than snag should you bin it, and extends down the shin. According to 7iDP, the knitted sleeve gives a more supportive fit, improved durability and better breathability. The twin Velcro straps up top may change before the pads go into production. They’ll set you back around $150.

We’ve long been fans of Scott’s Grenade pads and the improvements made to the latest ‘Evo’ version mean that’s not likely to change any time soon. A heavily-formed, reassuringly-thick D3O cup covers your knee and the surrounding area, while chunky foam inserts are dotted above and on either side for extra protection. Possibly our favourite thing about the Grenade Evos is the strap placement. While the upper Velcro strap runs just below the top opening – nothing out of the ordinary there – the lower one is designed to hook up and over your calf muscle. This means the pads stay in place without you having to crank the straps up particularly tight. Even though they’re fairly heavy duty, you can still pedal in them with no discomfort, thanks in part to the airy mesh back panel. While the Grenade Evos are a touch slimmer than their predecessors, they’re still on the bulky side, which won’t suit everyone. Price $120

Some ‘pedalling friendly’ slip-on pads offer very little in the way of protection and are prone to sliding down, but this doesn’t look to be the case with the Soldier IIs. A D3O knee cap – which is soft when pedalling but hardens upon impact – and EVA padding on the sides should keep your knees intact, while the elasticated sleeve with silicone print lining ought to keep them where they need to be. Mesh material is used where possible to improve breathability, and an abrasion-resistant fabric on the front should mean they’ll withstand a few encounters with the floor. Price $82

KNEE PADS THAT you can comfortably pedal in need to balance comfort, fit and protection well. While the Slytech Kneepro XT Lites manage some of these things with ease, they don’t get the balancing act quite right.

THE CHARGE SUB-ZEROS are pretty much the same as Race Face’s standard, minimal Charge knee guards, just a bit warmer. Underneath the stretchy Kevlar knee cover sits a thin layer of foam that, although unlikely to protect you from much more than gravel rash, does mean your knees aren’t fully exposed.

THE KNEEPRO XTS are Slytech’s top-end offerings, aimed towards gravity-fuelled riding rather than long days turning the pedals.

SCOTT’S SOLDIER KNEE pads are sleek, strapless affairs targeted at all-day trail riding. There’s silicone gripper on the inside of the top and bottom openings to help keep them in place, and a pliable front knee guard and additional foam side protectors to ward off the knocks.

AS THE NAME suggests, the ARG Extended knee pads offer a bit more coverage than most, stretching down and covering at least half the shin as well as the knee.

SIXSIXONE’S NEW KNEE pads sit at the lighter end of the scale, at just 145g a pair, and are designed for the trail and enduro crew.

NUKEPROOF’S NEW DOWNHILL pads offer a lot of coverage. The kneecup itself is made from preshaped foam with a plastic cap on top, there’s additional padding stretching well over halfway down the shin plus smaller sections of foam on either side of the knee, and the entire front section is covered with tough, abrasion resistant Kevlar.

The MKII Slip-ons are a simple, strapless design, consisting of an Armourgelpadded kneecup attached to an elasticated, neoprene-like sleeve. Amplify sell an alternative version with twin Velcro straps if you want a bit more security (also 90$).

These pedalling-friendly offerings have no side padding, with coverage being limited to the knee cap and surrounding area. A stretchy mesh sleeve keeps the pad in place, with a wide cutout at the back to help keep things cool.

Leatt's Airflex guards are a good idea done well, and will suit those who don't like the bulk of full pads.

Bliss makes a wide range of protection and these kneepads are a decent choice for all-day trail riding with occasional crashes thrown in.

Knee guards are quite a personal thing these days, I know for my last purchase I had already been through four different brands before hitting the one that worked for me. I’ll admit I have quite hairy legs and sometimes that can play havoc on the retention systems of these things - but this is where the Bliss knee guards surprised me.

THEY HAVEN'T BEEN around long, but 7 Intelligent Design Protection are already supplying the likes of Steve Peat, Joe Barnes and Trek World Racing.

THESE PADS HAVE a well ventilated, strap free design, with a large open area at the back of the knee to help keep you cool on hot rides.

THESE NEW TRAIL Skins from Dainese have some nifty features up their sleeves. Protection is provided by a combination of Crash Absorb memory foam and a honeycomb rubber arrangement dubbed Pro Shape.