I reviewed 7iDP’s Sam Hill knee pad and was impressed. It’s a new pad but it builds on the brand’s popular knee pad. The Project knee pad, on the other hand, is a completely new pad aimed at a similar audience and draws many similarities. It’s lightweight, flexible, it uses a compression fit and includes extra protection on the sides of the knee. The silicon grips inside the top and bottom openings remain, and there is plenty of length to help keep the pad in place and prevent punters gap. Where they differ is in the materials and construction. The Project pads include a knitted, breathable sock, a flexible hard cap that is bonded to the front of the pad, and what 7iDP refers to as the ‘Centre Strap System’ across the top to help secure it around your upper thigh. Fit & On The TrailWhen sliding the Project knee pads on for the first time, the quality of construction and materials is immediately noticeable. The knitted sock feels great against the leg and provides a very comfortable amount of compression, securely holding the pad in place. The addition of the thigh strap will be welcomed by some while being nothing more than an added security measure for others, a nod to how well these fit without adjusting the velcro straps. The Centre Strap System includes two straps, one on either side, that wrap around to the front of the pad. I've not personally had issues with traditional single sided straps but the centre strap was comfortable and worked well.On the trail, I found that for my skinny legs the straps needed to be tightened each time the pads were put on. The fit is excellent and the added security was needed to prevent the upper thigh from being pulled down my little legs. They’re comfortable to pedal in all day but without the strap being tightened I found the pedalling motion would tug the upper down a small amount. The pad itself never moved but I preferred the upper to remain firmly in place and once the strap tension was right I was able to forget about mid-trail adjustments.The generous length along with the additional strap combine to keep the protection in place. In cooler temperatures the knit sock is like a best friend – you want them around all of the time. The comfortable material is a pleasure to wear and it means the Project pads can double as knee warmers. When the weather got warmer they remained comfortable, though the knit sock is warmer than the lycra of similar pads. The knit sock is more durable and despite a number of incidents, some involving pedal pins, it shows no sign of damage.It’s the same story for the front of the pad. Where the knee pad and others like it feature a tear resistant material, the Project has a flexible hard-shell. The hard-shell is used to allow the pad to slide across objects in the event of a crash and is more durable than the material covering the front of similar pads. Behind the knee of the Project pad is an opening to help with ergonomics and prevent chaffing at the back of the knee, which I had no issues with. The ergonomic shape – they're slightly bent/curved – adds to the comfortable fit on the trail.The Project pads are closer to a knee-shin combo in length, providing generous coverage. Extra foam padding provides protection on the inside and outside of the knees but compared to the Sam Hill, the padding here is on the slender side. The VerdictI’m a big fan of the Project pad, despite coverage being smaller and the upper thigh of the sock being less flexible. The knit material is very comfortable and more durable than the lycra used on similar pads in this segment, and the pad feels solid enough to ride bike park while remaining comfortable enough for full day pedalling. They're durable and still look new after several months of riding.

Modern mountain bikes are faster and more powerful than ever. But this enhanced downhill performance increases the likelihood of crashing – that’s why a good pair of knee pads should be an integral part of any rider’s equipment arsenal. With the best knee pads on the market offering peerless protection, ventilation and comfort, we tested some of the most exciting models in the lab and on the trails.Gone are the days of knee pads looking like prosthetic limbs: they are now a true fashion statement for modern mountain bikers. The market has been dominated recently by viscoelastic foam protectors, not only because they’re lighter and more comfortable than conventional hard shell versions but predominantly because they offer better protection and absorb impact forces more efficiently. With a variety of gel-based materials now mixing things up and a growing number of knee pads manufacturers experimenting with different material combinations, we decided it was time for a fact check!This is what knee pads are all aboutComfortThe best knee pad is useless if it doesn’t fit properly. And that’s why you should always try it on before buying. If a knee pad doesn’t fit the shape of your leg it can quickly turn uncomfortable and make pedalling feel like torture. But it’s not just about finding the right balance between length and circumference; seams, zips and Velcro fasteners can cause annoying and painful friction burns on your skin. In our individual knee pad reviews we reveal which problems occurred during testing–and where they were encountered.FitFit and comfort may seem inextricably linked but they’re not necessarily the same thing: a good fit will prevent the protector from slipping and provide effective protection in the event of a crash. Many brands use silicone strips and/or fastening straps to keep the knee pads in place, but not all concepts work in reality. Strapless knee pads demand a particularly snug fit in order to stay in place; this has even more relevance when it comes to the lightweighter models on test.ProtectionInternal protection is at the heart of every knee pad and guarantees its protective function. Depending on the type and model, it’s either sewn directly into the knee pad or slotted in so that it can be removed when needed. In order to carefully calculate each protector’s capacity for shock absorption we employed the expertise of a high-end lab to analyse each protector individually. Many of the protectors demonstrated the same values, and many came from the same manufacturers. Certain brands are experimenting with more exotic materials, but not all of these delivered the requisite performance in the lab. Some feature a plastic skid plate in addition to the standard foam padding; these hard shells showed a nominal advantage in the lab but their sliding characteristics proved game-changing on the trails by preventing the knee pad from catching on the ground.VentilationNothing really beats riding on a hot summer’s day, right? But it could turn into a real sweat-fest if you’re garbed up in stuffy, non-breathable protectors. More robust fabrics and additional layers may admittedly offer more protection against abrasions, but there’s also a time and place for ventilation so it’s important that you find a good compromise. Our intuitive star scoring method for each individual knee pad will give you an easy overview.CareLike any technical baselayer, a knee pad will soak up huge amounts of sweat–but it’s also exposed to the elements so it is likely to get covered in dirt. This means you’ll have to wash it from time to time: naturally hand washing is recommended, but if you’ve got a model with removable protectors then it should comfortably survive some cycles in the washing machine.ConstructionKnee pads move and flex with every turn of the cranks, so durability should be a key concern. Visible wear-and-time is one easy marker but there’s also the chance that the foam protector could rip if you don’t take care of it properly. The protector may get damaged when bent, which means take extra care should be taken when removing it from the knee pad. The suffered this fate during testing, but we’ve encountered this issue with other pads previously.StyleObviously aesthetics play an important role but we urge you not to base your decision exclusively on colour or decals. Fortunately, the bike industry knows us riders well so all the models on test would pass a style check without any problems – provided there isn’t a visible gap between your shorts and the pads!

ConsiderationThe Knee Guards stay in place just like my go-to pair of Pearl knee warmers. They even size up the same, a large in my case. The long over-the-thigh design is meant to hold the pads in place and the well-vented durable knee covering houses a removable D3O insert. Well vented is the key. I've never ridden knee pads that breathe this well.Stretching in the pads, and jumping on the floor to test them out, I immediately noticed how brilliantly flexible they are and also that the D3O insert feels a little thinner on impact than other viscoelastic pads I've tried. I think that's reflected in the CE Level 1 protection. If I'm going to slam my knee straight into a pointy rock I'd absolutely prefer more protection.ContemptEven when I was limping around my shop considering what best to light these vuino knee pads on fire with, I would have happily admitted they're the breeziest option I've tried. And comfortable? So comfortable on that first long road ride. So comfortable on that long hot single track climb. So comfortable waiting to drop in.Go-time. Bike gets sideways right at the start of the trail. Top tube straight to the side of my knee. Where many pads, have generous inner-knee bumpers to protect my frame and my body from each other, there is no such provision on the vuino. The pain, real and lasting. Andrew, very grumpy.For the two weeks after my first-ride incident, these are-they-really-better-than-nothing knee pads lived on my shop floor regularly receiving contemptuous looks and dirty limericks about their level of suck. The manufacturing quality and fit are top-notch, but is there really a market for these knee-protection turncoats‽ComfortWhen it comes to protective gear, I'm not usually one for second chances. As luck would have it my Leatt pads had disappeared - either into the laundry or my wife's pack - and I was heading out for a long pedal. Cue the Elevate knees getting put back in the game. So comfortable on that first long road ride. So comfortable on that long hot single track climb. So comfortable waiting to drop in. And, so damn comfortable riding the trail, ride after ride after ride on repeat.Like any knee pad, they're warmer than nothing. Full stop. The sport knee pads though is impressively breathable even with the upper thigh coverage. When I'm moving downhill I can even feel air flowing through the pad. Yes, no bull sh*t. I don't have lycra under-shorts overlapping them and I still haven't had even a tiny amount of slippage even after a number of rides and a few washes. Washing wise, it's nice that the D3O inserts are easily removable.On that note, does the use of brand-name D3O matter for this application? It works very well and it has a long history in mountain bike protection but I've had great results with un-branded non-Newtonian padding as well. I've been wearing the knee pads every ride for a while now. The fit is just so good and with summer finally arriving - with all the off/on shock of sticking a fork in a light socket - the breathability and comfort over a long pedal are impressive, perplexing, even awesome. Fit is personal, but I'll put them up against anything I've tried.And that little knee bumper? Well, I've had a couple of dust-up in the vuino but I haven't had a full blow-up crash in them to date and whether subconsciously avoiding a repeat or just a case of lightning not striking twice I have have had no repeat of tagging my knee on my top-tube to date. I think I'd still appreciate the addition of a generous side bumper; however, lots of riders I've talked to are wearing knees that don't have the provision with zero complaints. When I hear that I always say the same thing; the next time you're in the market for pads, you should try on the vuino.

It is useful to wear protective knee pads when running. When running, the knees should be raised to the original thigh-to-waist position. If the step length is too long, it is easy to damage the ligaments. Wearing some protective measures, such as knee pads and wrist braces, will reduce the degree of wear of the knee and protect the knee.In modern sports, the use of knee pads is very extensive. The knee is not only an extremely important part in sports, but also a relatively fragile and easily injured part, or a very painful and slow recovery part when injured.The knee joint is where the upper and lower leg bones meet. There is a meniscus in the middle and a patella on the front. The patella is stretched by two muscles. It floats before the junction of the leg bones and slides very easily. In normal life, it is not subject to external force. It is affected, and there is no strenuous exercise, so the patella can move normally in a small range in the knee area.Because mountaineering exerts too much pressure on the knee, coupled with the strenuous exercise in mountaineering, it is easy to cause the patella to be retracted away from the original position, thereby causing knee joint diseases. Wearing sports knee pads can fix the patella in a relatively stable position to ensure that it is not easily injured.Running exercise is one of the most common physical exercise methods used by people. Everyone can master the speed, distance and route of running according to their own situation.There are many benefits of running, such as losing weight and shaping, staying young, enhancing cardiopulmonary function and improving sleep quality. Of course, improper running also has certain disadvantages. Repetitive exercises can cause injuries, and the ankle or knee is often the first victim.Nowadays, many people are keen to run on a treadmill, which can easily cause knee wear. "Running knee" refers to that during running, due to repeated contact between the feet and the ground, the knee joint not only has to bear the weight of the weight, but also cushion the impact from the ground. If not prepared enough, it is easy to cause sports injury to the knee.There are also people who don't exercise much. On weekends, they start running on a whim, which can easily cause sports injuries, which is clinically called "weekend athletes' disease." When running, the knees should be raised to the original thigh to waist position. If the length of the step is too long, it is easy to damage the ligament.Running also differs from person to person. Older people should choose some less confrontational and less intense exercises, such as walking, instead of running. Be sure to warm up before running and wear some protective gear.Such as vuino knee pads, wrist guards, etc. Once you feel unwell during exercise, you should stop exercising immediately. When there is obvious injury, try to maintain a fixed posture, take measures such as cold compresses and other measures for emergency treatment, and seek medical treatment in time.