7iDP Flex Knee Pad – Review
Knee pads are pretty much the first port of call for protection after a helmet for most riders. I certainly find riding without something on my knees leaves me feeling under-dressed. The Flex knee sits at the burlier end of the protection range, the slimmer Covert and Transition pads and the more full on Control rounding out the range. The Flex are also available in a knee and shin version with full coverage down the lower leg.
The flex is a stretchy sleeve with a with mixture of a slim plastic knee cap and foam protection that comes round to the side of the knee, all covered in a hard wearing outer material. . Broad double straps secure the top of the pad, and a slimmer strap across the back above your calf help prevent it slipping down. These straps let you get a solid fit without feeling overly tight and restrictive. The pads are reasonably low profile, they fit under trousers and into the end of shots with no issue at all.
Comfort is great, they do get a little bit warm on long hot days, but they certainly aren’t as oppressive as some pads can be. I do find them a bit heavy-weight for all day trail bike rides, but for full days uplifting on the big bike they are great.
The protection they offer is spot-on, as full on a pad as you can need. In the crashes I’ve subjected them (and me!) to they’ve stayed in place, even in some pretty high speed impacts. In tests they more than meet the standards of the CE for armour as well. They cover well round the sides of the knee as well.
These are an ideal pad for DH, uplift and full on protection. There are better pads out there for long pedally days, but for a burly pad these are excellent.
RRP £59.99
