[mykel]

I need a new set of Knee and Shin pads for use with the BigBike.
Currently nursing a beat to F set of Nukeproof Criticals.
They are done, actually were done a season and a half ago....

I would like something similar.

Top contender is the IXS Cleaver

Followed by Leatt Hybrid

rounding out the list tied for third place

Ion K-Pact Select
RaceFace Flank

Anybody have any experience ?

 

[SkaredShtles]

Get the red ones.

 

[StiHacka]

I like the Leatt a lot.

 

[MrBaker87]

I hate my Cleavers. Had a couple crashes where they rotated on impact and I hit my knee anyway or the rotation caused issues. I now use just Scott Grenade DH knee pads (first gen, not the new ones). I’d rather have some shin protection, but haven’t bought any to replace the useless cleavers.

I really like the look of the fox ones. They seem solid and they attach without taking off shoes.

 

[jstuhlman]

roach it nao?

 

[mykel]

roach it nao?

ya, they're pretty roached. Good old-school way of stating the facts, man.

 

[norbar]

Poc?

 

[Loki87]

Scott Grenade with the additional shin pads.
Pretty variable, light(ish), great coverage and padding and most importantly they cover the whole length of your shins and not only half way down like anything else i´ve tried.

 

[dovbush66]

I run the IXS mallet (lighter profile cleavers) and a mate of mine runs cleavers.
He's stockier and the cleavers fit him well and stay on good. I've seen him take some nasty hits. Says they're pretty comfy.

i;m finding the mallets alright so far but I've only had them for a week, still debating to send them back to CRC or not.
I feel like they might rotate like @MrBaker87 said but I've only had the usual wee crashes from washing out on corners and they stayed. I need to run them worryingly loose on the top two straps but when bending my knee they feel a bit better
Bonus over the cleavers is you can take them off quickly since it's all straps and no sock. On the crashes the plastic does its job and slides.

Definitely try the IXS on before buying, the fit can be hit and miss particularly around the back of your knee.
Wanted to go for the leatts myself but don't got the cash.

 

[6thElement]

Poc?

I use these on the DH bike:
https://www.pocsports.com/us/products/joint-vpd-2.0-dh-long-knee/20373.html?dwvar_20373_color=Uranium Black&cgid=mtb-knee-protection#start=1

 

[norbar]

I use these on the DH bike:
https://www.pocsports.com/us/products/joint-vpd-2.0-dh-long-knee/20373.html?dwvar_20373_color=Uranium Black&cgid=mtb-knee-protection#start=1

I have those VPD Bone ones that are discontinued. Reasonable replacement for my Roaches for someone who has an unreasonable crash to ride ratio.

 

[mykel]

Poc?

They don't have a full length DH pad anymore.
They have a 3/4 with a skid plate, but not too sold on the strapping - or rather lack of it, a sock and one won't cut it IMO.
If they updated the Bone, then it would be on the menu.

 

[pizza diavola]

Last November I bought the Leatt Hybrid to wear under my riding pants for winter pedally rides. I bought a pair of Kali Aazis Plus around the same time, both online because I could not find anything similar in the local shops. I tried the Kali's first. They did not bother me at all on the ups, but on my first significant crash i was dissapointed because they had slid down and I smacked the top of my knee on a rock pretty hard with just a thin layer of fabric still there for protection.

I have used the Leatt's several times now but not really tested them in a crash. They seam to be staying up. However I am getting some chafing behind one knee. Now that it's warmer I am back to using my old raceface hard shells, carried on my pack on the way up. For bike park and shuttle days, I will continue to use the raceface pads. They deffinitely have better knee coverage than the Leatt's.

 

[norbar]

They don't have a full length DH pad anymore.
They have a 3/4 with a skid plate, but not too sold on the strapping - or rather lack of it, a sock and one won't cut it IMO.
If they updated the Bone, then it would be on the menu.

Nowhere to buy the VPD Bone even if discontinued? I think I saw them at a local store last winter but they might be gone.

 

[mykel]

Anybody have any experience with any of the recent ION kneepads.
Trying to get a feel on the K-Pact Select.
I'm of mixed mind on these, they also kinda seem like the RF - being more a 3/4 than a full size.
Research seems to show that a soft-shell pad is better at dispersing the impact and at a lower peak force than a rigid pad....
But, the rigid shells seem to slide over the ground a bit better and therefore not pulling the pad out of position as the fabric tend to do (my experience seems to bear this out, rigid pad = more bruising and less scrapes, but soft pad = less bruising and more scrapes)

So, if I could find a soft pad that stays in place...

Leatt has taken over from IXS.
The Leatt are a hybrid like my roached Nukeproof.
They did a good job of staying up the first couple of years, not so much in the last....