Specifications:
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL
- Adjustment: Velcro adjustment strap
- Ventilation: Breathable neoprene
- Pad Type: Half length
- Washable: Hand wash / Machine wash on delicate
- Recommended Use: XC / Trail / Enduro
Pros
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Stay in place well
Cons
- None I could find
Our Verdict
The Sweet Protection mtb knee pads are an excellent choice for knees pads and one of my favorites.
They are very light and comfortable to wear. They are half length knee pads so they cover just the knees and none of the shins. If you’re looking for a more minimal knee pad just to cover the basics, then these do the job nicely.
Knee protection is done by the SAS-Tec knee cap cover. It is a soft foam that will stiffen on impact, so it is similar to the D30 in Fox knee pads or the VPD in the VPD air knee pads. The idea is that the pad is soft and molds to your knee shape. When there is a crash, the impact makes the material stiffen up instantly to absorb the impact. It is very effective and quite comfortable when just riding around for hours.
The sleeve itself is made of a neoprene mesh that is breathable.
These are excellent pads for XC, trail, and enduro use. They are a lightweight knee pad that has excellent knee protection.
These are very popular with mtb riders and for good reason. These knee pads are high quality and designed to last in the real world. It offers high levels of protection with a design that does compromise. It is a little more money but the quality is sure there to make it a excellent knee pad for the price.
Product Evaluation
These Sweet Protection knee pads are designed to last and give you plenty of protection at the same time. Let’s look a little more into the design and usage in the real world.
Design
The Sweet Protection pads are based around the knee protection pad at its base. The knee pad protection is handled by a SAS-Tech viscoelastic foam cup that works similar to the D30 pads in the Fox knee pads or the VPD padding in the VPD knee pads. The pad stays flexible for riding around. Upon impact, it stiffens up instantly and absorbs the impact and spreads it out over the coverage area of the pads to minimize the force on your knee.
One really nice thing with these is that the pad itself is removable from the knee pad so that the rest of the knee pad can be cleaned in the washer without damaging the protection pad. That really speaks to how well engineered these are.
The knee sleeve itself is made of a neoprene which allows good airflow and helps to keep your legs cool. The material is light enough that it doesn’t bunch up behind your knee while riding.
There is a velcro adjustment strap at the top of the pad which helps to supplement the pad staying in place with the silicone grippers. The strap really helps when your leg may be just a little smaller.
The knee pads have quality stitching and are built to last. These are the kind you’re going to have for enough years that it’s hard to remember when you bought them.
Protection
The Sas-Tec foam in these mountain bike knee pads is on par with the padding used in the best brands out there. The foam is soft and pliable and molds to the shape of your knee after it warms up. It is flexible and has plenty freedom of movement.
Upon impact the SAS Tec material stiffens up to form a strong plate that will absorb and spread out the impact to protect your knees from the g forces of the crash.
This is exactly how the best knee pads are doing it right now. Whether it’s the D30 or the VPS material used by others, they all work the same and have the same underlying concept. The material is flexible and stiffens on impact. It’s really the best of both worlds that you see with the pads that are using non-newtonian foam concept that you see in all the best impact absorption material.
They do not have padding that protects the side of the knee. It’s a tradeoff for having knee pads that are lighter and for many types of mountain biking and cycling it’s fair since you want the main protection from blunt hits to the knee but you want the flexible to be able to move easily.
Fit and Use
The Sweet Protection knee pads are very comforable to wear due to the thin neoprene sleeve for breathing and the flexible knee protection plate.
When riding, whether uphill or downhill, the silicone grippers keep the sleeve in place. The adjustment strap is handy to help keep them in place if the sleeve is just a little bigger on your leg or you are sweating a lot. It lets you dial it in to ensure they stay in place.
It’s very important to get the proper sizing on purchase so that the sleeve fits well and isn’t too tight or isn’t so loose so that the material bunches. Sized properly, they are awesome knee pads.
The neoprene breathes very well and helps to keep legs cool. They are also the shorter length so that they are just knee pad construction so your shin is open to the air. That is actually part of what makes these so comfortable. They are more minimal when you are looking just for knee protection.
If you do need shin protection, there is a longer version of these that is around $30 more but they are full length knee shin pads.
They are very lightweight and it’s easy to forget that you are wearing them which is a great sign of safety pads.
Ventilation
These knee pads do breathe very well for two reasons.
The first reason is that they are only knee pads and not knee and shin pads. Due to the smaller form factor, less of your legs are covered. Your shin are open to the cool air so it’s eays to have plenty of flow over your legs to the size of these knee pads.
The second reason is that the neoprene of the knee sleeve breathes very well and allows for ample air flow. Only under the protection pad itself is there not as much airflow but that is to be expected of any knee pad. The sides and the back vent very well including the spot behind the knee that gets the most sweaty.
Riding Performance
On the trail is where these Sweet Protection mtb knee pads really stand out. They are very comfortable to wear and feel light enough that you hardly notice they are on.
In fact, that’s the number one reason riders are giving in reviews for choosing these knee pads. They cost a little bit more but are that much more comfortable on the ride. The material doesn’t irritate the skin, legs stay cool, and you get plenty of knee protection.
They are plenty comfortable to wear for hours of riding and not feel like you want to rip them off. They are easy to put on and they stay in place.
Really what more could you ask of a knee pad?
Product Value
Product value is always subjecting the value depends on the person. Available budget also seems to be a big factor in this.
These do cost more than many of the lighter knee pads that use eva foam. This has knee protection on par with the big names with very similar prices.
These might be more comfortable than many of the big names in fact. My gut says looking at the quality of the material and stitches and such that these are going to last much longer than most brands and they are a similar price.
So I would have to say these are actually a better deal when you consider how long you’ll have them compared to many brands and how easy they are to wash and maintain.
If these are in your price range, I think they are probably one of the best deals you’re going to get and a very strong investment in your mountain biking gear. They are highly rated by riders all over the world in reviews and gear that highly regarded by riders using them says a lot about a product.
Conclusion
These Sweet Protection knee pads are very comfortable half-length knee pads that have high levels of protection at a reasonable price. They are built to last for years, and the pad itself is removable so they are easy to keep clean.
They are just a high quality knee pad that are made with everything a mountain biker could want such as the adjustable strap. They are built to be used and built to last and protection your knees very well while doing it.
If these are in your budget, I highly recommend them.
