By Seb Stott

Published: Tuesday, 11 January 2022 at 12:00 am


After a helmet, a pair of the best mountain bike knee pads is probably the wisest protection to use. That’s because your knees are generally one of the first – and most painful – parts of the body to hit the ground in a crash.

As a moving part, your knees are also vital to protect, and wearing pads is one of the best ways to keep you on your bike, rather than resting on the couch.

Knee pads vary wildly, though. Some are super-lightweight sleeves, more for scuff protection than big hits, while others wouldn’t look out of place on a motocross bike. As such, the padding can vary from simple Kevlar-wrapped foam through to high-tech materials that are malleable until hit and then seemingly magically harden up, to hard-plastic skid plates covering impact-absorbing materials.

Fit is vital. A baggy, loose feel may aid comfort, but it can lead to the pad moving in a crash, decreasing the protection it offers. Some designs rely on a long upper sock with a silicone gripper to keep them in place, while others have Velcro straps so you can cinch them down over your thighs and calves.

The trade-off for more security and protection tends to be less comfort and breathability. Unless you want to whip off your shoes at the top and bottom of every climb, your pads are likely to stay on throughout your ride. As such, you need a pair that don’t chafe on long climbs or get too sweaty when the sun comes out.

We’ve taken the pads in this list on both short spins and longer cross-country rides to find out which pads go unnoticed on longer rides, and which get the sweatiest. While protection is vital, if pads don’t feel good you’re less likely to wear them, so comfort has taken equal precedence in our reviews.

If you’re in the market for protection, we also have lists bringing together the best mountain bike helmets and the best MTB elbow pads.

What to look for in MTB knee pads

Velcro straps

Being able to tighten things down with a Velcro strap adds security, but also weight, warmth and faff. If you want the best protection, though, Velcro-secured pads are likely a good option.

Behind the knee

The area behind the knee is often where pads cause the most skin irritation. Thinner, more breathable materials tend to bunch and chafe less. Some pads have a cut-out here, which may add cost but can definitely help with comfort.

Articulated or not?

Your knees bend thousands of times during a ride and your pads need to be able to move with them. Soft pads articulate easily, but harder designs may have cut-outs to help them flex as you pedal.

Side protection

While the front-of-knee protection is most obvious, some designs have extra padding on the sides. This can really help when you bang your knee on the top tube!

Shin protection

Pads extend differing lengths down your shin – the deeper they go, the more protection they offer, but also more warmth and potentially more discomfort too, if the pad itself isn’t particularly flexible.

Best MTB knee pads in 2022

  • Sweet Protection: £90 / $100 / €100
  • 7iDP Project: £110 / $120 / AU$220
  • Endura MT500 Hard Shell: £80 / $115
  • Fox Enduro D3O: £75 / $85 / AU$140 / €85
  • Troy Lee Designs Raid: £110 / $115 / AU$220
  • Bliss ARG Minimalist: £70 / AU$90
  • G-Form Pro Rugged: £100 / $80
  • iXS Carve Evo+: £90 / $115 / €100
  • Leatt 3DF 6.0: £87 / $100 / AU$154 / €100
  • Pearl Izumi Elevate: £120 / $125 / AU$230

Sweet Protection

5.0 out of 5 star rating
"Sweet
The Sweet Protection pads are some of our favourites.
Andy Lloyd / Immediate Media
  • Price: £90 / $100 / €100 as tested
  • Protection: SAS-TEC knee cup
  • Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL
  • Colour: Black

The Sweet Protection knee pads have quickly become our favourite pads out on the trails, thanks to their great comfort, secure fit and coverage.

The pads sat just right on our tester’s legs. The stretchy sleeve has thick neoprene panels that help the pads hold their shape, even with bent knees.

At the bottom and top is a fabric with a rubbery backing. Paired with a single Velcro strap up top, the pads stay resolutely in place.

There is a thin stretchy panel and perforated fabric behind the knee to stop things from getting too sweaty. The pads warm up quickly but they do dry pretty fast, so wearing them for a multi-day trip shouldn’t be an issue.

For protection, the pads use SAS-TEC knee cups, which harden on impact, a bit like D30. While there might not be enough protection for downhill riding, these are some of the best trail pads available.