7iDP Control Knee Pad

(discontinued)

After crashing with these pads a couple times, I won't go back to a soft pad. The hard knee cup really offers superior protection and it keeps the pad from moving out of place during an impact. The are so light and comfortable that you really don't notice you are wearing them even when pedaling. The pads are still working great after a summer of use. Overall wear is minimal and it looks like they will last at least another year or two.

I'm writing this review in response to 7idp's call for feedback on their products, so it is heavy on suggestions.

I'll start out by saying that out of the three knee pads currently still operational in my collection, these are my most preferred - especially when wearing shorts. I also have the Race Face Flank d3o knee/shin - which have been relegated to long pants wearing shuttle/lift days only (after repeated heavy knee impacts/abrasions when they always catch the outer fabric and slide down on otb's wearing shorts), and the Troy Lee KG5450 - which the top elastic has become so loose that they fall down on any small hit, and so are pretty much useless. Other knee guards in the past have been some form of modified moto guard, so not worth mentioning, other than that they did a better job of staying on and sliding over the rocky Wellington, NZ trail surfaces than most of the knee guards I've tried since - which is what piqued my interest in these 7idp's.

So, I'm generally happy with these, they stay up when pedalling and descending, and so far in minor crashes wearing shorts - hooray! They're a little warmer than others that have an open back, but it's not a problem for me. The fit is good, with a few niggles, but they're good enough that I can forget about them when I'm riding. The observations below are small changes that I would make to the design to make them perfect for me. I'm 178cm and 70kg, fairly medium build all round. I ride a lot and train besides, and I've got strong but not enormous thighs and calves. I tend to wear the my knee guards from the start of any ride without sliding them down or removing them.

What I've looked for most in any knee pad is protection for the top of the knee - above the knee cup where I always cop a huge hit ending in blood and deep bruising whenever I go over the bars. So far, no pads have completely provided that, but these 7idp Control's are the closest I've found. One issue is that with my leg bent, they articulate open to expose that very area of the upper knee (there's just a thin layer of lycra to provide some stretch). I'm not sure how that could be covered and retain the articulation, but it is something that matters to me.

On the articulation, it's pretty nifty, but it can be a little noisy as it is constantly rubbing as it opens and closes with each pedal stroke. It's not a major for me, as I tend to wear heavy DH shorts on any trail ride, so I'm used to a bit of noise when I'm pedalling, but it does leave me wondering how this area will wear after hundreds of thousands of pedal stokes, opening and closing that section and rubbing those pieces together.

Back to that upper knee protection, I would be happier if it extended a little higher than it does. As it is, the top opening is loose on me - which was very off-putting on first wear, but with some sweat, it seems to hold on ok - so I figure, if you're going to have a padded extension on top of the knee, it might as well be another inch longer to ensure that area is covered in an otb. Also in that area, the elastic and velcro straps which come up either side from the back, don't really do a lot to secure the fit for me, and the ends of the vercro tabs come up high enough that they catch on the inside of my shorts with each pedal stroke. The design looks nice, but I wonder if they'd be better with shorter velcro tabs, and slightly more stout elastic.

I wonder if the upper protection were longer, there would be the opportunity to add another articulating section - lessening the amount that the current one would need to open - and perhaps the upper face of each section could incorporate some of the hard shell material to provide sliding protection on the upper knee, and more easily slip back inside the next section when the leg is straightened. Might end up being too convoluted, but it's an idea.

I still find that after a lot of wear, the elastic around the calves digs in a little uncomfortably. This could probably be alleviated by using a wider band on the bottom. However, it works how it is, and the pads probably stay up because of it. Again, when I initially put these on, I thought the fit was terrible - far too loose in the top, and far too tight (to the point of pain) on the calves - but I wore them around the house for a few nights and tried them riding, and they've settled in somewhat, so I would encourage you to persevere if you find the same.

All-in-all, I'm happy with these, and I would encourage others to choose them. Overall quality of materials and manufacture is excellent, and holding up well so far. They were very expensive, so it took a lot of consideration before I decided to pull the trigger and purchase them, and so far I'm not disappointed that I spent the money. I would be extremely happy with them if the above issues were in some way addressed - to the point that I would buy them again when my current ones wear out - but so far, they're the best I've tried.

I have used/tried several other pads in the past, non-7idp, and was irritated by the way they feel, slip, etc.

I actually like wearing the Control Knee pad because it stays in place, you can't feel that it's on and of course the protective quality.

Out of any pads I have tried/worn, these are my favorite. In fact, I am wearing them every time I ride unlike the others I left in my gear bag.

This is a great product.....  I recommend them without hesitation.

These pads I was very impressed with. Between the looks and the feel of the pads and durability you cant go wrong. And they keep your knees warm on the morning rides haha ;)

When i first received my iDP7 control knee pads i was immediately impressed with the overall quality and amazed at how light weight they are. Putting them on the first time it was immediately apparent that comfort was a priority in the design. Im 5'10 ish and around 165lbs and the medium fits perfectly. There's a fixed elastic band that sits just below the back of the knee and a nice adjustable strap at the top with a silicon band on the inside, above the front of the knee to help prevent slipping.

Riding with these pads on is a pleasure! I don't notice them and they don't interfere with my shorts. They also stay put without feeling like they are cutting off blood flow in my legs, unlike other pads I've tried. I can pedal around in comfort all day.

Although these are a minimalist pad there is good amount of padding and protection. The front is a semi-hard shell and even though ive yet to fully test them (thankfully), i believe for the intended use it will offer the level of protection i need, when i need it...I probably wouldn't wear them on a WC DH track with knarly rock gardens, but i use them for enduro racing and trail riding and for that they are great!. There is also plenty of padding around sides of the knee, again without being bulky and restrictive.

Overall i think these pads are awesome. Ive used many other brand and style of pads in the past, all with good and bad traits, and i can honestly say the iDP7 are by far my favorite to date.

Ride on my friends!..Matt.B.