G-Form Knee Pad

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I have been using these knee pads for 3 years now. Overall i am satisfied with them for the style of riding. They would not be great for downhill riding, however, they are perfect for xc and am/enduro riding. They are very lightweight and easy to slide on.

I have two pet peeves with these pads. One is that they scrunch up around the back of the knee. I have been told you can cut out an oval shape to stop them from scrunching up... but what is the point in removing something that you payed for. The other pet peeve is that the protective rubber spot moves around up and down/side to side over time when riding. You'll notice that you'll have to re-adjust them at times throughout your ride.

As far as i have noticed, the science behind them works and i have not hurt my knee on any crashes or falls when using them. The padding coves the sides of your knee which i find to be of nothing but benefit and positive to this product.

Overall i am happy that i purchased these.

When you are young cuts scrapes and stitches are a badge of honor that you proudly display. As you get older they become a reminder of the fragile line we all ride between our limits, and the ability to show up to work the next day and collect a paycheck.  With modern bikes allowing us mortals to conquer more and more challenging terrain, the likelihood of of serious crash becomes ever more present.  I was reminded of this last summer when I was riding one of my favorite trails in Southern Utah, Suicidal Tendencies.  It is a steep technical trail where a mistake over the bars could lead to a nasty 20 foot sage brush/cactus strewn tumble.  While I survived the hard part just fine I was pushing the demo bike I was riding down a fast, flowy, rock strewn section and my mind wondered for a moment.  The result were not catastrophic, but they did hurt my 36 year old self enough to make me decide that I should probably start protecting myself.

After looking around at all the available knee pads out there I settled on G-Form knee pad.  I chose it because it is hot where I ride and did not want to forgo protection due to it causing me to overheat.  I also liked that their flexible nature allowed me to pedal freely.

Initial Impressions

Upon taking ownership of my new knee pads the overall finish of the product was satisfactory but not superb.  There were a few loose threads on seams but nothing major. 

Comfort

The padded foam protection is soft and pliable yet due to some cool sciency stuff immediately stiffens on impact.  While I haven't put them through a major impact test yet, I do know that it creates a comfortable pad that is not much more cumbersome than wearing a pair of leg warmers.  The area around the leg is a nice smooth lycra that wicks sweat away and breathes very well and keeps the pad in place without the need of heavy cumbersome straps.  All in all the G-Form knee pads are about as comfy as you can make a knee pad. 

Coverage 

The pads cover all the major parts of your knee with one of the foam sections.  The sides wrap nearly around to the back of the knee and does an adequate job of protecting the sides of your knee.  Do to years of abuse on my knees from sports, I have bony deposits below my knee cap that are especially susceptible to bumps and knocks and the G-form pads cover this area well.

Protection

In the last 3 months that I have been wearing the G-Form pads I have taken a few small spills but nothing bone shaking.  But in these crashes the pads have done their job well and show little wear and tear.  Perhaps the most happy thing these pads have done is protect my knees from the ever annoying knocks on the top-tube and stem.  I'm happy that there is enough coverage on the inside of the knee to accomplish this.

Overall Impression 

While I'm not looking forward to the day I put my knee pads to the test, I'm sure that they will lessen the results of the crash.  The number one thing I can say about the G-Form pads is that they are not cumbersome enough to detour you from wearing them and they will protect you better than nothing at all.  If you are someone who puts in a lot of miles where there is not a climb up then put your pads on before the down type of flow than I would recommend the G-Form pads to you.  If you want hard shell protection look elsewhere.