Dainese Trail Skins Pro Knee Protectors

Product Information

Self-preservation makes crash testing knee pads particularly difficult and whether or not a tester crashes in them is a roll of the dice rather than a scientifically controlled procedure. A matching 60€ pair of Trail Skins Air Elbow Guards give arms the same protection, again held in place by wide elastic bands with silicone grippers.

The pads performed well, dampening the impact so that I could continue riding without much discomfort. However, my knee suffered an abrasion-based graze where the pads had rotated on my skin, and my knee was also sore and swollen for several days afterward. As for the padded protection shorts, they are the Trail Skins element I have used the least probably. They are comfortable, with super soft body fabric and a comfortable chamois, but I haven’t gotten the sense that the little hip pads offer much real benefit to me personally. They feel a bit odd when you pull the waistband of many regular trail short over top of them, but once in place they do their job & disappeared from my thoughts mostly. But again, I get the sense that sizing down would give me a more secure fit, especially in a crash. The flexible main padding that Dainese calls PRO SHAPE 2.0 is made of more holes than solids, allowing a massive amount of air through for warm rides. The pad conforms to the shape of your knee, to achieve the brand’s pedal-ready objective. I have yet to crash in these pads, but the protective material feels like it will sufficiently protect my tendons and bones once I do. Knee protection has progressed significantly since the days when I borrowed my sister’s Bike brand volleyball pads to ride down logging roads. The marshmallow-shaped pillows didn’t stay in place whether crashing or pedaling, making them more of a nuisance than they were worth. The new Trail Skins Pro Kneepads from Dainese have more tech woven in than my mountain bike did twenty-some years ago, and the innovations are focused on more than just protection. Each of the molded viscoelastic pads designed to move with your joints – knees, elbows & shoulders – use the same ‘Auxagon’ tech pads like we saw in the debut of the Trail Skins family last year at Crankworx. Thin and open on the outside, they are able to flex in multiple directions with your body…The Trail Skins Air elbow guard is also constructed around the Pro-Shape 2.0 protector and shares the features of the knee guard. The elbow guard remains stable, even during intense activity, thanks to a very long transparent sleeve that extends to the bicep and a practical elastic at forearm height. XS - XL, €59,95 Ok, thanks all. I think I do appreciate the sliding quality that the hardshell pads provide but good to know these do not rip apart. The neoprene of my iXS Dagger pads is starting to rip in places and even though it is no urgent reason to replace them, I'm already looking ahead at what to get next should they suddenly rip. Enduro-mtb.com/en did a big kneepad test a while ago (hardshell and softshell tests separately) and even though it seems the softer stuff is good, I still don't quite trust it. You only know when you go down, after all. The typical car-park test doesn't tell the full story. I recently got a Kali helmet and the people at Kali are really responsive and eager to discuss what's best and what's not. So I might need to drop them a line and hear their thoughts.

The Trail Skins Air line focuses on lightness and breathability, optimizing the structure of protectors to maximize ventilation and contain overall weight. The family of Dainese Trail Skins protectors represents the perfect balance between rideability and protection, allowing the rider to take on any discipline with maximum freedom of movement and in accordance with the highest international safety standards. The ideal choice for riders who plan to take on long uphill and downhill sections when out riding.

The Trail Skins Lite line is designed to minimize bulk and ensure lightness as well as the utmost portability. Ideal for riders who always want a protector with no tangible weight. It is suitable for all types of riding activity.

They feature similar mesh sleeve construction, but use the thinner but less vented Pro-Shape 2.0 pad ( at right above) which is foldable. photo by Luigi Sestili BCA The Trail Skins Air elbow guard is constructed around the Pro-Shape 2.0 protector, inspired by the geometry of auxetic materials present in nature that, following an impact or stress, expand in all directions simultaneously, increasing the area of coverage.

That is, for their way of testing. I'm not sure whether that's the complete story for me as it doesn't cover two (perceived) advantages that hard shell gives you. That is, they distribute that residual force over a larger area and the slide better (which for me is a good deal of what I want protection for). I think my pads take loads of crashes and replacement after 4 or 5 crashes, that could in some cases imply a single ride so that isn't feasible. Yet most of these crashes aren't big, mostly sliding out sessioning corners. Trying to hit them faster and faster up til failure. Pro-Shape 2.0 is inspired by the geometry of auxetic materials present in nature that, following an impact or stress, expand in all directions simultaneously, increasing the area of coverage. This inverts the hooked section so a part of it points outwards and snags onto the inside of riding trousers, shorts and bibs. Dainese is dedicated to producing the most effective safety solutions in every arena where athletes continually push the human body and mind to surpass their prior achievements. From our motorcycle racing origins to alpine skiing, mountain biking, competitive sailing and outer space’