Wether your smashing runs out at your local downhill track or spending hours tackling the nastiest back country trails, some suitable protection is essential and looking after those delicate and precious knees should be top of your agenda. With a sufficient level of protection being at the top of the list when it comes to requirements for good pads, comfort and style should follow and follow pretty closely. To this end, we were keen to get our hands on these for review; the Fox Launch Pro Knee Pads…

Words: Olly Forster

Photos: Alex Tyler

Knee pads aren’t just the premise of downhillers and mountain bikers who put themselves in harms way and with the increase in aggressive trail riding, more and more mountain bikers are looking for ways to protect themselves in the event of an off. This surge in the market for quality knee pads that are suitable for hours of riding has brought us some amazing and incredibly comfortable and well designed pads that translate very well into the more established protection market. The Launch Pro’s from Fox are just that: light, comfy, offer great protection and with the style and aesthetics you’d expect from Fox.

Features:

> Silicone gripper behind the knee to keep the pad in place

> Perforated neoprene for breathability

> Pre-curved ergonomic fit

> Elastic strapping top and bottom to keep the pad in place

Padding in all the right places and in the right proportions – some pads can be just too overbuilt and impede the comfort and ultimately their application in the real world. With many of us running full ‘race pants’ for downhill duties, you’ll need pads that fit inside and don’t restrict movement and these are spot on. Outside of DH riding, these pads have been amazing while hitting the local loop and even on the hottest day, the breathability and large rear cut out section really came into their own.

Conclusion.

I really like kit I can use for both downhill and cross country and these pads are exactly that. Super comfy and light to wear for hours slogging up and down trails and perfectly at home on the downhill bike with either shorts or under race pants. It’s not just the level of protection which is exceptional for pads with such a low profile as these, but they are also pretty easy on the eye, which always helps at the end of the day.

One of the best things about these awesome pads is the equally awesome price of £45GBP! That is incredibly good value for such a high quality product with these features, plus when you see Danny Hart, Steve Smith and Josh Bryceland sporting these on World Cup podiums every other week end, well, there’s nothing wrong with some race pedigree! All in all, these pads have been out for a while now and have received a great response from all who have had the pleasure of using them – including me! Highly recommended from the mighty Fox Head and another snippet of their kick ass ’11 line of bicycle gear. Happy Trails!

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