Generally speaking, when things start to go wrong and the inevitable happens, it’s our knees that take one for the team and unlike other parts of the body that regularly take a beating, the damage caused can be quite the set back to your riding. So, soft knee pads; nothing new and neither is the use of such protection away from the DH track and bike park, but when Leatt, a brand so recognised for their neck braces, decided to produce armour and protection for other parts of the body, we were more than keen to take a closer look…

Words: Olly Forster | Photos: Carl Cording & Katherine MacBeth

The Leatt 3DF knee pads use 3-dimensional impact foam that offers a soft and flexible fit that absorbs energy upon impact – unlike D30 (which becomes rigid under impact and is pretty pricy), it’s a little softer and because it doesn’t react to impacts in quite the same way, is significantly cheaper and a plus for the consumer on a budget as these are only £45! Leatt have also designed the new 3DF’s around a moisture wicking chassis that help keeps you cool and as dry as possible while the ‘Aramid Fiber’ on the front will handle any abrasion resistance – sound good?

The first thing that you’ll notice is the overall light weight nature of the 3DF pads and with that buzz word ‘enduro’ lurking about, riders are looking for gear that can handle the rough stuff without weighing you down on long rides. Adjustability is taken care of via a single velcro strap at the top, but I did find these a little on the small side…

Out on the Trail

Slipping the Leatt 3DF’s on for the first time is mixture of emotions – on the one hand, they feel great and have all the hallmarks of a good knee pad, but where the concern arises, is in the size department. Now, I’ve got pretty big legs and while they’re not BMX racer or Velodrome big, they’re bigger than most peoples and I more often than not get on great with Large to X-large from most manufacturers. These happen to be XL and while they slip on a treat, the velcro strap feels redundant as there isn’t much for it do as its tight from the get go. It is however elastic so a little extra can be cranked on and after an hour or so on the bike, they didn’t bother me.

After mixing it up between trail and DH, these are definitely on the lighter side of DH as the 3DF is just that bit too soft for the kinds of impacts associated with high speed riding and racing, but DHers being DHers will however love them regardless as they are so light and comfy. At the other end of the spectrum – trail and enduro riders will see these as a welcome addition to their riding attire, offering what I think is a fantastic balance between weight and protection – just check the sizing as they come up a little on the small side against a Fox Impact for example.

Side padding helps to protect the delicate parts of your knee and the areas susceptible to impact during a roll. Another thing that’s great about these pads is the high level of quality construction – they’ve done the rounds and while we haven’t had a major off in them, they’ve been dragged up and down a few mountains in a mixture of weather and as I write this, they look fantastic.

Conclusion

All in all, the Leatt 3DF knee pads represent a great product from the masters of neck protection and an item that really connects with just about all of us. They recognise the needs of today’s DH racer, who prefer softer, lighter protection in favour of the more rigid and impact resistant armour of old, but it is the aggressive trail set and enduro racer alike who will see something special in these pads.

The “MoistureCool” fabric has been put to the test recently with what I believe is called a summer? Either way, it’s helped keep them from being overly sweaty and the clearly visible ‘left’ and ‘right’ indicators are always a welcome addition to gear that is anatomically designed

Price wise, the 3DF’s come in at £45, which is pretty damn spot on I have to say and especially so coming from Leatt, who while relatively new to the body armour market have adhered to producing market leading gear elsewhere and regardless of price. Drawing on comparisons, its hard not to see the

The Leatt 3DF knee pads are a great set of well priced and lightweight knee pads that will definitely jump out at those who don’t want obstructive protection on long rides. Available in sizes ranging from junior to Small adult and all the way to XXL, so there’s no reason why you can’t find the right ones for you.

Recommended protection for your knees from the neck brace masters! For more info, tap the big yellow logo below and for everything else, head on over to Hotlines-UK. Happy trails, Olly.

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