100%’s Surpass knee guards offer huge amounts of protection thanks to a hard-shell capped design but they’re comfortable enough for all-day pedalling thanks to a pre-shaped design that holds them securely in place. They’re pretty expensive but they’ve become my go-to knee guards for trail and enduro riding.
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The pads are rated to the higher CE Level 2 protection standard, with the combination of hard shell outer cap and inner padding helping them shrug off blows. That tough outer cap means you don’t need to worry about tearing the outer material even on sharp rocks; something that often puts paid to mountain bike knee pads, even if the protection beneath is still fine.
The pre-shaped design is excellent; they feel a bit odd when you put them on but as soon as you’re moving about on the bike they disappear. They fit quite far up your thigh and the broad upper strap and inner silicone gripper print do a superb job of preventing them from slipping down in use. The lower calf strap does a great job of stopping them from shifting the other way too.
The ventilated outer material has a webbed rubber pattern on it that’s done an excellent job of fending off tears and cuts despite my best efforts to the contrary. It’s also surprisingly effective at keeping you cool – I never felt like I was overheating even at the peak of summer – which is helped by the stretch fine mesh backing fabric.
They’ve rapidly become my go-to kneepads for everything from woodsy trail riding to bike park hucking and going from the scratches on the plastic shell, they’ve saved me quite a lot of blood in that time. The price is pretty steep, but considering how well they’ve lasted – they still look new after six months of riding – they’re good value from a longevity point of view. Recommended.
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