2nd Look: G-Form Pro-X Knee Pads
Size tested: Small
Blister’s Measured Weight: 119 grams/pair (size small)
Reviewer:
- 5’2” 125 lbs.
- Thigh diameter: 16.5”
- Calf diameter: 14”
Test locations: Colorado Springs, CO; Moab, UT
Test duration: ~30 rides
Intro
Noah Bodman recently reviewed G-Form’s Pro-X Knee Pads and concluded that they are a good option for mountain bikers looking for some knee protection that doesn’t sacrifice pedaling comfort and efficiency.
I have also been blown away by the comfort of the Pro-X’s, so here is a 2nd Look that discusses their comfort, fit, durability, coverage, and some comparisons to the POC Joint VPD Air kneepads.
Fit
Like Noah, I am in between sizes (Small and Medium), and chose to go with the smaller size. They fit well and don’t slide down, but are a bit tight around my calf. The upper portion has stretched out a bit within a month of riding, so I’m glad I didn’t get a size larger. I wouldn’t recommend downsizing too much due to the tight calf cuff, but it’s better to err on the smaller side if you are in between sizes.
Comfort
The Pro-X Knee has a slip-on design with padding on and around the kneecap sewed directly onto a lightweight sleeve of material. The padding is only about 1/3 inch thick, and has ergonomic cutouts to allow for knee articulation while pedaling. The sleeve is made of thin spandex-like material that is extremely breathable. I figured this sleeve would wear out or tear easily, but it has held up extremely well.
I agree with Noah that the Pro-X’s are very comfortable, stay in place and don’t heat up too much. I usually forget I’m wearing them within 15 minutes. They don’t slide down or bunch up behind the knee due to the stretchy material and a silicone grip around the thigh. Unless it’s a hot day, I don’t think twice about throwing them on before most trail rides.
Protection
I haven’t had any hard impacts directly to the padding, so I’m not sure how well G-Form’s RPT (Rate-Dependent Technology) foam works.
It has helped decrease small glancing impacts from sliding out to my knees and flying rocks hitting my upper shins. The foam definitely cushions some impact, but I doubt it would prevent serious patella injuries that beefier DH-oriented pads (e.g., the POC VPD 2.0) are designed to handle.
This is the inherent sacrifice of trail-oriented pads that are comfortable to wear while pedaling. However, some other “soft” pads offer more protection than the Pro-X’s. I wore the POC VPD Air for a few rides, and while they are a bit more cumbersome, they seem to offer more protection with thicker, less pliable padding. (See below for more on these two pads.)
My main complaint about the protection of the Pro-X is the lack of coverage on the inner knee. Most hard impacts to my knee are from my frame. While these injuries are relatively minor, they happen a lot, and these knee pads do very little to prevent them. The Pro-X wouldn’t lose much comfort, if any at all, with increased coverage on the inner knee. This lack of strategic coverage is probably because they aren’t designed only for mountain biking, and therefore bike-specific coverage isn’t a priority.
Durability
The Pro-X pads have held up better than I expected based on their lightweight build. The sleeve material and padding are still intact despite quite a few minor falls, and they don’t seem too worn. Parts of the construction, however, have not fared well; in multiple places the stitching is unraveling, and it seems a bit premature for $70 knee pads to start falling apart after one month of use.
G-Form Pro-X vs the POC VPD Air
The G-Form Pro-X is lighter weight, more breathable and more comfortable while pedaling than the POC VPD Air. This is because the sleeve of the Pro-X is much thinner and is less noticeable behind the knee. The padding is also thinner, and offers more mobility while riding due to the articulated design.
The POC VPD Air is still much more comfortable than hard knee pads, but the Pro-X feels more like a knee warmer than a knee pad.
However, the Pro-X provides less coverage, especially on the inside and outside of the knee. I would also expect the VPD Air to offer superior protection against hard impacts because POC’s visco-elastic polymer dough (VPD) is less pliable pre-impact and seemed to harden more than the Pro-X when I hit both with a hard object (although I haven’t had a hard crash in either).
Bottom Line
The G-Form Pro-X knee pads are great for trail riders who want a bit of protection without sacrificing any pedaling comfort or efficiency. They are hands down the most comfortable pads I have ever worn, but the downside is that this isn’t a super durable, burly pad, and some riders will want more coverage.
So if you aren’t too hard on gear and would like some light protection, the Pro-X may be for you. Riders looking for more knee protection may want a slightly stiffer pad with more coverage.
Both Tasha & Noah’s reviews largely reflect my own experience w/ G-form pads, but I’d like to add a few points arising from 3 seasons of use of both their Elbow & Kneepads, & 1.5 seasons w/ their much beefier Knee-Shin combo.
1) I’ve had no issues w/ seams unraveling on any of my three padsets. I strongly suspect that Tasha’s seam issue stems from her decision to “downsize.” I went with sizes that fit snugly, without binding or visible “maxing” of the elastic seams, & my pads have stayed put in crashes and worn extremely well.
2) re: impact protection & durability of the foam: I’ve hit the deck on at least 10 occasions in the last 3 seasons wearing these pads, & can say they provide a *shocking* amount of impact protection. Especially in sliding impacts on our local “cheesegrater” soil (clay imbedded w/ decomposed granite) I’ve been baffled at the rubberized outer pad surface’s ability to protect & stay put without tearing. In fact, they’ve resisted sliding much better than my Alpinestars Paragon pads, offering more reliable protection, even though the G-Forms are only half the weight. I’ve gone down in rock gardens w/ the G-Forms at aggressive trail speeds (~15mph) and felt the knock to my knees or elbows, but come away w/ minor soreness rather than the deep-bruising, gouges & joint injuries I’ve sustained on the same terrain unarmored.
3) The Knee-Shin combo is *much* beefier than the regular kneepads. The pad is wider where it wraps the knee, extends to cover much of the shin, and is at least 50% thicker throughout. They weigh 300g instead of 150g, & are not as “invisible” or breathable while pedaling, but I can see why Tracey Mosely spent most of her EWS career descending in these. I bought them for riding the gnarlier, rockier descents in my part of the Sierra Foothills & Tahoe & greatly prefer their extended coverage, flexibility & comfort to the more conventional kneepad shape of my aforementioned Alpinestars.
Punchline: Those riding the park seeking DH speeds & significant airtime will want more impact protection (I’ve got Demon Knee/shin combos w/ CE rated D30 pads for that). For any ride in the trail-enduro spectrum that involves getting to the top under your own power, I have yet to find a pad that can rival the G-Form’s ability to protect for a full-ride 3-hr ride, mostly because I’ve never been willing to deal w/ other pads for that long!