This year I was unlucky enough to sustain a major injury, which has made me understand again why quality protective gear is so important. But my knees never got injured. It wasn’t because I didn’t hit my knees, but rather because this season I exclusively wore the ION K_Pact knee pads when I wasn’t wearing full armor.
The K_PACT pads feature a slip on sleeve style, which is key for great fit and a slim design. The back and sides are made of perforated Air-prene neoprene for flexibility and breathability. Unlike some other pads, these are asymmetrical, with different side padding for protection from impacts and top tube contact.
The main knee pad is made from SAS-TEC performance padding. The SAS-TEC pad material is famous for its cushioning characteristics. Made from a visco elastic soft foam, upon impact it quickly expands back to its original shape. This padding surpasses the EN-1621-1 test by a good margin and is multi-impact compliant. These pads not only hold their shape, but ensure that you’re protected for a long time.
Some people (myself included) tend to forget their gear in the car. The ION Anti-Smell Sanitized® feature will keep things from stinking despite prolonged neglect. Also, if you do leave these pads in the car, the heat won’t cause the foam to distort.
Due to the design of the K_Pact pads, I’d highly recommend measuring yourself carefully and comparing your measurements to ION’s online fit guide. You don’t want to purchase the wrong set, since these pads fit snugly. When worn properly and with the straps in place, these pads don’t move. In deep knee bends I was pleasantly surprised that they didn’t bunch up or pinch.
After a full season of use, the outer front material showed no signs of wear whatsoever. A bit of the graphic did begin to peel, but that’s just an aesthetic issue. I did toss these pads in the wash a few times and did have a few crashes while wearing them. As a result, I did have a slight tear in the Air-prene. From the look of it, it may have been a pedal pin that tore it slightly from one of my crashes.
The ION K_Pact pads are very comfortable, and once set in place you’ll forget you have them on. They do feel a bit warm when wearing them, but I personally didn’t care about the heat. I was happy with the feel. Having a bad knee, I liked the added support from the sides of the pad. The shape of the pad cup also helps supports the whole knee structure.
The K_Pact pads are some of the best protective equipment that I’ve reviewed this year!
MSRP: €79.90 or $106 USD
Thanks to ION for providing the K_Pact knee pads for review.
