The products mentioned in this article are selected or reviewed independently by our journalists. When you buy through links on our site we may earn an affiliate commission, but this never influences our opinion.

Bluegrass Skinny D3O knee pads review

Reliable protection for your knees

Our rating

3.5

130.00

85.00

Bluegrass Skinny D3O knee pads

Robin Weaver

Published: April 11, 2018 at 3:00 pm

Our review

Decent coverage and comfort at a competitive price Buy if, You're looking for a reliable way to keep your kneecaps intact

Pros:

Comfy for all-day stints in the hills, nicely shaped, a decent amount of coverage, not too sweaty

Cons:

Some might find the lower pad opening needs adjusting, deep knee cup’s means you don’t always feel locked into these pads

These premium versions of Bluegrass’s Skinny pads use a D3O knee cup that hardens upon impact to boost protection without affecting comfort.

The mesh back helps keep everything in place and stops the pads flaring when your knee is fully bent

With no straps, they rely on the tightness of the sleeve to keep them up, along with silicone grippers at the top and bottom. The mesh back helps keep everything in place and stops the pads flaring when your knee is fully bent. It also stops things getting too sweaty.

I found the pads to be comfortable even on long days in the hills — but that was only once I pulled the lower opening up so that it sat above the calf muscle rather than across it.

The pre-shaped D3O knee cup conforms to the leg nicely, wraps around the knee and offers a decent amount of coverage. It never once restricted movement on the bike. While its high volume means that it doesn’t always feel as tightly pressed to your knee or as secure as the D3O cups on some other pads, it stays put well enough without constant readjustment.

Product "51931" does not exist or you do not have permission to access it.

Technical editor-in-chief

Rob is BikeRadar and MBUK’s technical editor-in-chief. Our resident tech nerd has lived and breathed mountain bikes since the age of nine. After a couple of years ripping around his local woods, he raced cross-country through the early 90s. A shift to downhill better suited his skillset and he soon became a regular on the national circuit before having a crack at some UCI Downhill World Cups. Rob always had an eye for tech and was keen to glean any kind of mechanical advantage possible. Whether that was through geometry changes, suspension tuning or adapting parts, he learned quickly that an open mind is key. He began working as a freelance writer for MBUK over 20 years ago, while he finished his degree in sports technology. He landed his dream role as technical editor 15 years ago. Rob’s passion for bikes encompasses just about anything with two wheels, including fast and efficient cross-country bikes and long-travel enduro rigs or downhill machines. He rides on the road and gravel, too. He’s tested hundreds of bikes, piles of components and mountains of kit, so understands what does and doesn’t work.

Height: 172cm
Bike size: Medium/450-460mm reach