Fox Enduro Pro D3O knee pads review

Fox’s Enduro Pro D3O knee pads are designed to offer enough protection for trail riding and enduro racing, but remain comfortable for prolonged periods on the bike.

Thanks to the smooth, stretchy sleeve and lack of bulky closure at the top and bottom, the Enduro Pro D3Os certainly tick the comfort box, especially if you’re keen on putting the miles in.

Protection is decent, as is coverage, but they don’t feel as substantial as the best MTB knee pads, such as the Rapha Trail knee pads, which are arguably just as comfortable.

Fox Enduro Pro D3O knee pads specifications and details

A stretchy Lycra sleeve holds the Pro D3O pads tight to your legs, with a mesh back to help shed heat when you inevitably warm up while pedalling.

There’s no heavyweight strapping at the top or bottom of the Enduro Pro D3Os. Instead, they simply rely on a tight fit, along with some silicone print in the upper opening to help hold them up.

An elasticated strap sits across the back of the pad, just above the top of the calf muscle, and helps the pads hug your legs more securely.

As you’d expect from the name, the protective insert is made from malleable D3O – a protective material that’s flexible but hardens on impact. This insert sits over the knee, wrapping it slightly either side and extending down over the top of the shin for a bit of extra coverage.

These pads are rated to CE Level 1 (Level 2 is more protective, but tends to mean pads will be bulkier to accommodate additional protection).

Fox has added strategic cuts to the D3O insert to ensure the pad can bend and conform to your leg shape once in place, to help keep things feeling unhindered when pedalling.

Fox Enduro Pro D3O knee pads performance

The Fox Enduro Pro D3O pads are incredibly comfortable once on. However, the D3O inserts, which aren’t pre-shaped and sit flat, need to be warmed up to properly conform to your legs, especially on colder days.

Once they have some heat in them, though, the Enduro Pro D3Os become properly malleable and flex easily as you bend your knees.

The sleeve itself is extremely comfortable and smooth, with an even tension throughout, pulling the protective insert tight across the front of your leg and holding it there securely, without slipping down or twisting when riding.

While the silicone print inside the upper openings helps to keep the pads from slipping down, I’d say it’s more down to the impressive fit that helps them to stay put over anything else.

Their svelte profile means the Enduro Pro D3O pads fit easily under the most tailored mountain bike trousers. They don’t snag short hems or cause any bunching while you’re pedalling, as some chunkier pads can.

You don’t get quite the same peace of mind as you might when wearing chunkier pads with a more protective rating, but this does result in a pair of pads that are some of the most comfortable I’ve tried. They remain comfortable even on really long, all-day stints in the saddle.

How do the Fox Enduro Pro D3O knee pads compare?

My regular go-to pads are the Troy Lee Designs Stage and Rapha Trail.

In terms of fit and feel, I’d say the Fox pads are as comfortable as the Raphas, which is really saying something. Both offer a snug fit, thanks to the smooth sleeve, and both feel supremely comfortable while pedalling.

The Fox pads are, however, more comfortable than the pre-shaped TLD Stage pads, which work well on the bike but don’t offer quite the same all-day comfort.

However, while they might feel on a par with the Rapha Trail pads in terms of comfort, they don’t feel as substantial and aren’t rated as highly when it comes to protection (the Raphas are rated to CE Level 2).

That means I’d likely go for the Rapha pads for faster trail or enduro riding, because they offer a bit more coverage and, according to the rating, protection.

The Fox pads are pricier than the Rapha and TLD pads too.

Fox Enduro Pro D30 knee pads bottom line

The slender Enduro Pro D3O pads are very comfortable and offer enough coverage and protection for fast-paced trail riding.

Their lack of bulk compared to some of their competitors means they don’t feel quite as substantial as others, though, meaning I’d probably opt for something such as the Rapha Trail pads or 7iDP’s Sam Hill knee pads for full-on enduro riding or racing.

That said, they stay put and are comfortable enough that they’ll soon blend into the background and go unnoticed on long stints in the hills.