Fox’s Launch Elite knee pads have a minimalist build that forgoes any elasticated or hook-and-loop straps to keep them put. It results in excellent comfort and top-level performance.
The costly £144.99 pads use a lightweight sleeve design with two large elastic panels – one at the thigh hem, the other at the shin – to increase stability. A silicone gripper print sits around the upper hem’s entire circumference.
Long thigh-to-shin protection cups are made from D30’s malleable material and are removable for washing. Four side-facing ‘Bonded Poron’ foam-like sections Fox calls ‘pods’ offer extra internal and external side protection.
This gives the Launch Elites a level one EN1621-1 protection rating.
Designed for comfort and flexibility thanks to the inner material’s smooth micro lycra constriction, they’ve also got an antimicrobial treatment to help reduce odours.
Externally, the protection area is covered with an engineered ‘SuperFabric’ skid panel. This bonds small ‘blobs’ of a harder TPU-style material to the pads’ lycra to protect it from rips or tears.
Fox Launch Elite performance
The Fox Launch Elite knee pads are made in six sizes, from extra-small to extra-extra-large, which is great news for riders of all shapes and sizes. My size-medium pads weighed 395g for the pair.
Sliding the Launch Elite on reveals a glossy and smooth feel against your skin, their almost entirely seam-free design offering ultimate comfort.
The thigh’s long, high sleeve has a large elastic section, which spreads its grip evenly around your leg, hugging your shape without overly compressing it.
Combined with the half-elastic lower opening – that stays perfectly still on your shin even when your legs bend – the Launch Elite blends comfort with compression convincingly.
The sleeve’s elastication, shape and size seem perfectly tuned. With plenty of flex and stretch, the protection cups and pads mimic your legs’ movements as you pedal, creating well-supported comfort.
Despite this figure-hugging design, their compression isn’t overbearing; they’re unrestrictive and unobtrusive to pedal in, making them excellent for all-day epics.
And they don’t move up or down, or twist regardless of whether you’re pedalling uphill or descending on rough terrain. Once fitted, they don’t need re-adjusting, either.
The long protector offers good shin coverage, while the smaller side panels boost this further; they’re neither too short nor too narrow, but aren’t bulky or cumbersome.
Their smooth exterior helps them slide over MTB shorts and trousers, boosting how freely your legs can move.
How we tested | MTB knee guards
Alex tested the pads back-to-back and wore them asymmetrically between brands, left-to-right, to highlight each model's differences.
He went out on long rides to test for all-day pedalling comfort, and pushed himself on high-tempo rides to see how they performed when they were sweaty and wet.
He scuffed them and put them through the wash multiple times to see how well they lasted. Unfortunately, he couldn’t intentionally crash-test them; we’ve just got to take the manufacturer’s protection rating at face value.
Knee guards on test
- Bluegrass Aura
- Fox Launch Elite
- G-Form Mesa MTB Knee Guards
- Endura MT500 D3O Ghost Knee
- Pearl Izumi Summit
- POC VPD Air Flow Knee
- Race Face Indy Knee
- Scott Soldier Knee Guard
- Troy Lee Designs T-Bone
Fox Launch Elite bottom line
The Fox Launch Elite knee pads are worth every penny of their £144.99 asking price.
They’re comfortable, they don’t move, they offer plenty of protection without being bulky, look good and aren’t too heavy.
Product
| Brand | fox |
| Price | 250.00 AUD,155.00 EUR,145.00 GBP,165.00 USD |
| Weight | 395.0000, GRAM (M) - per pair |
Features
| Features | Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL Colours: Black Certified to: EN1612-1 protection rated LEVEL 1 |
