Scott Soldier Ghost Knee Pads review

With their D3O CE Level 1 protection, the Soldier Ghost mountain bike knee pads are designed as lighter-weight, all-day comfort pads for trail riding.

They feature lightweight and breathable construction and are claimed to be easily washable.

Scott tells us the Soldier Ghost is its "most comfortable knee guard offering Certified Level 1 protection".

Scott Soldier Ghost Knee Pads specifications

Scott's clothing and protection lines continue to impress.The D3O insert is thin and highly flexible, and so despite having no pre-forming of shape over the knee, it moulds well to the profile of your knee while pedalling.

This means pressure over the knee is minimal, and it doesn’t seem to lift away from your leg while pedalling.

There’s also no awkward crease at the side of the knee when it’s fully bent, thanks to cut-outs in the D3O insert.

The pad isn’t designed for heavy impacts, but the D3O should help prevent scuffs and bruises on regular trails. The D3O material is flexible, until impact, upon which it hardens, spreading impact loads across a wider area.

The pad itself can be removed, so the fabric body can be washed easily. The D3O can easily be washed with warm water and soap.

Continuing the lightweight theme, the pad’s structure is built from a thin, 4-way stretch material.

Scott Soldier Ghost Knee Pads performance

The pads are held in place with an upper-leg gripper, featuring dimpled silicone, and an elasticated lower hem that sits just over the calf muscle.

The silicone gripper’s dots are more comfortable on the skin than a continual band, in my opinion.

The lower hem didn’t dig into my skin, and it helps keep the lower portion of the pad from riding down your leg.

The upper sock is moderately long, but another inch or so would help it stay in place better on a full-day ride, where any liner-shorts grippers are better placed to work alongside the pad’s gripper to hold it in place. That said, for short one-to-two-hour blasts, I’ve rarely had to re-adjust them, and on longer rides they've yet to prove a chore.

Though there’s no cut-out behind the knee, I haven't found the pad bunches, contributing towards good levels of all-day comfort.

Sizing is true, and ventilation through the thin material good. So far, they’ve resisted becoming too sweaty, and they dry out pretty quickly after a wet ride.

The pads’ low profile sits well under trousers, while the top of the D3O insert’s pocket doesn’t seem to catch annoyingly on the end of your shorts, either.

Scott Soldier Ghost Knee Pads bottom line

While they're quite an expensive option, the Scott Soldier Ghost Pads are pleasingly comfortable and live up to the brand's light-weight claims.

The stretchy material ensures they fit well and, although they aren't intended for the heaviest hits, these pads should keep your knees safe and sound on the trails.