Scott’s Soldier knee guards use removable D3O LP1 flexible knee protectors and, thanks to a minimalist design, weigh a feathery 328g (size large, pair). They're priced at £79.99.
The Scott guards have been awarded a level one EN1612-1 rating despite their weight, although there are no additional side protection panels.
Using a stretch fabric sleeve, the Soldiers have a strap-free design, while Scott-logo silicone grippers feature at the upper hem to help keep them in place.
A mesh back panel is claimed to improve breathability, while the front is abrasion-resistant to increase robustness.
Like other sleeved pads, the upper and lower sections are designed to extend up your thighs and down your shins.
The Soldiers are offered in four sizes, from small to extra-large.
Scott Soldier Knee Guards performance
When pedalling or bending your legs at the knee, the calf’s hem rises up, bunching into the back of your knees. While this doesn’t cause the pads to move, and is less of an issue with trousers on, it leaves your shins feeling quite exposed when you’re wearing MTB shorts.
A tighter and longer calf hem would help reduce this and Scott could spec silicone grippers to limit fabric movement.
When the D3O is cold, there are small pressure points on the inside of the knee cap, but these soon vanish once they’ve warmed up, becoming more flexible.
The sleeve’s upper balances not feeling too tight with staying put; the silicone gripper sticks to your skin well, while the material’s compression helps keep it in place, hugging your thigh.
However, the protection cup is relatively baggy. As you pedal, it moves in and out of contact with your knee. While this doesn’t cause any discomfort, it would be better if the pads remained in contact with your skin permanently. A tighter-fitting design would potentially help.
Downsizing would also reduce this problem, but in going for a tighter fit you also reduce the size of the upper sleeve’s hem. Fitting too tightly, this reduces comfort by creating hot spots where it grips your leg. Opting for a smaller pair to reduce the baggy feel around the protection cup compromises the pads elsewhere.
Despite this, they remained stable when pedalling and descending, and needed no readjustment while riding to maintain comfort. Furthermore, their fabric didn’t pinch my skin or bunch up while riding.
Protection levels are good considering their weight, but a longer shin section would be preferable. The sides offer as much protection as similar knee pads, but slightly more – in the form of separate sections – would be an improvement.
Overall, however, all-day comfort is great and they blend into the background after 30 or so minutes of riding; this is a true accolade.
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
Scott Soldier Knee Guards bottom line
The Soldier Knee Guards offer impressive comfort and protection is on a par with the competition.
However, a few flaws, such as the baggy knee protector, the lower hem bunching up and shin-section lift-off, detract from the overall performance.
Product
| Brand | scott |
| Price | 90.00 EUR,80.00 GBP,90.00 USD |
| Weight | 328.0000, GRAM (L) - per pair |
Features
| Features | Sizes: S, M, L, XL Colours: Black Certified to: EN1612-1 protection rated LEVEL 1 |
