Dainese Trail Skins Pro Knee Protectors

Product Information

The tab with Dainese logo got dog-eared, exposing the hooked section of the Velcro fastening. Ian Linton / Immediate Media The Trail Skins Air elbow guard is constructed around the Pro-Shape 2.0 protector, inspired by the geometry of auxetic materials present in nature that, following an impact or stress, expand in all directions simultaneously, increasing the area of coverage. The ventilated front sections worked well at keeping air flowing across my knees and proved to be significantly cooler than knee pads with solid front protection panels. This was most noticeable on cooler days when it was possible to feel the cold air. For now the Lite line only includes the 60€ Trail Skins Lite Knee Guards, that take an even more simplified approach. Dainese Trail Skins Lite Knee Guards

Their tighter-fitting style feels different from bulkier knee pads such as G-Form’s Pro Rugged Knee Guards and they are significantly more flexible than pads such as the Alpinestars Paragon, which means they can get away with being a little more snug.

A matching 60€ pair of Trail Skins Air Elbow Guards give arms the same protection, again held in place by wide elastic bands with silicone grippers. Either way, it is funny as the test from Enduro-MTB.com/en claims that the "soft" pads are actually better.

The large protective section was particularly flexible once warmed up, either from the heat of my legs or the sun, and not uncomfortably stiff when cold. The Trail Skins Air line focuses on lightness and breathability, optimizing the structure of protectors to maximize ventilation and contain overall weight. The family of Dainese Trail Skins protectors represents the perfect balance between rideability and protection, allowing the rider to take on any discipline with maximum freedom of movement and in accordance with the highest international safety standards. The Trail Skins Lite knee guard is constructed around the Pro-Shape 2.0 protector, in a compound version that is even softer so that it can be folded in on itself, taking up minimal space. They feature similar mesh sleeve construction, but use the thinner but less vented Pro-Shape 2.0 pad ( at right above) which is foldable. photo by Luigi Sestili BCAThat is, for their way of testing. I'm not sure whether that's the complete story for me as it doesn't cover two (perceived) advantages that hard shell gives you. That is, they distribute that residual force over a larger area and the slide better (which for me is a good deal of what I want protection for). I think my pads take loads of crashes and replacement after 4 or 5 crashes, that could in some cases imply a single ride so that isn't feasible. Yet most of these crashes aren't big, mostly sliding out sessioning corners. Trying to hit them faster and faster up til failure. The knee pads are all available in sizes XS-XL. I was able to fit into sizes S, M & L, generally getting the sense that dropping down one size (from Dainese fit charts) gave me the best overall comfort, although sizing down two time resulted in pads that stayed even better in place. Combined with the use of highly breathable fabric, the structure, open across 55% of the area of coverage, ensures lightness and greater ventilation during every stage of the ride, even on the hottest of days.