Knee and Shin Guard

[Susan]

I will do a mountainbike-holiday in March and after painully tatooing my shin last year I'd like to get some body armor for that.
But there are so many options out there :confused:

I'm thinking that maybe it would be more comfortable if I had seperate knee and shin guards, so that I can put the knee guard on if I go downhills and just leave the shin guards on?

I've been looking at:
O'Neal Sinner Knee guards (think they'd be great but they look so short?)
Race face Khyber Women knee guards
IXS Slope series Knee guards
SixSixone Evo Knee guards

O'Neal Dirt Shin guards
Sixsixone Veggie Shin guards
IXS Hack shin guards


Unfortunately I can't try them on and have to order them online.
Have you tried any of those? Do you regularly use body armor and have any recommendations?

[Catrin]

I've heard good thinks about the SixSixOne Veggie shin guards and Evo knee guards. I've been considering the first for myself this season as they are less bulky than my current guards (I wear them for pedal-slap protection).

[Susan]

What do you use now?

The combination you mentioned is one of my favourites too. Or the O'Neal-Sinner-Dirt combo, as they are specifically made to fit together.

[Catrin]

What do you use now?

The combination you mentioned is one of my favourites too. Or the O'Neal-Sinner-Dirt combo, as they are specifically made to fit together.

Sorry, I just saw this. Lizardskin shin guards are what I currently have. They are too long for the lower part of my leg (tibia?) and were tearing up the skin on the back of my knee/upper thigh until I took a pair of scissors to the back of them... They are still quite bulky though and I would like something better for this season.

I am interested in the 661 veggies, but there is another one whose name escapes me right now...the "padded" part is in bright yellow and on the outside of the guard. Thankfully it also comes in black so your legs don't have that yellow target for rocks and bushes :)

I think both of these would be cooler than my Lizardskins.

[Catrin]

I did a bit of research, and THESE (http://g-form.com/product/shin-pads/) are the ones I really want. Decent price ($50) and perfect for protecting me from pedal slap. The Lizardskins are bulky and hot for what I use them for..

Thankfully the G-Form guards come in total black rather than screaming yellow :)

[Susan]

Thank you, Catrin. I came across the Lizardskins too and thought about trying them but the reasons why you don't like them so much would probably be a problem for me too (I have short lower legs).

In a bike magazine I read a knee-guard-test recently and the G-Form Knee pads did quite well (my eyes were attracted to that bright yellow ;)) and are very light and thin - they didn't test the shin-guards though.

At the moment I think I will try the O'Neal Dirt guards and see if they are short enough for me and if they are comfortable. I can report back if I get them :)

[Catrin]

I look forward to hearing what you think. I really like the G-Force but will wait a bit until.I get them.

[Susan]

I got the Dirt shin guards and the weather was good enough to try them out (and cover them in dirt :P):

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They are comfortable and I can leave them on for the whole ride and forget about them. They have a hard cover in the front, and an optional hard cover for the calves (which I didn't use). They are shorter than usual shin-guards, which is nice because I am so short. Still, they are on the bulkier side I guess and may be hot in summer, but offer great protection.

They come with a Velcro sewed to the top which is meant to attach them to the knee guards, but I didn't like it and cut it off.

I got the Sinner knee guards too and like them, even if I have to overlap knee and shin guards because of my short legs :o