Review: iXS Flow Knee Pads

For the last few weeks Angus has been using the iXS Flow knee pads which are MTB, Trials and all round legend Hans “No Way” Rey’s signature model!

There are a whole load of kneepads on the market so when something catches our eye it’s usually for pretty good reason. The Flow pads from iXS aren’t just your average pair of downhill pads that have been put on a diet. They have been designed from the ground up with pedaling and exploring in mind.

Angus has been running the Flow pads from iXS for the last few months and has been really impressed. Check out his full in depth review and see how they stack up!

First Impressions

The call for super lightweight, zero restriction knee pads has been growing at almost exactly the same rate that the all mountain/enduro market has just exploded. We are demanding more than ever from our knee protection every time we hit the trail.

We want less straps to hold pads in place, yet we want them to stay in place through thick and thin. We want unrivalled protection but we still want them to be super lightweight and breathable. Usually there is a compromise to be made but it could be just possible the iXS flow pads have answered the calling!

Technical details

The iXS Flow knee pads weigh in at 300g which is perfect both on the knee or in the pack out on a day ride. The pads even roll and fold up small for stowing away that adds more fuel to the lightweight credentials fire!

The “all-round aeromesh” not only makes up the substance of the rear of the pad, it holds it in place without ruching up and pinching in the back of the knee. Initially I had concerns with the amount of material and couldn’t see how it would all fold up with the movement of the knee but this never proved to be a problem due to the incredibly the lightweight and soft nature of the fabric. The front of the pad is covered in a super tough Kevlar that is sure to last well into the next decade even with countless slideouts on the knees. That stuff feels seriously tough!

The pedal comfort is aided in the right direction with only the use of a lower Velcro strap. This is probably down to the fact that only a lower strap is required and I’m not entirely sure if that is even 100% necessary. Great shape design and use of silicon strips around the top enclosure pretty much take care of fitment alone.

The flow pads use an X-matter, A high impact absorption foam compound insert. It is actually pretty stiff to the touch at the same time as still being flexible enough to move while pedaling. The plastic like stiffness is something that gives added piece of mind if it ever comes to that dreaded kneecap on sharp rock moment. It still wouldn’t be ideal by any stretch of the imagination but it would certainly take the sting out the hit!

A pad like shouldn’t be shy of taking either a dunking or soaking every once in a while with its backcountry and all mountain roots. That puts extra precedence on drying time and actual comfort of operation while soaking wet. It’s hard to say if iXS had actually taken this into consideration during development but either way they have certainly made some pretty comfortable both wet and dry!

The Ride

Riding and more importantly crashing in the flow pads from iXS has been a pleasure. They stay in the right place, protect the right part of your knees and don’t slow you down.

The lack of additional side protection may prove to be a problem for you on certain bikes and if you have a tendency to whack the side of your knees on the frame or shock pivot bolts but this isn’t something that had really crossed my mind when riding in the flow pads.

Even after a few weeks in the saddle without a wash in the sweaty and muggy summer conditions I still can’t get them to smell. This is unprecedented when it comes to my experience of testing knee pads in the past. Even the big guns from the likes of 661 and Troy Lee Designs have been floored by my stinky knee problem so for the iXS Flows to stay pong free is a pretty big deal!

Conclusion

I’ve used a lot of knee pads in the last twelve moths and naturally I have formed a list of all the features that made me like each individual pads. It almost genuinely feels like iXS have sat down, taken this list and then developed the Flow knee pad.

When a pad is as comfortable and versatile as this it makes it the perfect option for those trail rides that you never know where you are going to end up. They are the perfect companion for an adventure.

If I could find one fault? They aren’t going to offer you the most protection on the market in a full on high speed crash but that’s not something they ever claimed to do! They will however be perfect for those annoying slow speed technical trail crashes when your riding something tricky for the first time.

IXS are distributed in the UK by Hotlines . You can find out more about the iXS Flow Knee pads after the jump…

Buy iXS Flow pads online