Best knee pad

What’s the best knee pad on the market these days?

https://youtu.be/HB2p66XuOdo?si=sCHue5yMgoTiya9S

I wish you hadn’t asked.

Jack Langewrote:

https://youtu.be/HB2p66XuOdo?si=sCHue5yMgoTiya9S

I wish you hadn’t asked.

Lol.

As a serious answer - there are numerous good options now (big change from the situation 10 years ago). In the US the Send brand kneepads have become the standard and are a safe bet. They are expensive, but it's a small US company and the quality is good.

Within the Send product line you have a lot of options. There are 3 different thicknesses to choose from - thin, regular, "magnum" - with 3 mm, 4 mm, and 5 mm rubber respectively. There are 2 sizes to choose from - a 3 strap "large" and a 2 strap "mini". There's also the strapless sleeve style pads that you tape on.

Which combo of thickness and size to choose will depend on personal preference, but also your use case. Boulders vs sport climbs, what rock type (slippery limestone vs jagged volcanic rock), and how big a person you are. Give some details about your use case (i.e. what crags you typically climb at) and I can make a more detailed suggestion.

Also, a general suggestion in the absence of other information about use case:

If you are new to kneepads use and want something comfortable and unobtrusive, I suggest the Send Large Slim. I.e. the 3 strap pad with the thin rubber.

Suggesting the 3 strap pad since I find it is actually more comfortable than the 2 strap. The extra strap let's you spread out the pressure a bit more and makes for a better combo of comfort and security. You can crank down the upper two straps (around the meat of your leg) pretty snug to keep the pad in place, and leave the lower strap (behind your knee) a bit looser. 

Suggesting the "thin" option for most people since that makes for a lighter and less bulky/obstructive pad.  Though if you climb on sharp/jagged rock the "regular" thickness rubber is worth it.

The sleeve-style pads are a specialized option for more advanced technical knee scumming. If you're going to Rifle you should get those (plus glue and tape), but otherwise I don't recommend them as an entry point to kneepads.

I have one of the "magnum" pads with the thickest rubber - it is like wearing a shoe on your leg. It's a specialized item that is great for really sharp kneebars, but I don't suggest it for general use.

TLDR: buy a Send Large Slim as your first pad, then branch out into the other options if you have more specialized requirements down the road.

Thanks JCM! Sounds like a plan

What JCM missed out is the large is really quite large if your under 6ft it's likely to be huge on you. Even then it's needlessly big 99% of knee bars are just above the knee, it's very rare to need a pad that extends that far up your thigh. 

I'm 5'8" and prefer the large. I don't think the size is excessive. The benefit of the large isn't the greater rubber coverage (I agree you rarely kneebar that far up the leg), but rather is about having the third strap and spreading out the pressure of holding the pad in place. I find this makes it more secure and more comfortable. 

If you're really short though you'd want the mini.

I got the large slim… I’ll share an opinion when I get a chance to use it!

JCM has about all the info you could want, and explained it well.  The only additional input I'd have is that I had problems with the send strap pad on my right leg.  The 3rd buckle digs into my LCL/hamstring pretty bad.  I've converted to a sleeve guy since it fits the climbing I kneebar on more anyway, but the euros make a pair of symmetrical pads with opposing straps that fix that issue - blakpad.com/kneepads/

Something to keep in mind down the road if you decide to sell out to the dark arts completely but love the feel of a strap-on. 

Tried a send pad- hated the sleeve. Might be good for a proj when using a shaved leg with spray glue and duck tape, but a real pain in the ass for trying out beta on new routes. I got a LaSportiva buckled pad and love it. Much easier to get on and off between attempts, vastly more comfortable, and considering I'm not that close to sending Silence, I'm not worried about elite stickyness or slight slippage as the pad settles on my leg. Any kind of rubber to prevent my kneecap from exploding on shallow bars is adequate at this stage in life.

that guy named sebwrote:

What JCM missed out is the large is really quite large if your under 6ft it's likely to be huge on you. Even then it's needlessly big 99% of knee bars are just above the knee, it's very rare to need a pad that extends that far up your thigh. 

ya but the key is dissipating the strap force.  Im just shy of 5.8, idk my thigh length tbh but the two stap really doesnt work for me on a technical kneebar.  The buckle behind your knee can be a real pain (literally) depending on your thigh shape and if you have three straps you dont have to tighten the bottom buckle as much

I think it is rock type and climbing style dependent. Some stranger on the internet told me just get a two strap thin pad and I have hated that person ever since. Not their fault, it worked for them but it was a disaster for me. I think everything JCM said was spot on for most of it.

These days I do a sleeve with tape etc. Second place for me would be the large 3 strapper, I like the thick because it sticks a little better and fills gaps in bars but I can see this being rock type dependent.  I know really skilled/experienced kneebarers who do use a 2 strap thin however.  So, like many things in climbing, it can be very personal.

A bit of a different possible use here.

I know these are used for knee bars, but do they cover enough of the lower knee to be used in offwidths and squeeze chimneys?

I climb frequently at Vedauwoo and the crystals are really painful when digging into your knees.  I use a standard kneepad like you can get at Walmart but they are bulky and need to be taped in place.  The slimmer profile and straps might make the newer style better.

Arlo F Niedererwrote:

A bit of a different possible use here.

I know these are used for knee bars, but do they cover enough of the lower knee to be used in offwidths and squeeze chimneys?

I climb frequently at Vedauwoo and the crystals are really painful when digging into your knees.  I use a standard kneepad like you can get at Walmart but they are bulky and need to be taped in place.  The slimmer profile and straps might make the newer style better.

If you are after slimmer you are in the wrong place. Knee bar pads are bulky, have edges to catch on crystals around the side, the reinforcement also covers all the wrong parts. I've also tried with thin neoprene sleeves with no success too bulky, too tight.

I have found the best way to help with sharp rock is relatively tight trousers(not too thick as when materials fold they can cause pressure points) and tight fitting grid fleece leggings underneath. 

neoprene sleeves seem to be the OW method of choice. High friction and nice padding. Imagine a cut piece of old wetsuit or kneebrace/elbowbrace over your knees and elbows.  

Sleeve pad, shaved leg, pre-tape spray and duct tape if you're serious. Anything else is just playing games. 

For most sport climbers: Blakpad.

I agree that glued on sleeves are the best for technical knees. The old rock and resole ones were okay, the new send wizard sleeve even stays on pretty well without glue and has the right stretch to be way more comfortable and mobile. Size it so you can barely put it on with the "sleeve horn". They make an elastic tape for fixing the top that should constrict the hamstring less than duct tape, havent tried it but something like cheap KT tape might do the trick just as well?

Blakpad makes an excellent kneepad with a high tension single elastic strap that is easy to take off while climbing and protects the kneecap. Expensive with the tariffs but this is what I would reccomend to most sport climbers. I find myself gluing it on the leg sometimes anyway. It hurts to wear for a whole session. A sleeve is usually more comfortable and impedes the range of motion through the back of the leg less than anything with straps. 

La spo kneepads are terrible, Red chilli even worse, incompatible with the human leg.