A common misconception people make when purchasing knee pads is they think the bigger the pad the better the protection. In reality you only need to protect your patella from getting injured, the surrounding area is naturally padded.  Anyone who has ever injured their knee cap can testify how debilitating the pain can be.  

While it is extremely important to have good knee protection it is also important that the knee pads allow you to conduct your maneuvers without hindering your movement.  A good knee pad is lightweight and flexible allowing you to move quickly while staying in-place.  After all what good is a knee pad when you go to take a knee and the pad is ridden around to the side of you knee or is around your ankle.  Remember the job of a knee pad is to protect your knee cap.  Here are a few easy questions to consider when purchasing your next set of knee pads:

• Are the pads lightweight? If the pads are heavy in your hand think about how uncomfortable they would be to wear strapped to your leg.

• Are they flexible, easily bending like your knee or are they shaped like a big dinner plate? Unlike other gear knee pads will not break-in over time. If they are stiff in the retail store they will be stiff on your leg.

• Will the pads be quick to don and off?  Remember when you are in the field you won’t have a lot of time to fiddle with your gear. Look for a Rapid Deployment Clip system

• When you put the knee pads on and move around will the pads stay in-place?  You don’t want a knee pad that moves around your leg while you are running. Good fitting knee pads with a built-in gripping system will solve this problem.

• Are the pads comfortable on you knee?  Depending upon your job you might have to wear the knee pads for a prolonged period of time and you don’t want to have a strap pinching the back of your leg. Look for a knee pad that has a soft strap that is strategically angled to prevent bunching in the back of your knee.

There are many different style knee pads available in the marketplace and it is of the utmost importance that you are comfortable with your selection and the pads provide the best protection for your patella.  You should checkout the Hatch XTAK knee pads. Extremely light and flexible, yet this innovative design provides superior protection and shock absorption with the flexibility to move the way your body moves. Hatch XTAK is the lightest, strongest protect of its kind ever created. Hatch XTAK is also available in an elbow pad design.