Skip to main content

Nukeproof Critical DH Pro knee pads


NUKEPROOF’S NEW DOWNHILL pads offer a lot of coverage. The kneecup itself is made from preshaped foam with a plastic cap on top, there’s additional padding stretching well over halfway down the shin plus smaller sections of foam on either side of the knee, and the entire front section is covered with tough, abrasion resistant Kevlar.

The stretchy sleeve hugs your leg tightly and the mesh panel at the rear helps you ditch heat. Velcro straps at the top and bottom, plus silicone gripper strips on the inside of both openings, meant we never managed to budge the Critical DH Pros, even after a good couple of knee-sliding tumbles. The pads’ secure feel and impressive padding left us feeling well protected and confident that our legs would be OK should things go wrong again.

We did have one issue with the pads though. Because the lower strap is right at the bottom of the sleeve it tightens over the widest part of the calf muscle and can feel tight, restrictive and, after a while, uncomfortable.We’d prefer it if the strap sat higher on the pad and looped over the top of the calf muscle instead.

The Critical DH Pros offer plenty of protection and stay secure on your legs, even when you crash

Price 97$
Labels

Popular posts from this blog

KONA SHRED

With a reputation for no-nonsense ruggedness and a background in the always progressive and punishing riding of Canada, Kona have been building hardcore hardtails for longer than almost anyone else. The Shred is the most expensive bike on test but it’s a proper trail tank.

READ MORE >>

Nukeproof Vector AM Comp Cro-Mo saddle

The Vector AM is pretty race focused, with minimal padding. There’s a deep (if narrow) pressurerelief channel to keep the blood flowing where it’s meant to. Used with bib shorts, we found it pretty comfortable for shorter rides and suffered no pain or discomfort in the central region. On steep climbs the slightly downturned nose provides a reasonable forward perch, while the svelte profile and smooth edges make it particularly unobtrusive when moving about on the descents. It’s quite stiff though, and can feel harsh on long rides or bumpy ground. We definitely wouldn’t want to spend much time on it without a chamois. It’s heavier than we’d expect for such a lightly padded perch too. There’s a lighter Pro version with titanium rails for $105, but at 241g it’s only 10g lighter. Weight 251g Price $67

READ MORE >>

GT Zaskar Evolution

While some bike models last just a couple of years, others change with the times to stay at the top of riders’ wishlists. In the second part of this series looking at the evolution of bikes that enjoy enduring popularity with UK riders, we turn to the GT Zaskar – a bike that was at the forefront of our sport for a long time and still has plenty of appeal today.

READ MORE >>

Cannondale Trail SL 29 SS

The fat aluminium tubes are a constrast to the skinny items seen elsewhere in the test, but this rigid Cannondale uses them to create one of the most old-school - and lightest - rides here.

READ MORE >>

Merida Big Seven 100

We've rolled up to our local woods, with a meandering blue trail, some natural wooded tracks and a bit of fire road chucked into the mix to see how the Big Seven 100 tackles trails that entry-level riders are likely to cut their teeth on.

READ MORE >>