What is *in* kneepads?

[self-deleted_user]

So since making own oversuit....was thinking why not stitch in elbow/kneepads, right?? But then I was wondering...what the heck is used?? I don't feel like cutting open my kneepads to look.

[wyandottecaver]

a high density foam in many cases. A good alternative is to get an old wetsuit and cut it up......

[self-deleted_user]

So like...maybe the foamfun things from art stores? really dense foam, makes all those fun foam shapes for craft projects but just get the sheet and cut to right size?

[Squirrel Girl]

Closed cell foam such as ensolite sleeping pads. One problem with sewing them into coveralls is that they slide around. When I had them, they would slide around and far too often I would crawl on my bare knees. Perhaps you could put an elastic band behind the knee to keep them in place if you find you need that.

[self-deleted_user]

slide around how? the pant leg? or inside where it was stitched it would bunch up and stuff?

[YuccaPatrol]

old mouse pads could be a cheap/free source of durable foam

[MUD]

Amy...the suits we build have the pads built right into them. Closed cell foam works great. The trick is to sew pockets on the inside of the knees/elbows. Close them with a strip of 1" velcro. You can then replace the foam as it wears. Of course you want the pad to be a little above the knee also for crawling. Also, our elbow pads cover the elbow and the forearm. Since the suit is custom built and the pads are trimmed to fit the pockets, they do not slide around at all while caving. Those pads are exactly where you want them! The beauty of a custom suit. Have fun!

[Amocholes]

I have a set of Lost Creek Coveralls that have pockets built into the knees to add padding. I cut an old 1/2" thick closed cell foam sleeping pad to fit. It works nicely.

[Squirrel Girl]

I had a custom suit, and the suit must be loose enough to allow you to put it on and then to allow you to flex your knees, and have a layer or two of long underwear/jeans beneath. So it's not skin tight, there's a little play. I found the whole leg of my suit (even the custom suit) rotating around my leg and I'd wind up with a knee on rock more than once.

If you make the pad super wide, then it will wrap around your leg and that would be uncomfortable and bulky.

But if it works for someone else, that's great. I just didn't like it.

[Chads93GT]

here is a dumb idea........why not insert your knee pads into them, instead of trying to "build" a knee pad out of random crap. That would be the easiest way, but what would I know.......... lol

[wyandottecaver]

lotsa times the random crap works better

2-3 layers of wetsuit in a coverall pocket are hard to beat for comfort. Ive also thought of copying a BMX knee pad I use for caving, and sew strips of rigid plastic (old rubbermaid tub?) seperated by a small gap of cloth. works great for crawling on big rocky cobble.

Many knee pockets have cinch straps to limit slidling around the leg.

[NZcaver]

I had a custom suit, and the suit must be loose enough to allow you to put it on and then to allow you to flex your knees, and have a layer or two of long underwear/jeans beneath. So it's not skin tight, there's a little play. I found the whole leg of my suit (even the custom suit) rotating around my leg and I'd wind up with a knee on rock more than once.

If you make the pad super wide, then it will wrap around your leg and that would be uncomfortable and bulky.

I experienced much the same thing with my off-the-shelf Meander nylon suit. For a while I tried foam padding (pieces of a sleeping pad) in the knee/shin pockets but found they move around too much to be useful. So I added real knee pads over the top. Eventually I pulled the foam out of the suit because it wasn't really helping.

My succession of knee pads has been first short Bombers, then long shin Bombers, now Howitzers. The latter are smaller but fit great and stay in place really well for me. I hear the long Expedition Essentials work well for some people. Like Barbara said, if the built in suit pads work for you all well and good. As Todd mentioned, some suits have cinch straps around the back of the legs to secure the built-in knee pads. That might work.

[MUD]

I couldn't build someone a suit and have the pads moving all over. Thats not custom, that's crap!

[tncaver]

Closed cell foam such as ensolite sleeping pads. One problem with sewing them into coveralls is that they slide around. When I had them, they would slide around and far too often I would crawl on my bare knees. Perhaps you could put an elastic band behind the knee to keep them in place if you find you need that.

Howies Harnesses sewed a thin but excellent light weight closed cell foam padding into the knee pad area of one of his suits for me (before he sold his business).
The pads are extremely wide so they completely fill the knee/shin pad cavity of the suit. They work fantastic and are very comfortable and light weight. Fully
washable and they hold no water. The funny thing is that they hold their shape so well and for so long that they look like big flat wings on my shins and knees.
Something like a hockey goalie shin guard only wider and goofier looking. They are so flat and wide that recently caver "Mudpuppy" photographed them and called them shin wings. They are quite goofy looking but are actually great knee/shin protection and they fill the shin/knee guard cavity so well that there is
no slack for them to slide around. I wonder if I could fly if I had them on my arms as well as my legs.

[Whitewaterrunner]

Go to a kayak store and get the sheets of closed cell foam they use to outfit kayak cockpits.