knee pad opinion

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Re: Love My Bombers

Postby volica » Apr 15, 2007 9:28 pm

Grandpa Caver wrote:Does anyone have any experience with "Dirty Daves Long Knee Pads"?

http://store.karstsports.com/didaloknpa.html (or)
http://www.onelifeoutfitter.com/catalog ... t&id=64767

I have them for a while.
They would be very comfortable if they weren't sliding. Unfortunately, they slide like crazy when on your coverall, then Velcros straps get mud in them so you cannot lock it. If you wrap them too tide, you gonna feel it after a while, and also entire strap starts ripping apart from pad.
Finally I cut them shorter and put them inside of coverall's knee pocket, which works fine, but 50$ is too steep for that
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Postby mntnacvr » Apr 16, 2007 11:48 am

My 12 yo daughter has a pair of Large Dirty Daves, they wouldn't even fit around my ankle. They are a good tough looking pad, but they slide a lot. I bought a pair of 661's...they are the bomb. they don't move, no matter what. I've only used them on 4 trips so far, but they don't have any signs of wear. Check 'em out at http://store.facelevel.com/index.asp?Pa ... &ProdID=21
The coolest feature can't be seen, there is a wrap around on the back with velcro, that you put on before the main straps go on.
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Postby volica » Jun 10, 2007 9:53 pm

Well, 661s last for one trip only!
Pluses: They don't slide .
Minuses:
500' knee crawl on popcorn wear knee material to the coverall.
one of inner Velcro strap ripped of while putting pad on

Pretty annoying for 45$
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Postby Randyrn » Jun 11, 2007 8:20 pm

I got the 661s after years of wearing Bombers, and I like them WAAAAY better. Perhaps actual mileage may vary, but mine have held up to abuse EVERY bit as good as the Bombers. And as others have mentioned, they actually stay in place and NEVER require me to adjust them.
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Postby Jeff Bartlett » Jul 5, 2007 11:01 am

copelandcaver7 wrote:I wear these under my caving pants and they work great they do not bunch up at all.
http://www.softballsavings.com/customer ... RY_ID=1839


you know, i noticed the other day at a sporting goods store how similar softball knee/shin pads are to some of the caving pads out there. has anyone else tried this? you can get a set of these things for about $15 anywhere!
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Postby Jep » Jul 5, 2007 12:44 pm

I use them all the time. Adams Sports and the brand is Trace. I use to be able to get them at the Sports Authority in NJ and at Dick's Sporting at various locations. Now I go directly to http://www.americasathletic.com. They go for $15.95 a pair plus S&H. Sizes are XS, S, M, L, XL.
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Postby Jeff Bartlett » Jul 5, 2007 12:53 pm

Jep wrote:I use them all the time. Adams Sports and the brand is Trace. I use to be able to get them at the Sports Authority in NJ and at Dick's Sporting at various locations. Now I go directly to http://www.americasathletic.com. They go for $15.95 a pair plus S&H. Sizes are XS, S, M, L, XL.


do they chafe the back of your legs at all? i have a cheapo home depot pair that i used for installing hardwood in my house and the straps chafe the heck out of the back of my knees when worn over a pair of carhartts. the way those softball ones are designed, it seemed like they're nice and open in the back of the knee.
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Postby Squirrel Girl » Jul 5, 2007 1:17 pm

I went caving last weekend where you waded through water, then slimed through slimey crawlway. Then while you were good and wet and gloppy, you bulked up on sandy dirt in the dry crawlway. It killed my Bomber kneepads. It ground the dirt into the velcro and made the straps worthless.

I had to stop at a water source at least once each trip in the cave a scrub out the velcro. Finally, one day, someone who didn't go caving that day lent me his knee pads. They were MUCH better. His choice? Home Depot pads with Lowe's straps. I've now gone out and purchased this duo for myself. The kneepads are the nearly white ones with "flexy" wrinkles at one end and the rubber straps with the 3 hole (each side) adjustable straps. Each pair are about $15.

I can't guarantee I will love these pads, but they sure worked better under KY conditions on this one trip!
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Postby Jep » Jul 5, 2007 1:25 pm

Nope. I selected them because they had an opening for the joint at the back of the knee. I find that solid tube styled knee pads cut off my circulation. I also wear them under my cave suit or pants. You don't want them too tight or too loose. In fact, I wear a smaller pair for elbow pads. Orange ones for the knees and black ones for the elbows. Haven't had anyone think my orange ones belonged to them since I switched. Jep.
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Postby graveleye » Aug 31, 2007 8:52 am

so does anyone at all recommend the GGG kneepads?

and for the record for anyone going the Home Depot route for knee pads - don't bother with the ones that have the hard plastic shell. Oh yea, they are GREAT for crawling. But you're putting yourself at a huge risk climbing with them... I had a lot of difficulty up a steep muddy rock bank not too long ago, and the pads slipped so much I was sure I was going to fall. You need your knees as extra points of contact, and if they can't grip you're screwed.
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Postby NZcaver » Aug 31, 2007 1:07 pm

graveleye wrote:so does anyone at all recommend the GGG kneepads?

and for the record for anyone going the Home Depot route for knee pads - don't bother with the ones that have the hard plastic shell. Oh yea, they are GREAT for crawling. But you're putting yourself at a huge risk climbing with them... I had a lot of difficulty up a steep muddy rock bank not too long ago, and the pads slipped so much I was sure I was going to fall. You need your knees as extra points of contact, and if they can't grip you're screwed.

Those hard cap knee pads are great for crawling in lava tubes, where you will tear your nice Bombers etc to shreds. (I know I did, before I learned my lesson!)

I haven't used the GGGs myself, but know a number of cavers who weren't totally impressed.
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Postby JoeyS » Aug 31, 2007 3:40 pm

Hey Grav,
The GGG's are good pads but you need strong fingers to work the closures on them. I don't have much problem with them, but the ladyfriend used to get batty when trying to put them on, especially during cold weather. They are very comfortable and durable, after you get them on.
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Postby graveleye » Aug 31, 2007 6:36 pm

JoeyS wrote:Hey Grav,
The GGG's are good pads but you need strong fingers to work the closures on them. I don't have much problem with them, but the ladyfriend used to get batty when trying to put them on, especially during cold weather. They are very comfortable and durable, after you get them on.


That sounds encouraging. Their ad say's "tab in slot" attachments.... is that what you have or is it a pull through buckle?

One cool thing is that my wife is completely happy with some elastic strapped soccer kneepads. Good for her - they drive me nuts.
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Postby ron_miller » Aug 31, 2007 7:35 pm

Graveleye,

After my Bombers finally wore out, I bought a pair of GGG kneepads. The pads themselves are OK, but the strap system is by far the worst I've ever experienced.

Maybe it's just me (although nearly everyone I've talked to says the same thing), but I found the GGG straps to be completely impossible to adjust while they're on. As far as I can tell, your choices for fit are binary - either they're loose enough for circulation/comfort and then end up falling down to your shins after a few flexes, or they're tight enough to stay up and then cut off circulation and dig in to your skin. The bottom strap is not elastic, which makes it nearly useless in my experience. Also, once the straps are at their longest (which they slowly slip to over time), they are very difficult to adjust back shorter.

As always, YMMV, but that's been my experience. I would not recommend them to anyone.

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ROCKMASTERS!!!!

Postby Darklight » Sep 1, 2007 8:23 pm

Ya'll don't know nuthin'. Rockmasters are the best kneepads ever made. I bought my last pair nearly 20 years ago, and I still cave with them. Shame they don't make them anymore.....;-) You can see one in this picture http://www.pbase.com/darklightimagery/image/70883190 Seriously, I don't think I've ever caved with anyone who had only positive things to say about their kneepads, but my Rockmasters have lasted for two decades. Yes, they still slide side to side now and then and may not be all that comfortable to walk in, but you get used to it. And they have grip. I doubt there is a perfect knee pad, but I sure wish I could find a warehouse with some RM's....
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