New padding in a great package.

There are plenty of marquee products that everybody wants to write and read about. New bikes with exotic suspension designs, “game-changing” drivetrains, that sort of thing. Kneepads don’t typically make that list, and thus, we don’t typically write that much about them.

Unless they’re good. Really good. Fox’s new Enduro Pro Knee Guard fits that description. For years I’ve rotated between a few pairs of kneepads that have all been good enough, but have never really stood out. These Enduro Pros have changed that, and relegated the rest of my pads to a stinky pile in the garage. 

The big headline is that the Enduro Pro uses a new pad material, from Koroyd, better known for its straw-like structure found in helmets. Koroyd says the pads used here have a “comfort-first” design, that’s made to conform to your knee’s movement through every pedal stroke. We’ll dive into how that plays out on the trail lower down.

Fox Enduro Pro Knee Guard Details

• Sizes available: XS-2XL
• Protection: Koroyd inserts  for EN1621-1 Level 1 CE Certification
• Size tested: Large
• Price: $129.95

Kneepad Fit

Fox offers one of the more comprehensive sizing breakdowns around for these pads. You can get your Enduro Pros in any one of six sizes, from XS to 2XL, and Fox publishes a thigh and calf measurement range for each size so that you can get dialed in. I am pretty solidly a “Large” kneepad guy, and the large Enduro Pro fits me well. 

I haven’t had any issues with the Enduro Pro bunching up or chafing, and more importantly, it hasn’t moved around at all on my knees. I’ve done several very long rides in the Enduro Pro Knee Guards, and they’ve stayed put, without drooping as I’ve gotten progressively sweatier.

Some of that security is thanks to the fact that the Enduro Pro uses two layers of elastic fabric over much of the pad, so it’s got a more secure, “compression brace” style fit than some lighter knee sleeves.

Koroyd Protection

For a long time this lightweight style of kneepads has used either regular foam padding, or non-Neutonian materials that stiffen up under impact. But Koroyd is doing something different with these inserts. The magic isn’t all in the material (although Koroyd does use a custom TPE polymer that it says will stay flexible through a wide range of temperatures) instead, it’s in the shape. It’s not exotic, it’s Auxetic.

Auxetic objects react to impacts, and stretching forces differently than normal objects. A piece of gum is a great example of a non-Auxetic object. When you stretch a piece of gum, it gets longer and longer, but also gets narrower and narrower. When it grows on one axis, it shrinks on the other. But Auxetic objects can stretch on both axes at once, without binding up.

What does that mean in practice? Koroyd says that its Auxetic kneepad inserts move better with your knees, and are less prone to binding or chafing than other options, without sacrificing their ability to protect your knees from impacts.

When I got the press release for these kneepads I was skeptical. I’ve used plenty of adequate kneepads in the past, and I wasn’t super convinced that I needed exotic, or Auxetic materials to save my scarred kneecaps. But the proof is in the pudding. And, so far, these are simultaneously the most comfortable, most "disappear on your legs during a long pedal” kneepads I’ve used, while offering plenty of protection for most of my riding.

Performance

I was a late convert to sleeve-style kneepads. I spent many years pedaling uphill with bulky kneepads around my ankles, only to hitch them up at the top of the descent. But as a rather leggy human, longer sleeved kneepads eliminate the unsightly gap of hairy thigh between my pads and the hem of my shorts, so I’ve begrudgingly started to ride in knee sleeves. 

But invariably, I’ve come home frustrated. Maybe I just have particularly slippery sweat, but as soon as I warm up, most sleeved pads make a mad dash for my shins. Fox’s new Enduro Pro is the exception to this rule. These pads have stayed high and secure over some very long, very sweaty days and, at this point, I have enough rides and washes on them that I’m confident that they’re not going to stretch out much more.

These aren’t the absolute lightest, most breathable kneepads I’ve ridden in, but they deliver the best on-the-bike comfort I’ve found. The front, knee portion breathes remarkably well, and the perforations in the Koroyd structure probably deserve some credit here, but the sides and back of the Enduro Pro have more fabric layers than some lighter pads I’ve used.

However, the lighter pads I’ve used also tend to be less secure, and there’s no real value to a pad that lets more air in, but also requires you to pull it up all the time. And, in addition to that vertical movement, I’ve had issues with Rapha’s lightweight knee pads “swirling” over my kneecaps when I pedal. That’s probably because I have disgusting biometrics, but regardless, I’ve gotten a fair bit of knee chafing in other pads that hasn’t been an issue in these.

I’ve developed a habit of starting rides with my kneepads intentionally pulled up too high, so that when they start to slip they sag down into an optimal position. But the Enduro Pro has broken me of that habit, because wherever I put them at the start of the ride is where they stay. 

I have crashed several times in the Enduro Pro, and every time have been met with an appropriate level of protection. I haven’t torn the cordura outer layer, and my knees are no more messed up than before.

It is worth noting that these aren’t a full-on gravity kneepad. I’m happy with the level of protection they offer for any ride where I’m pedalling to the top. But, if I’m riding a chairlift or in a shuttle truck, I’d opt for something with bulkier protection, and ideally a plastic knee plate and more side protection.

For Now

When Fox launched a new kneepad without the stalwart D30 non-neutonian pads, I was surprised, and a little skeptical. But the new Enduro Pro Knee Guards with their Koroyd pads have quickly become my favorite option around. It will be interesting to see if Fox brings this style of padding to other protective equipment.

Learn more: Fox