Knee pads

[Lee Schierer]

I've come to the point in life where my knees won't take much crawling around on the floor. My recent partial knee replacement has made the situation worse. I still want to be able to do work around the house and other work that requires some kneeling. I'm looking for a set of knee pads. I see good reviews on the No Cry pads from Amazon, but there are some negatives too regarding durability.
nocry.jpg
I also see decent reviews on the Rigid Pro hinge stabilizing knee pads from home depot, but complaints as well about durability and comfort.
rigid.jpg
Any other suggestions?

[Tom Stenzel]

Hi Lee,

When I still had two knees I had problems with knee pads staying in position when I moved. I started putting down those interlocking foam squares to kneel/sit on. They work well if you're not moving around much and provide some insulation when working on a cold driveway. Now that I only have one knee the foam squares still work well for me.

-Tom

[Doug Dawson]

I've come to the point in life where my knees won't take much crawling around on the floor. My recent partial knee replacement has made the situation worse. I still want to be able to do work around the house and other work that requires some kneeling. I'm looking for a set of knee pads. I see good reviews on the No Cry pads from Amazon, but there are some negatives too regarding durability.

I also see decent reviews on the Rigid Pro hinge stabilizing knee pads from home depot, but complaints as well about durability and comfort.

Any other suggestions?

The most important feature of a knee pad is how easy it is to put it on and take it off. Some of them are rather infernal in this respect (and I think I have them all.) Your choice on that (my favorites are on a job site right now so I can't comment on what they are.)

Another issue is what they would be in contact with. I find that those advanced "gel pads" that people use to stand on in kitchens are immensely useful to knee down on, and significantly diminish the difference between whatever knee pads happen to be on hand. A noodle (like you would see in a swimming pool) might do in a pinch, and those are really cheap.

[David Bassett]

The most important feature of a knee pad is how easy it is to put it on and take it off. ...

I'm not sure that's the *MOST* important. I think how the pads distribute pressure on your knees tops my list. (I've had pads that are excruciating. They just hurt differently than the floor.) Another thing I've found key is how the pads rest on the floor. One pair I had was great in exactly one position, but awful to actually use. Every time I leaned left or right I fell off an edge and it twisted my knee. Just a couple more things to consider.

[Doug Dawson]

I'm not sure that's the *MOST* important.

It is if your knees are as bad as mine are, where the central question is, can I even _do_ this? If it's too much trouble to put the pad on, I'm _not_gonna_do_it_. It controls your life. So there. ;^)

[Clint Baxter]

I prefer to use a cushioned pad from Lee Valley when I’m kneeling in an area, but when I’m moving around a lot and need a pad, I use these. https://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/clc-g361. I tend to use just the bottom strap so they don’t cut as much into the back of your leg.

Clint

[Paul F Franklin]

I have three or four different sets and am not completely happy with any of them. But I can offer a few general observations.

The pads with a thick flat front are comfortable of kneeling for a long time in the same place, but the flat front will tend to catch and roll the pad on any surface that isn't hard and smooth. For example, they aren't good on any type of carpet.

The types with two straps take longer to put on but seem to stay in place better. I prefer Velcro straps to snap or buckle straps.

I doubt durability will be an issue if you are not a pro using them all day every day.

The interlocking foam tiles mentioned by another poster are very useful if you are not doing a lot of up and down and moving around a lot. I use two or three of them so if I am moving along a wall, say, I can leapfrog one from behind me to in front of me.

[Jamie Buxton]

For me, the big problem with standard knee pads is that they slide down my legs when I stand up. A better solution is pants with a pad pocket in front of the knee. Carhartt, Duluth, Dickies, and many others make pants like this.

[Charlie Hinton]

I have had several different sets over the years, the comfortable ones wouldn't stay in place.
Some of the uncomfortable ones wouldn't stay in place.
This is what I have now, not especially comfortable but if you crisscross the straps they stay in place.
If I am going to be crawling around I put them on.
https://www.google.com/shopping/prod...CyI4KBCBNgigBA

[Jerome Stanek]

I have 3 or 4 different ones the ones I like best are the sports pads

[Jim Becker]

The things with most knee pads that I've always not liked was the thickness and hard edges. I find that uncomfortable. Personally, my goal would be for something thin with a material that does the job without the extra structure...

[Doug Dawson]

I prefer to use a cushioned pad from Lee Valley when I’m kneeling in an area, but when I’m moving around a lot and need a pad, I use these. https://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/clc-g361. I tend to use just the bottom strap so they don’t cut as much into the back of your leg.

Of all the pads I have, those are the ones I hate the most. They are _the_ most annoying to put on if you have arthritis in your hands as well as your knees.

[Jim Koepke]

In my time a few pairs of pads have worn out.

Recently due to free shipping (ends today but orders over a certain amount may be free shipping) my plan is to try pants with a knee pocket as part of the design:

https://www.dickies.com/pants/painte...lor=NT#start=2

My new pants have not yet been given a test drive. They are likely better than my knee pads that always fall down when standing up or walking. Besides this way the user gets to choose the padding.

jtk

[Jim Becker]

Duluth Trading also has some very durable paints with provisions for knee pads. If I was in the trades, I'd be all over those given how much stuff I've bought from them over the years!

[Doug Dawson]

In my time a few pairs of pads have worn out.

Recently due to free shipping (ends today but orders over a certain amount may be free shipping) my plan is to try pants with a knee pocket as part of the design:

https://www.dickies.com/pants/painte...lor=NT#start=2

Those are also available on amazon, twenty bucks a pop. I just ordered a few.

The only problem is, they are long pants, and only suitable for the cooler weather. Currently it's hot here, and the appropriate attire for the shop is a loincloth (protect your bits from flying chips.)