661 comp shin/knee vs. 661 4x4

General
1

Hi, I have recently been falling and scraping my knees as well as hitting them off the seat handle when doing 270 unispins. My current shin guards are getting worn out, and they have no knee protection, so I am looking to get some new ones with knee protection soon.

It seems like the 661 4x4’s are most common. They are also cheap and easy to find. On the other hand, I have never heard anyone mention the 661 comp’s. They are also fairly cheap and there are a few places to get them.

Here is what they say about the comp’s:

The 2010 SixSixOne Comp Knee Shin guards offer quality mountain bike body armor protection in a combination hard- and soft-shell design. The Comp Knee Shin guards have low-profile, ventilated hard-shells that cover both your knees and shins. Each hard-shell is padded with EVA foam.
>BR>Different from the other protective guards in the 661 line-up, however, this EVA foam padding in the shin guards of the Comp Knee Shin wrap entirely around your calves, meaning you get total padded coverage for your lower legs.

Furthermore, this EVA foam padding rides both two inches higher and two inches lower than each of the knee and shin hard-shells. Thus, you get hard- and soft-padded protection that starts at your lower quad and carries down right to the top of your ankle.

The SixSixOne Comp Knee Shin offers you:

* Ventilated, compact hard-shell protection for both your knee and shin
* Full wrap-around EVA soft-padded protection for your calves sewn directly into the shin hard-shells
* Oversized EVA soft-padded protection the rides an extra two inches onto your quads and an extra two inches down to your ankles
* Five heavy-duty Velcro strap adjusters to keep the Comp Knee Shin in their proper place all day long

Here’s the site where that description came from as well as a picture:
http://www.xsportsprotective.com/sixsixone-comp-knee-shin-guard.html

Has anyone tried the comp’s? I like that they have a hard shell and full padded calf protection. The 4x4’s also have calf coverage. The comp’s have an open knee and the 4x4’s are closed in. Do either of these have good protection on the side of the knee (doing 270’s has left the side of my left knee blue)? How much do full knee/shin pads hinder movement? I do mostly flatland. Lastly, what is sizing like? From the bottom of my knee cap to about my ankle bone my shins are 14.5 inches or 36cm. and my calves are 12 inches or 31cm in diameter at the largest spot. I can measure my legs in any other way necessary.

Any opinions or experience would be appreciated. I would be open to any other shin/knee guards under $60.
Thanks,

2

Could anyone tell me why everyone uses 661 4x4’s? And what size should get?
Thanks,

3

I’ve worn 4x4’s for years, and was pretty happy with them overall. I’ve gone through several pairs though, and the fit was never that great with the lower straps being too long. I switched to the KH percussion knee/shin leg armor, and I’ve been pretty satisfied with them overall, and they are easier to get on and off. But I think both brands are good. It’s really personal preference. :slight_smile:

4

I recently tried on the comps but they didn’t seem to really wrap around my leg so my calf felt a bit exposed. The 4x4s are the only ones I’ve tried. I just ordered a second pair. The only reason I haven’t changed is that I haven’t had a chance to try different ones.
The 4x4 are fairly protective around the knee but they sometimes have a tendency to slide down
I think 661 has a sizing chart on their website but I’m not sure how accurate it is.

5

Thanks guys. I will probably get the 4x4’s since you like them and they are cheaper.