Has anybody seen/tried these?
The interior is different, looks a little better.
-Dylan
I saw those on the Roach web site about a week ago. I’m not sure about that netting stuff on the back of the calf. I’m not sure how well it would protect the calf from calf tracks. I consider the calf protection to be important considering how often I end up dragging my calf over the pedal when I crash (I’m a bit of a klutz).
If it’s some sort of miracle mesh that is somehow able to keep the pedal pins from cutting up my calf then I’ll go for it. Otherwise I’ll stick to the old style or switch to 661 if the old style is no longer available.
With the mesh I’d also have to remember to put sun screen on my lower legs. 
I got some from beyondbikes.com last month. They are different, the cordura does not wrap around to the back of the leg. The back of the leg is covered with just a light mesh, no protection at all. I put a foam pad back there when I go on hard trails.
muddycycle has these new pads.i never put them on but they look longer that the DH ones. theres more material above the knee and down on the ankle,maybe this is a responce to the “sliding down” issue.
the down side is the mesh fabric on the back,its like fish net and wont protect your calfs at all.muddycycle put in some thin neopreme padding on the back for protection.
the logo is a rubber patch now,instead of the fabric one too.
EDIT: looks like both muddycycle and i hit “send” at 11:12 
I’ve had these pads since November and have appreciated them a good deal. They’re very comfortable; my only issue with them is the (three) straps that go behind my knee – sometimes I do them up too tightly and they chafe, but if I stick a bit of padding back there (old sock) I can ride all day. Ben P-S was noting my new pads at the Toque games, saying his biggest problem with the old ones was his kneecap became rather red after riding for a while. I believe the knee cup they have put in solves this issue as I’ve never experienced it.
As for the negative feedback concerning the mesh a la rear, I’m not sure it’s entirely deserved. jagur and muddycycle, have you guys actually been cut by your pedals with the pads on? I didn’t think so. I have two 4-inch lines up the back of my left calf, one from when I didn’t own the pads, the other from when I wasn’t wearing them. If you want to make a shaky corrolation with that information, go ahead, but I believe I have some more substantial proof the mesh works:
I just put on the right pad, rolled by MUni in front of my chair and proceeded to kick, rub and otherwise forcefully establish contact between my calf and my pinned pedal in a variety of manners. After about twenty seconds or so, I stopped and removed the pad and noted there were a few red spots on my leg which are probably gone… wait… yup, they’re not there. So, I don’t know if my scraping and whacking accurately represents a real crash, but I’m pretty sure if I had run the same test without the pad there would be blood soaking into my carpet – I don’t want to try it because I move out of my residence room in a week and they’d charge me extra for the cleaning.
Best of all there is absolutely no visible damage to the mesh – it’s very strong stuff. I think the reason it does protect your leg is because it’s a relatively small mesh (compared to the pins on a pedal, not compared to a screen door), it’s very tough and it doesn’t stretch. The pins slide across the top of the fabric instead of digging in.
Later,
Eli.
P.S. If you need a pair, buy them. They’re great pads.
I wear lycra knee warmers to avoid any chafing on my kneecap and on other parts of the knee. The knee warmers can be found at most bike shops during the cold weather seasons, or at the online bike shops all year long.
So the Roach pads wernt warm enough for you already eh…
He heh…
I don’t notice the knee warmers making the Roach pads warmer than they already are. But I do ride in Washington so I don’t get to ride in hot weather very often. Most of the time I’m happy for the extra warmth of the Roach pads. But I’ll take warm knees over chafed knees any day.
well arent we sure of other peoples issues 
if i had a camera i would take a pic of the hole that some Oddessy Twisted Pro’s punched clean though my “old Style” Roaches.i also would take a pic of the scar on my calf thats aboot an inch long from the pin dragging a trench into my calf after going though said armor!
[b]
no it doesnt…
Hey, gotta be cocky some of the time :).
“Said armor” being the “old style” Roaches?
Later,
Eli.
I have also managed to put a small rip in the calf wrap on one of my Roach pads. It’s a very small rip and didn’t draw blood or even cut the skin which means the calf wrap did it’s job.
I’m having a hard time imagining that the mesh on the new Roaches is going to be adequate. Maybe they’d be willing to do some custom work and sew the old style calf protection on the new Roaches.
i was just reminded of the coolest feature on the new Roach’s.
on the inside,where the pad is against your skin.there are sort of raised ridges so air can move in there.you would almost have to see a pic to imagine this but its the best improvment consitering how hot & sweaty armor gets.
do you have a cam Eli?
i’m thinking of just cutting off my old 661 backs and sewing them on the new roach pads + some velcro…