I have been wearing (like many of you) the 661 4x4 knee/shin guards and while they are very protective if I wear them over 60 degrees F I am sweating to death and I think it is contributing to my overheating. I think much of the issue is that they wrap all the way around the leg really restricting airflow.
I am not doing hard core muni and need some basic protection. I was looking at the 661 MXE Knee that has an open back anyone use these or others that they fine are breathable in hot weather?
The only shin guards I will ever buy. These things are incredible, a bit pricey but well worth it. The front is plastic so they offer great hit protection. The back is mesh with a few open spots. They offer great breathe-ability for your legs and wick away moisture really well. I’ve had mine for about 8 months now and am in love with them. You may be able to shop around and find them cheaper, if you see some that are the same style but with gray plastic as opposed to black fear not, they are the same thing, just a little older model. (I’ve got the one’s with the gray, but have also tried the one linked)
I know a couple of people who started with the KH leg armor and then cut the knee pads off for extra ventilation. Your shins need protection more than your knees anyway. You could try it with your 661s…
I just ordered some knee and shin pads from g-form.com. They use a special foam that changes molecular structure on impact. They look sketchy but I like science and new technology. And they are not too expensive for new technology. I will update when I get them and try them out.
On your 661 4x4’s leave the knee section loose, but the calf section tight. This is what I do and I’m totally used to it now and never think about the heat, even when riding in 80F+
I take the shorter knee strap, and just barely secure it to the very end of the velcro strip, this strap is the one that mainly controls how much pressure there is behind the knee, then with the longer strap, I just strap it over that one lightly. Your legs will still sweat, but by leaving the top loose, you make a vent, and the sweat will actually cool your legs. If you have newer versions of the 661’s they also have large vents in the front of the pads, so the combination of having a vent at the top and the front works very well for me.
I will give that a try with loosening the knee the straps thanks!!
I don’t think I am ready to cut the knee’s off the 661 4x4’s quite yet. This morning I got going too fast on my 36er and flew face first onto pavement. My hillbilly gloves worked like a charm as usual taking most of the impact, and I got a raspberry on the outside of my right knee (thru the pads). I was glad to have the knee protection cause I think it would have been much worse without.
I will try loosening the knee area up to get more air flow and see how that works.
The hard shell is an overkill, you really just need a little padding to blunt the impact and protect against abrasion.
I have not landed on my knee since learning how to ride, so I’d just go for shin guards, which will also be cooler.
Also, some shin guards do not adequately cover the back of the leg, which is a common place to get pedal bite, so I’d look for guards that do a complete wrap.
I’ve been using SixSiOne Veggie Wraps for a few years, they stand up well to abuse, washer freindly, not too hot. The Veggies have extra padding on the shin, some flexible and very thin plastic strips between neoprene layers for additional protection on the shin, and they are full wrap.
When I used to ride bmx, my Hammer 2Z’s always treated me well. Sure they made me sweat like a bear in heat, but it wasn’t worth loosing chunks of shin bone and tattoo ink. Does anyone suggest getting the whole works, knee AND shin guards?
I don’t fall on my knees, so for me they are optional.
I don’t always wear shin guards, depends on where I’m riding and the time of year.
During ski season I wear them so that I don’t mess up my shins which would make wearing ski boots a bit uncomfortable. I do notice that my “stoopid level” goes up when I’m wearing armor
[QUOTE=Dane M;1439449]
On your 661 4x4’s leave the knee section loose, but the calf section tight. This is what I do and I’m totally used to it now and never think about the heat, even when riding in 80F+
I tried leaving the tops of the 661 4X4’s loose and it made a huge difference in the ventilation
On my 4x4’s I felt there wasn’t enough knee protection, plus I thought I might want to just use the shin pads, so I cut off the knees and got some hard shell skate knee pads like these
The added protection is welcome:) When using both, heat is about the same but, it takes a little longer to put them on and both together are a tad heavier than before the amputation.
I wish someone made wrap around armor that was a light color. I think that could help on sunny days. For example the armor under light tan pants is noticably cooler than over.
i looked at the evo have you tried them much are they worth the extra over the veggie i was thinking to get the knee pads as well i asume they fit together
I hit a dip on a switchback one time, popped several feet into the air, and landed with my knee on a boulder. Since I was wearing knee protection (KH leg armor) it hurt a little bit but I was able to get right back up. Without protection it would definitely have been a trip to the ER. It’s great you found a less risky solution!
Also, I just started doing this recently, if your shinguards get REALLY hot. When you take a break, undo the 2 top straps, and the velcro patch, and then fold the knee portion out over the shin guard. Then it REALLY vents. You may not want to do this too often though, since it may wear out the fabric in that area.
