Review: Racer's Profile Knee D3O Pads
Racer is a French company, founded in 1927, that manufactures ski, moto, and bike gloves, along with other protective equipment. You may have heard of them, depending on where you live and ride, as their distribution is mostly in Europe and Canada. They are working to expand in North America.
According to Racer, the Profile Knee is designed for mountain biking, and also for snowsports and motorsports. It's CE certified. The pad is soft and flexible, using D3O instead of a hard plastic to absorb impacts. Profile Knees are presently available in Europe, as well as Canada, through Brick & Mortar stores and sells for $148 CAD.
According to Racer, the Profile Knee is designed for mountain biking, and also for snowsports and motorsports. It's CE certified. The pad is soft and flexible, using D3O instead of a hard plastic to absorb impacts. Profile Knees are presently available in Europe, as well as Canada, through Brick & Mortar stores and sells for $148 CAD.
Profile Knee Details
• Gravity/DH Knee Pad
• T5 D3O protection
• CE certified
• Slip-on, with Velcro straps
• Colors: Black
• Weight: 640 grams
• MSRP: $148 CAD
• www.racergloves.com
• Gravity/DH Knee Pad
• T5 D3O protection
• CE certified
• Slip-on, with Velcro straps
• Colors: Black
• Weight: 640 grams
• MSRP: $148 CAD
• www.racergloves.com
Velcro straps help keep the system tight to avoid unwanted slipping.
The back of the knee pads are a combination of breathable mesh and Airprene.
Construction
The Profile Knee is designed to be the most advanced and protective of Racer's MTB range. It utilizes T5 D3O to maximize protection. D3O has been used in a lot of different pads over the years. It is lightweight and flexible, but when it encounters an impact, it hardens to provide impact protection.
Holding the D3O pads in place is the shell - a combination of Airprene (breathable neoprene) and mesh. It is reinforced on the sides with aramid cloth and D3O. There is an anti-slip material that contacts the skin on both the top and bottom of the pad, which fits with the kneecap directly contacting the D3O material through an opening on the inside (see the photo below). There is more anti-slip material sitting around the kneecap to provide additional insurance against slippage.
The stretchy Airprene shell, coupled with the anti-slip material, work together to keep the pads in place. Additionally, a large strap at the top of the pad and a smaller one on the back help to fine tune the fit.
Anti-slip material on the inside of the kneepads keeps things in place, while the sides are reinforced for added protection.
Performance
Typically, unless I'm in the bike park or on a more technical ride, I forego kneepads. Therefore, when I do wear them, I'm pretty picky about fit and comfort. There are a lot of options out there, several from some pretty big brands that I think are complete garbage. There's no sense in spending any money on a pad only to have to tape it to your leg or have a loose fit that doesn't properly protect you. In the hierarchy of importance, I would take a moderate reduction of comfort for a pad that remains firmly in place.
The fit of the Racer pads is tight and snug, but not too much so. The anti-slip material keeps the pads in place, exactly where they are supposed to be. In addition to providing protection against impacts, the pads fit me in a way that supports my knees. They feel almost like a brace. The top of the pad sits high enough that there was none of the unacceptable "gaper-gap" between the top of the kneepad and my shorts.
I'm typically in the middle of the "medium" size range on most pads. These fit me well, as a medium, but I wouldn't want them to be any tighter. Buyers should do what they can to try on a pair before purchasing, as the snug fit will dictate what size you use. As always, fit of gear is personal, everyone is built differently, so Racer's design may not work for everyone, but I would wager that with the correct size, they'll fit most.
The Profile kneepads offer much more protection than more minimalist pads and are still very comfortable. The shell is soft and flexible and allows you to have a great deal of movement and motion. There is no pinching or binding of the material at flexion or extension and there's no Velcro pricking you, as sometimes happens with hook-and-loop closures. The anti-slip material is soft and really clings to your skin. The area around the kneecap will pull on unshaven legs a little, which is most noticeable while sitting on the chairlift, but it's pretty minimal and was not enough to consider as an issue. That said, if you have a skinned knee, these pads are going to be pretty uncomfortable. You may as well forget trying to wear them with a bandage or a scab near your kneecap.
Pinkbike's Take
 | Racer's Profile Knee is a well-constructed and successfully executed pad. The fit is dialed and slippage or unwanted movement is never a thought. These pads aren't inexpensive by any means, but they're built solidly, and are easily up to the task of protecting and supporting your knees in the event of a crash. |
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Member since Jan 18, 2007
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That i agree, I have a pair of IXS daggers, rode them through from long xc rides to riding down dh lines. The hard plastic knee cup and padding at the sides has taken alot of abuse and of coz protecting my knees from injuries. But it is falling apart, 4 years of use, the webbing at the back is getting torn up and the loop around the plastic buckle has ripped. I've been shopping for a replacement, thus my griping. I might just go with another pair of daggers. They're pretty affordable as well so thats a big plus.
I tried L but i only manage to get the band up above my knee.
I got a pair of poc vpd2 few years ago and now put them virtually every time I ride, meaning they'll likely be there when I need them. D3O ( and others) pads have made body protection go from Jerrysending to mainstream riding gear status, and that's a good thing.
If I remember correctly my old RF pad’s manual said they can’t guarantee the same performance over 6 washes..
Now I can’t find any restriction in the newer model’s manual.
"If applicable, D3O® protectors should be removed carefully from the garment
before washing. D3O® protectors are wipe-clean only, using a damp cloth.
NEVER use cleaners or detergents on or launder your D3O® product. This
may result in irreparable damage and will severely reduce the effectiveness of
your D3O® product. After washing, allow to dry in a ventilated space at room
temperature; do not use hair dryers or other heaters to dry your D3O® product."
www.d3o.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/D3O-Consumer-Care-Instructions.pdf
--> washing protection with/and inserts in the sink with a tad of soap is fine. Yeah, if you can avoid, don't put them in the washing machine. D3O compounds is basically plastic, don't put any product that can potentially harm plastic.
* Items with D30 should be washed a maximum of 30 times and a water temperature no higher than 40°C.
BTW pads look quite nice except for that gawdawful d30 graphic.
Uhhh last I checked Canada, was part of North America... So it's Mexico and many others. Yup I just got all geographic up in here, sucka!
If you dont understand why I don’t.......you will eventually!