Test knee pads: Troy Lee Designs Raid Knee Guard - 1st choice of many DH pros

Troy Lee Designs Raid Knee Pads - Features

The Raid Knee Guard is Troy Lee Design's answer to the tough demands of the bike park and downhill trails. Professionals like Vali Höll and Try Brosnan rely on Troy Lee's protection. The D3O pad is embedded in a ring of EVA padding, which should ensure a better fit.

In addition, wide Velcro on the thigh and a silicone strap hold the protector in place. An additional stabilising strap runs over the calf. The back is extensively covered with mesh. The side labelling is part of the silicone print on the inside, a clever solution. One small drawback: the protector cannot be removed for washing.

Protective effect & laboratory values

The D3O pad in the Troy Lee knee pad delivers excellent residual force values across the board, making it the best protection of all the knee pads in the test, closely followed by the Amplifi Havoc. On average, 9.36 kN is still applied to the knee in the event of a fall. The maximum impact values measured by us are still a very low 9.53 kN.

Do you want to play it safe on the trail, but are you looking for a protector that is still easy to pedal? Then you'll find what you're looking for in our test of 12 lightweight knee pads.

How to wear the Troy Lee Designs Raid Knee Knee pads

Choosing the right size for the Troy Lee is a bit tricky. M is very small, L is much larger. Trying on is a must here. Overall, the Raid sits snugly on the knee with its thickly padded and somewhat protruding knee section - provided the size is right.

There is always some movement in the protector when pedalling. A crossbar over the calf is supposed to improve the fit, but a Velcro strap would probably have been much more effective here. The Troy Lee knee pad sits reasonably firmly - also thanks to the wide silicone strip on the thigh. On contact with the ground, however, the knee pad slips down slightly.

When pedalling, the Raid is sufficiently comfortable and without any major pressure points. Despite the mesh insert on the back, it quickly gets quite sweaty in the pad. The Troy Lee is not made for long tours but for the bike park.

Troy Lee Designs Raid Knee - Details & Price

• Price 159,99 Euro >> available here
• Weight (M) / Sizes 544 g / S-XXL
• Country of manufacture Vietnam
• Equipment Velcro strap on thigh, EVA pads on sides; mesh on back; abrasion-resistant material on knee area; protector not removable
• Protector / protection level D3O / Level 2 / K-Type A
• Residual force (centre / bottom / side) 9.53 / 9.47 / 9.07 kN

Conclusion & evaluation

Together with the Amplifi, the Raid delivers the absolute top values in the laboratory. The high level of protection is complemented by a pleasantly snug fit and a very secure feel - thanks to ample but not too bulky padding. The Raid is rather large, but could be tight on strong thighs. The Troy Lee can also be pedalled without pinching. The protector can only leave a pressure mark on the shin. The mesh on the back tore twice in the same place during the test. The hold would be even better with a slidecap.

Test: 8 knee pads for the bike park compared

• Amplifi Havok
• Ion K-Pact AMP HD (BIKE Tip Downhill) >> e.g. available here
• IXS Trigger Race >> e.g. available here
• Leatt Knee Guard 3DF 6.0 >> e.g. available here
• O'Neal Redeema Knee Guard >> e.g. available here
• Race Face Ambush >> e.g. available here
• 7IDP Project Knee >> e.g. available here
• Troy Lee Designs Raid Knee (BIKE Tip Test Winner) >> e.g. available here