McDavid Moisture Wicking HEX Technology Knee Sleeves for Women/Men, Elbows & Shins Protection, Hex Pads

Loved the product!

My goal for these was to use them as backup protection for my knees for snowboarding and figure skating. I wanted them to be a relaxed fit and not too bulky and not impede movement, but to be there to provide a little bit of extra protection in case I fall directly on my knees. Even though I'm an average sized female, I ended up getting a size XXL. The chart placed me at a size L. But they felt way too tight, and I exchanged them for XL, but those felt a little too tight for me as well. So I ended up getting XXL, and those felt pretty good - not too tight but not loose. Maybe for scenarios where perfect comfort is not a priority and you need them to be secure for more impact, just one size up would be good; maybe they'd stretch a little over time. I tried my XXL while snowboarding once and I forgot I had them on but they felt secure. I didn't fall though, so I can't speak to their level of protection. They seem like they would be good for situations where you want some protection but you aren't necessarily looking for a ton of cushion. The reason I chose these knee pads is because they seemed like they cover the sides of the knee a little bit as well. I tried another knee pad that had a lot of cushion in a small area and I felt like it hurt my knee when I tested gently landing on my knees on the carpet, because the knee pad would shift in an awkward way. The XXL I have definitely provides a lot of coverage all around the knee.

Pros: Good texture, doesn't get stinky, conforms to the knee, and protects my knee while playing. Aside from upper elastic (see cons), very comfy while active. Cons: Seems to run a little small. The upper elastic is too tight (the rest fits fine), and has a tendency to "scrunch down" after a little bit, which means constant adjusting. I also can't sit with my knees tighter than 90 degrees without my lower legs going to sleep. Summary: Great overall, but if you're close to a boundary, go up a size. I bought Medium after measuring 15" around my knee. If these don't stretch out a bit more, I plan to purchase a Large. UPDATE: After wearing it about 4 times (for a few hours of activity at a time) and giving the upper (tighter) elastic some good tugs, it has stretched to the point that I actually forgot I was wearing it last time. I would hope for something like this to not need so much breaking in, but I'm going to hope that's a sign that it will hold up for a long time.

I've found these knee pads to provide the ideal balance between PROTECTION, COVERAGE AREA and FIT & FEEL. And all of this at what I believe to be an excellent price point. Although I'm writing this review from the perspective of a soccer player, I think my critique would be helpful for other applications: home improvement projects, automotive repair, construction, hunting, snowboarding, volleyball, among others. As my team's soccer goalie, I've cycled through several different brands of knee pads to protect myself from hard dives to the turf. What I've discovered is that each brand of knee pad presents varying trade-offs between three factors: 1) PROTECTION. If your primary concern is protecting your knees from impacts with the field, turf or hardwood playing surfaces, then you'll want to select a bulkier knee pad -- either one with very thick padding, or perhaps even one with a hard outer shell. Those types of bulky knee pads do a great job with protection, but the trade-off is that their bulk tends to affect your freedom of movement, your overall mobility. 2) COVERAGE AREA. Sometimes the impact will occur right above or below or to the side of your knee cap. Ideally, you want the knee pad to provide at least some degree of protection to the immediate area surrounding your knee cap. 3) FIT & FEEL. This is a key factor that is often overlooked. The last thing you want to be doing is readjusting the position of your knee pad after every sprint, slide tackle, or impact with the ground. And what if the play is continuing and you don't have time to readjust them? In that instance, with your knee pad askew, it won't even provide you with proper protection and coverage -- which defeats the entire purpose of wearing them! After several practices and games using the "McDavid Hexpad" knee pads, I've found them to provide the best balance between PROTECTION, COVERAGE AREA and FIT & FEEL. Their design is unlike any I'd previously seen. They utilize several nickel-sized pads that are spaced slightly apart to allow for a better range of motion and flexibility. The rest of the fabric is 80% Nylon and 20% Spandex, which allows for excellent flexibility as well as conformity to your body. They hardly ever slip around even after hard impacts and slide tackles. In sum, these knee pads protect you, while also allowing for freedom of movement and a lot of "give." [FYI: I am 6'1 & 185 lbs. I purchased the Size X-Large, and they fit me perfectly. Also, I should note that I've used this product exclusively for knee padding; the manufacturer says they're also functional as elbow pads.] Previously, I'd been using the "Reusch Adult Kevlar Knee Guard," which placed a greater emphasis on protection. And although they protected my knees quite well, they were bulky and limited my movement, range of motion and kicking power. Also, they tended to slip and slide around after nearly every impact, resulting in my having to constantly readjust them mid-game. To reiterate, I've found that the "McDavid Hexpad" knee pads provide the best balance between PROTECTION, COVERAGE AREA and FIT & FEEL. And all of this at what I believe is an excellent price point.

Works ok for the price

I wear these for work, have taken a few sudden falls to my knees to try to catch a loose dog and feel no pain because of the cushion. Great for all day wear. I almost forget they are on!

I looked for these pads in the store but they did not have the size needed for my son. He is 8 years old and in the 50th percentile for both height and weight. The sizes on the box are very accurate. I would not recommend having pads larger than recommended as they will slide off if not sized right. My son is in football for the first time. His arms were taking a beating. In addition other kids have been getting hit in the elbow by helmets. These pads, though not as thick as others, work fantastic. They help disperse the impact and keep his elbows and upper arms from getting hurt. I highly recommend these pads. They do not interfere (at least in my opinion) with his catching the ball. They are not to bulky and he can still bend at the elbow pretty easily although it did take 1 practice to get used to the feel. **UPDATE** I am very pleased with these pads. During the season they endured being worn the entire football season, were torn off inside out as only an 8 year old can do, washed multiple times and still retained their shape and protection qualities. They prevented his arms from getting black and blue. I purchased another pair of these same pads for him the next year.

We definitely prefer McDavid kneepads over other brands because a good kneepad needs to provide adequate protection as well as not constrict movement and these kneepads provide that perfect balance. These kneepads are durable but they won’t last forever, which is what is expected. My personal opinion is that these kneepads are the best out in the market and highly recommend it to kids playing basketball.