Swiss brand iXS specialise in the production of technical clothing and protection for motocross and mountain biking. Straight away, the FLOW EVO+ knee pad stands out from the test field with its olive-green colour. Tipping the scales at 143 g, it’s one of the lightest pads in the test. Compared to its competitors, it’s rather compact and features a relatively short sleeve with only a small portion of fabric extending over the thigh and calf.

Click here for an overview: 14 trail knee pads in test

Weight per pad 143 g | Price € 89.90 | Certification Level 1 | Removable Insert Yes
Fastening System Velcro Strap hollow of the knee | Lab Test Results 20 kN at 3.6 ms
Manufacturer’s website

The front side is lined with a sturdier, anti-abrasion material while the rear section consists of a light mesh. A printed silicone strip around the top cuff prevents it from sliding and is complemented with a Velcro strap at the back of the knee. With a price tag of € 89.90 the FLOW EVO+ sits bang in the middle of the test field and the Level 1 certification with 20 kN residual force at 3.6 ms is average too.

The Velcro strap at the back of the knee is nice and short, allowing you to secure it across its entire length – awesome!
The insert of the iXS is very short and presses against the shin .
The thigh-end of the sleeve is only secured to the leg by means of a thin silicon strip.

The iXS FLOW EVO+ on the trail

Thanks to its compact dimensions, the iXS FLOW EVO+ is easy to put on and take off. The short sleeve takes a little getting used to and leaves a small gap between your shorts and pads – but this can vary depending on the shorts’ cut. Once you get used to the fit, the FLOW EVO+ ensures a high level of comfort – so comfortable in fact, that you’ll forget you’re even wearing knee pads! Moreover, the iXS FLOW EVO+ is the only model in test that employs a well-thought-out and functional knee strap that actually works: it’s conveniently short and allows you to secure the knee pad properly – awesome! The Velcro closure stretches over the entire length of the strap, allowing you to adjust the length to suit your anatomy and preferences. The iXS FLOW EVO+ offers an excellent fit both on epic pedalling sessions and long Alpine descents. But there’s also a downer: with some testers, it rubbed against the shins while pedalling, so we recommend pulling the pads down on long monotonous climbs.

Tops

  • Secure fit
  • Well-thought-out strap at the back of the knee

Flops

  • Pressure points on the shins
  • Short cut is a matter of taste

You can find out more about at ixs.com.

The test field

Click here for an overview: 14 trail knee pads in test

All kneepads in test: 100% Teratec Plus (Click for review) | Alpinestars Paragon Plus (Click for review) | AMPLIFI Havok (Click for review) | Chromag Rift Knee Guard (Click for review) | Fox Launch D3O (Click for review) | Ion K Lite (Click for review) | iXS FLOW EVO+ | Leatt AirFlex Pro (Click for review) | Ortema GP5 Knee Protector (Click for review) | Pearl Izumi Elevate Knee Guard V1 (Click for review) | POC Joint VPD 2.0 Knee (Click for review) | Rapha Trail Knee Pad (Click for review) | Scott Soldier 2 (Click for review) | Troy Lee Designs Stage (Click for review)


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Words & Photos: Simon Kohler

About the author

Simon Kohler

​​Simon loves speed. He has many years of racing experience as a longboard downhill skater, blasting down alpine passes on his board. In the meantime, he’s swapped four wheels for two, charging down trails and bike park lines aboard his mountain bike instead. He’s savoured some of Europe’s finest trails on various road trips through the Alps. Having lived in Austria for some time, he knows the local Austrian bike parks like the back of his hand. He’s a tech nerd through and through, using the skills and know-how from his engineering degree and his attention to detail to put the latest bikes and components through their paces for our reviews. As an early riser and self-declared muesli connoisseur, he lives his life powered by oats and the strength of his legs.