Rapha was founded in London as a fashion-focused clothing brand for road cyclists. However, in 2021, the Brits have officially jumped on the MTB wagon. The aptly-named Trail Knee Pad is made of a stiff yet stretchy material with a removable insert. This is lined with SuperFabric, which is far more robust than the main sleeve material but still very thin and light.
Click here for an overview: 14 trail knee pads in test
Fastening System Elastic Strap | Lab Test Results 14 kN at 2.1 ms | Manufacturer’s website
Both on the thigh- and calf-end, an offset elastic strap with longitudinally arranged silicone strips prevents the knee pad from slipping – Rapha forgo Velcro fasteners altogether. As one of the few protectors in this test, the Rapha Trail Kneepad is Level 2 certified, measuring an impressive 14 kN residual force in the lab and thus offering an excellent level of protection despite its thin insert. Moreover, the Rapha tips the scales at 182 g and retails at € 95, placing it in the midfield both in terms of weight and price.
The Rapha Trail Kneepad on the trail
The Rapha Trail Kneepad is easy to slip on, but the long thigh-end makes it harder to put it on if you’re already wearing shorts. Once it’s in place, the Rapha has an excellent fit without causing uncomfortable pressure points. The sleeve also extends far down the calf, offering additional protection both on the lower section of the knee and the upper shin. Rapha’s Trail Knee Pad offers the highest level of comfort in the entire test field, even on a long day in the saddle – and you could probably leave it on for dinner and completely forget about it! However, the slightly sturdier sleeve material doesn’t let much air through, which leads to a relatively warm inner climate. Nevertheless, all testers were impressed with the overall performance of the Rapha Trail Knee Pad, which offers a high level of protection, top wearing comfort and an excellent fit, thus striking the best balance in the entire test field and securing the coveted Best in Test badge in our 2022 trail knee pad group test!
Tops
- High level of protection despite the thin protector
- High level of comfort
- Secure fit
- Protector stretches far down the shin
Flops
- Not the best ventilation in this test
You can find out more about at rapha.cc.
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+ (Click for review) | 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 | Scott Soldier 2 (Click for review) | Troy Lee Designs Stage (Click for review)
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Words: Simon Kohler Photos: Mike Hunger
