The Review | Alpinestars Alps 2 Knee Guard
Thankfully the days of hurtling along trails with Robocop-esque, rock solid knee protectors are long gone, and the market has been taken over by softer knee guards made with high performance foams that are not only significantly more comfortable but more protective too. We set out to find out if the Alpinestars Alps 2 Knee Guard can hold its own against the ultimate knee protectors.
Alpinestars have defined their Alps 2 Knee Guard as a highly flexible, lightweight knee guard for use on the trails, guaranteeing full range of movement and effectively absorbing impacts. Compared to the many ultra-thin models on the market that appear to just a be a sewn-on thin knee pad, exclusively protecting superficial surface wounds, the Alps 2 seem giant in comparison, thus filling you with confidence.
They consist of a flexible 23cm pad. In the centre – the mid-point of any impact should you crash – it’s easily 1.5cm in thickness and visibly flattened off towards the sides. In addition, there are other foam segments for protection around the knee.
The knee guards are fastened onto your leg with two Velcro straps. To boost comfort and keep them in place, the straps run over the top of the mesh socks which are on the outside of the silicon ribs. While one of the straps takes the classic route over the knee, the other runs just below the hollow of the knee. The Alps 2 Knee Guard comes in two sizes and retails at the very fair price of 64.95 €.
On the trail
The relatively long length of the knee guard strikes you as soon as you pull them on. Combined with the two straps, your leg is gently flexed by the knee guard. This anatomical form should lend itself to increased comfort while pedaling. Unfortunately, all five of our test riders struggled to tolerate the lower Velcro strap. Even after just a few pedal strokes, it irritated the hollow of the knee so the guards were removed by the riders before each climb.
On downhills the Alps 2 Knee Guard remained securely on the leg, but after just a few metres it began to irritate the back of the knee. We didn’t perform a bench test on these knee guards, but given the multiple crashes that they endured, we can attest to its satisfying effective protective qualities. These qualities do come at a cost to ventilation though and the inside of the Alps 2 Knee Guard does heat up substantially, which is surely due to the long length of the kneepad. With regards to the lifespan of the pad, there’s no rise for complaint. However, given the inadequate fit, the knee guards have only been worn sporadically by our test team.
Conclusion
The Alpinestars Alps 2 Knee Guard offers effective protection to the knees, and efficiently soaks up substantial impacts. Unfortunately when it comes to riding comfort and ventilation, there are significant weaknesses, which is a shame as the retail price of 65€ seems valid given the quality manufacturing.
For more information visit: alpinestars.com
Words & Pictures: Christoph Bayer
Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of ENDURO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality mountain bike journalism. Click here to learn more.
