Review: G-Form PRO-X Knee Pads

Summary: Comfortable pads that provide decent protection. Unfortunately they will not stay in place. Continue reading for the detailed review…

In depth review: Here’s the problem with these pads: they will not stay covering your knees when used in whitewater. I wore these over a wetsuit early this season while I was still recovering from tibia plateau fractures. While surfing these pads stayed in place fine, but once I fell into the water they always got pulled down to my ankles.

The one time I did fall to my knees onto the deck of my board, these pads felt great. They’re comfortable and provide decent protection in a slim, lightweight package. Whenever I fell into the water however, the rushing water would work its way under the pads and pull them out of place.

I made sure to size the pads correctly, and when wearing a wetsuit they were quite snug. While wearing my thicker wetsuit, I could barely get them on. Still, they couldn’t hold up to the power of the river. Perhaps if they had straps, more rubber lining the inside, or were form fitted to stay on the knee they would have stayed in place. The one time they did stay in place was when I wore them UNDER a drysuit. The problem with wearing them under a drysuit is they are almost impossible to adjust.

These pads are good for non-river sports, but I would avoid them if you’re hoping to take them into whitewater. For me, my knee has healed and I’ve gone back to not wearing any knee protection. Perhaps this spring I’ll look for a different set of river knee pads for those boney, low water days.