SixSixOne Recon Knee Pad 2018
Reviews / Body Armour
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At A Glance
Designed as a minimalist protection pad, the Recon aims to offer enough padding to be worth wearing whilst also being comfortable and flexible. Built to be worn all day, they should be a fit-and-forget piece of kit.
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The protection comes in the form of Poron XRD foam which has an open cell structure that gives a flexible material able to take multiple beatings.
The Recon is super light, backed with a Lycra style sock with a gap around the back of the knee for maximum ventilation. No straps or Velcro are used, just the compression of the elastic in the pad.
If you have the Evo shorts from 661 then these pads will clip in to them with the Padlock connection system that will prevent any gaps or sliding pads.
On The Trail
Tight and snug fitting, the pads slide on easily and feel at home around your knee. The angular nature of the foam leads to some awkward looking angles as they bend round the curves of the knee cap, but this is more of a visual problem than function or comfort.
As expected from a pad this light, pedalling and all day wearing is easy and unobtrusive. They are a little tight on my calf but this is a personal fit issue and I would rather they were tighter up top to prevent the very minimal slipping that can occur.
The armour offered is front-on knee and upper shin protection. Sides are left exposed other than a small wrap-around and as usual with these types of pads, you need to think sensibly about the protection on offer and what it is capable of.
Clipping into shorts is a great idea, and although I didn't get chance to try this set up with Recon and Evo combo from SixSixOne I feel it would make a lot of sense for many pads. It would certainly assist in preventing gaps and further help to keep the pads where they are meant to be.
Good for hotter conditions, the cut away at the rear maintains air flow to the back of the knee. Unless under the padding itself, the material is super thin and breathable.
Overall
Exceedingly light and flexible pad with potential to be integrated into your shorts. The fit around the knee isn't perfect as the material isn't curved, but is thick enough to take the sting out of trail knocks.
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By Ewen Turner
Ewen Turner is a self-confessed bike geek from Kendal in the Lake District of England. He runs a coaching and guiding business up there and has a plethora of knowledge about bikes with an analytical approach to testing. His passion for bicycles is infectious, and he’s a ripper on the trails who prefers to fit his working life around his time on the bike.
