REVscene Automotive Forum - View Single Post - What's the Last Piece of Gear You Bought and Review It Thread

dru · 05-16-2012, 11:37 AM

I picked up a pair of RS Taichi Knee Guards off Gabe from redlinegear.ca yesterday and went for a quick ride today. Redline Gear - Authorized RS Taichi Dealer for Canada Here's my review:

I was originally in the market for riding jeans, but I couldn't find anything that fit my budget and offer the protection that I wanted.

So I decided to buy the next best thing, armor you wear under your jeans/pants. After breaking my knee cap last year (unrelated), I can't imagine the pain I would experience if I fell on it again without any protection.

The knee guards offer a simple solution for quick trips around town, to work, to school, etc. They slide on and off under my jeans with little effort. I ended up getting the medium because the large was a little too big. Although the large would have covered the sides of my knee better, I lost a lot of muscle around my knee so the large sleeve was too loose for my liking. I also have skinny asian legs. For reference, I am 5'11" and 172 lbs.

The knee guards are CE certified (level 1) and the sleeve itself is a spandex dry-fit material (think Under Armor). The back of the knee is mesh, which you can see in the picture and provides adequate cooling. The mesh also prevents the material from bunching up. For added support there is a velcro strap on the bottom. The medium is pretty snug on me so the strap is just for added security.

Visually, you can't tell that I am wearing them under my jeans. The large I tried on was a bit bulkier so it was a bit noticeable, but function>form.

Overall, I would rate this purchase a 4.5/5. I would have given it 5 stars if there was a size in between the medium and large. Like a medium.5 if you know what I mean. For those wanting even more protection, RS Taichi does offer a hard shell version of the knee guard, but I have read that it does not conform as well as the soft shell version.

05-16-2012, 11:37 AM	#3
dru RS.net, where our google ads make absolutely no sense! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: burnaby Posts: 954 Thanked 39 Times in 16 Posts Failed 1 Time in 1 Post	I picked up a pair of RS Taichi Knee Guards off Gabe from redlinegear.ca yesterday and went for a quick ride today. Redline Gear - Authorized RS Taichi Dealer for Canada Here's my review: I was originally in the market for riding jeans, but I couldn't find anything that fit my budget and offer the protection that I wanted. So I decided to buy the next best thing, armor you wear under your jeans/pants. After breaking my knee cap last year (unrelated), I can't imagine the pain I would experience if I fell on it again without any protection. The knee guards offer a simple solution for quick trips around town, to work, to school, etc. They slide on and off under my jeans with little effort. I ended up getting the medium because the large was a little too big. Although the large would have covered the sides of my knee better, I lost a lot of muscle around my knee so the large sleeve was too loose for my liking. I also have skinny asian legs. For reference, I am 5'11" and 172 lbs. The knee guards are CE certified (level 1) and the sleeve itself is a spandex dry-fit material (think Under Armor). The back of the knee is mesh, which you can see in the picture and provides adequate cooling. The mesh also prevents the material from bunching up. For added support there is a velcro strap on the bottom. The medium is pretty snug on me so the strap is just for added security. Visually, you can't tell that I am wearing them under my jeans. The large I tried on was a bit bulkier so it was a bit noticeable, but function>form. Overall, I would rate this purchase a 4.5/5. I would have given it 5 stars if there was a size in between the medium and large. Like a medium.5 if you know what I mean. For those wanting even more protection, RS Taichi does offer a hard shell version of the knee guard, but I have read that it does not conform as well as the soft shell version.