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Knee pads or knee protection padding is a type of security gear that is widely used in sports to protect their knees for injuries as well as heal injuries faster and more efficiently. Knee pads usually consist of a foam based padding and a sleeve that holds everything in place so you can easily wear them without constantly adjusting the height. Knee pads can be hard or soft and depending on the sport you are using them you will need different padding. There are various knee pad types like knee braces and compression sleeves and you have to also know your exact leg measurements to buy the right pad for yourself.
Top 5 Best Basketball Knee Pads Reviews
1. McDavid Knee Pad with Sorbothane Insert
Knee Pads can be useful to anyone who either experienced knee pains while walking or doing any other everyday activities or who needs extra support while working out, training or doing some other psychical activities.
And this McDavid knee pad will be great at those tasks, because not only it is made out of special material that will guarantee safety and support to your knee but it also has an amazing design and size selection.
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McDavid Knee Pad with Sorbothane Insert
(4.3 / 5)This is a great knee pad for basketball and dance. It is very high quality
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The outer layer of this basketball knee pad is made out of a very heavy duty nylonfabric that will guarantee strong durability. This Neoprene material also will ensure that this knee pad will be very comfortable while keeping your knee warm and supported. And the fact, that this knee pad is free of any latex will give the pad additional compression and thermal therapy features, that will help the knee while doing any activities.
The inside of the knee-pad holds a viscoelastic gel insert, that will nicely cushion the knee against any possible impacts from falls to simple vibrations, from running and jumping. As well protect the knee giving it support and strength while you walk or do other activities.
Moreover this knee pad features a seamless design that allows it to be very comfortable when putting on, taking off and while wearing the pad. But the stitches that holds the gel insert in place are made so that they provide not only comfort but flat fit, holding the supporting gel in place above the knee cap.
This knee pad will be great at supporting any athlete’s knee from basketball players and track runners to wrestlers. The stress and impact absorption and the warmth it provides allows anyone to wear this knee pad in virtually any environment. But the therapy abilities will give relief from arthritis and bursitis as well as knee strains and bruises. And even if you are not an athlete but just are in search for a good way how to protect or support your knees then this knee pad will do a great job at doing so and will keep you pain free and comfortable.
In the package you will get only one single knee pad. However, this one will fit both the right and the left knee. But if you want support for both knees then I suggest to buy two of these for the best possible results.
2. Mikasa Advanced Competition Kneepads
Basketball can be one of the toughest sports especially on you knees, because all the jumping and running in combination with diving for the ball can take a toll on you knees and they can start to hurt. Luckily there is solution to all of these problems and it is a knee pad!
The Mikasa Knee Pads are specially designed for younger basketball players because these knee pads will protect and guard you knees while giving them support and padding.
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Mikasa Advanced Competition Kneepads
(4.2 / 5)This is a great basketball knee pad. It is pretty nice
The knee pads are made out of elastic knit material. This type of material will be very stretchy so you not only won’t have any trouble to put on the knee pad or to take it off, but it will also let your knees move and won’t cut off any motion in you knees. But the material is also extremely supportive, so it will be able to support you knees during the activities. And the padding inside the knee sleeves will absorb any shocks from falling , and will also protect your knees from any bumps, cuts or scratches you might acquire during your activities.
One more bonus to these knee pads is that the material is also very light and ir will allow your skin to breath through it. So you won’t have to worry about any odor coming from your kneepads after a long training session or workout. And that will also eliminate the possibility of staph or any other infection that could occur otherwise.
The knee pad comes in one size, but that one size should fit most juniors and youngsters. It will protect the new basketball star knees from trauma and direct impact with the floor.
But you can also use these knee pads for other applications too. They are padded and tough so they will be able to protect the knees from other impacts too. Any young athlete could benefit from these knee pads, because they will guard the knees and offer them extra support. You can even use them as knee guards while driving a bike or skateboard for extra safety and as a protection from one of the most common injuries amongst kind – scraped and bruised knees.
3. Pro-Tec Athletics Gel Force Knee Sleeve
A knee pad is the perfect thing for anyone who suffers from knee pains or has to do a lot of physical activities because these pads not only offer support but also stabilize knees and knee joints and give more comfortable and safer movement to the knees.
These Pro-Tec Athletics Gel Force Knee Sleeve pads are made out of a very supportive but also breathable and light fabrics that will keep your knee in tact but will also keep it sweat free and dry. This means that the knee pad will be able to keep your knee and the skin under the pad dry, and it won’t cause any fabric irritation, because the fabric will breath and won’t collect any bacteria. The stretchy material that the knee pad is made out off will provide an amazing support to your knee and the area above and below it, compressing the skin but still allowing full range of motion and not cutting of any circulation. But the thick gel insert right on the kneecap will stabilize the knee and will be able to absorb any forces such as a fall or the vibrations from a jump, and will make these types of activities much easier on your knees.
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Pro-Tec Athletics Gel Force Knee Sleeve
(4.2 / 5)This is a great basketball knee pad. No more knee pain
The most usual application to these knee pads are to lessen knee pain upon activities as well as to offer stability to the knees in everyday life and when you are more active than usually. But these knee pads can be used for medical or athletic purpose too. Knee pads help with Patellofemoral pain syndrome, Patellar tracking as well as with minor meniscus and ligament tears. But for athletes these knee pads will be the perfect thing to make sure that you don’t damage your knees during workouts, training and also competitions.
And if you think that these knee pads will be bulky and ugly, then think again. They come in beautiful dark blue color and have very slim design. The material will allow the knee pad to stretch in all four directions while letting the skin breathe. The only bulky part will be the gel spiral right on the knee, but that will offer extra support as well as safety if the wearer falls or have to move around on his or her knees a lot.
4. CompressionZ Padded Knee Sleeves
CompressionZ high performance knee pads are perfect to protect your knees from impacts such as falls and injuries, so they will be great for professional athletes and also regular people who want to guard their knees from injuries while working or training.
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CompressionZ Padded Knee Sleeves
(4.2 / 5)This is a great and comfortable basketball knee pad. I love this product
A new compression technology is worked into the pads that will let your muscles recover from the loar much faster as well as promote blood circulation in your knee area.
These knee pads are very comfortable on you knees because of the fabric they are made out of. The 4 way stretch material will fit snug around your knees but won’t be too tight so that it becomes uncomfortable. If you know that you will use these pads while sweating then don’t worry about them sliding around or becoming wet, because the special material will not only keep you knees dry but also the knee sleeves won’t become smelly or itchy because of the sweat.
The fabric also is very breathable so the oxygen will be supplied to your knees for fastest lactic acid removal from you muscles and limitation of muscle pain.
Another great thing about these knee pads is that the fabric is able to regain its shape every time after washing which will extend the lifetime of these knee pads as well as let you wash them without really worrying about them losing their shape or abilities.
The knee pads are available in black color and in three different sizes – small (13.5″-16″), medium (16″-18.5″) and large (18.5″-21″). The sleeve itself will come about 4 inches above your knee that will help it support your knee caps and let you work and train with more stability without worrying about hurting your knees. The very top of the sleeve is made so that it doesn’t slide down during activities, but it will breath and be comfortable even for long workouts.
Suitable for basketball, volleyball, lacrosse players, other athletes, as well as skateboarders and rollerbladers who don’t want to wear full on knee guards. And they are small enough to throw them inside your gym bag to have them handy whenever you need them.
5. Martin Sports Basketball Knee Pads
Knee pads are essential to a lot of athletes, sportists and even regular people who have more demanding jobs, because they enable these people to walk, run, jump and squat without any problems at the same time guarding the knees and keeping them safe and intact.
These Martin Knee Pads are specially made to help people support their knees weather they are doing sports, working out, working, simply walking around or even doing jobs that require being on the knees for a prolonged periods, for example house cleaning.
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Martin Sports Basketball Knee Pads
(3.5 / 5)This is a good anf cheap basketball knee pad
These knee pads can be worn also by athletes such as volleyball or basketball players to minimize the shocks of running, jumping and also diving for the ball, especially in volleyball. Because of the technology of these knee pads, they will give the person, who wears them the utter most support to the knees and also will feel comfortable while wearing the pads.
These ones are made out of soft and very elastic knit material, that will stretch along with the movements of your knees. But although they will fit snug around the knee, they won’t also be too tight, so they in any way won’t cut off the blood flow and its circulation around your knees. And the specially made sleeve like silueth of the pad won’t also make it uncomfortable to wear the pads and will absorb any sweat or liquid that the pads will come in contact with.
In many cases these kind of pads also can slip off during physical activities providing discomfort and making it hard to wear the pads for long period of time. But these Martin Basketball knee pads are made so that they won’t slide around even upon intense sweating. And after workout you can just machine-wash them and they will be ready to use again until your next workout.
Martin Knee pads are available in two colors – neutral black and striking white so you have the ability to make them suit your basketball jersey or workwear. The design of them features a basic band that goes around your knee with a padded and supporting feature in your knee cap area. Although they aren’t bulky and stiff like other heavy duty knee pads they can take the shock and really provide support to your knees.
And these knee pads also aren’t very heavy – each weighing only 4 ounces or 113 grams. Thanks to the new technology and stretch abilities of the material the one size will fit almost any knee and won’t slip off from even the smallest knees. By purchasing these knee pads you will get a pair of the pads that are identical so you won’t have to mark each one for specific knee. And the price is also very appealing!
Where to use knee pads?
Knee pads can be used in a wide range of situations ranging from various sport disciplines to construction and house works as well as gardening and simply healing your knees after an injury. Each of these categories need a little bit different padding and knee pad style but there are also multifunctional knee pads that can be used in all of these occasions.
If you are in any kind of sport starting from volleyball to basketball you will need knee pads that will ensure your knee protection and will keep you from getting broses and scratches as well as other injuries. The sport discipline that you are in will also dictate what kind of knee pad you need as I doubt you would be able to use the same knee pads for basketball game that you wear while riding inline skates.
Knee pads can also be used in non-sport environments starting from construction work and even regular house repairs. In these situations you can use multifunctional pads or any other knee pad and that depends how long you will need to kneel. These pads will give you cushioned support for your knees so you will be able to sustain prolonged kneeling and get trough without pain.
Basketball Knee pad types
There are various knee pad like clothing and each company makes their product differently from their competition but overall all these can be divided into three categories that are knee sleeves, knee pads and knee braces but there is also the fourth category that combine some or all of the ones before.
Knee Sleeve – Knee sleeves or also known as compression sleeves are a type of sports medicine gear that will allow you to heal your knee injuries faster and sustain much harder loads on your injured knees. These sleeves are usually made from strong but stretching material that will enclose your knee into a tight fit and support any movement that it will endure. These sleeves are usually worn after injuries as they have no padding and will not help in a case of a fall or other knee related injuries.
Knee Pad – Knee pads are a type of security gear that will protect your kneecap from injuries such as bumps, broses and scratches but will also cushion some harder falls. These pads will usually have some kind of protective layer that will cushion falls and give you protection from all angles but they are also light and will not restrict movement. Knee pads are made for everyday wearing to keep knee related injuries to a minimum and that means they are what they call a injury prevention sports gear.
Knee Brace – Knee braces are the most sophisticates knee pad type and they are used for serious knee injuries and aid the one wearing them with knee movement and stress reduction on the joints. These devices are usually used for knee rehabilitation after serious knee injuries like ruptures and torn knee cartilages and they are not intended for sporting. These devices help to rehabilitate the knee faster by reducing the load on the damaged part of your knee and still allows you to walk and move with little or no restraints.
Multifunctional gear – Multifunctional or multi usage knee pads are the devices that incorporate some or all three of the previous categories in them and are made for much broader spectrum of injuries or injury preventions. For example there are knee sleeves with added padding in the knee region for injury recovery as well as new injury prevention. And there are also knee pads/braces that will help to rehabilitate your knee after surgery but will also protect it from further injuries if you fall on it or damage you knee in any other way.
Basketball Knee Pad Materials
Knee pads are made from a wide range of materials to get all those desired expanding fabrics and technologies that get rid on the moisture but also gives padding and strength. The use of many of these materials is expressed in percentage from the overall weight and that gives you a hint how this knee pad will feel like. Here are some of the more popular material used in knee pad production.
Spandex(elastane) – Spandex is a synthetic fiber invented in 1959 that is a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer and is an elastic material used in estimated 80% of clothes sold in the US. This material is exceptionally great at expanding and it can expand more than 600 times its original size without breaking and that is an astonishing feature. Spandex is created in a process that is called dry spinning and that is a 5 step process that produce spandex fibers that can be then incorporated in various clothing included knee pads. Because spandex has those amazing capabilities of returning to its original shape after elongation it is perfect for multi-functional one size fits all knee pads and because elastane also dries off more quickly than other fibers it will help knee pads evaporate your sweat faster and do not allow them to soak up like any regular material would.
Cotton – cotton is the world’s most used organic fiber and it grows in cottons plants where it is produced to disperse the seeds of the plant better as they usually are in the cotton ball itself. Cotton has been used for more than 7 thousand years to make fibers and we have created various usages for it but most widely used it is in clothing. Cotton is a soft and breathing fiber that allows to create very comfortable clothing including knee pads where most often the main component is cotton. This materials is durable and soft so it will not create that itching feeling and because it is very cheap it will reduce your knee pad price.
Polyester – Polyester is a synthetically produced fiber that is stronger and more durable than most natural fibers but also has great color retention and water resistance properties. Polyester or also known as polyethylene terephthalate is a very durable fiber that is usually used together with natural fibers to increase clothing strength, wrinkle resistance and also more weather resistance. Polyester is usually used in knee pads to increase the strength of the overall fabric and to make them more durable to slides and falls that they may endure.
Neoprene – Neoprene or polychloroprene is a synthetic material created from chloroprene and it is similar to rubber but more durable and will resist tearing and will be more stable so it can be used in a wide range of operations. Neoprene has two forms where one is airtight and the other is breathable but they both have great properties that make them durable and long lasting. In knee pads neoprene gives added strength and durability to the pad and it is also well known that neoprene is great for abrasion resistance as it will not tear easily if you slide on knee pads that have neoprene in them.
Polyurathane – This is another synthetic compound that is widely used in creating foam and in knee pads it is the main foam padding that most knee pads use. This is a very resilient high strength material if used properly and it will give strong but cushioned padding as well as be a very resilient and long lasting material. Polyurathane is not widely used in knee pads but it can sometimes be one of the materials that make up the whole pad.
Rubber – Rubber is that black stretchy material we all know and there are two forms where one is natural derived from rubber trees but the other is a synthetic compound created from oil. Rubber is produced in about 25 million tons each year globally. Rubber is a very elastic and strong material and that is why it is used in a wide range of applications that also include knee pads where rubber is added for better elasticity and more strength for the padding part.
Manufacturers
Knee pads are manufactured by a wide range of people and companies and you will probably know a couple of them but knowing all the competition can be helpful when determining the best knee pad to buy.
Nike – Nike is one of the most well known brands in the world and their product lines pan from clothing to footwear and are well known by their quality and performance. Nike as a company is one of the fortune 500 companies and they employ more than 40000 people around the world and receive more than 20 billion dollars in revenues annually. If we talk about knee pads then Nike also produces various knee pads and knee sleeves that are made for specific sports including basketball. Their knee pads are well built and have a great manufacturing quality as well as style and brand awareness. No one can tell that Nike is a bad brand and every knee pad will show that you have a quality product and that this pad will perform exceptionally well.
Muller – Muller or MuellerSportsMed is a corporation that can be called the father of modern sports medicine as this company was conceived by Curt Muller in the 1960 and from then Muller has grown to a worldwide corporation that mainly creates various sports equipment and is solely focused in helping athletes all over the world. Muller does not have a lot of knee pads but they have some great multifunctional models that will work for you in protecting and supporting your knee. Their knee pads have great quality and that multifunctional design works perfectly.
Mizonu – Mizonu or Mizonu Corporation is a company that was formed in 1906 by the Mizonu brothers Rihachi and Rizo and they originally sold baseballs and other smaller equipment but as the years went by they expanded their company in many other areas. Now this is a multinational corporation that sells various athletic supplies in a wide range of sports including basketball. As this knee pad line goes they create various protective padding for knees that are usually multifunctional and can be used in a wide range of applications. They are devoted to their product quality and creates them with customers in mind!
McDavid – McDavid is an international corporation that designs manufactures and tests various different sports medicine, sports protection and also performance appeal products. This company was created in the early 1980 but for eleven years before that the founder Robert F. McDavid created and built up the first ever professional football knee brace. Because of this companies roots in knee protection and healing they have one of the most promising knee pad line with that patented hex pad technology and amazing design and build quality. McDavid knows how to market their products and they are widely used in basketball and other sports.
ASICS – Asics is a Japanese athletics manufacturer that has its roots in the year 1945 and from then this company has grown to be one of the leading brands in sportswear and sports equipment manufacturing. Asics brand focuses on healthy living and that is seen in all of their product lines and with more than 5000 employees worldwide ASICS is one of the big sports equipment manufactures. If we look at ASICS knee pad line then we can see that they diversify in the multifunctional and specific knee pads creating all their products with great care and firm padding. Asics knee pads are one of the best in their field and their price is also acceptable.
Adams USA – ADAMS USA formerly known as Adams Plastics Inc is a sports equipment manufacturer that started its work on various sports products in 1947 when Ted Thanxton and Joe Adams partnered they created the first usable mouth guard and since then this company has been innovating and leading the sports equipment field. As the knee pad sub division of Adams USA goes they manufacture few but very powerful knee pads that are multifunctional and also can be bought in a wide range of colors that match your specific needs. These pads have great manufacturing quality and wide sizing ranges so that they can be used in various sports.
DonJoy – DonJoy is a company that was conceived in 1978 and since then become one of the world leading manufacturers of sports medical equipment that mainly focuses on braces and sleeves but also makes knee pads with great precision and quality. This company has been acquired multiple times and now it is called DJO Global but their products still use the name DonJoy and this corporation has also acquired a lot of other smaller companies and merged them all together in one company that now employs more than 5000 people. DonJoy is well known for their medical products and that is why their knee pad line is so promising. They have years of experience in healing knee trauma and illnesses and now they are starting to manufacture products that prevent those injuries. Their products look good and are very durable but also allows athletes great movement and does not restrict them in no way.
Sizing guide
Knee pads come in a wide range of sizes where some need exact measurement but some are multinational pads. Before checking your knee or leg size check to see what size is needed when buying your next knee pad. There are various options that can be asked from you and they are:
- Thighs circumference – And the third option is that the manufacturer will ask you to measure your tight circumference or girth as the thigh is usually thicker and thus the knee pad can sometimes be too small to fit comfortably.
- Kneecap circumference – Most often the measurement you will need to take is the kneecap circumference that measures the girth of your knee and thus provides the most accurate reading what knee pad to choose.
- Shin circumference – Sometimes manufacturer will ask you to measure the shin girth to get even more detailed knee pad sizing as sometimes this part of the leg is smaller than kneecap and the pad can slip off if you get the wrong size.
All these measurements have to be taken on a naked leg with a soft measuring tape or a piece of sting but be sure to be accurate and do not tighten up the measuring tape as that can skew the results. If you have to measure the shin or tight circumference I would suggest measuring them 7 or 8 (20 cm) from the kneecap itself as this is how long the knee pads usually are. Usually however you will get the exact measuring characteristics and guide on the knee pad’s manufacturing company’s homepage or directly in our reviews.
But if you are thinking of buying a knee pad that is a one size fits all pad then usually they will also have some sizing guide what range of knee circumference they support so be sure to look for this information.
Basketball Knee Pads Buying guide
When you have taken all of our suggestion and want to choose the best kneepad for your exact needs there are also some aspect you need to consider so we also provide this buying guide that will try to explain some of the most popular knee pad buying aspects.
Price – The price is a big factor to consider as there are various models from well known brands that cost at least twice as much as a relatively unknown companies pads. But are they in fact two times better? In most cases this is simply not true so you have to closely examine all the other factor and use the price as the ultimate factor when choosing between two or three knee pads.
Quality – Quality is a much better factor than price as a quality product will ensure you that it will be useful for a couple of years and will not break the first time you slide on that pad. Quality can be expressed in materials used in the manufacturing process as well as the overall stitching strength that will influence any knee pads structural integrity. Quality can usually be checked by reading other people reviews about this exact product and this is why we try to provide as many knee pad reviews as possible.
Manufacturer – As you know by now that knee pads are made by a wide range or manufacturers form well known global brands to smaller sportswear companies as well as sports medicine makers. Company behind the pad is essential as the return policy, warranty and customer service can come in handy if something happens with the pad that should not happen. First off you need to look online for reports about the exact company you are thinking of using and of course great reviews will be very helpful here.
Usage – The usage is another major factor as it will define what kind of knee pad you will need as I doubt you will use a compression sleeve without padding in a very intense basketball game or just the opposite you will not need heavy padding when you are just healing your injuries. The exact usage where you will take this knee pad is crucial and be very clear about it before looking for the best knee pad.
Design – The design of any device is important and with knee pads it is no different as a great design will combine great look with amazing functionality but poor design will have neither one of those. Knee pads can be seen in various indoor sports and that is why they need to look stylish and appealing not weak and terrible.