6 Best Tactical Knee Pads Reviews With Buying Guide

When you’re working out and doing high physical demanding duties, one big main concern is whether or not your body is going to resist all the pressure you are putting over yourself.

For this very reason, it is important that you always take the right measures to prevent yourself from getting in harm’s way and not letting your work get the best of you. Protecting yourself takes about a few minutes and it could lead to a safe and healthy life.

We’re going to talk about the best tactical knee pads, review the features, contributions and benefits it brings to its variety of users from casual and day to day common activities to a more dangerous zone like the military and combat field.

Benefits of Tactical Knee Pads For Military and Combat

Even if you are a person who has never been on the battlefield or engaged in combat, we all understand the importance of having our body protected in these scenarios. The knee pads, along with every other equipment gear, are very important to have and make an investment on.

To some extent, they will give the protection and safety your joints might need when you are putting yourself through a high amount of stress, relieving most of the pain that comes with having to constantly kneel or drag yourself over the ground.

Sadly, the knee pads are a very underestimated safety gear that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves and is commonly disregarded.

Protection from Injury

Walking and running are two abilities every combatant has to rely on as it could mean life or death. Herein, knee pads should be on the top security measures to keep yourself from suffering long term injuries and damaging your ability to walk or run.

Comfort and Flexibility

Also, there are plenty of knee pads designed with specific materials to offer the shooter a comfortable ground. Especially, when they find themselves having to kneel to get a steady shooting aim and range.

These tactical knee pads can be made with many materials aiming to give extra flexibility to keep the user on a quick and constant movement. It can also be adjusted over multiple uniforms; thanks to their adjustable ability to different sizes and shapes of surfaces.

Added Features

Another major improvement on knee pads for combatants is that there are a numerous amount of models capable of wicking away moisture and keep out dirt and debris. Undoubtedly, this is something the military and combatants are familiar with due to the rough environments they have to face and involve in.

In general, the best tactical knee and elbow pads go through a very specific design process to provide comfort and security to every man or woman out there on the field. They should be able to feel protected while putting their lives at risk for the safety of their comrades.

6 Best Tactical Knee Pads Reviews In 2023

We’re living in a modern era where people are being more proactive and athletic, which is a good thing. So next, we’re going to be doing a review of the most popular knee pads in 2023.

1. Alta Industries 50413 AltaFLEX Knee Pads

This Alta Industries model is a rubber cap knee pad. It uses the Alta buckle fastening system and is made out of DuPont Cordura nylon.

These models of knee pads do not have the capability to slide on to the knee. Nonetheless, they have straps to be placed around the back of your knee where it can be adjusted and they offer good resistance, not being slippery at all.

Alta tactical knee pads can resist and protect your knees for over a long period of time under heavy pressure and a tough environment. Even if you’re moving at a fast-pace, the straps will hold on and work over a variety of weather and surfaces.

After a long session of work at your job or crawling through the ground at an airsoft/paintball match, the knee pads might be covered on dirt and mud. These knee pads are easily cleaned off and do not need a high level of maintenance for its reuse.

Sure, there might be better tactical knee pads in the market than the Alta Industries 50413 AltaFLEX Knee Pads, but they have an accessible price.

More so, they would take the pressure of the same amount of work and be quite efficient at the task in hands, delivering a satisfactory result.

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2. ALTA CONTOUR Knee Protector Pad

Another tactical knee pad from the hands of ALTA Industries. The ALTA CONTOUR weighs 9.6 ounces, is a multi-colored knee pad and comes in one size only. Its offer includes the original AltaLok Easy On/Off Fastening System.

The CONTOUR model is made of extra flexible material with sectional foam paddings. This provides the user with a comfortable knee pad design suitable for most people and easy to adjust over the most tactical pants and knees. Thanks to its widely set dual strapping system.

ALTA COUNTOUR’s Strapkeeper System prevents the knee pads from having a sloppy and inefficient performance. This feature allows the knee pads to hold on tight to the user. Regardless if the user is a big or a small guy, that is not a concern to worry about.

These knee pads are worth using in many scenarios; heavy work, games, airsoft, climbing, and others. They provide quality resistance to many environments and are capable of going through a lot of pressure and will keep up its reliability.

The Contour knee pads offer many unique characteristics that prove why the company stays strong in the market. All the effort and time ALTA has put developing its products are visible when one of the CONTOUR pads are being used and protecting your knees and joints from any possible injuries.

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3. BLACKHAWK! Advanced Tactical Knee Pads V.2

This model of tactical knee pads consists of an injection-molded flex cap design to improve its performance and durability. Its dimensions are 10.5 x 8.2 x 3.5 inches.

The Advanced Knee Pads V.2 has closed-cell foam paddings that provide incredible resistance to impacts and the paddings retain little to no moisture at all. When kneeling or crawling, they are very cushioned and keep your knees safe from any risks.

One of the main doubts any tactical knee pads user has is whether they will stay in its place. Herein, BLACKHAWK! tactical knee pads are capable of being adjusted due to its flexible composition. Their elastic straps make sure to keep the pads in place and steady for work.

While coming across wet surfaces, the BLACKHAWK! has a high resistance to moisture, retaining little to no moisture at all. Enhancing the user’s experience without the need to change or clean the knee pads every now and then.

Overall, the Advanced Tactical Knee Pads V.2 have a very attractive offer to many people’s eyes. Each unit combines perks such as; the foam padding to keep your knees safe and comfortable, and the certainty that the straps are on its place doing its job. This offers an incredible experience erasing gear concerns out of your head.

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4. DEWALT DG5204 Professional Kneepads

The DEWALT DG5204 tactical knee pads are heavy-duty caps designed for added stability and wear. They are available in multicolors and the item’s dimensions are 7.38 x 6.25 x 14 inches.

The ballistic poly material in the DEWALT DG5204 tactical knees makes it a strong tactical knee pads capable of lasting for over a long period of time and through many uses. It provides the strength enough to keep all of its components together and have better resistance.

Its upper tab offers you a quick and fast repositioning of the pads in case they are moved due to your quick movements. Also, a fast repositioning allows you to quickly fix the gear and get back to the activity without losing too much time adjusting the knee pads.

It covers the layers of the thick, close cell-foam paddings to provide you better support and comfort while you’re using knee pads. After all, the pads should give protection but it also needs to be comfortable for people to wear.

The DEWALT DG5204 Professional Kneepads are designed specifically for people with high standards. All of its features work together in the best way possible to become an item worthy of its value and clearly a reliable source of protection for everyone who care about their knees.

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5. U.S. G.I. ACU Knee and Elbow Pad Set

These models of tactical pads are a genuine piece of military outdoor clothing. Made of high-density polyethylene, its dimensions are 12 x 5 x 12 inches, weighing around 1.4 pounds.

Despite its appearance, this tactical knee pads and elbows can be very comfortable to wear and use during the activities. They primarily come in medium size and can be adjusted to fit many kneecaps, offering comfort mobility and performance.

It provides a high amount of resistance to diverse types of surfaces and can take a heavy amount of pressure. This tactical knee and elbow pad set will protect you from taking hard impacts on your joints, safeguarding you from big amount of injuries and risky accidents.

While the set is very capable and designed to be in rough conditions, it can also be used under less dangerous circumstances such as house tasks and outdoor activities. Due to its consistency, you will not have to worry about your knees and elbows during most common daily tasks.

The Tactical set is among the top tactical items during the year 2023 and it jumps to sight the reason why. The high resistance it offers, its capacity to work over many rough environments and surfaces, and the polyethylene composition, make it quite possibly the best tactical knee and elbow pads one should aim for.

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6. Black Diamond Telekneesis Kneepad

The Black Diamond Telekneesis Kneepad consists of durable shells perfect for skiing, climbing or going through tight canyons. It weighs 240 g (8.5 oz.) and its dimensions are 10 x 8 x 4 inches.

The Telekneesis Kneepad’s design allows it to move following your joint rhythm, moving with every step you take to ensure a comfortable and consistent movement speed. It offers full patellar coverage for a better walking or running experience and great performance overall.

These tactical knee pads offer the user a brushed poly interior to maintain the knee in a comfortable positioning and fully support it. In case of an accident or an unwanted fall, the poly interiors will absorb most of the impact and avoid any sort of damage the knee might have taken.

The Black Diamond tactical knee pads provide a high resistance attachment to the knees and it could last for hours without losing its grasp or falling off.

As mentioned above, they could be used in many scenarios as well; from professional sports like skiing or snowboarding to more casual situations like skateboarding down the streets.

The Black Diamond Telekneesis Kneepad is another product that entirely meets the goals it was designed for. Not only it’s a favorite for many professionals in different sports because of its technical features, but because of its cool and modern design, even the youngest like to try and use it.

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How To Choose The Best Tactical Knee Pads?

Choosing the best tactical knee pads is not an easy task: there are plenty to pick from and every advertisement says their product is better than the others, as they should. So, who should you believe?

Well, just like any other gear equipment you are going to be using regularly, the best way to clear your head and be able to pick one is analyzing the equipment’s characteristic and if it best suits what you will be doing. In the end, you will be able to choose the best one after studying a combination of things.

Materials

For the materials, it’s important to know the composition of every knee pads you consider. The resistance to the kind of damage and scratches you will be putting on the knee pads might vary from one model to another.

Naturally, if you need knee pads to use over a strong surface, you would need highly resistant and durable knee pads that could sacrifice flexibility for safety and protection.

Comfort and Fit

Another thing to keep in mind is you should always look out for the one that best fits you. Do not settle for something that feels alright. There are plenty of models in the market and certainly, there is one that will grant you the most comfort and protection equally.

Make sure to check the size, the weight, and the straps.

Other Features

Weather is also important to consider. If you’re practicing in a wet environment, make sure your knee pads has moisture resistance, and always check for breathability.

Remember, being cautious is good and you should always put your safety first, but choosing the wrong equipment can turn out to be a heavy burden and make you lose your interest.

Our Personal Choice for Recommendation

As a quick example, The Black Diamond Telekneesis is quite possibly the best option out of the list above when it comes to doing sports such as snowboarding, skiing or skateboarding. And it’s a perfect fit for those sports because of its articulated design.

Even if the company hadn’t intended it to be that way or had a different market targeted, the Black Diamond has turned out to be incredibly good for said sports.

Conclusion

Tactical knee pads improvements over the years have reached a point where you can barely notice you are wearing it. That leaves you with no excuse at all to avoid using it and keep your knees well protected and safe.

Even for small house tasks, the knee pads can prevent small and big injuries to your body. Choosing and purchasing the best tactical knee pads is a small investment that could save lives, and that is an investment everyone should be willing to take.