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Knee pads

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Knee pads

Postby the bear » 08 Jul 2022, 18:38

Anyone got any recommendations for a pair of knee pads please. Rather not spend more than £25 if possible and ideally from either toolstation or screwfix so I can easily pick up. There seem to be both hard shell and gel types available is one better than the other? I have the insert type that go in trouser slots but want some to wear with shorts
Many thanks
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Re: Knee pads

Postby AJB Temple » 08 Jul 2022, 20:01

Much of a muchness at that price and they will tend to cut into your legs. I used to DeWalt foam pads and they were OK ish. For big tiling job I bought some much better pads and they were excellent (as recommended by tilers) but three times your budget. Check out the tiling forums, those guys use them day in day out.
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Re: Knee pads

Postby the bear » 08 Jul 2022, 20:45

Yes my experience in the past is also that they're not always great, hence the request for recommendations, even though what is good for someone else may not work for me its a start.

Won't be paying £75, cant justify that, but are the ones you have gel or hard cup, or something else?

Thanks

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Re: Knee pads

Postby Pete Maddex » 08 Jul 2022, 20:47

I have knackered up by kneeling down a lot without using knee pads I have flats on both knees, now I can’t kneel on hard surfaces for long without knowing about it the next day so don’t scrimp on them.

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Re: Knee pads

Postby Woodbloke » 08 Jul 2022, 21:00

I use these which are pretty good; no complaints thus far - Rob
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Re: Knee pads

Postby Blackswanwood » 08 Jul 2022, 21:04

I have some Stanley Fatmax Gel knee pads which I only use occasionally but always find comfortable. They were £20ish from Toolstation about 18 months ago … hopefully they’ve not gone up as much as Lurpak!
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Re: Knee pads

Postby AJB Temple » 08 Jul 2022, 21:22

Ok, I used these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/TOUGHBUILT-TOU ... th=1&psc=1

Bit cheaper than I remember.

I am a slow tiler so what a pro would have done in two days I took a week to do. I would also say I laid removal blankets in a few layers on the floor as well. Maybe I am a wuss. My knees are OK though.
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Re: Knee pads

Postby RogerS » 08 Jul 2022, 22:01

I no longer use the strap-on knee pads. I found that they kept on slipping down and to stop that happening, kept tightening them up.

There's a nerve in the leg called the common peroneal and it runs very close to the surface. Just where the straps are. After wearing the pads all day, I suddenly developed foot-drop as the straps had partially crushed the nerve. Fortunately I had excellent medical help and an inspired physio.
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Re: Knee pads

Postby Woodster » 09 Jul 2022, 10:21

I bought some knee pads for a floor tiling job. Never again, the straps cut into the back of my knees. If I were doing a job like that again I’d buy some trousers with slip in pads. You can even get cheap combat trousers that have knee pockets for slip in pads.

https://www.screwfix.com/c/safety-workw ... ad_pockets
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Re: Knee pads

Postby HappyHacker » 09 Jul 2022, 10:28

I have tried a variety of strap on knee pads and have never got on with them. I must admit I have never gone for the really expensive ones. The pads are always moving, falling down my leg and generally being a pain but they do work well on the occasions when they are actually under your knee.

I have the pads in my trousers and use the red honey comb ones which last much longer than the normal pads. In fact I have never replaced mine whereas I would not get more than six to 12 months from the sponge type pads.

If you want to wear shorts I would recommend cutting your trousers off below the pads :)
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Re: Knee pads

Postby fezman » 09 Jul 2022, 11:23

I use these - https://www.diy.com/departments/site-sk ... 586_BQ.prd .

My knees are a bit crackered. Too many years chasing spherical objects around fields.

Used them this morning to do 2+ hours of gardening in, and I can still walk - bonus.
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Re: Knee pads

Postby droogs » 09 Jul 2022, 13:39

Have you thought of getting trousers with knee pockets like dickies. That way you can use any foam pads when needed and take them out when not
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Re: Knee pads

Postby the bear » 09 Jul 2022, 14:08

Thanks for all the replies. Seems we all braodly agree that they aren't great unless you splash the dosh. I did see someone in a pair that were more of a neoprene sleeve rather than straps but didn't have the foresight to ask what they were at the time ( a couple of years ago). As per the original post I have the trousers with inserts but although I use them I'm personally not a fan of them as I find they side around. Its only a couple of jobs I need them for so might just have to take a punt but I was reminded a couple of months ago when I boarded an eaves cupboard that I probably played too much rugby. My wife is trying to get me to play again, I think she wants me out of the house, but I digress.

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Re: Knee pads

Postby AndyT » 09 Jul 2022, 14:14

If you have the patience to keep shifting it around,you might find that a kneeling pad is more comfortable. It does avoid all the problems of tying something to your legs. Mine is a thick pad of yellow closed cell foam with a handle cutout at one end. You'd probably find one in a garden centre.

Edit: Also at Screwfix and Toolstation, less than £7.
Last edited by AndyT on 09 Jul 2022, 14:50, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Knee pads

Postby the bear » 09 Jul 2022, 14:20

Andy I have had that thought also, good for some jobs if your just shuffling slowly along
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Re: Knee pads

Postby Bearwoodcraft » 09 Jul 2022, 18:23

the bear wrote:Anyone got any recommendations for a pair of knee pads please. Rather not spend more than £25 if possible and ideally from either toolstation or screwfix so I can easily pick up. There seem to be both hard shell and gel types available is one better than the other? I have the insert type that go in trouser slots but want some to wear with shorts
Many thanks
Mark


If your kneeling now and then snickers do some good onse I have mascot o we which are fair but if your on your knees a lot there’s these floor layers onse I bought and weren’t cheap but after the first few days I needed somthing as my knees were burning and very swollen but then with the fancey pads ace I sold them after for not far off what I paid so was worth it really
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Re: Knee pads

Postby Mike G » 09 Jul 2022, 19:48

The best knee pads are the ones that slip into pockets in the trouser legs of specialist builder's trousers. All of the others are something of a pain, with the straps digging into the back of your leg. Just loosen the straps as far as they'll go without letting the knee pads fall to your ankles.
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Re: Knee pads

Postby SamQ aka Ah! Q! » 11 Jul 2022, 17:30

There's a nerve in the leg called the common peroneal


Yes. mine became very inflamed and, just like Roger, I had an inspired physio 'calm it down'. The problem came when I Whatsapped my three kids "Dad can walk again! Perineal nerve trapped..." :oops: Look it up Folks, whole different place; VERY intimate as you might say...my future daughter-in-law, a dentist, was kind enough to correct me... :D
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Re: Knee pads

Postby RogerS » 11 Jul 2022, 17:42

SamQ aka Ah! Q! wrote:
There's a nerve in the leg called the common peroneal


Yes. mine became very inflamed and, just like Roger, I had an inspired physio 'calm it down'. The problem came when I Whatsapped my three kids "Dad can walk again! Perineal nerve trapped..." :oops: Look it up Folks, whole different place; VERY intimate as you might say...my future daughter-in-law, a dentist, was kind enough to correct me... :D


You're not supposed to wear them that high, Sam :o
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Re: Knee pads

Postby SamQ aka Ah! Q! » 12 Jul 2022, 11:22

Code: Select all
You're not supposed to wear them that high, Sam :o


Don't knock until you've tried it... 8-)
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Re: Knee pads

Postby AJB Temple » 14 Jul 2022, 10:27

I'm surprised you guys like the trouser pocket ones. I've ridden motorbikes for years, and gel pads around the knees (with carbon fibre reinforcement for track work) are usual. Personally I find the removable ones uncomfortable in motorbike jeans or leathers (as opposed to stitched in) and even worse in work trousers as they shift around too much. Horses for courses I guess.
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Re: Knee pads

Postby Loghead » 01 Aug 2022, 23:31

My old Dad was an asphalt spreader. (1930s to late '70s) Spent his working days on his knees, float-spreading the black stuff. As far as I know, way back you couldn''t buy knee pads. In common with his peers, he made his own by cutting old car tyres into short lenghs, fixing straps to them and lining them with rolled felt. He never had a whisper of knee trouble. Later, when he could get proper pads, he still put rolled up felt inside them!.

Guess who got the job of converting oak barrel staves into floats? :mrgreen:

Just thought folk might find that of interest.

Cheers John :eusa-think:
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Re: Knee pads

Postby Cabinetman » 01 Aug 2022, 23:53

I shall never forget the smell, (which I like) we had a bad floor floated with it once. Wonderful stuff.
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Re: Knee pads

Postby Loghead » 02 Aug 2022, 11:48

Indeed. I have three extension roofs here that were laid in the early 80s, by my fsther's apprentice. Still sound. :( (rooves) ?
Cheers John
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Re: Knee pads

Postby the bear » 02 Aug 2022, 20:06

In common with his peers, he made his own by cutting old car tyres into short lenghs, fixing straps to them and lining them with rolled felt. He never had a whisper of knee trouble. Later, when he could get proper pads, he still put rolled up felt inside them!


When I was a kid my dads knee pads were piece of old thick rubber conveyor belt, with thick leather straps and buckles, made for him in the workshop at his work. They were terribly uncomfortable from what I remember of them. He's probably still got them somewhere.

Mark
Last edited by the bear on 03 Aug 2022, 17:46, edited 1 time in total.
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