Test: For me, a knee pad is one of the most important protectors, right after the helmet, when riding the bike in rough terrain. That's why I'm always on the lookout for the best protection for this every season. The choice of this year's companion fell on the Leatt 3DF Hybrid Knee Guard. The casual design and the combination of flexible foam combined with a hard shell in the shin area made me curious and ultimately led to the pads ending up in the mailbox.
The schooners were unintentionally used during an enduro holiday in Liguria in the previous season. I had forgotten my light enduro pads at home and so I had to resort to the supposedly downhill-oriented Leatt 3DF, which I had actually intended for the bike park. But then the surprise. The rather robust and somewhat clumsy looking 3DF Hybrid fit me like a glove and even on long climbs and day trips I didn't feel the need to take off the pads.
The pads fit perfectly and I never have to tug or tug on them to get them back in place. Due to the hard shell area, which extends a little further than usual below the knee, you can literally lash the protector to your shin with the lower strap. With most of the pads that I have had so far, the knee pad had to be attached to the thigh with the upper strap, since the lower straps are usually too tight on the knee and strapping them on here is uncomfortable. However, I always had the problem that the knee pads then slipped down. The back of the knee area is also extremely elastic and very comfortable with the Leatt 3DF, so I didn't have to complain about any uncomfortable cutting.
Since it was first used in Liguria, the 3DF has always been in my sports bag, both in the bike park and on enduro tours. Since the protector fits me perfectly, I see no reason to do without optimal protection when touring.
Leatt 3DF Hybrid Knee Guard: Top performance with a small drop of bitterness
At the Trail Trophy in Latsch, the Leatt 3DF Hybrid Knee Guard finally had its baptism of fire. It happened on the way from the shuttle to the stage. When I jumped, the trigger on my seat post tore a hole in my shorts and I was trapped in the handlebars. When landing, I was only able to hold out for a few meters in this rather unusual driving position before I was thrown down the embankment at high speed. I could tell from the bruises above and below the schooner that the schooner had some work to do. However, there was hardly anything to look at on the knee itself. The 3DF also stayed in place during this fall and, unlike me, survived the fall without major damage.
My only negative experience with the saver was a fall with long pants. Due to the hard shell protector in the shin area, the fabric of the pants tears a lot faster than with flexible foam. The fall was not dramatic, but due to the long slide over the shin, the trousers were completely torn in the area of the hard shell.
