You're a hard-charging trail rider who dabbles in enduro, you say? Then feast your descent-shredding but pedal-ready eyes on the Dakine Hellion Knee Pads, a pair of flexible and low-profile foam sleeves that serve up impact and abrasion protection without impeding your pedaling. The secret is AriaprenePro foam, a light (just a single millimeter thick), stretchy, and bomber material that provides protection to rival thicker traditional foams without nearly the same bulk or weight. AriaprenePro is layered over, above, and below the kneecap, while thin foam pads on the medial and lateral sides of your knee provide soft tissue and tendon protection. The build is reinforced with aramid fiber to save your skin from getting cheese-gratered when you lay your bike down on loose trails.

Fit is as important as protection, especially if you're planning on pedaling, so Dakine designed the Hellion with an ergonomic pre-curved fit, Cross-X elastic compression straps in the back, silicon gripper elastic edges, and a hook-and-loop thigh strap to keep your pads in place. The four-way-stretch mesh back panel hugs your leg without pinching and improves breathability, and the Hellion's Polygiene odor-resistant treatment helps it stay fresh, so your knee pits don't smell like roadkill after half a season of shredding.