Knee Pads

I wore these for the last dozen years while working...because I never wore any when I was younger. Anyway, like most other knee pads the straps were a pain in the knee (see what I did there). I tried crossing them, wearing the bottom strap loose and the top one tight, then vice a versa. None of it was satisfactory. Then one day I broke one of the straps and hand to do with just one so I put it on the bottom. Viola! That was actually very tolerable and I've worn them like that ever since. It also makes the replacement pack of straps last longer!
 
I always wore external knee pads for tele skiing and started wearing them for fishing about 10 years ago. Boy, the external pads have done a great job protecting my knees and my waders when bushwhacking, getting low for stealth, and kneeling to release fish.

Contractor knee pads always seem to slip badly; especially when worn over waders. When I got into Tenkara fishing 4 years ago I noticed many Japanese T-anglers were wearing these "wader gaiters".
www.tenkaraya.com

Little Presents Wader Gaiter

Gaiters to wear over breathable wader. With them on, you will feel decreased water drag while wading…
www.tenkaraya.com
That $68 price is a good deal! The last time I looked they were being sold here in the US for about $100. Quite a few US T-anglers buy MIJ gear from Tenkara-Ya and say good things about the gear, the purchase process, the staff, and surprisingly fast shipping.

But that $100 price got me reading about less expensive alternatives. I tried these.
danasafetysupply.com

Dana Safety Supply

Equip your department with top-rated Knee And Shin Guards trusted by law enforcement professionals. Quality gear, competitive pricing, and expert support.
danasafetysupply.com danasafetysupply.com
They stay in place well and don't bunch up over nylon waders but were overkill on the protection side for fishing. As a result they are bulky and rather heavy that makes it feel like they restrict movement a little. I still have them but loan them out to my son or friends on trips.

Then I read about these from a company in the UK. I got mine for $45 shipped and they arrived in 5 days!
https://www.tenkaratalk.com/2016/11/things-that-go-bump-on-the-stream/
but they no longer offer them 😢.
Made specifically as a "wader gaiter" they are nearly flawless. They're lightweight, stay put, do not restrict movement, and provide ample protection for fishing. They could be a bit longer like the *"Little Presents"* but paired with neoprene gravel guards provide great protection for fishing from the knees to the top of my boots. Love them!

I haven't looked real close since I got the Esoteric guards but soccer - dirt bike knee-shin guards might also work. The tactical knee shin guards without a hard outer shell might be better though.
 
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This is a little outside what you are looking for, but I have a Mustang Hudson drysuit which has integrated knee pads. They aren't the most heavy-duty knee protection you could ask for, but greatly increase the circumstances in which I'm willing to kneel and have so far never been a source of discomfort. They also never slip out of place.

If nobody makes a wader with integrated kneepads it's a missed opportunity. Edit: Orvis does; I should read the full thread.
 
Tobe Hagge said:
If nobody makes a wader with integrated kneepads it's a missed opportunity. Edit: Orvis does; I should read the full thread.
Click to expand...
I may be wrong but if the pads are on the inside of the waders, they protect the knees but not the shins or the waders?
 
Brian Miller said:
I may be wrong but if the pads are on the inside of the waders, they protect the knees but not the shins or the waders?
Click to expand...
My Patagonia Swiftcurrent Expedition waders have removable foam knee pads. There is a pocket for them added to the outside of the knee area, so the waders are protected by both the pads and the extra layer of fabric.
 
Zak said:
My Patagonia Swiftcurrent Expedition waders have removable foam knee pads. There is a pocket for them added to the outside of the knee area, so the waders are protected by both the pads and the extra layer of fabric.
Click to expand...
I stand corrected! I just pulled them out to check and the foam pads are on the inside of the wader material. Wishful thinking on my part.
 
I actually sometimes have to wear one of those neoprene knee supports for my wonky right knee. The kind you can get at the drugstore. If I’m wading, I wear it, and the padding is helpful for when I stumble and drop that knee. I wear the most heavy duty ones.
 
jaredoconnor said:
So... I'm thinking I should buy some knee pads. What was the ultimate outcome of this thread? 😂

View attachment 33871
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Sorry to hear you had a spill. I tripped over and fell onto the sharp broken stump of a small tree I couldn't see in tall grass. The knee pads save both me and my waders from a possible serious wound, over a mile from my car and I saw nobody else that day. I often kneel on cobble, scramble under and over logjams and bushwhack through blackberries and devils club too. I wouldn't wade without them or a folding staff.

If you're serious about knee & shin guards and want the best that I am aware of, again that would be these purpose-built Little Presents.
www.tenkaraya.com

Little Presents Wader Gaiter King Size

King Size Little Presents Wader Gaiters to wear over breathable wader. With them on, you will feel d…
www.tenkaraya.com
From Tenkarabum
"I no longer carry Wader Gaiters. You can buy them at Tenkara-ya. https://www.tenkaraya.com/product/393 The owner speaks English, ships to the US and can probably get them to you for less than I would have to charge if I still sold them."
Since Esoteric Tackle in the UK doesn't offer them anymore an alternative I have are the Rothco Neoprene Shin Guards
www.rothco.com

Rothco | Login To Your Online Account

Log in to your Rothco online account to be able to place B2B wholesale orders.
www.rothco.com www.rothco.com
And as I mentioned earlier, the softshell sailing knee-shin guards look promising.
www.watersportsoutlet.com

2022 Musto Neoprene Knee Pads AS0630 - Sailing - Accessories - Safety Gear - Knee

Musto Sailing: Our Neoprene Kneepads offer a superb fit and are ergonomically designed to allow full freedom o...
www.watersportsoutlet.com www.watersportsoutlet.com
 
Brian Miller said:
Sorry to hear you had a spill. I tripped over and fell onto the sharp broken stump of a small tree I couldn't see in tall grass. The knee pads save both me and my waders from a possible serious wound, over a mile from my car and I saw nobody else that day. I often kneel on cobble, scramble under and over logjams and bushwhack through blackberries and devils club too. I wouldn't wade without them or a folding staff.

If you're serious about knee & shin guards and want the best that I am aware of, again that would be these purpose-built Little Presents.
www.tenkaraya.com

Little Presents Wader Gaiter King Size

King Size Little Presents Wader Gaiters to wear over breathable wader. With them on, you will feel d…
www.tenkaraya.com
From Tenkarabum
"I no longer carry Wader Gaiters. You can buy them at Tenkara-ya. https://www.tenkaraya.com/product/393 The owner speaks English, ships to the US and can probably get them to you for less than I would have to charge if I still sold them."
Since Esoteric Tackle in the UK doesn't offer them anymore an alternative I have are the Rothco Neoprene Shin Guards
www.rothco.com

Rothco | Login To Your Online Account

Log in to your Rothco online account to be able to place B2B wholesale orders.
www.rothco.com www.rothco.com
And as I mentioned earlier, the softshell sailing knee-shin guards look promising.
www.watersportsoutlet.com

2022 Musto Neoprene Knee Pads AS0630 - Sailing - Accessories - Safety Gear - Knee

Musto Sailing: Our Neoprene Kneepads offer a superb fit and are ergonomically designed to allow full freedom o...
www.watersportsoutlet.com www.watersportsoutlet.com
Click to expand...
The top ones look quite interesting, thx.
 
Brian Miller said:
If you're serious about knee & shin guards and want the best that I am aware of, again that would be these purpose-built Little Presents.
www.tenkaraya.com

Little Presents Wader Gaiter King Size

King Size Little Presents Wader Gaiters to wear over breathable wader. With them on, you will feel d…
www.tenkaraya.com
Click to expand...

These look awesome! I'm going to give them a try. Thanks for the suggestion.

I totally get your point about saving waders, too. That fall put two decent holes in mine and it has been a real hassle to fix them.

I'll be spending a lot more time fishing with my dad, now that COVID is "over" and they can travel again. That means more falls, for me; I have to give him all the best spots and only get to fish the spots he can't access.
 
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