Are you a big-kneed skater with thick thighs and wondering if the Pro-Tec Street Knee Pads could be the answer? My Pro-Tec Street Knee Pads Review comprehensively covers your question and also addresses others you didn’t even know you needed to ask! And here’s my video review of the Protec Street knee pads if you’d rather watch than read.
Related: best wrist guards for skating
Who’s Peter? Why Should You Read This Post?
I’m a 43-year-old father of three and an avid inline skater. I took up rollerblading in 2023 and have progressed to intermediate level. Skating has made my life so joyful.
I’ve personally skated with the Pro-Tec Street Knee Pads (Amazon link) for a couple of months. And I’ve picked up some insights about these heavy-duty knee pads that you won’t find in typical online reviews.
*Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Association, I earn commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Why I Chose the Pro-Tec Street Knee Pads
As a skater with thick thighs and relatively big knees, I set out looking for affordable, high-quality skating knee pads. Hours of focused research online led me to the ProTec Street Knee Pads.
Living halfway across the globe, they took two long months to arrive, but they were definitely worth the wait.
How We Test Skate Gear
We test skate gear from time to time, providing unique and valuable insights to the skate community. By using the products ourselves, we give truly useful advice on size, quality, performance, and more. Sure, it’s not cheap or fast, but every worthwhile endeavor requires time and resources, right?
I planned to use these heavy-duty knee pads weekly for a few months. However, I ended up missing a week or two since I was also testing the Triple Eight Saver Series Pad Set. Read on to learn what I think about the Pro-Tec Street Knee Pads.
Design And Construction Quality
Like the Triple Eight Saver Series Pads mentioned above, the ProTec Street Knee Pads are built in a butterfly-style design. This feature allows you to wear your skates before or after wearing the knee pads.
Some skating knee pads are sleeve-style. That’s fine, except you must put them on before your skates.
Straps
These skate pads have two Velcro straps (view the picture above). The upper strap stretches and is longer than the lower one. Under each strap is an even more stretchy neoprene strap.
The extra straps make for a somewhat snugger, comfier fit. I’ve not found this additional feature on any of those cheap 3-in-1 gear sets like the Triple 8 Saver Series Pad Set and JBM 3-in-1 Gear Set.
By the way, Neoprene is a type of synthetic rubber designed to withstand temperature changes better than natural rubber.
Once I work the soft, breathable neoprene straps, they stay securely fastened for the entire session. However, aligning the Velcro’s rough part with the loop side requires quite a bit of pulling.
Pro-Tec could have made the neoprene straps slightly longer. But I’m not bummed about it thanks to the neoprene’s impressive stretchiness.
Thick EVA Foam Padding
The inside fabric is soft, velvety, and made of breathable lycra, fully covering the EVA foam padding. Unlike the Triple 8 Kneesaver knee pads, you can’t remove the padding. But it’s not a drawback for the ProTec pads as Triple 8 doesn’t seem to sell replacement padding for their Kneesaver pads.
The fabrics on the Pro-Tec Street knee pads seem to be of high quality. I’m talking about the ballistic nylon backing and the interior lycra fabric. At least, they’re superior to the materials on my Triple 8 Saver Series kneesavers.
Performance of the Interior Lycra Fabric
After wearing the T8 kneesavers for about 2 months, I’ve noticed that the fabric is beginning to get fuzzy in some places. Sometimes, the rough part of the Velcro comes into contact with the flimsy interior fabric. And when I pull away the strap, fibers rip off.
Fortunately, I haven’t noticed this fabric quality issue with my Protec Street knee savers. I conclude that the Lycra material on these knee protectors is of better quality.
Slide Plates
The slide plates, riveted with quality hardware, are noticeably larger than my Saver Series knee pads. At 5’3,” the plates look a bit oversized on me, but the pads are well-fitting. However, they might not be the best fit for smaller skaters like myself.
I believe they were designed for big skaters, but they forgot to make the lower strap long enough. I’ll reveal more about this further in my review
Coverage and Safety Certification
These plates offer my massive knees lots of coverage. The entire knee stays fully covered, even on the sides. Also, these pads are constructed to a recognized roller derby safety standard, the CE EN 14120:2003 + A1:2007 level C.
Certified knee protection translates to peace of mind. You know for sure that this protective gear has been tested for impact resistance and passed the test.
Padding Thickness
The padding’s thicker than the T8 Kneesaver and JBM knee pads. Add the tough plastic slide plates, and you get top-notch protection for sliding around on your knees.
How Size XL Adult Pro-Tec Street Knee Pads Fit Me
My knees measure 43.4cm (17.09”) in circumference. The calves are 43.5cm (17.13”) when measured 4″ below the knee and my thighs 54cm/21.26″ when measured 4” above the knee.
The lower strap is shorter than I expected. View the picture below to see what the back of my knee looks like with the Protec Street knee pads on.
The soft part of the lower Velcro strap doesn’t fully align with the rough part. That shows the strap should be a little longer. Thankfully, it wraps around my massive calves, although it feels a bit tight.
If you have extremely thick calves, you might need to sew in extra fabric to extend the lower strap. Does that sound like too much hassle? Go get knee guards that fit better.
Don’t worry, if I can wear them comfortably for hours, they should work well for most people with chunky legs.
Additional Thoughts on Fit
I’ve skated with the T8 Saver Series Kneesavers, a cheaper alternative to the Pro-Tec Street Knee Pads. Their longer straps fit my massive thighs and calves well. Despite being medium-sized, the Kneesaver pads offer a more comfortable fit compared to my Extra Large Pro-Tec knee pads.
One more thing: the Pro-tec Street roller derby knee protectors are bulky, as expected for heavy-duty gear. Anyone who says otherwise likely hasn’t worn them or is quite large. They’re not the kind of pads you easily forget while skating.
Pro-Tec Street Knee Pads Size Chart
The size guide instructs you to measure calf circumference at 4” below the knee and thigh circumference at 4” above the knee. Once done, consult the size chart below to find your correct pad size.
Performance Results from Real-world Testing
They fit comfortably and breathe well, thanks to the neoprene and lycra fabrics. However, my pants get slightly damp around the knees, but that’s something I’ve noticed with the T8 kneesavers and JBM knee pads too. It’s not a biggie for me.
Fortunately, I haven’t slammed my knees on hard asphalt or pavement with these pads. At 43, I’m not as young as I used to be, you know. And the idea of a lengthy broken bone healing process terrifies me. So, I’m avoiding the riskiest tricks most days. Definitely no hammers, haha.
Small spills when I was learning to parallel slide and ended up on my knees a couple of times? I didn’t feel a thing, and these knee savers from Pro-Tec deserve all the credit.
They’re not shifty at all during short and long skate sessions. Their thicker padding and extended coverage make me believe they’d provide better impact resistance, including side protection, than my T8 Saver Series or JBM knee pads. I trust they could protect my kneecaps like a pro during a major wipeout.
Also, they allow a nice range of motion. At no time did I feel the guards were getting in the way, and I could bend my knees as much as I needed to when doing tricks. However, if you’re looking for the least restrictive knee protection, get a sleeve-style option.
Pros and Cons of Protec Street Knee Pads
Pros
- Well-made with decent-quality materials
- Heavy-duty construction that promotes longevity
- Open-back design that fosters convenience
- Fits true to size
- Ideal for big knees
- Good for high-impact skating
- Allows a good range of motion
Cons
- Color variety: limited, available in mostly black
- Some pad sets cost the same price as these knee guards
- Bulky and not the best choice for smaller skaters
- Elbow pads and wrist protectors bought separately
Protec Street Knee Pads vs Triple 8 Saver Series Kneesavers
The Pro-Tec Street knee pads are derby-ready with thick padding and smooth-sliding plastic. They provide more knee coverage than the Saver Series knee savers.
However, the thinner and seemingly smaller and less protective T8 pads haven’t disappointed me, yet. I wear them more often as they suit my short frame better.
I bought the Pro-Tec Street knee pads at $36 (please check the current price), roughly the same price as the Triple 8 Saver Series Pad Set. With the T8 deal, you get knee pads, wrist guards, and elbow pads while you have to spring for elbow pads and wrist guards.
Many cheaper knee pads are available, but you likely won’t find anything cheaper that’s as well-made and durable as the Protec Street.
Pro-Tec Street vs 187 Killer Knee Pads
Both are high-quality guards that provide heavy-duty protection for your knees. But many skaters believe the 187 Killers are peerless in knee protection.
Also, both are large and bulky, making them less ideal for casual skating. The 187 Killers (Pro model) can run you nearly $100 depending on where you buy them. That price tag is almost thrice that of the Protec Street, but it’s a high-end model with removable caps.
The 187 Killer (NOT Pro) is a complete gear set consisting of knee guards, elbow pads, and wrist guards. It’s more affordable than the 187 Killer Pro model but way pricier than the Protec Street, a knee pad-only deal.
The knee pads have a pull-up design while Protec Street have an open-back style. So you can wear them (Protec) before rollerblades or quad skates.
Are you a 187 Killer fan but prefer less bulk? Grab the 187’s slimmest option, the 187 Fly. It’s still a tad bulky, though. Like the regular 187’s and 187 Killer Slim’s, the Fly‘s are a pull-on style. But are they as protective as the beefiest model, the 187 Killers?
A skateboarding friend who’s hard substantial experience with both 187 Killers and 187 Fly shared their insight. They’ve had plenty of hard skate park falls and found that the Fly’s aren’t as protective.
Pro-Tec Street vs JBM 3-in-1 Gear Set
Like the Triple 8 Saver Series Kneesavers, the JBM 3-in-1 Gear Set offers comprehensive protection. You get knee pads, elbow guards, and wrist protectors. They’re also similarly affordable even though the padding seems thicker and coverage greater.
Compared to Protec Street, JBM knee pads offer less padding. However, falling with them a bunch of times has demonstrated they can be trusted for protection against relatively hard falls.
I’ve used both the Saver Series and JBM, and the latter seems to be better quality. And it seems like they could outlast the Saver Series. However, the faux leather wrist guards on both options rip off a bit every time my hands rub against the road.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a big skater with big knees and want high-quality and potentially long-lasting derby-worthy knee pads, the Pro-Tec Street Knee Pads are worth every penny.
What if money isn’t tight and you want less bulky knee pads that protect like a boss? Get the 187 Killer knee pads. These ones cost a pretty penny, though. But that doesn’t stop roller derby players and many other skaters to pay the price…because they’re top quality gear.
If you’re looking for entry-level knee pads and aren’t ready to spend too much, get the Triple 8 Saver Series Pad Set or JBM 3-in-1 Gear Set.