[First Look] Troy Lee Designs RAID Knee Guards

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Troy Lee Designs recently sent us a new set of knee guards. Dubbed the “Raid”, they are TLD’s first foray into D3O. If you haven’t heard of it before, D30 is a soft, flexible foam that hardens under impact. It’s a great material for knee and elbow pads because it offers more light weight mobility than a hardshell pad but is more effective than traditional foam.

The Raid pads are clearly aimed at Downhill and Enduro. It’s a minimalist pad that still offers a great deal of protection minus the bulk.

Specs

• $115 US
• 418 grams
• Abrasion Resistant
• Contoured D30 Foam
• 1 upper velcro closure
• Mesh back panel for breathability
• Pre-Bent shape for easy articulation

The Raid pads are pre bent to minimize chafing and increase comfort.

Close ups of the mesh back panel, R/L indication built into the anti slip inner grip, and the "Fit Lock" contoured rubberized section. — Close ups of the mesh back panel, R/L indication built into the anti slip inner grip, and the “Fit Lock” contoured rubberized section.

A minimalist singular strap above the knee keeps things secure.

Possibly difficult to see, there is a contoured cup inside the knee pad.

We’ve had only one full day of DH riding on these and so far we dig them. It’s far too early for a full review but we’ll keep you posted on how they fare over the coming months. Tomorrow we’re going for a big long pedal in them to push their limits.