With good coverage, a secure fit and decent price, what’s not to like about the Alps 2 pads? Not a lot really.
Alpinestars has combined a pre-shaped knee cup and open-backed sleeve with two Velcro straps to create a seriously hard to budge fit. Wide silicone strips inside the upper and lower openings help keep them put too.
When we did sample the soil, the knee pads soaked up the impact and didn’t slip or twist on our knees. Get pedalling and the lower Velcro strap can creep up a little, irritating the back of the knee and requiring readjustment every so often.
It’s more than forgivable though, considering how comfy the pads are for the most part. Still, it’d be good to see a softer and more comfortable lower strap used in future to prevent this.
Even though the stretchy mesh sleeve is cut away at the rear, the pad doesn’t splay when your knee is fully flexed, keeping the padding exactly where it needs to be. To either side of the main knee cup Alpinestars have added extra foam padding to take care of those awkward knocks and bumps.
