Dainese's Hybrid pads combine a softer internal pad for maximum comfort with a harder outer shell for ultimate protection. The result is a comfy pad with a harder coating over the kneecap and top of the shin, the areas most likely to get pummelled into the floor.
The harder outer shell is also meant to allow the pad to slide along the ground in the event of a crash – a soft outer would be more likely to snag, potentially causing the pad to slide down your leg.
The Hybrids are secured with small Velcro tabs at the top and bottom and a diagonal strap behind the knee. After a bit of experimentation we found it was best to apply minimal tension to this strap. Otherwise, the pads had a tendency to bunch up above the knee, leading to a little discomfort.
Once we’d sorted the strap tension the pads were comfortable on longer rides, though we still suffered bunching when pushing uphill to ride back down.
We can vouch for the protectiveness of the knee pads, which don’t move around when you hit the ground. The honeycomb-pattern padding helps with venting too, though the skintight fit means they still warm up relatively fast.