9 Best Kids Knee and Elbow Pads (For Everyday and Trail Riding)
Whether your child is cruising the neighborhood on a bike, zipping around on a scooter, carving on a skateboard, or tackling trails on a mountain bike, kids knee and elbow pads can be a real game-changer. Not only do they help prevent injuries, but they can also give a timid rider the confidence to keep going—or an adventurous one the security to push their limits.
But what about your average neighborhood rider—do they really need pads? In our experience, yes. Time and again, we’ve seen that wearing knee and elbow pads gives kids a sense of protection that encourages exploration and builds resilience, even if they’re just rolling down the driveway. And clearly, knee and elbow pads can help prevent even minor injuries.
We’ve tested knee pads on kids ranging in age from 1 to 14 and found several favorites that provide solid protection and are comfortable. We’ve also tested pads that get great ratings on Amazon, but are a sure pass in our book. Scroll to the end to see the pads that didn’t make the cut!
Simply Kids (GEN 1)
$30
VIWINVELA Upgraded
$40
Triple Eight Saver Series
$45
Additional Recommended Kids Pads
Hardshell Pads – More durable, but less comfortable
・Strider Pad Set, $19 – Toddler and Preschool Sizes
Flexible Soft Pads – More Comfortable for Biking
・woom Neebows, $39 – Quality Sleeve Pads
・VIWINVELA Standard, $29, Good Budget Option
MTB Pads – Increased Protection
・Prevelo G-Form, $40+ – Best for Toddlers
・7iPD Transition, $30 – Best for Kids
・Fox Youth Launch D30, $49, Best for Tweens + Teens
Beyond biking, we highly recommend pads for kids who ride in-line skates as those falls can be particularly abrupt and hard. In fact, the CPSC recommends pads for kids riding scooters and roller skates to decrease injuries. It’s also not a bad idea for timid kids first learning to ride a hoverboard.
What about kids on balance bikes? Pads are great, but consider getting gloves as well, as kids often fall hands first. Zippyrooz are our favorite for toddlers and preschoolers.
Flexible Knee and Elbow Pads: Everyday Riding
Kids riding bikes, especially those sticking to the neighborhood, don’t fall nearly as often as kids attempting tricks on skateboards. As a result, the hard plastic shell found on most “skate pads” are a bit of overkill for bike riding. In addition to being bulkier, sweatier, and less flexible, skate pads can also limit the natural pedaling motion.
As a result, for biking we highly recommend soft, flexible pads without a hard, plastic shell. In addition to being soft and comfortable, they also provide plenty of protection during a fall.
Simply Kids Knee and Elbow Pads
$30 (price includes knee pads, elbow pads, and gloves)
SIZES AVAILABLE: Three sizes S (2-4), M (4-8), L (8-11)
What We Love About Simply Kids
The fabric and padding on these are soft and breathable, giving them a more natural, flexible feel than many cheaper pads we’ve tested. The open-back design is especially helpful in warmer weather, allowing for better airflow and less sweat—so kids are more likely to keep them on without complaint.
Secured with Velcro straps, these pads are also quick to get on and off. They easily fit over clothing in colder months, unlike sleeve-style pads that typically need to be worn underneath.
A quick heads-up: These kids’ bike pads come in two versions. The 1st Gen includes standard knee and elbow pads (as pictured above). The 2nd Gen adds attached shin guards to the knee pads, making the set noticeably bulkier. Unless you specifically need shin protection, we recommend sticking with the 1st Gen. On the Amazon link above, pads are 1st Gen by default unless marked otherwise in the color selection.
VIWINVELA Upgraded Pads
$40 (price includes knee pads and elbow pads)
SIZES AVAILABLE: Three sizes S (2-4), M (5-7), L (8-10)
What We Love About VIWINVELA Pads
While these pads aren’t from a brand we typically trust as much as others, we can’t deny they offer impressive protection and comfort for the price. We tested both the VIWINVELA upgraded and standard versions and definitely prefer the upgraded set.
The upgraded pads are not only more comfortable and durable, but they also provide better impact protection. The padding is thicker and more dense, whereas the standard version uses softer, less dense padding. The standard pads also feature a much longer sleeve and a thin nylon fabric covering the pads—material that’s likely to rip after a single crash. That said, even with torn fabric, the pads should still be functional.
Both versions include an anti-slip silicone band inside the sleeve and a Velcro strap for a secure fit.
woom Neebow Knee and Elbow Pads
$39 (knee pads), $39 (elbow pads)
SIZES AVAILABLE: Three sizes S, M, L. Small size is a good, snug fit on our 45″ tall, 50 pound tester.
What We Love About woom Neebow
With thin, stretchy mesh along the back of the pads, woom Neebow knee and elbow pads maximize breathability and comfort. We also appreciate that there is no seam along the back, which can quickly irritate skin.
The top and bottom cuffs of the Neebow pads have silicone strips to help keep them from shifting out of place during a ride. There’s even an additional silicone “X” behind the pad for additional grip on the knee cap.
The padding itself is soft and flexible, but is also thicker than most. As a result, the padding sticks off the knees or elbows more than other pads. This feels less integrated with your limbs than brands like G-Form or Simply Kids. Our 3-year-old tester, however, wore them without complaint for several hours.
While woom makes toddler bikes, the smallest elbow and knee pads are not toddler sized. Be sure to measure your child and compare against woom’s official sizing guide (found on the listing linked to above). As a reference, the size small was a good, snug fit on our tall 4.5-year-old who is 45″ tall and 50 pounds.
Hardshell Skateboarding and Skate Pads
Hard shell pads are designed for the sudden and sharp impacts that occur during skateboard and skating falls. However, comfortable hard shell pads can also be used for biking. Keep in mind that while these pad sets often come with wrist guards, those guards should never be used for biking as they restrict a child’s ability to flex their wrists, which restricts their ability to steer and brake.
Strider Pads
$29 (also available as a set with gloves for $40)
SIZES AVAILABLE: 1 size grows with kids 18 months to 5-years-old
Pros:
Cons:
What We Love About Strider Pads
After the success of the Strider Balance Bike, Strider set out to create a quality protective pad set that actually fits really young riders. These Strider pads are a great investment for toddlers and smaller kids.
Coming standard with two sets of pads, the smaller set of pads can be used as knee pads first. As kids grow bigger, that smaller set can be converted to use as elbow pads and the larger set is then used as knee pads.
You also have the option of buying a set with gloves, which we definitely recommend – balance bikers usually fall hands first, so gloves are actually more important than knee or elbow pads!
Triple 8 Saver Series
$45
SIZES AVAILABLE: Junior fits most kids ages 5-8, S – L fit tweens to adults
Pros:
Cons:
What We Love About the Triple 8
While hardshell pads aren’t necessary for casual neighborhood riding, they’re a must for skateboarding—especially when sliding out of a trick. If your child is testing out new moves at the skate park on a skateboard or scooter, the Triple Eight pads are your best bet.
This set also includes wrist guards, which are crucial for preventing sprained or broken wrists while skateboarding. One important note: when choosing a size, only the wrist guards vary—the knee and elbow pads remain the same across sizes. So be sure to check the size chart and measure carefully before ordering.
Important: The wrist guards are not designed for biking and should only be used for skateboarding or scootering.
Kids and Youth MTB Pads for Trail Riding
If you’ve got a little shredder on your hands, most of the major mountain biking brands offer knee and elbow pads for kids. Their sizing options vary wildly though, so not every brand may have a set that will fit your child.
7 Protection Transition Pads
$26 – Elbow, $30 – Knee
SIZES AVAILABLE: Kids S, M, L, Youth S/M, L/XL, Adult
Pros:
Cons:
What We Love About the 7 Protection Pads
As a brand focused on protective gear for mountain biking, 7 Protection guards are extremely durable and well made. The Transition pads extend higher and lower than standard kids’ knee pads for extra protection needed while mountain biking, and feature a breathable sleeve for less sweat and added comfort.
While the Youth pads’ length may be a bit much for neighborhood riders, the Kids pads are smaller overall and perfect for any type of young rider.
The protective core uses body heat to mold to your little rider’s knees, making them surprisingly comfortable and allowing kids to maintain the same level of agility and maneuverability as riding without pads. We were super impressed as we watched our little balance biker sprinting with ease in the hot Texas summer sun.
Because these pads feature a sleeve rather than a velcro system, they are harder than other pads to get on and off, but stay in place really well. They are also offered as elbow pads.
Troy Lee Speed Sleeve Knee
$49
SIZES AVAILABLE: Youth M and L
Pros:
Cons:
What We Love About the Speed Sleeve
After our Kid Bike Tester went for his first ride with the TLD Speed Sleeves, he couldn’t stop raving about them. So much so that Mom ordered herself a pair too! (They also come in adult sizes.)
These pads are insanely soft and bendy (even more so than G-form), and allow you to focus on the ride, rather than on how your knee pads are kind of annoying. They stay in place really well, without being overly tight.
While we’d recommend the TLD Speed Sleeves for any kid, if your child hates wearing knee pads, you should give these a try.
G-Form Youth Pro X3
$54 – Elbow, $69 – Knee
SIZES AVAILABLE: Youth S/M, Youth L/XL (from G-form); Toddler XS/S, Toddler M/L (from Prevelo)
Pros:
Cons:
What We Love About G-Form Pads
Soft, flexible, lightweight, and breathable are not adjectives normally used to describe protective gear. But G-form pads are well known for being some of the most comfortable pads on the market. Even our finicky little riders don’t complain about wearing them!
While many pads now offer “harden on impact” technology, G-Form pads were the pioneers in this area for kids. G-Form pads contour to your child’s body and allow kids to move nimbly and easily. And then… they harden upon impact to protect when you actually need protection! Cool, right??
In Summer 2022, Prevelo Bikes partnered with G-form to make smaller sizes for toddlers. These pads are currently only available on Prevelo’s website. The pads are incredibly flexible and comfortable, but be aware that the sleeve portion is quite long and will cover a majority of a small rider’s limbs.
Youth Knee Pads with Extended Protection for Downhill
Fox Launch Pro Youth
$79 – Knee Pads, $69 – Elbow Pads
SIZES AVAILABLE: One size, best for older kids 12+
Pros:
Cons:
What We Love About Fox Launch
If your shredder is advancing in skills and tackling more aggressive terrain, the Fox Launch Pro Youth knee pads and elbow pads offer the extended protection you’ll need. With additional shin, forearm, and side coverage, these pads are a bit bulky for standard trail rides, but ideal for downhill and high speeds.
Our 14-year-old kid tester regularly rocks everything from the Utah downhill to black diamond Bentonville trails, so crashes are the norm. The Launch Pro Youth have held up incredibly well and kept his knees and shins unscathed. We have not yet tested the elbow pad set.
Kids Knee Pads We Tested, But Didn’t Love
We are always on the lookout for new products to add to our lists. Often times the products we receive we simply can’t recommend, or our other favorites are considerably better.
CRZKO Kids Pads Set
Although these pads get amazing reviews on Amazon, we found them to be very cheaply made and almost impossible to use. The elastic straps on the set we ordered were too long and couldn’t fasten tight enough to use on our small framed 7-year-old tester. No matter how we adjusted the straps, the pads were simply unusable.
Bosoner Kids Knee and Elbow Pads
The Bosoner knee and elbow pads for kids are an “Amazon’s Choice” with over 5,000 reviews and 4.5 stars. A bit puzzling to us. While they fit better than the CRZKO pads, they weren’t comfortable. As soon as our testers put them on, they asked to take them off. Additionally, their quality is quite basic and they offer very little soft cushioning.
While these cheap pads will certainly work in a pinch, there is no reason to buy them when you have other affordable (and much better) options like the pads from Outdoor Master.
Related Kids Protective Gear Articles
The Best Bike Helmets for Kids: We put over 50 kids bike helmets to the test to find out which helmets offer the best fit, protection, and comfort for kids.
The Best Bike Helmets for Babies and Toddlers: Bike helmets for toddlers and preschoolers need to properly fit a child while on a bike, but also while in a bike trailer and a child bike seat. Find out which helmets came out on top.
The Best Dual-Certification (Skateboard) Helmets: Helmets for biking and for skateboarding have different certification requirements. We put the top brands to the test to find the best.
Kids Bike Accessories and Other Protective Gear: A list of all the fun and necessary accessories for riding bikes with kids.
