Troy Lee Designs Stage Pro Knee Guards

Troy Lee has always produced good protective equipment, but some of the slimmest knee guard options have historically been a bit on the flimsy side (the original “Speed Sleeve” wasn’t exactly a great design, let’s say…). Earlier this year, TLD dropped two new knee guards adorned with the “Pro” moniker, made for trail and enduro riding. We were curious about the improvements TLD had brought to these pedal-friendly options, so we’ve been testing them for a couple of months to see what gives. Read on to find out!

Troy Lee Stage Pro Highlights

• D3O® Diablo™ EN 1621-1:2012 CE Level 2 protection
• Technical upper and lower cuffs for secure, stay-put fit
• 260gsm durable Lycra construction for breathable performance
• Troy Lee Designs Air Channels on the back or inner panel for ventilation
• TLD Pad Anchor system for consistent impact coverage
• Reflective logo details for added low-light visibility
• MSRP: $140 USD

Troy Lee Speed Pro Highlights

• D3O® Diablo™ EN 1621-1:2012 CE Level 1 protection
• Silicone infused upper and lower cuff
• Durable 260gsm Lycra body
• Slim & lightweight contoured fit
• Troy Lee Designs Air Channels on back panel
• Reflective logo details for added low-light visibility
• MSRP: $110 USD

Initial Impressions

The Stage Pro and Speed Pro guards are both made following a well-proven recipe: a visco-elastic insert held in place by a flexible sleeve. Both guards use D3O’s latest “Diablo” insert; CE Level 2 version for the Stage Pro and CE Level 1 for the Speed Pro. The Diablo insert is D3O’s most flexible and ventilated insert, with significantly more empty space in the design to maximize air flow. The two inserts look very similar, but the Level 2 version is 3 millimeters thicker which explains the higher impact absorption rating (9.5mm vs. 6.5mm).

Comparing the Stage Pro directly to its predecessor, the Stage, a number of details stand out. The silicone grippers at the top and bottom hems are wider than before, and they utilize a different kind of material that is a bit less sticky to the initial touch (they still provide plenty of grip on the skin, more on that later). There are also a couple of rubberized strips placed in strategic areas to provide a little extra hold, which contributes to the overall stability of the guard in action. TLD calls this approach the “Pad Anchor System”, aspects of which can be found in other protective pieces as well.

The Diablo insert of the Stage Pro is softer and more flexible when compared to the OG D3O insert featured in the previous Stage guard. The overall guard thus ends up feeling a bit lighter when you pick it up, but other than that, the dimensions are very similar.

The Speed Pro feels even lighter of course, thanks to the thinner insert, and some of the other features are slimmed down as well; the silicone grippers at the hems are thinner and narrower, and the Speed Pro does not get the top “Pad Anchor System” treatment in the same way as the Stage Pro does.

One final word on the construction: the new guards feature what seems like a more heavy-duty fabric around the back of the guard. This translates to better resistance to wear and tear in this area, a very welcome change as this was indeed a weak spot with the previous generation of these guards.

On The Trail

The Stage Pro and Speed Pro have a very similar fit, pretty much identical in terms of sizing and general shape to the previous Stage model. The sizing is on the tighter side, the M/L size in TLD is usually like a somewhat tight size L in many other brands and this is true for these two new guards as well. The two testers involved in this review (article author Johan and his son Nils) are both around 6’0’ (1m84), and weigh between 187-200lbs or so (85-90kgs). Their relevant measurements follow:

Johan
Thigh (15cm above knee): 50cm
Thing (18cm above knee): 53cm
Knee joint itself: 41cm
Calf (15cm below knee): 38cm

Nils
Thigh (15cm above knee): 50cm
Thigh (18cm above knee): 52cm
Knee joint itself: 40cm
Calf (15cm below knee): 37cm

Comparing the Stage Pro and Speed Pro guards to the 3 guards tested in our latest comparison feature, the TLD fit is definitely on the tighter side – on par with the ION Arcon LT, although the build of the TLD chassis is less sturdy than that one which also translates to a more flexible fit. In terms of protection, the Stage Pro offers CE Level 2 just like the DHaRCO and ION guards, but the TLD does not feature any auxiliary pads either on the side or above/below the knee joint (if you need that in a TLD guard, you should look at the Raid, but that’s in a much bulkier category in terms of construction). As for the Speed Pro, it is the true lightweight of all of these guards, with only CE Level 1 protection in an even more minimalistic package.

The Stage Pro is slightly taller than the Speed Pro, and despite having what seems to be a sturdier elastic band at the top hem, it is actually more comfortable. The wide band is very stretchy, and because it’s a bit more solid than the much simpler and thinner one on the Speed Pro, it is able to spread out the pressure over the leg much more than the Speed Pro. Conversely, the thinner top hem of the Speed Pro tends to dig into the leg more, especially if you are running a tighter size. The silicone used on both guards is of the kind that offers great grip without grabbing at your leg hairs—goes without saying that this is our preferred option.

In terms of protection, we have thankfully kept the rubber side mostly up while testing these new TLD guards, so we can’t offer any first-hand experience of what it’s like to crash in them. The parking lot bounce-on-your-knees test reveals a marked difference in comfort between the Stage Pro and the Speed Pro; you can easily feel the extra cushion of the thicker, CE Level 2 insert in the Stage Pro. These types of inserts will do a great job with most “regular” crashes, keeping your knees safe in all but the most violent of scenarios (where a more heavy-duty guard would be the more appropriate choice). The guards don’t move around a lot while pedaling or otherwise exerting yourself, and we know from our experience with the previous model that they should stay put when you land on them too.

The overall level of comfort is high for both the Stage Pro and the Speed Pro, with the nod going to the Stage Pro as we explained a couple of paragraphs back. And while the Speed Pro should in theory breathe even better, thanks to the thinner insert and shorter overall chassis length, we were not really able to tell them apart in this aspect once on the trail. They both feature the same construction behind the knee, with a fabric that is sturdier than the one used on the previous generation Stage but still does a good job of not bulking up unnecessarily or causing any chafing. In light of all that, we think the Stage Pro is the sweet spot of this new range of models, well worth the extra $30 USD in terms of both comfort and protection.

What’s The Bottom Line?

There is heavy competition in the pedal-able knee protection market today, and you really have your pick of design, level of protection, and comfort. The new TLD Stage Pro and Speed Pro guards offer two different levels of protection from the main insert, with similar builds for the rest of the guard. They both provide a solid fit that won’t move around on you either while pedaling or while crashing, and they are certainly comfortable enough to wear for a full day out on the bike. They don’t provide any extra lateral protection beside the main insert, so take that into account if it’s important for you. Out of the two, our choice is the Stage Pro which offers a higher degree of comfort with significantly better protection, without any real penalty in terms of breathability or pedal-friendliness.

For more information: Stage Pro and Speed Pro.

About The Reviewers

Johan Hjord - Age: 52 // Years Riding MTB: 20 // Weight: 190-pounds (87 kg) // Height: 6'0" (1.84m)

Johan loves bikes, which strangely doesn’t make him any better at riding them. After many years spent practicing falling off cliffs with his snowboard, he took up mountain biking in 2005. Ever since, he’s mostly been riding bikes with too much suspension travel to cover up his many flaws as a rider. His 200-pound body weight coupled with unique skill for poor line choice and clumsy landings make him an expert on durability - if parts survive Johan, they’re pretty much okay for anybody. Johan rides flat pedals with a riding style that he describes as "none" (when in actuality he rips!). Having found most trail features to be not to his liking, Johan uses much of his spare time building his own. Johan’s other accomplishments include surviving this far and helping keep the Vital Media Machine’s stoke dial firmly on 11.

Nils Hjord – Age: 21 // Years Riding MTB: 13 // Height: 5’9” (1m80) // Weight: 185-pounds (84-kg)

Always committed to having fun on his bike, Nils likes to keep his wheels in the air almost as much as on the ground. Although he enjoys going fast and is no stranger to burping his tires off the rim, he has dedicated most of his riding time to mastering manuals and making his tabletops flatter – but that doesn’t mean he can’t put the hurt on his wheels through a high-speed rock garden too, when needed. Good thing his dad is a full-time Vital staffer with access to lots of bike parts that need testing!

Photos by Johan Hjord