Race Face Ambush Knee Pad

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Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
$119.95
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
Tested: Race Face Ambush Knee and Elbow Guards - As Solid As They Come
Rating:
Vital Review

Review by Johan Hjord // Photos by Tal Rozow and Johan Hjord

Kneepads are an essential piece of protective equipment, worn by almost every rider who likes to get a bit rowdy from time to time. Elbow pads are perhaps a slightly less common sight on the trail, but many riders will still reach for them when things get a bit hectic, or just for a little extra peace of mind. Race Face has been producing a line of pads (or guards) for a number of years already, offering a full range of protection for different applications. The Ambush line sits on the heavy duty side of the catalog, ready for pretty much anything you can throw at it – we put the 2013 edition to the test to see how it measures up in this highly competitive equipment category.

Ambush Knee and Elbow Highlights


  • D30 high performance shock absorbing foam
  • Perforated Neoprene enhances venting and moisture control
  • Terry lined for wicking and comfort
  • Open-back construction on the kneepads; no shoe removal necessary
  • Foam padded side walls on the kneepads offer additional coverage
  • Heavy-duty 600 denier nylon front panel casing
  • Soft mesh panel at inner elbow to keep cool
  • Woven upper elastic strap and lower Neoprene comfort strap on elbow pads
  • Branded rubber grab tabs
  • MSRP: $99.99 (Knee), $79.99 (Elbow)

Race Face makes quality gear, so we were not surprised to find a pair of pads that seem to have been very well put together right out of the bag. The attention to detail is obvious, and the materials chosen inspire confidence. All the seams appear well executed, and we found no loose threads nor any other apparent quality problems. That meant we were instantly ready to hit the trails to find out how these pads perform where it really matters.

On The Trail

The stand-out feature on the Ambush kneepad is the open back construction. The kneepad opens up completely thanks to three hook-and-loop straps, allowing you to put it on and take it off without removing your shoes. This is a boon, as having to remove your shoes is perhaps the single most annoying aspect of this type of pad from many other manufacturers. How many times have you arrived a big climb wanting to remove your kneepads, but not feeling up to taking your shoes off? Removing the Ambush pad takes all of five seconds – then you’re free to strap it to your pack or even the bike before the climb. This is a brilliant idea and Race Face has executed it perfectly.

The most important function of a knee or elbow pad is of course to protect you during the rougher episodes of your dirt love affair. On the Ambush range, Race Face has chosen to use D3O as the main protective material both for the knee and elbow pads. For those not familiar with D3O, it is a soft and malleable material featuring molecules that lock together to dissipate impact energy during hard hits (go ahead and put a hammer to it to test this – you know you want to).

Race Face has included a generous helping of this magical material in both the knee and elbow pads, complemented by smaller sections of more traditional foam on both sides of each kneepad. The pads are preformed to provide a comfortable fit, but without feeling the least bit flimsy as D3O pads sometimes do. The heavy-duty nylon used on the front panels appears extremely strong, and looks better than the previous generation of these pads – we’ve certainly not been able to put more than superficial scuffs on it.

The inside of the pads is made out of soft Terry liner, which is very comfortable and stays that way after washing. The pads get a little warm, but definitely nothing more than we would expect, given the amount of protection on offer. We found the sizing to be spot on, although the straps are strong so you might want to make sure you try on a pair before buying - they can feel a bit tight when done up. The pads are easy to put on and remove, and easy to adjust. Of course, the pads would be useless if they moved around during riding, and we’re happy to report that these stay put no matter what you get up to. Pedaling, rock gardens, jumps, drops... these pads stay where they’re meant to, ready for your next failure to keep the rubber side down.

On the topic of crashing, we’ve ridden these pads for more than three months and inevitably, there have been some dirt sampling exercises during that time. These pads do a great job of protecting you, at least as good as comparable offerings from other manufacturers, and we were only able to twist one of the kneepads to the side of the knee once (during a particularly acrobatic and not very graceful tumble). As a side note, if you are worried about your shins, Race Face makes a version of these with included shin protector, called the Flank.

Long Term Durability

In terms of wear and tear, besides now looking a bit older, the pads have held up really well. All the seams are still tight, and there are no holes or tears in the fabric to report. Specifically, the lined neoprene used is clearly of the stronger variety here. We’ve used pads from other brands where the neoprene literally fell apart after a few months.

Things That Could Be Improved

The one issue we have found is Race Face's choice to put the “hook side” of the Velcro (hook and loop) material on the pad itself, which is the longer portion – thus leaving this side of the Velcro exposed unless you do the strap up completely which makes it very tight. The net result of this is that part of the “hook” material can be left exposed, ready to snag your short liner or indeed rub away at the lower part of the front panel of the kneecap in the case of the lower strap. This is a minor gripe which could have been resolved by inverting the design, using the rougher “hook” side on the strap end, leaving only the soft “loop” side exposed on the pad. Speaking with Race Face about this issue, it turns out that by inverting the design, there would be a risk of exposing the rough hook side of the strap to the skin for riders between sizes - so the choice was made to run the risk of snagging shorts as opposed to scraping away at bare skin. On balance, this seems like a smart choice. See below for an illustration of the rough side of the Velcro exposed unless the strap is tightened all the way:

We should also point out that as with most D3O-equipped pads, these are not cheap, at least not at list price (although they can be found online at significant discount at this time). We feel that D3O offers enough advantages to justify the price tag, especially in a well-executed design like this one.

What’s The Bottom Line?

Race Face has brought an innovative approach to a well-established design, and this has worked out really well. These are among the most solid pads we’ve ever tried in this category, and they’ve stood up to abuse quite nicely. They are all-day comfortable to wear and provide effective protection, and the open back design on the kneepads is a game changer for those who like to remove their pads for climbing (*cough* Enduro *cough*). Apart from the minor issue of exposed Velcro potentially snagging your shorts, the design is a homerun.

For more details, visit www.raceface.com.


About The Reviewer

Johan Hjord 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 spends 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.

3 comments

Post a reply to: Tested: Race Face Ambush Knee and Elbow Guards - As Solid As The

6 member reviews

Race Face Ambush knee pads
Rating:
The Good
Secure with tabs / no need to take off shoes!
Superb fit
Lots of adjustability
Excellent construction
Great freedom of motion
Comfortable in all seasons
The Bad
At higher price point than some but hard to argue with their value.
Overall Review:

I couldn't be more pleased with my Race Face Ambush knee pads to the point I can't imagine ever using anything but them.

They are easy to put on since they fasten with velcro straps and fit great do to superior design and adjustable straps.

The lining wicks away sweat and these are so comfortable and non-restrictive that I wear them every single time I ride off road.

I can attest to the protective qualities and durability of these as well - mine definitely  get plenty of use. I no longer fear knee impacts due to these.

These are a holy grail mtb product and in my opinion a must have. 

Excellent 

5 out of 5 stars

A+




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Post a reply to: Race Face Ambush knee pads

Love these pads
Rating:
The Good
Put them on and take them off without taking your shoes off. Solid protection for the whole knee
The Bad
A little hot during the summer
Overall Review:

I've tried several other brands and styles of knee pads over the years. It's always been a compromise between fit, comfort,and protection. Yes, they are hot during the summer if you pedal in them, but the ease of taking them on and off without having to remove my shoes is a huge advantage. I rarely pedal long distances with them on and chose to strap them to my bars instead. However, when I have pedaled with them on, they are flexible, comfortable, and do not move around.

The coverage is good for my short legs and there is no gap between the top of the pads and my shorts. The velcro system is very secure and unlike all the other pads I've used, I have never had to readjust these during a ride. The side protection is better than many other pads and the D3O works. The build quality seems very good and I haven't noticed any premature wear over the past few months of heavy use (4-5 days a week).

These are great for park or enduro riding but probably too hot if you like to keep them on while pedaling long periods. 

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Post a reply to: Love these pads

Race Face Ambush Knee Pads
Rating:
The Good
Velcro on Velcro off.
Straps to bike for the climbs and knees on the downs.
Durable.
Doesn’t slip.
Mostly hides gaper knee.
The Bad
Little bit bulky.
Little hot if climbing in knee pads is your thing.
Overall Review:

I Have been riding these for three years now, and they are still going strong.   Some of the logo has washed away, but that’s about it.  I really have not had a bad crash on them, but they have saved me a few times from minor scrapes and bruises I’m sure I would have accumulated.   

I think the biggest strength of the Ambush knee pads is their fit.  They velcro on in three spots and have two big boy straps, one on the thigh and one below the “knee bow”.  They do not slide up or down for me, and I don’t think about them while riding down hill.  They also offer great protection and flexibility.  

For climbing they move well enough, but they get hot.  The cure is to strap them to your frame and climb.  For me and climbing, the best knee pads are no knee pads. These are awesome for people who don’t like backpacks, like me.  

As far as protection I would trust these from bike park days to my local trails.  Anything that won’t brake your leg will be cushioned fairly well.  Big hard boulders will still hurt I’m sure.  

The Velcro and the pads have held up through hundreds of rides and I’m sure dozens or more washes.  As much as I want a shiny new pair these just keep going.

I highly recommend these to anyone who wants real knee protection with the ability to not have to climb in them.  Have fun!

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Post a reply to: Race Face Ambush Knee Pads

Very solid pads, but a little on the heavy side
Rating:
The Good
Fit
Protection
Adjustability
Durable
The Bad
Heavy
Bulky
Overall Review:

Have been wearing these pads for trail riding this year and really impressed with them. I was wearing a sleeve style pad but they lacked protection and I was constantly getting rashes in them from pedaling. I would happily wear the ambush pads in the bike park and shuttle laps (I do have a heavier pad that I prefer, but would not hesitate to use these if I needed to), this summer I have done a lot of pedaling in them and find them really solid. They are a little on the heavier side for a trail pad, but the fit and protection is worth it if you live in a climate that isnt super hot (im in northern BC). As well as the main straps at the top and bottom there is a strap across the back of the knee, I find this has helped reduce the rubbing on the back of the knee and rashes that come with that. They are a bit on the bulky side so would have to get thrown in a pack if your on a longer ride, but I have been pretty stoked with them.

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Post a reply to: Very solid pads, but a little on the heavy side

Great knee pads
Rating:
The Good
removable without taking shoes off, flexible d30 material makes pedaling better
The Bad
none found so far
Overall Review:

So this is more of a comparison review from the knee pads I've been running for 3 years now (661 Strait knee pads).While I haven't tried every brand out there, the change to the Race Face Ambush has been pretty noticeable and I thought I mention how they've been for me.

The aforementioned knee pads that I had prior were ok, nothing amazing but these feel like the real deal. They don't get as hot or sweaty, they stay up on my legs and don't fall down as much, they are easier to pedal in, and they can be slapped on (or off) after you are all suited up without having to take off your shoes.  This last feature means that it's less of a hassle to take them on and off during a ride, which is what I thought I'd be doing more of since its so easy, but I found that pedaling in them is hardly noticeable and I just leave them on for all but the hottest days or slogging up a long fireroad.

I have come down on these pads during minor crashes a couple of times and the fancy d30 material is like magic in the way it firms up to take the abuse and spread out the force. If I could wish for anything better it would be maybe a bit more side padding.  Not that it's bad, I just tend to land more on the side of the leg during crashes than straight on so the side fabric tends to wear faster than the front. They are holding up fine though and the RF ambush pads should keep me happy for another season or two. For me the purchase to a nicer pair over my cheap 661s was a good call.

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Post a reply to: Great knee pads

Specifications

Product
Race Face Ambush Knee Pad
Riding Type
Dirt Jump / Slopestyle
Downhill
Freeride / Bike Park
Trail
Pad Type
Soft Shell
Material
  • D3O high performance shock absorbing foam
  • Perforated Neoprene for enhances venting and moisture control
  • Terry lined for wicking and comfort
  • Foam padded side walls offer additional coverage
  • Branded rubber grab tabs
  • Knee/Shin Coverage
    Knee Only
    Size
    S, M, L, XL, XXL
    Color
    Stealth
    Miscellaneous
  • Open-back construction means no shoe removal necessary.
  • Price
    $114.00
    What do you think?
    Where To Buy
    Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
    International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
    Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
    International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
    $119.95
    Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
    International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
    Knee/Shin Pads

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