Review: Rector Protector Kneepads

2 of 5

The Rector Protectors have one of the best fits of anything I've found. They fit close to the knee, giving you a good idea where your kneepads are at all times and with that a good deal of security. I believe you also get this great fit because they are of the slip-on variety. I know many people find it annoying to have to put their kneepads on before their skates. But I find you get a much better overall fit with those that slip-on and are tight all over, versus those that you slap on with a few pieces of velcro at the top and bottom.

As for problems, unfortunately they have a few major ones that make these less than an ideal choice for many skaters.
Most importantly, the bottom of the rounded shell curves inward rather than flattening out, a hard fall will force this part of the shell into the nice soft part of your knee (between the kneecap and your lower leg bone). This is a really sensitive area and a few really hard falls will have you off skates for a few weeks. There are a few girls on my league with chronic knee problems in exactly this area, which I believe to be the fault of this particular design flaw.

That said, it's really only going to be a problem with bigger girls. I'd say if you're under 150lbs you should have no problem with it. Also, I'd recommend wearing some gaskets with these, just for added protection against the curvature.

Secondly, they aren't particularly long lasting. The shells crack frequently, and the padding breaks down quickly. If you are into these I'd recommend new ones every few months if you're a frequent skater. Not so big a deal since they are one of the cheapest options at around $30 or so.

Pros
• Nice tight fit around the kneecap
• Cheap

Cons
• Not very durable
• Poor anatomical design, not for bigger girls