Gecko Shin Pads

AWESOME PAD! A good knee-pad is hard to come by. Any piece of gear that you bind tightly to yourself for an extended period of time will grow uncomfortable and will work its way loose after enough movement. These are things that can only be minimized it seems, and never fully solved. However, the Salamander Gecko pads seemed to me to be as close as it gets. In preparation for an expedition to Pozo de Montemayor, one of the deepest caves in northern Mexico at 1,600 feet (and counting!), I picked up a pair of these guys. After having gone through my fair share of pads, it was great to have a pair that did work! I went with the full sized shin pads to help minimize the beating my legs would take on crawls and was not let down. The pads are ridiculously comfortable! Made of ½ inch thick neoprene padding with 1680 denier ballistic nylon on the exterior, these pads provide amazing protection for your knees and shins. With comfortable 3mm neoprene straps coated with hefty Velcro to provide quick on and off, these pads also feel great, even after some of the 13-14 hours pushes we were making. I wore the pads over my Salamander Chameleon caving suit and they were simply awesome: they stayed in place, never chaffed, and provided more than enough protection for my legs. However, after almost two days, the Velcro did become a bit clogged and the top fasteners would not hold. Cleaning the fasteners was simple given the water in the cave, and after a quick brush they were back to new in no time! I began to move them under my suit after this which totally removed the problem, and even on bare skin, the Gecko Shin Pads were very comfy! After the trip, I simply threw them in the wash when I was done and they look so new, I bet no one will believe I used them. Pad Grades Comfort: A Fit: A Protection/Padding: A Fastening System: B (because the Velcro could be an issue in very muddy situations)

Pros: Stay in place better than most. Comfortable. Cons: Very light duty. Stitching wears through almost immediately. Side panel material tears easily.

I really love these shin pads. They are just so comfortable to use! Once I put them on (either over my suit or directly on my skin) it's as though they've been molded to my leg. The red neoprene gives them stretch and they hug my leg really well without sticking out and catching on things as I crawl. Being well-fitting, they don't slip down, nor twist around and move out of place during use. The front of the pads is made from a durable nylon and is padded sufficiently to protect me from the rocky ground but without feeling too bulky. I had in mind to buy the leg pads, but it turns out the shin pads are long enough to act as a leg pad for me. I'm 5'6" female. Highly recommended!

I bought these direct from Salamander last September. I used them a few times and they are the most comfortable protection I've owned so far. I've tried many different styles and these are the ones for me. I'm looking forward to another year with them. I wear them under my Salamander cave suit which is also the most comfortable I've owned so far. Makes caving so much more enjoyable when your gear works and fits well. I highly recommend these.