Alpinestars Paragon Lite knee protectors review

The Paragon Lite knee protectors from Alpinestars are designed to be comfortable, light and slim, adding enough protection for mountain bikers looking for a little extra when trail riding.

Thanks to the lack of bulk, the Paragon Lites certainly live up to their name, as well as being incredibly comfortable.

However, their slender nature means they don’t offer as much protection as some of the best mountain bike knee pads, which can hold them back at times.

Alpinestars Paragon Lite knee protectors specifications and details

Alpinestars offers the Paragon Lite knee protectors in five sizes, ranging from extra-small through to extra-large.

The CE-certified level 1 flexible, protective inserts (which harden on impact) are housed within the stretchy sleeves, which are heavily perforated to aid breathability. These inserts can’t be removed for washing.

A tougher, abrasion-resistant panel at the front (directly over the protective knee insert) should help protect the Paragon Lites from wear and tear over time.

To help keep weight down and the design as minimal as possible, there’s no complicated closure mechanism. Instead, the side-specific Paragon Lites rely on the stretchy, tailored fit of the sleeve (which slides up and over your legs), along with a silicone-printed band that wraps around the inside of the upper opening.

Alpinestars sells the Paragon Lite knee protectors rolled up in a small mesh bag. It’s about the size of an orange with the pads packed inside, so easy to slip into a backpack if you’re not planning on wearing them constantly.

Alpinestars Paragon Lite knee protectors performance

Just as promised, the Paragon Lites feel incredibly light. More importantly, though, they’re comfortable on long days in the saddle. I felt no need to adjust or remove them, even when sweating heavily on really hot days.

The sleeve itself offers a decent fit, with the upper opening of my medium pads feeling just the right side of tight that it remained secure while riding. However, it wasn't so tight that it ever began to irritate my leg or feel restrictive.

It’s also tight enough to hold the protective knee insert in place, securely over the knee, where it stays while pedalling.

The insert itself conforms comfortably to the shape of your knee and never felt stiff or inflexible, even when cold, as some protective inserts can.

Coverage is a little less than some lightweight pads, though, with the relatively thin insert comfortably covering the front of my knee and a little – but not a lot – either side.

While the thin insert makes for totally unrestricted movement while pedalling, it means the Paragon Lites don’t feel as substantial as some other CE-certified level 1 pads I’ve tried.

That said, none of those pack down as small as the Paragon Lites, but I’d argue Alpinestars could bolster these pads with a little more protection, providing it didn’t impact comfort. That’s because they’re so comfortable, I’m not bothered about taking them off.

As it stands, though, while the Paragon Lites are great for those looking to add some lightweight protection to prevent scrapes and cuts on easy-going trail rides, if you want to push a little harder you may want to consider pads with a little more protection and bulk.

How do the Alpinestars Paragon Lite knee protectors compare?

For a long time, I’ve worn the G-Form Pro X knee pads for trail riding, especially when I know I’ll have to put some miles in but still want a bit of protection over my knees.

In terms of comfort, both the G-Form and Alpinestars pads are very closely matched.

Both sets of pads remain secure over your knees while you ride, and comfortable and unrestrictive while pedalling.

The G-Form pads offer a touch more in the way of coverage and the pads are thicker. They don’t feel all that much bulkier or heavier compared to the Paragon Lites though.

G-Form has since updated the Pro X pads, though, and pricing appears to have crept up slightly on the updated version, meaning the Paragon Lites are a little cheaper.

Alpinestars Paragon Lite knee protectors bottom line

The Paragon Lite knee protectors from Alpinestars offer a bit of extra knee protection and can be stowed easily in your pack without taking up too much space.

Comfort is impressive, as is pad security, though the thin, flexible protective insert doesn’t offer as much coverage as some pads. This makes the Paragon Lites best suited for light trail duties, where you’re likely to spend all day in the saddle.

For more full-on trail or enduro riding, you’ll probably want a thicker, heavier pad with more coverage and protection.