Knee Pad Size Guides
Snowboard & Skate Knee Pad Size Guide
Why Knee Pads Matter
Falls are part of learning any board sport — whether you're working on your first ollie at the local skatepark or catching an edge on a groomer during your first season on snow. Knees take the brunt of it. A good pair of knee pads absorbs impact your kneecaps were never built to handle, so a slam costs you a few seconds instead of the rest of your day.
How Knee Pads Work
Most pads pair a cushioning layer against your skin with a harder outer cap or shell that spreads impact across a wider area instead of concentrating it on the kneecap itself. Straps, sleeves, or a compression fit keep everything in place through drops, slides, and slams.
Types Explained
Soft / Foam Pads
Slip-on foam sleeves with light or no hard cap, built for flexibility and all-day comfort.
Best for: freestyle riders and skaters who bend deep into tricks and don't want bulk under their pants. Cons: less protection on sharp, direct hits than a capped pad.
Hard-Cap Pads
A rigid plastic cap over a foam base, built to slide and absorb sharp impacts rather than dig in.
Best for: park and street skating, rail and box features, and anyone repeatedly falling on concrete. Cons: bulkier and less breathable than soft pads.
Impact-Reactive (D3O) Pads
Use a soft, flexible foam that stiffens instantly on impact, then returns to normal straight after.
Best for: riders who want low-profile protection without a hard shell, especially under snow pants where a bulky cap won't fit. Cons: usually the most expensive option.
Fit & Sizing
Knee pads are sized by leg circumference — but brands don't all measure the same way. Most size off a single measurement taken around the kneecap. A few (ProTec's Street range, for example) use a two-point system, measuring separately above and below the knee for a closer, glove-like fit. Check which method the brand you're after uses in the chart below before you order — a pad sized to "knee circumference" and one sized to "4" above the knee" won't land on the same number.
As a rule: pads should sit snug enough that they don't slide down mid-run, but not so tight they dig in or cut circulation when your knee bends.
Size Charts by Brand
Burton Basic Knee Pad · Demon Zero RF D3O Ski/Snowboard Knee Pads · Globe Goodstock Knee Pads · Ennui Park Knee Gaskets · Protec Street Knee Pads · Protec Vert Knee Pads · Triple 8 Covert Knee Pads · Triple 8 Exoskin Knee Pads · Triple 8 Knee Gasket · 187 Killer Pads Pro Knee Pad · 187 Killer Pads Fly Knee Pad · 187 Killer Pads Slim Knee Pad · 187 Killer Pads Knee Gaskets
Burton
Basic Knee Pad
Knee circumference
| XS | S | M | L | XL | |
| Knee (cm) | 27–29 | 29–32 | 32–35 | 35–39 | 39–43 |
Demon
Zero RF D3O Ski/Snowboard Knee Pads
Circumference above the knee
| XS | S | M | L | XL | XXL | |
| Above knee (cm) | 33–37 | 37–41 | 39–43 | 41–45 | 43–47 | 45–49 |
Globe
Goodstock Knee Pads
Circumference 15cm above and 15cm below the kneecap
| S | M | L | XL | |
| 15cm above knee (cm) | 38–42 | 41–46 | 45–50 | 47–54 |
| 15cm below knee (cm) | 33–37 | 35–40 | 38–44 | 42–48 |
Ennui
Park Knee Gaskets
Leg circumference 4" above and 4" below the kneecap
| SM/MD | LG/XL | |
| 4" above knee | 12– 17" (≈30–43cm) | 17.5–23" (≈44–58cm) |
| 4" below knee | 10.25–13" (≈26–33cm) | 13.5–18.5" (≈34–47cm) |
Protec
Street Knee Pads
Two-point circumference: A = 4" above joint, B = 4" below joint
| Youth/XS | S | M | L | XL | |
| Knee A (in) | 9–11 | 12–14 | 15–17 | 18–20 | 21–23 |
| Knee B (in) | 6.5–8 | 9–11 | 11–13 | 14–16 | 17–19 |
Same universal chart also used for Street Adult Pads 3-Pack. Street Gear Jr 3-Pack uses its own youth-only table (see Pad Packs).
Protec
Vert Knee Pads
Single circumference around the joint
| XS | S | M | L | XL | |
| Knee (in) | 10–12 | 12–14 | 14–16 | 15–17 | 17–20 |
Triple 8
Covert Knee Pads
Knee circumference, leg extended
| JR | S | M | L | |
| Knee | 11–12.5" | 12.5–14.5" | 14.5–16" | 16–17" |
Triple 8
Exoskin Knee Pads
Knee circumference, leg extended
| S | M | L | XL | |
| Knee | 12.5–14.5" | 14.5–16" | 16–17" | 17–19.5" |
Triple 8
Knee Gasket
Knee circumference, leg extended
| S | M | L | XL | |
| Knee | 12.5–14.5" | 14.5–16" | 16–17" | 17–19.5" |
Same range as Exoskin Knee Pads.
187 Killer Pads
Pro Knee Pad
Knee circumference
| JR | XS | S | M | L | XL | 2XL | |
| Knee | 9–11" | 10–12" | 12–14" | 14–16" | 15–17" | 17–20" | 21–24" |
Same chart used for Derby Knee.
187 Killer Pads
Fly Knee Pad
Knee circumference
| XS | S | M | L | XL | |
| Knee | 10–12" | 12–14" | 14–16" | 15–17" | 17–20" |
187 Killer Pads
Slim Knee Pad
Knee circumference
| S | M | L | XL | |
| Knee | 12–14" | 14–16" | 15–17" | 17–20" |
187 Killer Pads
Knee Gaskets
Knee circumference
| XS | S | M | L | XL | |
| Knee | 10–12" | 12–14" | 14–16" | 15–17" | 17–20" |