Diving, sliding or even kneeling to play a pass or chase down a ball in volleyball can certainly take a toll on the knees.
Volleyball is already a sport in which the knee joint is put a lot of stress, add in falling knee first onto a hard floor and you create a recipe for disaster.
Now I get in Knee pads aren’t for everyone however knee pads have certainly come a long way in recent years and many of them have been designed for different purposes.
For example some knee pads are to protect the knee joint, some knee pads are very cushioned to prevent hard hits with the floor and others are designed to prevent you grazing your knee everytime you dive for a volleyball.
In this article I am going to go over our top 10 knee pads on the market right now.
We have tried to keep this article quite diverse to ensure there is an option available regardless of your intended goal.
Table of Contents
Number 10 – Tachikara Competition Volleyball Knee Pads
For those Volleyball buffs out there you won’t be surprised to see Tachikara in the list.
Tachikara are a brand with a rich history in volleyball and they continue to impress every year.
The Tachikara Competition Volleyball Knee Pads were built with freedom of movement in mind whilst maintaining a good base level of protection on the kneecap and patella.
It features a wrap around elastic sleeve that conforms and stretches to fit your leg perfectly without digging in too much.
It also features a high density foam pad with is stitched onto the elastic sleeve to offer good impact protection when diving or sliding.
Despite the name these knee pads will serve a purpose whether playing competitively or recreationally
Number 9 – Mueller Sports Medicine Elite Volleyball Knee Pads
The Mueller Sports Medicine Elite Volleyball Knee Pads were designed with maximise protection and lockdown in mind whilst trying not to compromise comfort.
This is something that they were able to do extremely well. The Mueller sports Knee pads are a very snug fitting knee pad meaning you really feel supported and locked into place.
They offer great lateral and medial containment whilst still maintaining a good level of impact protection.
The knee pads are coated with a kevlar meaning that will withstand the test of time with absolutely no issues.
Below the kevlar coating is a high density moulded foam pad for impact protection.
The materials used in creating these Knee pads are also latex free so there is no need to worry about irritation.
One thing to consider is that the kevlar coating although does a fantastic job or improving durability it is quite grippy to wooden floors.
With that being said if you are often someone who slides on their knees when diving, passing or pancaking you may want to avoid these knee pads.
However if you play recreationally and you are looking for a knee pad that will stand the test of time, these are definitely worth considering.
Number 8 – Volleycountry Knee Pads
Volleycountry are certainly a smaller lesser known brand in the volleyball space but they are certainly making all the right moves. I would suggest looking at their website for blog content, merchandise and other news.
The Volleycountry knee pads are designed with superior comfort in mind. They aren’t the cheapest on the market but the price is justified thanks to the premium materials they have used to construct the pads.
These knee pads offer what is known as thermal stabilizing properties that keep your knee warm for maximum performance.
Although due to these properties they do tend to get a bit hot when used for long periods of time.
The sleeve is constructed using bamboo and advanced synthetic materials which aid elasticity and durability.
Number 7 – Adidas 5 inch knee pads
Coming from one of the biggest sports brands in the world, you may be surprised to discover that the 5 inch volleyball knee pads although made with some of the most premium materials are actually some of the most affordable and cheapest on the market.
Lots of players don’t like the bulky restrictive feeling that the vast majority of knee pads offer.
This is where Adidas 5 Inch Knee Pads come in to play.
Measuring just 5 inches (Hence the name) these knee pads cover only the knee surface to offer maximum protection to the knee joint only whilst allowing freedom and unrestricted movement.
The sleeve is constructed using a wick climate material which is designed to keep your knee cool and helps evaporate sweat to ensure you knee is free of sweat to prevent slippage.
On top of the wick climate material there is a stitched EVA Foam pad that covers the knee for impact protection.
If you don’t like the restricted, bulky feeling of traditional knee pads but want to ensure you have good impact protection the Adidas 5 inch volleyball knee pads are a fantastic option.
Number 6 – Nike Essential Knee pads
Again one of if not they biggest sports brand in the world is throwing their hat into the volleyball ring.
Now Nike have various products specifically designed and created for Volleyball but it certainly isn’t their bread and butter.
Generally speaking anything made my nike will serve the purpose it was created for and you can guarantee the materials used will normally be of a good quality.
These Volleyball Knee Pads are no different.
Now it is worth noting that these aren’t like traditional hard bodied volleyball knee pads but more of a soft synthetic support.
The Nike Essential Knee pads are low profiled meaning you can have maximise range of motion and freedom when playing.
The pad is constructed using a shock absorbing foam to prevent injuries and bruises from high impact landings or falls.
In the rear of the knee there is ventilated fabric sections to prevent the build up of sweat which can lead to the knee pads slipping.
Number 5 – Asics Ace Low Profile Knee Pads
So Asics are another staple brand in the volleyball world.
The Asics Ace low profile knee pads as with nearly all low profile knee pads, they are designed to offer you free range of motion and an unrestricted feeling.
Unlike most low profile pads they have really focused on making these as supportive as possible whilst using as little materials as possible.
The asics are generally quite a tight fitting knee pad so if you don’t like a very snug feeling you may not like these.
The Asics sport a 6inch sleeve with dual density padding for impact protection.
The Ascis feel very supportive and really help lock your knee in place to aid with lateral and medial containment.
The sleeve features and anti-microbial material which not only reduces odor but also makes them suitable for washing.
Number 4 – Mikasa Volleyball Knee Pads
Mikasa are seemingly untouchable at the moment when it comes to volleyball.
Their volleyball is currently the preferred choice for both Beach Volleyball and Indoor Volleyball and has been the leader for quite some time.
Mikasa’s volleyball knee pads are some of the most popular on the courts and for good reason.
Not only are they made by a company that truly understands the finer things about volleyball but their knee pads are extremely comfortable and durable.
The Mikasa knee pads have a nylon elastic contouring sleeve that tightly secures around the leg and knee.
The knee pad also has an antimicrobial moisture-wicking fabric which helps reduce odour and is specifically designed to help prevent Staph Infection.
You may notice the padding is compartmentalised which offers better protection regardless of what angle you dive, roll or slide at.
One thing that is nice with the Mikasa Volleyball Knee Pads is they have a seperate compartment specifically designed to offer superior patella protection. Which I for one like as I always seem to land on my Patella.
Number 3 – Mizuno T10 Plus Knee Pads
Mizuno are a market leader when it comes to volleyball clothing and accessories. Their shoes are some of the most popular on the market and on the court.
Mizuno’s knee pads fortunately are built with the same care and attention meaning you are in safe hands.
The Mizuno T10 Plus Knee pads are called the plus due to its long length sleeve we offers superior support both below and above the knee.
It is one of the slimmest knee pads on the market so feels more like a knee support and less like a bulky knee pad.
If you like a more slim lined, lighter feeling knee pad then this is definitely a good option for you.
The Mizuno features 5 separate padded contour panels designed to help protect all the more fragile parts of your knee when diving, sliding or rolling.
Although the knee pad has a very slim design it definitely doesn’t lack on cushion and impact protection.
Number 2 – Asics Unisex Slider V Knee Pads
So to tell you the truth there isn’t much to differentiate between the number 2 and number 1 spot.
Both are fantastically protective as well as supportive and durable.
The main reason I am putting the Asics in the 2 spot is because as I said earlier.
Asics tend to run a little bit more small and can sometimes feel too tight.
But that aside the Asics Slider V Knee Pads are a fantastic product.
These pads are very wide offering a large coverage, this large coverage can make them feel very bulky however if your main concern is knee protection then you can feel safe in these pads.
The Elastic sleeve makes these pads feel extremely comfortable and they conform to your knee extremely well.
The sleeve features and anti-microbial material which not only reduces odor but also makes them suitable for washing.
The cushion is constructed of a high density foam that protects all the fragile parts of the knee meaning you don’t need to worry even during intense rallies.
The supportive elastic sleeve is quite large meaning it covers your knee fully as well as parts of the upper and lower leg.
Due to this long sleeve the knee pad offers post later and medial support so you can play confidently.
Number 1 – Mizuno VS-1 Knee Pads
So the number 1 spot belongs to Mizuno.
The mizuno VS-1 is 9 inches in length offering a nice full coverage of the knee improving protection as well as offering medial and lateral containment.
The knee pad also features Mizuno’s intercool ventilation system. This improves air flow in and out of the knee pad to ensure your knees do not become too hot and sweaty. When a lot of sweat is present this can encourage the Knee pads to slip down.
One of the main features offered in the Mizuno VS-1 is the strategically placed padding that protects all parts of the knee including the infamous patella.
As well as the strategically placed padding it also sports what is known as DFcut or Dynamic Function cut pad which makes for a superior fit.
One of the main things that makes this Knee pad the winner for me is it ticks all the boxes. It offers great containment thanks to the long sleeve. It offers brilliant padding and fit with the DF Cut cushioning and its extremely durable for the price tag.
