At just under £90 the Bluegrass Skinny D3O knee pads are at the very top end but you can find them for sale online for significantly less.

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And they do use genuine D3O, which obviously commands a premium.

These Bluegrass knee pads just missed the deadline for our recently published protection round-up.

They’re a full sleeve design, so you have to remove your shoes to pull them on, but there’s already a small tear in the mesh back at the base caused by taking them on and off.

They’re also heavier than any other pad we tested, which isn’t a deal breaker on its own, but they do run pretty hot.

Two elasticated bands with silicone grip strips top and bottom aim to hold the Skinny D3O in place, and they work relatively well. It’s the lower band that does most of the work holding the pad in place, so you need to make sure you get the right size (the sizing is pretty accurate) and run them quite high on the calf to keep them secure. We reckon the bands could be wider to spread the load and reduce slippage.

There’s a generous kneepad sewn into the sleeve, and while it’s not removable, it does provide a reassuring amount of coverage and a good level of protection.