Dostie’s View #40 | Kneepads for Telemark Skiing

Dostie talks knee pads. It’s a convenient source of ridicule from alpine skiers, but those who have adopted this as part of their arsenal of equipment know that it isn’t a matter of IF you will smack your knee on something hard while telemarking, it is a matter WHEN.
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About: Craig Dostie is truly a pioneer of backcountry and telemark media. He was the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Couloir Magazine from 1988 until 2007. His publishing company at the time also created Telemark Skier Magazine in 2003. He has contributed to countless articles on the subject of backcountry & telemark skiing and is the one that coined the term EARN YOUR TURNS. He’s a true legend of Telemark.
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[@jean-martincourchesne4023]

I love the knee pads. I started wearing them after I hit my knee, probably my second winter on tele gear. Been wearing them every day since. I have the telekneesis. They keep my knees warm on the chair up. I also really like them for patrolling because you end up on your knees, a lot, when doing first aid.

[@michaelgantt5672]

I ski with the same BD knee pads Craig shows in the video. Use them for lift served skiing, bc tele, and even Nordic touring. In addition to protection, they keep the knees warm and loose while riding the lift.

[@ArcFixer]

Skied on free heel gear for 30 years starting in 1987. Bump specialist. Wore knee pads every day. To do otherwise would have pulverized my knee caps. I've never been ridiculed for wearing knee pads by alpine skiers. It's hard to ridicule someone you have trouble keeping up with. Switched back to alpine gear a few years back. Still wear knee pads every day. It felt weird to ski without them. Like not wearing your seat belt when you are in the habit. Not hard Tele knee pads anymore. A more general purpose slip on soft knee pad. No buckles or straps. Just a wide elastic band across the back. I think I paid 10 bucks for them at an athletic store. Protecting my knees from impacts is not really their purpose anymore. They keep my knees warm and toasty, and provide support like a light compression knee brace. I slip them on over my base layer when I'm booting up. Feels great, and they don't slip down. Speaking of Carhartt pants, I wear them every day. Even when skiing. My layers are base layer, mid layer, Carhartt work shorts, and shell. The multiple pockets on the Carhartts are super convenient. For resort skiing, I don't need a pack. Everything I need fits in my pockets. I like to travel light. When I'm buying a new phone, the first thing I do is make sure it will fit in the right thigh pocket of my Carhartts. I've actually been thinking about hitting up Carhartt to make ski pants for a while. In the meantime, I can sew, and I plan on sewing a pair of Carhartt shorts to a legit skiing mid layer out of curiosity. Haven't had the time so far. But I think if Carhartt starting making legit ski pants, they'd sell like hotcakes. I'm not talking about a shell. Just a sturdy mid layer made of modern fabrics with the standard Carhartt pocket arrangement. Shells with heavy objects like cell phones in the pockets droop. I'm sure Carhartt could make an excellent shell pant, but even if they did, I'd still prefer to put my stuff in pockets on my mid layer. My 2 cents worth.

[@HD46409]

Fell and had a ski rotate up and wack me in the patella. Luckily it was just bruised (badly), but it kept me off the mountain for 3 weeks. Got a pair of BDs and have had the same pair for the last 15 years. Best $30 ever spent on ski gear.

[@WildMidwest1]

Great tip, Dostie! I never skied with knee pads until after watching this video two days ago. At the resort and in the wild (telemarking California’s National Forest on steel-edged Asnes 205 cm XC skis and old Voile cable bindings with Swiss leather boots) I first tried wearing my Demon DS5125 Hyper Knee XD30 knee pads, and then wearing my Seven iDP Sam Hill knee pads. (I bought them both for mountain biking but I seldom use them for that purpose due to warmth. I instead use G-Form knee pads for mountain biking because they're slightly cooler.) Both the Demon XD30 and the Seven iDPs were comfortable and effective at protecting my knees. Of the two, I found my Seven iDP to be slightly preferable at dissipating heat while climbing in steep terrain, however back in the resort the lower calf fabric came close to entering my Crispi Freeride XR telemark boots. This was not an issue for me, and because Seven's fabric is thin it wouldn't matter much, but I thought I might mention my observation. Demons and G-Forms would not come anywhere close to the ski boots for a typical sized adult. Thanks for another amazing video, FHL! I look forward to seeing you guys in the shop this week.

[@WildMidwest1]

I never wore knee pads skiing and I have been lucky through 54 seasons. This video made me rethink not wearing knee pads. A bigger fear for me is ski leashes and the prospect of getting struck by ricocheting or windmilling skis. Maybe worse than that are skis that windmill with my legs attached (Axl and Switchback bindings). I try to keep my speed lower to minimize telemark ski risks. Alpine skiers have a safer sport at equivalent skill level and speeds. AT risks are probably intermediate between alpine and tele, due to varisble pintech release and use of leashes, but serious AT related lower extremity injuries are showing up in orthopedic surgical suites in growing numbers.

[@garykean5547]

Years ago, I worked in a ski shop and sold lots of BD pads to Alpine patrollers, Thet are on their knees while working on skier accidents.

[@FreeheelLife]

Definitely another good use for that for sure. - Madsen

[@juusokurkilahti2755]

Started using kneepads when I learned to snowboard. It just became a habit and now I won't slide down a hill without a pair, they are as important to me as my helmet. When I was 16 years old (my third year of tele), I was doing some sidecountry skiing with my dad. Visibility was poor and I had too much speed, mid-turn I hit a bump and fell knees first against some ice. Luckily I had my kneepads, broke my pants, not my knees. At the moment I use the arcteryx ones, I find them more comfortable than the BD ones. I also use protector shorts that protect my hip and tailbone, I broke my tailbone while snowboarding once. Falling with skis has a pretty high chance of breaking or bruising your hip if there happens to be ice or a rock below you.

[@johns3106]

I got my knee pads 25+ years ago at Woolworths…I don’t remember how much they cost, but I’m sure they were cheap, and they have lasted through MANY 70-90 day seasons and save my knees from injury at least once or twice a season (besides keeping my knees nice and warm!).

[@dustybottoms2780]

My buddy cracked a telekinesis in half after hitting a stump. I always remember that suiting up.

[@FreeheelLife]

Yeah those are the memories that keep must of us putting kneepads in the kit for sure.

[@jimdufresne]

I broke my left knee cap in 5 pieces dropping a knee without pads on. Just wear pads.

[@sketchesinsand8593]

I like how my knee pads keep my knees warm while riding a lift. AND how they protect my knees against rocks and my skis.

[@MarkKinoshita82]

I won't go out without kneepads - I think the only telemark gear that Black Diamond still makes is the TELEKNEESIS knee pad. I used to use Roller Blade knee pads when I started telemark in the 80's. In addition to all the good reasons you have already heard, they are also great in a slalom course!

[@joelrichards4965]

In New England we get some pretty cold days and knee pads help warm up my 50+ year old knees in the AM and keep them warm throughout the day. I am instructor and former patroller and both of those involve putting a knee down, so as you said knee pads help in those situations as well. I only wear one BD pad as my other knee has a knee brace with an accessory MX knee/shin guard cut down to fit with my boot.

[@FreeheelLife]

Totally makes sense. Always love hearing how people are using their gear, thanks for sharing! - Madsen

[@patsani]

It's not that you do not need them, it's that they are not made right. It's more the side of your knees need protection. Most are protecting just knee cap.

[@patsani]

By the way had no knee pads but my wide ski 115 waist saved me))

[@FreeheelLife]

The G-Form knee pads have protection on the sides.

[@kazeone1000]

Fly moto knee. Articulated, full protection n mobility.

[@pierauspitz]

Hello! Have you ever tried the KP industries Knee Pro Ultraflex (what a mouthfull)? It's a pretty popular knee protection in in as varied circles as carpenters, roofers, military, airsofters, and even historical fencers. They are very tough yet flexible (articulated shell design), with a generous foam pad behind the lower shell, offering excellent protection to the knee cap and its sensitive ligaments. The strap design is of simple yet effective design, comfy and secure. The only minus it that they are a tad bulky, so have to go outside the pants. I also used simple carpenter's foam pads in the knee pocket of my Klättermusen Freke pants (expensive, but it's most likely the last pair of skiing pants you will ever buy ). But the KP are much more protective.

[@grizzkid795]

I've had the same pair of Black Diamond pads for years. One of the best products ever. I had some of those G forms for biking and they suck. Always slipping down, no adjustment for tightening, not as good protection, and have to be slipped on without boots on. Oh, and did I mention they suck?

[@FreeheelLife]

Thanks for sharing your experience with those - appreciate it. - Madsen

[@WildMidwest1]

They are designed for mountain biking. They don’t suck if your knees are the right size, but they do get hot during the summer.

[@grizzkid795]

@@WildMidwest1 Yeah, I used them for Mt biking. Guess I'm too skinny. I prefer the hard shell Black Diamonds. Never slip. Same pads for at least 15 years, I'd say. Use them at least 50 days a season.

[@WildMidwest1]

@@grizzkid795 As I wrote above, I prefer my Seven iDP Sam Hill mountain bike knee pads for backcountry skiing, with the Demon XD30 pads running a close second. I never tried Black Diamond pads. The Sam Hills are pretty slender - barely visible beneath my snow pants - and they are pliable like G Form pads, but protective over a larger area of the shin and lateral-medial knee areas. Wonderful pads, more appropriate for backcountry skiing than for mountain biking IMO due to the warmth!

[@imoldandyoureinmyway]

FWIW, G Forms are the only knee pad that stays in place for me. I've got a collection of 10 or more over 30 years of telemarking. All the others eventually slip down. Using Bike style kneewarmers under the pad and then flipping the ends of the knee warmer over the pad seems to help. I find anything with just straps to be constantly needing readjustment. I can see Gforms not working for a lot of people since they have to fit fairly tight. I wear them over my base layers.

[@Snappy-ut4bj]

Hi all. Love my knee pads. It might lend me an advantage in that I feel like the armor is on. Peace.

[@HungryElasticRaccoon]

Do people wear kneepads on piste or only in the backcountry?

[@FreeheelLife]

On snow, in-bounds or out.

[@fedegoeswoods3142]

Would you also wear them going uphill?

[@vladb2408]

Using Voile pads. The front of the knee is well protected, but the sides are not. The Telekneesis look more serious.

[@jorghoyland]

Arc'teryx kneepads work well for me 👍