I read comments about skating safe gel pads lasting forever, but somehow feel my acton pads do not give me as much protection as before.
I remember raving about losing the permanent bruises. I remember whacking my knee very hard without a bruise. But now I have got multiple knee bruise in two months from freak falls that did not seem extraordinarily hard (still hard falls though). The latest one is all purple, ugly, and painful too.
I'm not sure if it's related to time, exposure to extreme weather in the car trunk, or just harder falls in general. The knee pads did not slip, I fell right on them. They are 1/4" Acton polymer pads with open edges, while skating safe ones have sealed edges I believe.
If you use gel pads, would you kindly comment on life span please?