How to keep up skatingsafe knee pads?

[aussieskater]

A few weeks ago, I had a fall and badly whacked my knee.  Unfortunately, when I fell, my knee pads were doing a wonderful job of protecting my skate bag.  I haven't been allowed on the ice since as I (im)patiently waited for it all to heal up, but have now been told by a responsible adult (ie: medic) that I can now return IF I promise I will wear knee pads.

The reason I wasn't wearing them before is that I have real issues with them staying up.  Because the skatingsafe ones are so heavy, even under double tights they sag downwards, and as I sweat - and I do! - they slip even further.

Any suggestions on how to keep them up?

(Side note - last week I was in at the rink to talk to someone - and smell the ice and whimper that I still wasn't allowed on! - when I noticed a lady in rentals with a small child looking at me a bit oddly and listening to our conversation.  Suddenly she looked at me and said "That was you who had that spectacular stack a couple of weeks ago!  I was here then with my nephews and niece, and we were watching, and after watching that the kids refused to get on at all - they were too scared!"  I knew it was not a Good Fall, but didn't realise it was that out of the ordinary  )

[jjane45]

I use skatingsafe retaining sleeves under my pants, one pair lasts about a year. overall satisfactory.

[sarahspins]

I would try the retaining sleeves.. I skate with dance knee pads and it's sort of a gel pad built into a sleeve.. they stay put great.

[Skittl1321]

Until you can get.the sleeves, can you just go around.them, and.the.leg, with some sports tape?

[Harleyboy]

They advertise a retention sleeve that might be helpful.  I'm using my old  basketball knee pads, ugly but they work great. How do I know they work?  I have tested them many times.

[Isk8NYC]

Unfortunately, when I fell, my knee pads were doing a wonderful job of protecting my skate bag. 

Get well soon!  This is too funny! 

(Side note - last week I was in at the rink to talk to someone - and smell the ice and whimper that I still wasn't allowed on! - when I noticed a lady in rentals with a small child looking at me a bit oddly and listening to our conversation.  Suddenly she looked at me and said "That was you who had that spectacular stack a couple of weeks ago!  I was here then with my nephews and niece, and we were watching, and after watching that the kids refused to get on at all - they were too scared!"  I knew it was not a Good Fall, but didn't realise it was that out of the ordinary  )

You're a minor celebrity!

Back on topic: I think a knee-gel pad user suggested dampening them before affixing them - it makes them "stick" a bit better.

[AgnesNitt]

I use a variety of capri length tights under my skating slacks. Today Target has some nice capri length 'yoga' pant that are just perfect so I bought a pair. I've also used capri length shaping garment, and just regular capri length tights.

I've found it best to tuck the end of the leg under the skating safe pad so the pad is in a fold of cloth. Never. had. one . slip.

I can't wear the retention sleeve because I'm fat and it would look like a tourniquet with a thigh bulge.

[MadMac]

I can't wear the retention sleeves either - except on my elbows . . . We're not fat, AgnesNitt. It's just that they make the sleeves for skinny little teens rather than "Real Women"!! 

[jjane45]

I can't wear the retention sleeves either - except on my elbows . . . We're not fat, AgnesNitt. It's just that they make the sleeves for skinny little teens rather than "Real Women"!! 

Actually they are marketed toward male skaters, probably boys rather than guys... Is it possible to DIY those sleeves somehow?

Also while we are here, how do people keep hip pads and/or tailbone pads in place?

[Sushi]

I cut up a pair of thin socks and use those as sleeves.

[AgnesNitt]

Actually they are marketed toward male skaters, probably boys rather than guys... Is it possible to DIY those sleeves somehow?

Also while we are here, how do people keep hip pads and/or tailbone pads in place?

I found the capri tights do that too.

[jjane45]

I found the capri tights do that too.

My retention sleeves are kinda worn, I'd like to try something new!
What percentage of spandex do you look for in the capri tights / leggings?
General tips / suggestions?

[AgnesNitt]

My retention sleeves are kinda worn, I'd like to try something new!
What percentage of spandex do you look for in the capri tights / leggings?
General tips / suggestions?

If you're just looking for something to hold hip/tailbone pads in place then regular compression shorts should work.

As for the capris. I've had success with everything I've tried. If there's 5% spandex in it I tuck the pads into a little fold at the bottom of the capri, or go down to a smaller size capri. The macha tough as nails capri length shape wear undergarment is pretty much a capri length compression short. I don't know the spandex amount. Spanx also makes a capri length undergarment that I haven't tried yet. Ditto American Apparel. These are beige ('nude') colored.

I don't know your skating outfit preferences. I wear this stuff under slacks, I think some of the solutions (the beige shape wear) could work under tights. I've never tried it.

[AgnesNitt]

I can't wear the retention sleeves either - except on my elbows . . . We're not fat, AgnesNitt. It's just that they make the sleeves for skinny little teens rather than "Real Women"!! 

:hug002

I wear the elbow pads from skating safe, but I don't use the retention sleeve. Instead I use a full length arm warmer from a biking site. These come in many colors, material, and designs, and go from wrist to underarm.

[Sk8Dreams]

Back on topic: I think a knee-gel pad user suggested dampening them before affixing them - it makes them "stick" a bit better.

That was me, and it does work, but I think the real trick is to orient them the long way, with the bulgy side to the inside of your knees. Mine are larger than I need, so I still get full coverage that way, and I think having the longer surface vertical helps keep them in place.  I put them on before I leave home, so if there is any slippage, I can go and pull them up a bit before skating.  It might take some fooling around with to find just the right way to do it.

[AgnesNitt]

That was me, and it does work, but I think the real trick is to orient them the long way, with the bulgy side to the inside of your knees. Mine are larger than I need, so I still get full coverage that way, and I think having the longer surface vertical helps keep them in place.  I put them on before I leave home, so if there is any slippage, I can go and pull them up a bit before skating.  It might take some fooling around with to find just the right way to do it.

That's how I wear them. I don't know whether pointy end down or round end down makes a difference. I've tried both ways.

[aussieskater]

Thanks for all the replies guys!  I went back yesterday for the first time and used Skittl's suggestion of just taping them on until I think of a more elegant solution.  Gee it felt good to be back!

Back on topic: I think a knee-gel pad user suggested dampening them before affixing them - it makes them "stick" a bit better.

Thanks Isk8NYC - I had tried that, but they still slipped down.

As far as the retention sleeve goes: 

Actually they are marketed toward male skaters, probably boys rather than guys...

They might be marketed to men, but they used a skinny girl to model one, it cuts in even on her, and I can bet she's wearing the larger of the 2 sizes they offer!
http://www.skatingsafe.com/knee.html  Scroll down for a pic of the model.

So because I'm not 10 years old and don't have the legs of a stick insect, I don't think their  brand of retention sleeve is going to work.

Is it possible to DIY those sleeves somehow?

I'm hoping so.  I go to the physio (PT for you?) for what I sincerely hope will be the last time tomorrow, and she said that she can get Tubigrip bandage in many diameters, right up to big enough to go around a pregnant woman's stomach.  Now my legs are not skinny but I don't think they're that large!  So my plan is to take my pads with me and see if she can sell me some tubigrip wide enough to go around my thighs and knees+pads without cutting in.  If it's possible, I can get enough length to cover the pad twice, and develop AgnesNitt's suggestion of tucking the lower edges under, by putting the fold at the bottom and actually containing the pad within the fold.  That might minimise sagging.

I'll report back on success or lack thereof.

Also while we are here, how do people keep hip pads and/or tailbone pads in place?

That ended up being a DIY solution for me as well.  I used some offcuts of old nude colour fabric I had lying around to make a shaped case for each hip pad.  I made sure the case was the shape of the pad plus a wide "tail" reaching up to my waist plus about 5" for folding over.  I then used a piece of heavy duty non-roll 2" wide elastic as a waistband, and attached a clip to either end of the elastic to close the waistband (you could use velcro or buttons etc).  Then I worked out where the pads have to sit relative to the hipbone, folded the tops of the "tails" over the waistband and sewed the "tails" to the band.

Took a bit of fiddling to get it right, but it works a treat.  Easy to put on and take off, quite comfortable to wear, and no fiddling to get the pads into the right place.  What's more, they stay put.

[jjane45]

That ended up being a DIY solution for me as well.  I used some offcuts of old nude colour fabric I had lying around to make a shaped case for each hip pad.  I made sure the case was the shape of the pad plus a wide "tail" reaching up to my waist plus about 5" for folding over.  I then used a piece of heavy duty non-roll 2" wide elastic as a waistband, and attached a clip to either end of the elastic to close the waistband (you could use velcro or buttons etc).  Then I worked out where the pads have to sit relative to the hipbone, folded the tops of the "tails" over the waistband and sewed the "tails" to the band. Took a bit of fiddling to get it right, but it works a treat.  Easy to put on and take off, quite comfortable to wear, and no fiddling to get the pads into the right place.  What's more, they stay put.

Sounds great! I seriously considered sewing pockets into shorts to hold hip pads etc. Did not quite work because the shorts I had on hand did not feel snug. I may fiddle with the capri leggings to kill as many birds as possible with one stone.

I too use arm warmers for elbow pads. Temperature-wise it's just perfect when worn with T-shirts, no need to wear a practice jacket!

BTW it's a Proshop thread?

[Sk8tmum]

Underarmour Frosty Tights absolutely hold the pads in place, and are good to skate in as well.  You can anchor the knee, hip and tailbone pads with success.

[aussieskater]

BTW it's a Proshop thread?

It's sort of morphed into one, hasn't it!!  I originally posted this in On-Ice as I wondered if there was some closely-guarded secret to holding the things on which didn't involve equipment!

[jjane45]

LOL I am certainly NOT gonna post my pant size even on a private subforum, cough cough cough. Feel free to PM me for retention sleeve reference though.

[aussieskater]

Update - the tubigrip bandage size H works fine for now.  I'm using a piece twice the length of the pad, pulling it up the leg so the top edge of the tubigrip is about where I want the top edge of the pad, placing the pad over that layer, then while still holding the pad, rolling the bottom edge of the tubigrip up over the pad to finish where the first top edge is.  It safely encases the pad, which doesn't slip any more.

Downside: the tubigrip does have a tendency to want to "roll" and bind behind the knee.  I cut a short vertical slit through both  layers of the tubigrip, and it helped a bit.  Still working my way through a better fix for that one!

[jjane45]

I use a variety of capri length tights under my skating slacks. Today Target has some nice capri length 'yoga' pant that are just perfect so I bought a pair. I've also used capri length shaping garment, and just regular capri length tights.

I've found it best to tuck the end of the leg under the skating safe pad so the pad is in a fold of cloth. Never. had. one . slip.

I can't wear the retention sleeve because I'm fat and it would look like a tourniquet with a thigh bulge.

Thank you for the great tip AgnesNitt!

Tried compression capri pants (polyester + 16% spandex) and immediately fell in love. Felt very comfortable and secure. Did not slip during practice, but did feel it bouncing at the free knee during jumps. I wish there were smaller sizes, because even though the pants fit properly, they were not as snug as I wanted.

On the other hand,  cheap capri tights (nylon + 5% spandex) did not work for me at all.

[AgnesNitt]

Thank you for the great tip AgnesNitt!

snip

On the other hand,  cheap capri tights (nylon + 5% spandex) did not work for me at all.

That's a good point. I'm doing dance so the pads don't' get a lot of stress. You could try body tape between the pad and the leg. I don't think the tape alone would be enough, but the tape with the capri might keep it from moving.

I also wear capris a size smaller than my 'real' size.

[jjane45]

Haven't thought about taping... Was actually considering slightly sewing in the end of pants to form a pocket, plus stick-on velcro near the top of knee pad / hip pad. I think I'll stick with capri