Tested : Pete’s 661 Recon Advance Knee Pad Review.

·Monday 15 May 2023

The bigger brother to the featherlight Recon knee, the 661 Recon Advance knee pad offers far more protection for riskier riding.

661’s top tier knee pads are the Recon Advance that build on their smaller counterparts, the Recon knee pads. Pete has been finding out what they’re all about.

Photos by Pete Scullion.

Key features:

D3O LP1 protective inserts
EN1621-1 Level 1 protection
Additional strategically placed thermo formed EVA inserts
One piece slip on design
Super lightweight at 450g ( size Large).
Padlock connectors integrate with 661 protective upper body & shorts.
Optional add on hard cap kits available (£15.00 RRP)
Sizes S-XL
£100.00 RRP
SixSixOne.com

Offering a much more pronounced protection with firmer main knee guard and more wrap around coverage than the Recons, the 661 Recon Advance knee pad are far more confidence-inspiring when a crash isn’t too far away.

Like their smaller brethren, the Recon Advance have Padlock integration if you want to connect the pads to 661 shorts, extended coverage onto the shin, stretch fabric for fit and mesh fabric for ventilation, plus a big old hole in the back of the pad. Silicone grippers aim to keep them from riding up, or down for that matter.

At just under half the weight again compared to the Recon knee pads, there’s certainly an increased level of security to these as soon as you pull them up your legs. At 450g for the pair though, their hardly porky though.

Despite the extra bulk, they’re comfy enough for an all-day lap where a bit of coverage for the knees is required should you be adding a bit of spice to a big old loop in the hills. Much like the Recon pad, the gap in the back of the knee is great when lined up perfectly. Anyone with Chewbacca legs might find the seams uncomfortable.

The Recon Advance feature the same protection certification as they’re lighter counterparts but feel every bit the knee pad that will save your skin whereas the Recon pads felt a little insufficient when the speed or ante got upped into any real spiciness.

While we didn’t have to test these the hard way by stuffing themselves and ourselves into the dirt, they’ve held up well to general day-to-day use, the odd blast by a hose or washer, and the occasional trip through the washing machine.

Hard cap kits are available separately for this if you want to increase the protection over what’s offered as standard, and as the top level pad in the 661 range, the additional hard caps will put them that bit higher in terms of available clout in a crash.

What do we think?

661’s top level pad gets the job done in terms of protection and all day comfort without asking the earth. Getting the fit right isn’t always easy and those with hairy legs might struggle but they’re otherwise spot on.