Best Knee Pads for Work in 2023 (Reviews)
Whether you’re a plumber, heating engineer, or plasterer, you need to keep your knees protected whilst kneeling down. In our guide below, you can find our picks for 5 of the best knee pads for work. You’ll see that our picks offer a little something for everyone — whether you’re after comfort, toughness, or mobility.
So, read on, and hopefully you’ll find the best knee pads for your work site!
Work Trousers With Knee Pads
Our first 2 picks are knee pad inserts. So if you like them, you’ll need to make sure your work trousers have space for those inserts.
We’ve already covered the best work trousers that accept knee inserts, if you don’t have a set already.
What are the best knee pads for work?
You’re probably going to slot into 1 of 4 camps:
- You’ll spend a little extra, to get the best work knee pads offering the most comfort possible
- You just need a little protection when kneeling, so would rather save some cash for the pub
- Mobility is essential for you whilst you’re kneeling down at work
- Comfort is what you’re after from your knee pads
If you’re in the first camp, you’ll want these…
#1 – Redback Knee Pads
The Redback knee pads aren’t cheap. And, they look like nothing else on the market. So, why on earth would anyone buy them? This quick review will help explain…
Washable
The first thing you’ll notice (we sure did), is they’re washable.
And I don’t know about you, but after a hard week, I want to unload my tools, chuck my gear in the wash, and be done.
Construction knee pad inserts are notoriously difficult to remove. And, with cheap knee pads you’ve got to remove them, otherwise they’ll self-destruct in the washing machine.
Redback knee pads?
100% washable — just chuck your work trousers in the wash as normal.
Weight Limits
I’m not sure who tested the cheaper foam knee inserts, but they certainly weren’t as heavy as me.
After spending 30+ minutes kneeling, I start to feel the floor. And over time as the pads degrade, that 30 minutes, turns into just a few minutes.
What does all that mean? Cramps.
The Redback knee pads are tested to 40st (nearly 250kg), so none of this is a problem.
10x Longer Lasting
They certainly feel like they’ll last, and Redbacks claim they’ll last 10x longer than traditional work knee pad inserts.
So, whilst they cost more upfront: you’ll be getting better protection, comfort and value for money; long-term.
Now, a quick look at the cheap foam knee pad inserts shows them at around 60g. The Redbacks are around 200g, so that shows the extra durability on offer.
Comfort
You’ll notice straight away the difference between Redback knee pads and the traditional foam insert.
The Redbacks are leaf sprung. So, whilst they’ll compress to absorb impact, they’ll decompress once you take weight off them.
Obviously with the lower-end foam products, once they’ve gone past maximum compression, they stay there, and don’t offer the protection they did when new.
The leaf sprung construction is combined with a soft rubber.
Instead of sitting on your knee, it moulds around it. As you move, the pad moves with you, and returns to 100% form when you stand back up.
Temperature Protection
Being a little more expensive, the materials aren’t just more comfortable in terms of feel…
The material of the knee pad will take the brunt of both cold and hot surfaces, so your knee doesn’t have too.
Ankle Support
Your typical foam or gel construction knee pads more flop over your knee, rather than support it.
There’s a natural curve built into the Redback knee pads.
If you’ve ever spent much of your work day kneeling, you’ll know that ankle pain can become a problem.
Wear these for a couple of days, and you’ll really start to see the benefits that the curved knee has on your ankle.
The reduced pressure, means reduced pain.
Online Reviews
Skip through the Redbacks knee pad reviews online.
Sure, they’re not all good, but that’s the case with any product.
You’ll see reviews from heating engineers, plumbers, and even flooring specialists.
One thing that’s obvious is these work knee pads are:
- Comfortable
- Long lasting
- Great value for money
Who Should Buy The Redback Work Knee Pads?
We’ve mentioned they’re not cheap. I want to backtrack on that point.
Given we’re talking about our long-term health, knee pain, and our daily income, it’s a small price to pay.
After all, we’ll happily spend £100+ on tools that make our life easier (and more comfortable), and these tools spend half their day in the van (or get left on site!).
If you’re in the construction industry and kneel daily, these are the best work knee pads for you.
Best Cheap Knee Pads
When looking for the best cheap knee pads, there are a lots of options, so the search can be confusing.
I really wouldn’t stress too much. We’ve used a tonne of different foam knee pad inserts for work trousers, and there’s little difference in price, comfort, or quality.
They all provide a little protection (obviously not compared with the Redbacks), comfort and don’t last that long; but they’re still worth the few quid they’re on sale for.
So, we’d personally head for the Blackrock work knee pads we mention below.
However, depending on your brand of trousers, there might be a specific knee insert from that brand.
For instance, the following brands make construction knee pads for their work trousers:
#2 – Blackrock Ergonomic Work Knee Pads
The Blackrock Ergonomic work knee pads are a couple of quid more than the cheapest available. But let’s face it, that’s less than a pint. 
In the lower-end (price wise), we’ve found these are the most:
- Comfortable when kneeling
- Long-lasting
- Snug fitting
The ergonomic fit straight out-of-the-box, is more comfortable than the average gel or foam pad.
But, it also returns to its natural shape much quicker, and that natural shape holds for much longer.
Depending on the size of your work trousers, the knee insert size will need to vary too.
And, the Blackrocks are easy to cut down to fit any size trousers.
Who Should Buy The Blackrock Construction Knee Pads?
We’d always lean towards the Redbacks, but the Blackrock knee pads are suitable if:
- You don’t kneel much at work
- Don’t suffer with ankle pain when kneeling
- Never suffer from knee pain
- Don’t kneel on hot/cold surfaces
- Are just looking for a little extra protection on your knee
Need something more protective? Go for the Redbacks.
Knee Pads With Wheels
If you spend lots of time working on your knees, knee pads with wheels can be of tremendous help. Not only do they protect your knees, they also spare you from having to crawl around on all fours.
Below is our top pick for the best knee pads with wheels in 2024.
#3 – Milescraft 1603 KneeBlades
The Milescraft 1603 knee pads with wheels are by far the most expensive entry on our list, but there’s a good reason for it — comfort.
While trying the pair, we felt that the gel pads did a fantastic job of absorbing the pressure and relieving the stress on the knee caps. The strap securing the pads to the leg were also easy to adjust and take off, and didn’t cause any discomfort, whether the knee was bent or straight.
We found that the caster wheels are handy enough, too. But while we enjoyed scooting around on smoother surfaces — like flooring, sub-flooring, and most concrete slabs — they’re really not ideal for excessively rough surfaces.
You’ll also be happy to learn that each of the caster wheels is rated to a weight of 80 pounds. This means the knee pads can support a total load of up to 480 pounds! This just goes to show you how much job site stress these wheels can withstand.
Who Should Buy the Milescraft 1603 Knee Pads With Wheels?
These knee pads with wheels are perfect for anyone who needs to retain mobility while working on their knees. You’ll find these particularly useful for:
- Painting
- Flooring
- Some concrete and masonry work
- Stocking shelves
Gel Knee Pads for Work
If you’re after a pair of comfortable construction knee pads, the quality of the cushion is as essential as the toughness of the exterior shell. Both of these components must work in concert to shield your knees from stress.
And that’s why we urge you to consider a pair of workman knee pads with gel cushions. Have a look at our 2 picks below, and you can decide whether they’re a better option to the ones we’ve already covered.
#4 – Preciva Gel Kneeling Pads for Work
Here’s what we loved about these construction knee pads — their outer casing is tough and unforgiving, whilst the cushion pampers your knee with a gel pad AND an EPE foam core. This way, the exterior takes all the beating from whichever rough floor surface you happen to be on, and the double cushion distributes your weight evenly to give you ultimate comfort.
These construction knee pads also come with thigh support(!) and the straps are designed to stay out of your knees’ way when you bend them. To us, these features scream comfort.
And if you’re worried that your work environment won’t be kind to your new knee pads, don’t fret. The tough outer casing is made from TPR plastic — a compound that’s known for high-impact strength, flexibility, and resistance to chemicals.
Who Should Buy the Preciva Gel Kneeling Pads for Work?
For most builders, these knee pads are a godsend. Tough on the outside, gentle on the inside, they also protect your thighs and don’t cause any discomfort whilst your knees are bent. And thanks to their durability, you can wear these kneeling pads for work on almost any job site.
#5 – NoCry Professional Knee Pads for Work
Wrapping up our list of the best knee pads is another pair with a gel cushion.
Like the Preciva model above, these construction knee pads actually have a double cushion, comprising a gel pad and EVA foam. And for those not familiar, EVA’s shock-absorbing characteristics made it the go-to padding material for all sorts of equipment. Together with gel, this EVA padding will ensure that your knees feel the love in the roughest working conditions.
We tried these knee pads on while doing some plumbing beneath a sink, and were highly impressed with both the cushion and the tough outer shell. The latter proved sufficiently durable and resistant, and the straps did their job without being overly tight.
There’s one small downside compared to the Previca model above — there’s no support for thighs. But given the otherwise outstanding performance, we’re willing to let this slide.
Who Should Buy the NoCry Professional Knee Pads for Work?
If you’re a carpenter, these knee pads offer an ideal way to protect your knees. They’re light enough that you can kneel down, stand up, and walk around without having to remove them. If you work with masonry or concrete, and kneel down often, this pair should also work.
That said, if you spend long periods of time on your knees and need mobility to perform your duties at work, we’d urge you to consider the Milescraft 1603 KneeBlades instead.
What’s Next?
Thanks for reading our 3-minute review of the best knee pads for work.
Got questions? Or, found the perfect knee pad that’s not on this list? Drop a comment below.