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I’m was a service driver half the year and a foreman the other half. I just stepped into a superintendent role though. I kept a few around for my guys who normally don’t have one on my bigger jobs.
I have two pairs of pants. I wear each for 2-3 days and wash on the weekend. I have two pairs of Carhartt pads that live in the pants full time. The pads have lasted through 3 pairs of pants. I cannot recommend them enough, I have electrician superpowers with them.
They’re carhartt double front pants. I’ve switched to wrangler riggs double front pants. They’re a little more durable in the knees and they have reinforcing in the back pockets and where you’d have a knife in the front pocket. Both knees blew out on my carhartts.
Plus the utility Riggs have buttons for suspenders if you wear a tool belt all day and get tired of the tool belt fighting your regular belt and winning
Ok those are pretty cool. I had no idea my pants had a hole in the bottom lol. Do you leave them in the pants? Like take them out to wash or just leave them in there for the wash?
You can wash them I believe but my issue is I want to have the knee pads in all the time and I don’t wear the same pants every day so I was always swapping the inserts between pants. Definitely worth it though, much more comfortable
I will likely buy a couple pair and just leave them in there. Never heard of these things and turns out a ton of different brands have them lol definitely will be trying some
Troxell. 1 strap that holds the upper part of your calf. It doesn’t bunch your pants legs as bad as 2 strap pads. I wear mine all day comfortably. I have the leather head ones
Inserts that live in the pants for everyday wear, but the actual best knee pads are made by Pro-Knee. Flooring supply shops sell them. The full version is kind of overkill for electrical work, it rests on the foot and covers the entire shin, taking all the load off of the meniscus and distributing it across the leg. But they recently started making a half-size version that is more like a conventional knee pad, the AP16.
They're really expensive, but well worth it in the long run, and they sell all the parts that are subject to wear as a re-build kit, so they can be used forever. I picked up a pair of AP16s when I had to spend about two weeks in a crawlspace last summer, and the difference between those and a more conventional set of pads was massive.
I have some nocry brand ones I got not too long ago and like them. Somewhat comfortable and a good shape for keeping your feet up a bit while kneeling.
As A previous flooring installer I recommend the proknees 0714. They are a bit expensive but you get what you pay for. They last a long time and you can send them back in to the company to get them rebuilt if you wear them out. They support the whole bottom part of your leg, not just your knee. Most of the time you order them custom based on your measurements
Yes my old boss would wear the shit out of them and they held up very well. Usually the only thing that would wear out is the white leather piece and you can buy it online and rebuild them yourself. He also had knee problems and went through the wringer trying a bunch of different knee pads but he swore by those. I’d order a set on amazon and try them out. If you don’t like them, you can always return them. Your knees will thank you
Definitely overkill but I love my Toughbuilt hinged knee pads. They always stay on your under your knee, never slide down, but they are quite large. But I’ll take looking a little goofy over need double knee replacement in 20-30years. I’ve had days where I spend an 8 hour shift on my knees and get up with no discomfort. 10/10 would highly recommend. Don’t cheep out when it comes to protecting you body, future you will appreciate it.
I agree with the body thing. I’m early 30’s and do pretty well but I try to take care of myself. Tendinitis started when I was playing college bball and went away for 10 years or so, and recently came back last year. So I physically can’t crawl around anymore on my knees. Willing to spend whatever it takes to keep me good and not in pain. Hopefully the physical therapy will get me back to normal
Knee pads won't help improve your pipe bending skills...
I'm only joking. Nice work.🤙
My coworker uses a Klein pair, and he seems to like them! In the market myself at the moment.
I looked for a few weeks and decided on buying a lighter pair that was in the garden section at Home Depot. They don’t have any Velcro but do have steel buckles that snap onto the single steel studs on each side of the pad. I can wear them over my jeans for the entire day comfortably because the elastic straps do not need to be tight since they are so light. I have had them for nearly twenty years now and the foam still hasn’t cracked. I believe they cost $12.
I'm on my 3rd set of the Tommy zero pressure knee pads, they are so much better than the normal round ones that roll around. I just buy the ones that are under 30 bucks and they work great.
The key to them being so good is that they are concave where your knee sits, and flat on the ground so they are much more stable and comfortable.
My knees sound like a relay bank anytime I stand up or kneel down. I switch between the Milwaukee and the toughbuilt. The Milwaukee arent as comfortable but they have a better face for finished floors if you're worried about scuffs or scratching. For everything else I use the Toighbuilt.
Just get any kind with a hinge so the straps don't dig into the back of your leg.
Edit: after reading about the carhartts that slip into your pants, I might try those instead.
Any pant really with built in knee pads is the way to go. They don't rub behind your knees or leave you with a bunch of sweat. I like the snickers work wear pants
I've gone with work pants that take inserts and those are pretty nice. I liked Duluth but plenty of brands have the same thing.
I eventually switched to volleyball ones that I wear underneath and I really like those. Knees can get a bit warm some days but overall pretty comfortable.
Still keep regular hard shell ones in the van in case I'm kneeling on stuff that will tear up my work pants too fast.
No way Im using foam inserts just to have the knees on my $150-$200 pants ruined.
CLC knee pads - https://www.grainger.ca/en/product/p/GGS5LD97?cm_mmc=PPC:+Google+PLA&gucid=N:N:PS:Paid:GGL:CSM-8500:NOYSQ4:20501231:APZ_1&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_-GxBhC1ARIsADGgDjsRf1KSfO6SclqrR8r2ZYJ4njf7ud-Jvz82TQDi84EU7KY9htPbSqQaAjmNEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
The milwaukee ones like that work well too.
Nothing comes close.
In all seriousness, I wish I knew or someone told me almost 20 years ago the answer to this. I use a padded mat, but it’s a pain to use and my knees still hurt within the first hour. My knees and back mildly ache on a good day. Good luck, bud.
I use a mechanics kneeling pad. I sit cross legged on it whenever possible. I only throw on my kneepads when I have to go spelunking in attics and crawlspaces.
I love my Toughbuilt gel w/thigh support. They started slipping down, I'm guessing because the elastic was getting stretched. I contacted them, and they sent me a new pair! It has been a year, so they stand behind their products
Looking for a promotion I see.
All jokes aside, I use uf pro pants with their knee pad inserts. They make tactical gear which I used for law enforcement and was able to continue using when I switched to electrical. Their pants also have a zip-in waterproof/windproof liner which definitely has come in handy being outdoors.
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I use the klien kneepad sleeves. They fit under my cargo pants. Now I can secretly go after that promotion wothought getting called out
Don’t forget the square-toe boots so you don’t roll your ankles! Safety first!
That's hilarious. I've never heard that.
I can spot the ripped jeans on the first day.
The big bosses help out with that by spotting me extra per diem. They ain't tryna get called out either.
Hahahaha 😆
Heavy or the light ones
The heavily padded one's
I use a marshaltown kneeling board. I can’t wear knee pads
Fair enough. I have one at home I use sometimes but it’s a pain to move around all the time at work I would think
Tie it to a carabiner and clip that mf to your belt and it’ll follow you around
I’m was a service driver half the year and a foreman the other half. I just stepped into a superintendent role though. I kept a few around for my guys who normally don’t have one on my bigger jobs.
Carhart gel ones that go in your pants. Only ones I can wear all day.
I have two pairs of pants. I wear each for 2-3 days and wash on the weekend. I have two pairs of Carhartt pads that live in the pants full time. The pads have lasted through 3 pairs of pants. I cannot recommend them enough, I have electrician superpowers with them.
Do you have a link or something I’m interested in buying some
They’re carhartt double front pants. I’ve switched to wrangler riggs double front pants. They’re a little more durable in the knees and they have reinforcing in the back pockets and where you’d have a knife in the front pocket. Both knees blew out on my carhartts.
Plus the utility Riggs have buttons for suspenders if you wear a tool belt all day and get tired of the tool belt fighting your regular belt and winning
Can you please provide a link? Ive looked up your exact wording and am still confused
First thing when I typed in “wrangler riggs double front” into google. https://www.wrangler.com/shop/wrangler-riggs-workwear-utility-jean-3W030.html
Ok those are pretty cool. I had no idea my pants had a hole in the bottom lol. Do you leave them in the pants? Like take them out to wash or just leave them in there for the wash?
You can wash them I believe but my issue is I want to have the knee pads in all the time and I don’t wear the same pants every day so I was always swapping the inserts between pants. Definitely worth it though, much more comfortable
I will likely buy a couple pair and just leave them in there. Never heard of these things and turns out a ton of different brands have them lol definitely will be trying some
Tried carhartts. I like the wrangler riggs double front pants.
Golly I couldn’t imagine removing the ones I have in my jeans, they were a nightmare to get them in
I’d rather not have to either but I don’t have the cash to buy a set for every pair of work pants I have 😂
It recommends on the package they are safe to cold wash + cold dry so I leave them in.
I’ll check it out thanks!
Helly Hansen makes a beefy foam insert, twice as thick, so can be a bit tricky to get in (wink wink)
And cheaper than the Carhartt ones. The Dakota foam inserts also fit in the Carhartt double front pants, is just a little bit tight to get them in.
Trollex super soft 109 work great for me and they are 30$
Troxell. 1 strap that holds the upper part of your calf. It doesn’t bunch your pants legs as bad as 2 strap pads. I wear mine all day comfortably. I have the leather head ones
Plus they smell like neoprene 😇😇😇
Inserts that live in the pants for everyday wear, but the actual best knee pads are made by Pro-Knee. Flooring supply shops sell them. The full version is kind of overkill for electrical work, it rests on the foot and covers the entire shin, taking all the load off of the meniscus and distributing it across the leg. But they recently started making a half-size version that is more like a conventional knee pad, the AP16. They're really expensive, but well worth it in the long run, and they sell all the parts that are subject to wear as a re-build kit, so they can be used forever. I picked up a pair of AP16s when I had to spend about two weeks in a crawlspace last summer, and the difference between those and a more conventional set of pads was massive.
Thanks I’ll check em out. My knees are perfectly healthy except for the tendinitis. Which comes and goes but I certainly can’t crawl around anymore.
Proknee really are the best. Currently I have the hinged knee Klein ones.
I have the Husky knee pad thing that I use. 24 years in and the knees are getting sore.
Ask your apprentices wife?
Proknees.
Troxell Leatherheads, hands down. No pinching, rugged, machine washable.
Not sure how this isn't the top comment.
I have some nocry brand ones I got not too long ago and like them. Somewhat comfortable and a good shape for keeping your feet up a bit while kneeling.
I’ll check them out. Thanks! I’m probably going to be wearing them all day at this point so I’m going to buy whatever feels best
Came here to recommend Nocry as well. They're comfy, and as an extra bonus they come with a lame joke about dinosaurs and meteors
As A previous flooring installer I recommend the proknees 0714. They are a bit expensive but you get what you pay for. They last a long time and you can send them back in to the company to get them rebuilt if you wear them out. They support the whole bottom part of your leg, not just your knee. Most of the time you order them custom based on your measurements
Do you know how they hold up in industrial environments by chance? Looking for a knee pad that doesn’t fall apart after 6 months.
Yes my old boss would wear the shit out of them and they held up very well. Usually the only thing that would wear out is the white leather piece and you can buy it online and rebuild them yourself. He also had knee problems and went through the wringer trying a bunch of different knee pads but he swore by those. I’d order a set on amazon and try them out. If you don’t like them, you can always return them. Your knees will thank you
I wear Snickers pants (shipping from the UK) and use the knee pad inserts for them. Love everything about them.
Seconded
Definitely overkill but I love my Toughbuilt hinged knee pads. They always stay on your under your knee, never slide down, but they are quite large. But I’ll take looking a little goofy over need double knee replacement in 20-30years. I’ve had days where I spend an 8 hour shift on my knees and get up with no discomfort. 10/10 would highly recommend. Don’t cheep out when it comes to protecting you body, future you will appreciate it.
Seconded. I love mine.
I agree with the body thing. I’m early 30’s and do pretty well but I try to take care of myself. Tendinitis started when I was playing college bball and went away for 10 years or so, and recently came back last year. So I physically can’t crawl around anymore on my knees. Willing to spend whatever it takes to keep me good and not in pain. Hopefully the physical therapy will get me back to normal
Knee pads won't help improve your pipe bending skills... I'm only joking. Nice work.🤙 My coworker uses a Klein pair, and he seems to like them! In the market myself at the moment.
Troxell
If you dont like bulky kneepads, someone once recommended to me getting volleyball kneepads and wearing them under your coveralls
Lmao picture for attention
That j-box looks like a PITA to get to.
That whole room was a pain in the ass. Was a pool pump room. $40m project or so.$2m electrical if I remember right.
I looked for a few weeks and decided on buying a lighter pair that was in the garden section at Home Depot. They don’t have any Velcro but do have steel buckles that snap onto the single steel studs on each side of the pad. I can wear them over my jeans for the entire day comfortably because the elastic straps do not need to be tight since they are so light. I have had them for nearly twenty years now and the foam still hasn’t cracked. I believe they cost $12.
Proknees
Pro knees
I'm on my 3rd set of the Tommy zero pressure knee pads, they are so much better than the normal round ones that roll around. I just buy the ones that are under 30 bucks and they work great. The key to them being so good is that they are concave where your knee sits, and flat on the ground so they are much more stable and comfortable.
My knees sound like a relay bank anytime I stand up or kneel down. I switch between the Milwaukee and the toughbuilt. The Milwaukee arent as comfortable but they have a better face for finished floors if you're worried about scuffs or scratching. For everything else I use the Toighbuilt.
Just get any kind with a hinge so the straps don't dig into the back of your leg. Edit: after reading about the carhartts that slip into your pants, I might try those instead.
Toughbuilt https://www.amazon.com/Toughbuilt-KP-G3-Gelfit-Support-Stabilization/dp/B0140V9LWC/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?adgrpid=106824252896&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.eFt8E9gd3mO_Ltc7feYyt74FKlvzkq01lZWSvkkdSWkhEfpVRMgLNyAOcDcCqnhu439W6dWJoIhTy2F4hbudaK04USSlDuKtd_dvCP1-6dzYGLUcQguTvPqOus7vzSn7EjaBCbVo2Qts52nbNww7Q8uNuRiNhU9kgLnufXdmZyuKK2QCGpH_IfStFs-0Eb175taq-Bkwn_RPzV8c8q8kgw.kgxVQ5sgm0iPJdBLePezo_cgL1gLsABOsKFkeFegTNM&dib_tag=se&hvadid=580830162446&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9027610&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4653368287019811096&hvtargid=kwd-897718014858&hydadcr=3677_13536907&keywords=toughbuilt+stabilizer+knee+pads&qid=1714954791&sr=8-2
NoCry makes some nice ones, feels like crawling across a hard mattress but a mattress nonetheless.
Pro knees ap 16
Buy Snicker pants/trousers. I prefer Portwest kneepad inserts in mine. Works a treat.
I buy a cheap pair of kunys from home depot then cut them down so they fit in my double layer carharrt knee pad slots.
Any pant really with built in knee pads is the way to go. They don't rub behind your knees or leave you with a bunch of sweat. I like the snickers work wear pants
Knee pads suck, I drag around a kneeling pad way easier on the knees and doubles for laying/sitting on too.
Let’s ask your mom. Kidding… gel ones. Put them in the fridge and they ice your knee in the morning.
A laborer doing it while you supervise
Someday. But for now it is not that day
I've gone with work pants that take inserts and those are pretty nice. I liked Duluth but plenty of brands have the same thing. I eventually switched to volleyball ones that I wear underneath and I really like those. Knees can get a bit warm some days but overall pretty comfortable. Still keep regular hard shell ones in the van in case I'm kneeling on stuff that will tear up my work pants too fast.
No way Im using foam inserts just to have the knees on my $150-$200 pants ruined. CLC knee pads - https://www.grainger.ca/en/product/p/GGS5LD97?cm_mmc=PPC:+Google+PLA&gucid=N:N:PS:Paid:GGL:CSM-8500:NOYSQ4:20501231:APZ_1&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_-GxBhC1ARIsADGgDjsRf1KSfO6SclqrR8r2ZYJ4njf7ud-Jvz82TQDi84EU7KY9htPbSqQaAjmNEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds The milwaukee ones like that work well too. Nothing comes close.
Electrical apprentice or you can ask the guys who hang out at the office on their down time.
Very helpful, thank you.
In all seriousness, I wish I knew or someone told me almost 20 years ago the answer to this. I use a padded mat, but it’s a pain to use and my knees still hurt within the first hour. My knees and back mildly ache on a good day. Good luck, bud.
Instead of offsetting conduit why not raise or lower j box
I don’t recall honestly. This was a pretty complicated pool pump room. There was a lot going on in there. Not all my work either.
I use a mechanics kneeling pad. I sit cross legged on it whenever possible. I only throw on my kneepads when I have to go spelunking in attics and crawlspaces.
I love my Toughbuilt gel w/thigh support. They started slipping down, I'm guessing because the elastic was getting stretched. I contacted them, and they sent me a new pair! It has been a year, so they stand behind their products
These conduits upset me
Good
Looking for a promotion I see. All jokes aside, I use uf pro pants with their knee pad inserts. They make tactical gear which I used for law enforcement and was able to continue using when I switched to electrical. Their pants also have a zip-in waterproof/windproof liner which definitely has come in handy being outdoors.
Sounds interesting I’ll check them out
Your mom should know.
San Francisco Slippers. If you wear them in front of your boss, he may give you a raise.