Replacement Stock Padding for Ultimate Pole & Dance Knee Pad
D3O® Impact Protection
We strongly recommend purchasing this if:
- Your original padding no longer contains impact protection qualities and you are beginning to feel the impact on your knees
- You have damaged your padding (crumbling, snapping etc)
- You have repetitively washed your padding in the washing machine
What will I receive:
Your package will contain one pair of Replacement Stock Padding for Ultimate Pole & Dance Knee Pad (suitable for both Black and Latte) also made with D3O® material.
How to choose your size?
Please choose the exact same size as your knee pads so the replacement padding will fit correctly. If you are unsure of what size you purchased if the tag has faded, measure along the top of the knee pad and check against measurements below:
| Size | Measurement along top laying flat (CM) | Measurement along top laying flat (INCHES) |
| XS | 13.25cm | 5.2" |
| S | 15.25cm | 6" |
| M | 16.75cm | 6.6" |
| L | 19.25cm | 7.6" |
When should I replace my padding?
As a bit of background, impact protection is subject to a finite number of ‘impact’ before the protective gear renders it’s protective abilities.
Take a skiing helmet as an example, upon impact (a bad crash on the mountain where you hit your head), the helmet must be replaced immediately to ensure it’s protective qualities are not compromised should this accident happen again.
Similarly to our D3O® padding, we have been advised that whilst the impact protection is not easily diminished in the same way as a skiing helmet, you need to consider the amount of impact you subject the padding to.
Below are a few scenarios where you should consider replacing the padding:
- If you consistently train kips, flips and drops, you may want to consider replacing the padding when you feel that the padding is no longer absorbing the impact.
- If the padding has started to crumble
- If you have been washing the padding regularly and you begin seeing physical changes in the padding e.g. crumbling, snapping etc
As an additional guide*:
- If you are a full time instructor or professional pole athlete who trains high impact kips 20-30 hours a week, you should monitor the effectiveness of the impact absorption at the 12 month mark (or earlier) and determine if a replacement is necessary
- If you are an intermediate student who attends classes 2-4 times a week and is using the knee pads for a mix of flips and floorwork, you should monitor the effectiveness of the impact absorption at the 20 month mark (or earlier) and determine if a replacement is necessary.
- If you are a floorwork only student who attends classes 1-2 times a week, your knee pad may only need to be replaced every 2-4 years. We advise you to monitor the effectiveness of the impact absorption at the 30 month year mark (or earlier) and determine if a replacement is necessary
**These recommendations are only a guide and it is up to you to listen to your body to determine whether the level of impact protection has diminished and requires replacing. If in doubt, reach out to us or just opt to replace. This guide has been put together by feedback from customers and professional pole athletes that we work with.
FAQ:
Please check out our FAQ carefully to understand usage and for more information.
- Patented D3O® padding that is soft in is natural state and hardens upon impact to protect your knees
- Patented SuperFabric® outer fabric covering the padding for durability and abrasion resistance against tough floorboards
- The surface area of the padding is carefully calculated for each side to provide coverage for both the knee cap and the top of your shin
- Extended shin bone coverage
- The width of the padding is wider than your standard** knee pad to cater to floorwork that requires twerking with the inside of your knees
- The top inner circumference of the knee pad contains a silicone strip to minimise slipping and movement during training
- Firm 2cm wide elastic placed on the top inside circumference to also minimise slipping (please note we cannot 100% guarantee non slip but these features certainly help)
- IMPORTANT MSG: We have made the decision to remove the silicone strip from all future production as we feel the elastic is sufficient in holding up the knee pad. By agreeing to purchase the knee pads, you are aware that the silicone strip may degrade over time due to sweat exposure - this does not make the knee pad faulty and is not eligible for a refund/exchange.
- Large cut out placed at the back to aid pole tricks that require skin contact
- Sleeve is made with a thick nylon elastane fabric for breathability and the ability to dry quickly
- Sleek, minimal and low profile design
- The padding is split into three sections to better contour to the shape of your knee
- Available in size XS, S, M and L
- The length of the knee pad ranges from 20.5cm to 23.5cm. It increases by 1cm for each size
- We strongly recommend purchasing our Boost+ Protection Additional Padding if you have sensitive knees, are prone to bruising or wish to repetitively train high impact tricks. Watch this video here to determine if you need it.
**We based this on existing dance and pole dance knee pads currently on the market.
How to choose your size?
Everyone is generally able to fit into two sizes due to the fabric we have chosen.
- Firstly, measure 6cm above your knee cap and then wrap the tape measurement around your lower thigh to work out your ‘lower thigh circumference’
- Match with our size chart to find your perfect size
| SIZE |
LOWER THIGH CIRCUMFERENCE (CM) |
LOWER THIGH CIRCUMFERENCE (INCHES) |
| XS | 34 – 39 | 13.4 – 15.3 |
| S | 40 – 45 | 15.7 – 17.7 |
| M | 46 – 51 | 18.1 – 20.1 |
| L | 52 – 57 | 20.5 – 22.4 |
What if I’m in between sizes?
We have tailored a guide below based on feedback gather since the launch of the black knee pads back in March 2023 however, the final decision will come down to your personal preference and your usage requirements.
Choose the SMALLER size if:
- You don’t mind a tight fit when it comes to protective gear, clothing, pole wear etc
- You are training kips, drops and flips on a regular basis, and you do not want to risk the knee pad slipping out of place at the wrong time
- You generally use the knee pad for hard impact training
Choose the LARGER size if:
- You only do choreography classes, floorwork classes or heels dance classes that don’t require high impact tricks
- You do not like the feeling of being ‘constricted’, wearing tight fitted items or if you have hypersensitivity issues
- If your calf muscle is larger than average
How should they fit?
- DO NOT remove the tags until you are confident with your size. We recommend wearing the knee pad for at least 20 mins on one leg to first gauge comfort and whether you have any hypersensitivity issues to tightness
- The knee pad should feel firm and secure when sliding along the floor
- They may feel very ‘tight’ at first however, you will need to ‘break’ into them as they will mould to the shape of your knee with at least 15-20 wears
- In a standing position, bend your knees until they touch the ground (and the back of your thigh touches your calf) a few times. If you feel that your blood circulation is cutting off or if it is severely uncomfortable, please size up.
We have tailored a guide below based on feedback gather since the launch of the black knee pads back in March 2023 however, the final decision will come down to your personal preference and your usage requirements.
Choose the SMALLER size if:
- You don't mind a tight fit when it comes to protective gear, clothing, pole wear etc
- You are training kips, drops and flips on a regular basis and you do not want to risk the knee pad slipping out of place at the wrong time
- You generally use the knee pad for hard impact training
Choose the LARGER size if:
- You only do choreography classes, floorwork classes or heels dance classes that don't require high impact tricks
- You do not like the feeling of being 'constricted' or wearing tight fitted items
- If your calf muscle is larger than average
- DO NOT remove the tags until you are confident with your size. We recommend wearing the knee pad for at least 20 mins on one leg to first gauge comfort and whether you have any hypersensitivity issues to tightness
- The knee pad should feel firm and secure when sliding along the floor
- They may feel very 'tight' at first however, you will need to 'break' into them as they will mould to the shape of your knee with at least 15-20 wears
- In a standing position, bend your knees until they touch the ground (and the back of your thigh touches your calf) a few times. If you feel that your blood circulation is cutting off or if it is severely uncomfortable, please size up.
- You may feel some stitches 'popping' when you first put them on but please don't be alarmed as they are the 'first line of stitching' that is sewn down before we add in the main line of stitching. There should be no visible seams coming undone but if you do see any, just reach out to us.
Your package will contain one pair of pole dance knee pads with our stock standard padding. All swing tags are fully recyclable with zero plastic packaging.
We want you to love your pole wear so we have a no questions asked refund and exchange policy as long as items are returned and shipped back to us within 14 days of your order arriving for full priced items.
For all sale items, please see our returns policy for details.
Australia
- AusPost Standard $10 (1-7 business days)
- AusPost Express $12 (1-3 business days)
- DHL Express $35 (1-2 business days)
New Zealand
- Standard International (4-10 business days): $15 AUD
- Express International (2-5 business days): $25 AUD
- DHL Express (2-4 business days): $50 AUD
Asia Pacific
- Standard International (5-14 business days): $20 AUD
- Express International (3-5 business days): $35 AUD
- DHL Express (2-4 business days): $60 AUD
Canada
- Standard International (5-20 business days): $20 AUD
- Express International (5-8 business days): $40 AUD
- DHL Express (1-3 business days): $70 AUD
USA
We have now resumed shipping to USA using DHL and Australia Post.
DHL (USA)
DHL Express (1-3 business days): $70 AUD
- DHL is a faster service however, on top of the mandatory duties, we have found there are additional custom clearance/brokerage fees.
- You will receive a bill directly from DHL regarding duties/fees
Australia Post (equivalent of USPS)
Express Postage USA - Tariffs Payable [45%] (3-7 Business Days)
Standard Postage USA - Tariffs Payable [45%] (5-14 Business Days)
- Australia Post is the more cost effective & seamless option.
- Once you place your order, we will send you a payment link for duties payable
- This is calculated at 45% of your cart (excluding shipping). We know it's a ridiculous amount with the new legislations..
- E.g. If your bodysuit costs $100 AUD, your total duties payable is $45 AUD.
- Nothing further will be payable once your order arrives in the US.
UK/EU
- Standard International (5-20 business days): $20 AUD
- Express International (5-8 business days): $40 AUD
- DHL Express (2-4 business days): $75 AUD
Rest of World:
- Standard International (5-20 business days): $30 AUD
- Express International (5-8 business days): $50 AUD
Check out our super detailed FAQ here based on questions we've collected since launching our knee pads in March 2023.
Choose options
NOT YOUR TYPICAL POLE DANCE KNEE PADS
We're expensive because we've gained exclusive access to technology no other dance knee pad brand has.
We have set the bar for what quality and protection means in our pole and dance industy.
"I've had a LCA reconstruction plus my meniscus is gone. Post my healing process, I threw myself in a kneeling position for the first time and it felt like heaven" - Livi
FROM THE FOUNDER
Hi, I'm Tatiana! I've been a pole dancing since 2013 (12 years) and I'm a lover of floorwork, basework, splits, kips, flips and drops.
I've been through my fair share of knee pads and I knew I could design something that was better than these EVA or gel knee pads on the market that only lasted a few months.
Check out my video below and you will understand why these knee pads are a personal love letter to your/our knees.
BURSITIS? SENSITIVE KNEES? SURGERY?
don't wait until it's too late
"I've danced for up to 3-ish hours without a single bruise coming up the next day."
"I have developed bursitis on both knees and I haven't had a single flare up since I purchased these knee pads."
"These are the ONLY knee pads that don't aggravate my nerve issues."
"I had a burst Baker's Cyst in my knee and I can now dance pain free in these knee pads."
"After my surgery, I did not think I could do the things I do now"
JUST LIKE OUR POLE WEAR
NOT JUST FOR SHOW
We are committed to creating investments that are not just for show.
With countless hours of researching and testing different materials, designs and construction methods, they not only provide superior protection and support, but also have timeless durability and sustainability.
We work closely with professional pole athletes to continually test the knee pads under extreme use cases (i.e. 30 hrs of training per week) - this allows to to revise, update and improve as we never settle for perfect.
We know that our knee pads will be a product that you’ll trust for years to come.
We've got you
Ultimate Dance Knee Pad FAQs
The answers to all your burning questions.
As a dancer myself, my dancing has evolved over the years. It started out as floor work with just my knee sliding on the floor. A few years in, I started exploring the world of drops, flips and kips to add a dynamic, entertaining and challenging element to the way I danced.
This meant my drug store bought knee sleeves or volleyball knee pads no longer served a purpose. They were great for sliding and only sliding. I was left with bruises that took weeks to fade/heal if I tried to practice my kips in those one pads. And realistically, you don’t get your desired kip within one attempt. It takes repetition and perfection.
I was 29 when I started exploring this space and could not afford to keep walking around with bruised knees and worse yet, not knowing what was happening under my knee cap after each kip. I just knew it couldn’t be good.
Just because you can’t ‘see’ impact, doesn’t mean it’s not there. It’s a silent killer that will make it’s appearance over time in the form of knee injuries, bursitis and knee pain. This is NOT worth that perfect kip.
And so, the knee pads were designed with YOU and your passion in mind. To be dynamic, entertaining and challenged, we want to equip you with a tool to aid your learning.
Impact protection means that the padding contains technical properties that absorb the landing of your kips as opposed to your knees. This is not a characteristic you can find in knee pads that use EVA foam or gel padding and this is what makes our knee pad so special.
As dancers, we generally dance on floorboards. Floorboards are made up of individual panels placed together. Whilst the floor generally appears seamless, the joining sections have a small gap. This is where fabric of your knee pad generally gets caught. Over time, these ‘caught’ sections turn into small tears on your knee pad sleeve and so forth.
Our carefully selection abrasion resistant fabric (SuperFabric®) is engineered in the USA to withstand cuts. Their technology has been applied to soldier uniforms and shoes, firefighter gear, industrial workwear, skating shoes and hiking gear as their applications/uses are subject to rough wear and tear.
By applying this technology to our knee pads, we are confident the surface of your knee pad sleeve should almost *never* tear. This means less replacements for you and more money in your pocket!
*We have been putting our SuperFabric to the test for the past 3 years and have not experienced any tears on the front surface of the knee pad.
As a bit of background, impact protection is subject to a finite number of ‘impact’ before the protective gear renders it’s protective abilities.
Take a skiing helmet as an example, upon impact (a bad crash on the mountain where you hit your head), the helmet must be replaced immediately to ensure it’s protective qualities are not compromised should this accident happen again.
Similarly to our D3O® padding, we have been advised that whilst the impact protection is not easily diminished in the same way s a skiing helmet, you need to consider the amount of impact you subject the padding to.
Below are a few scenarios where you should consider replacing the padding:
- If you consistently train kips, flips and drops, you may want to consider replacing the padding when you feel that the padding is no longer absorbing the impact. We will be offering replacement padding for sale towards September 2024.
- If the padding has started to crumble
- If you have been washing the padding regularly (tsk tsk) and you begin seeing physical changes in the padding e.g. crumbling, snapping etc
As an additional guide*:
- If you are a full time instructor or professional pole athlete who trains high impact kips 20-30 hours a week, you should monitor the effectiveness of the impact absorption at the 12 month mark (or earlier) and determine if a replacement is necessary
- If you are an intermediate student who attends classes 2-4 times a week and is using the knee pads for a mix of flips and floorwork, you should monitor the effectiveness of the impact absorption at the 20 month mark (or earlier) and determine if a replacement is necessary.
- If you are a floorwork only student who attends classes 1-2 times a week, your knee pad may only need to be replaced every 2-4 years. We advise you to monitor the effectiveness of the impact absorption at the 30 month year mark (or earlier) and determine if a replacement is necessary
**These recommendations are only a guide and it is up to you to listen to your body to determine whether the level of impact protection has diminished and requires replacing. If in doubt, reach out to us or just opt to replace. This guide has been put together by feedback from customers and professional pole athletes that we work with.
The average lifespan of a standard EVA padding or foam is about 6 months with usage of up to 4 hours of dance/floorwork per week. After this time frame, users generally experience deflating and thereby causing knee pain as the barrier between your knee and the floor is minimised/less cushioned.
Our D3O® padding is expected to last 4 times* as much (if not longer) provided the padding is well taken care of. This means well ventilation after every use, no washing and storage in a cool dry area.
Just with any protective sporting gear on the market (like helmets), the amount of impact the padding can absorb is finite. When you feel that the padding is no longer absorbing the impact, it would be time for a replacement. We are now offering the replacement padding for sale here.
As a guide**:
- If you are a full time instructor or professional pole athlete who trains high impact kips 20-30 hours a week, you should monitor the effectiveness of the impact absorption at the 12 month mark (or earlier) and determine if a replacement is necessary
- If you are an intermediate student who attends classes 2-4 times a week and is using the knee pads for a mix of flips and floorwork, you should monitor the effectiveness of the impact absorption at the 20 month mark (or earlier) and determine if a replacement is necessary.
- If you are a floorwork only student who attends classes 1-2 times a week, your knee pad may only need to be replaced every 2-4 years. We advise you to monitor the effectiveness of the impact absorption at the 2 year mark (or earlier) and determine if a replacement is necessary
*We are hesitant to claim any longer beyond 4x times as we are constantly monitoring the longevity of our very first samples with our designated durability tester.
**These recommendations are only a guide and it is up to you to listen to your body to determine whether the level of impact protection has diminished and requires replacing. If in doubt, reach out to us or just opt to replace. This guide has been put together by feedback from customers and professional pole athletes that we work with.
Yes, we are now offering the Replacement Stock Padding. Check it out here.
Explainer video here from Tatiana.
I just wanted to share a little about my decision release the latte variation first and I hope you can see where I'm coming from. As a small business, our funds are limited and so, releasing even just one new colour is a significant financial investment.
It was a really tough decision to make as inclusivity is at our core brand values (all our loyal customers have witnessed this this). My intention/dream is to eventually release a variety of colours to suit various complexions and I hope you know that I genuinely mean that.
There are quite hefty minimum orders of custom coloured fabric that we need to meet with 2x key suppliers (1 - the knee pad sleeve and 2 - the SuperFabric) when we release new colours. If minimums are not met, the production is just not viable for our suppliers.
At this stage, we need more demand warrant additional colours otherwise, we would go out of business :( So please look our for our polls on insta or send us an email/DM so we know you're after different shades!
Our knee pads require a total of 6x suppliers for various components. Each component has been carefully selected and have minimums that must be met by individual suppliers. If minimums cannot be met, a higher price is generally paid for a smaller quantity. As a small business who does not mass produce, we must absorb/accept this cost particularly as due to our niche industry.
The latte coloured knee pads are priced at $138.00 AUD. The pricing difference from the black knee pads is due to the colour customisation for the main nylon elastane fabric as well as the SuperFabric®.
We have a very small team and are consistently using funds to invest in R&D to continually improve the knee pads. There will never be a final version as we know there’s always better out there. Stay with us and believe in us!
As with any technical sporting good, it's important to understand how to take care of your knee pads to preserve the technical capabilities. Always ventilate after every use and always remove the padding inserts before washing the sleeve.
It is crucial to draw moisture/sweat out of the knee pad as often as possible to preserve the impact protection and structural integrity of the knee pads and to minimise the padding from disintegrating.
These instructions apply to the stock D3O® padding as well as the Boost+ Protection:
1. Sprinkle baking soda all over the padding as this will absorb any odours.
2. Let it bake (with the baking soda) in direct sunlight for 1-3 hours as this will allow the knee pad to dry from the sweat accumulated. Do not leave out for more than 3 hours.
3. Wipe baking soda clean using a damp cloth
We have run tests and are continually running tests on this. Existing tests have
found that the padding becomes a 'softer' texture and we have felt the impact protection diminish slightly.
D3O® offer various levels of material and protective combinations. Upon testing numerous variations, we believe the original padding is the most comfortable padding for usage as a dancer however, comfort/softness comes at a compromise of slightly lower impact protection that a material that is harder.
This is where the Boost+ Protection comes into play. It is a thinner, harder and plastic like padding that is able to absorb a higher level of impact than our original padding. Using these two together yields a dream combination of comfort and protection.
Not everyone requires this level of protection (e.g. if you only do floor work, you may prefer our knee pads for the durable SuperFabric® cover as opposed to the impact protection) and so you can opt for a lower level of impact protection with the original stock padding.
The Boost+ Protection padding thinner, harder and plastic like feel. Whilst it can absorb more impact, it is rather uncomfortable when worn as a knee pad as it is quite stiff particularly when you are in a kneeling position or if you are doing floorwork.
This is definitely something we are working on however, we're not quite happy with the current options that we have available on the market as the quality not up to our standards.
We find that grippy fabric that is usually glued to the main fabric tends to wear away quite quickly or fall off completely. And so, we are continually searching for the right fabric.
We haven't tested anti-bacterial sprays for in-between wears before but we don't believe it should affect the knee pad sleeve itself.
To be safe, we'd recommend spraying the Febreeze without the padding inside and allowing it to 'dry' before inserting the padding back in so it doesn't seep into the padding. We will be adding this to our ongoing testing repertoire to test effects and will report back with results shortly.