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I am looking for some knee pad to "scooch" around in the garden. I have a terrible habit of bending from the waist when I pull weeds, and my back painfully reminds me of the abuse after a day in the garden! I've looked around on the internet, and here are a few choices:
Gardener's Edge--these look VERY substantial! Almost too much so...
From Amazon.com--these have good reviews, except it seems the velcro is too long. This is the problem I have with the ones I have. Plus, if I wear shorts, the velcro hurts if it touches your skin on the back of your knees!
From Gardeners Supply--as I noticed in the picture, some reviewers said these are just too thin if you're going to be on your knees for longer than a few minutes. Not going to work for me, I don't think!
From Charley's Greenhouse and Garden--hard core, but at $55 a pair? Then again...might be worth it...

Any comments or experience on this, ladies? Thanks!

Yessum, I do wear knee pads. I bought a pair at Home Depot, hard plastic outter shell, nice padding on the inside...for about 15 dollars at the time. This was a few years ago. They are still in good shape, except for the long velcro straps.....they keep stretching and getting longer, so much so that now I flap when I walk .

Like you, I cannot bend for an extended period of time, so I crawl on my hands and knees to do about everything, from weeding and planting, to harvesting in the veggie garden. A good pair of knee pads is a must for me.

I did not check your links, but I think Gardeners Supply is where I saw the ones that just slip over your foot and up to your knee. I worried about those because what happens when the elastic or fabric stretches and they no longer will stay up. Kinda reminded me about the pre-panty hose era...yep, I wore nylons and garters to hold the nylons up. No fun when the garters stretched and hose fell down around your ankles. Was I ever thankful when garter belts came along, then thankfully panty hose...but that's a different subject entirely.


ve

I do not use knee pads. Then again, I'm so short that the distance from me bending over to the ground is probably half the distance for you, Karen.

I do, however, use a kneeling bench, on occasion. I picked it up at a gardening supply store years ago. Imagine a set of green bicycle handle bars, with a padded seat in the middle. The seat part sets on the ground and the handles go up at a 90degree angle. So, if you kneel on the padded seat, the handles give you something to grab hold of to get up.
I have to plan on being in a certain spot for quite awhile before I drag out the lightweight handled kneeler.
Honestly, most of the time I just squat while I work. Short people are good squatters

I should wear them as I wind up bending or squatting instead and my back gets sore...

Your Charley's Greenhouse has one like 3dlady mentioned
http://www.charleysgreenhouse....09&cid2=886&cid3=-99
But I'm pretty sure I've seen it elsewhere for less. Like here....
http://www.google.com/products...g+garden+bench&hl=en

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jvelo,

I don't wear knee pads, but I have a kneeling pad. A small one about 18" long & I use an old lawn chair pad that I can lay out & scooch along when weeding a bed. Works for me.

I also have a kneeling pad. I use it when I'm going to do a lot on my in one place.

no but i want to get some. i use one of those blue kneeling benches and the padding is so darned hard. looking at your links, the one that appeals to me is at amazon.com. like the reviews there.

I tried knee pads, but they hurt.... however, I used them when we were nailing down the new floor and found that if I cut the toes out of the hubby's long work socks, I could put that on first, then the knee pad over it and the straps didn't dig in so much......

I have those gray 'jigsaw puzzle' floor pads that they use in garages and such.... I tote a couple of them with me so I have one to place ahead of meself....

http://www.buy.com/pr/product....63&sellerid=30885553

.... and if I don't have all that?... a nice old blanket or sleeping bag has filled the bill nicely....and....the bag that I'm tossing the weeds into , when about half full, also gets to be right comfy to kneel or sit on!!...just watch the sharp stabbies!!!...*smile*....

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Toots,

No knee pads, but like some others do have a kneeling pad. Do I use it? Very infrequently. As the back gets older probably will dig it out of the closet.

I don't have or use knee pads, but I have seen "kneeling pads" in a couple of the cheap stores here. Maybe the next time I see it, I will pick up a couple while they're still cheap and available ($3 I think, not sure). If I plan on kneeling all day, I think I will need a STOOL to sit on as well, to take some breaks! Good luck in finding something similar!!!

No knee pads but a kneeling pad--I have small ones and larger squares which I plunk down and then weed.

Thanks, ladies for all your helpful replies! I almost edited my original post to include the fact that I do have a kneeling pad, and I do use it. But, I'd like to just plunk myself down on my hands and knees in one bed or other, and weed away! I find that when I use the kneeling pad, by the time I tote everything from one spot to the other, the pad inevitably gets left at my previous location.

Your idea, Toots about slipping on the tube part of an old pair of socks under the knee pad is G-E-N-I-U-S!!!. I will definitely steal that one....as if I don't already look silly enough now!!

Debbie, thanks for the squatting advice, though I have a genetic abnormality in my heels that prevents me from squatting comfortably (missing bones). I have to do it on the balls of my feet, and that doesn't work for very long.

I will most likely decide on one of these--maybe the hard plastic ones. I'll let you know which ones I get and how I like them. Thanks again everyone!!

Karen, you have a major advantage in your yard when/if you use kneeling pads. With all the shade in your gardens there will be scant chance of tanned legs with white knees.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 3Dlady*,

I've had knee replacement surgery and I don't use knee pads -- but I don't scoot on my knees wither but I am down on them. I have thought about some but . . . .

Martha

Well, I did a reply earlier today, but it disappeared into the ether.

My arthritic knees don't allow for kneeling or squatting. So, I have to bend to do any weed pulling or, better yet, get DH to do it!! (provided he's feeling up to it).

Oh, for the days when I could crawl around in the flower beds with ease!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Florida Farm Girl,

No kneeling for me at all. My knees have been bad since childhood.
I've always had to sit on either a bootie-scoot or on the ground with cardboard or a mat like Toots does.

Here's my scoot..oh and the seat spins a lot lower than shown in the pic.

Ok, these are the knee pads I chose. Went to HD last night to just take a peek before I ordered any. I was glad for the opportunity to try some different pair on, because some of them are downright uncomfortable! These allowed for the most bending of the knee, without cutting into the backs of your knees too badly. There are 2 straps that go around the knee, rather than one, so they stay in place when you are just walking around. And the straps are extra wide for lots of cushion. The price at HD was much cheaper than getting them online--I think around $30. Even DH said he could wear them while installing more brick pathways, which makes them really handy. Plus, they have a lifetime guarantee, so if something goes wrong, I can get them replaced.

I'm getting ready to go out and give them a test run now. I'll let you know how they worked out.

I hope they work out for you. They look bulky....but that could be from the extra padding. Enjoy!


ve

I don't use knee pads...they drive me nuts. I do use a kneeling pad sometimes especially it it is rocky..if I remember. Most of the time I'm just on my knees.
If anyone else should need some don't forget to check out Harbor Freight...

http://www.harborfreight.com/c...h/result?q=Knee+pads

Update on the knee pad wearing:

Well, I had to do some work on my parking strip out front--planting day lilies, spreading shredded paper and topping with mulch. All of my kneeling was done either on the sidewalk or on the curb streetside, and the knee pads came in very handy for that! Was super glad to have them!!

Just wearing them around the yard??? Not so much. They are bulky and have a tendency to inch downward as I walk, so I always have to adjust them when I get ready to kneel again.

Verdict: Glad I have them for certain long tasks, but they probably won't become part of my gardener's wardrobe. Oh well.....now DH has NO excuse to procrastinate on the remaining paths we want to install. At least not where his knees are concerned--I'm sure he'll find other reasons!!

Hmmm, I never kneel when gardening, guess I just bend my knees cause I do have a 'cranky' back so try to protect it as much as possible.