After a nasty seat to hip incident on my old bike on a messy landing I have worn my poc shorts on every ride since. Not had a chance to fully test them but I feel a bit safer. Knee pads are optional dependant on trail and I forget from time to time my backpack has a back protector in it, but it does
I bought some shin pads recently, but I can't see me getting on with them as I don't feel I can get a good range of movement in my ankles with them. I don't really want a shin pad as such, just a neoprene sleeve that covers from my sock to my kneepad and protects from those spinny pedal pin to leg moments.
Gloves (have winter ones) and elbow pads are something I don't have but am sort of considering. Will most likely have to injure first as with the above scenario!