Hi Jeff,
I don't think that anything woven into a base layer would give you
enough support for your knees. I really think you would get more
support from a real brace.

I have been
wearing this knee brace from a company called
Mueller for
many years, purely as prevention against injuries. I didn't really
need a knee brace but I was wearing it just in case. I purchased
the knee brace at a Walgreens pharmacy for around $30 or $35.
You wear it over your base layer, but under your pants, so nobody
even knows you are wearing a brace. It is held in place with two
velcro straps, one above the knee and one below the knee. It goes
on and off very easily and quickly. Attached is a photo.
You might also be interested in a series of articles about knees,
injuries, treatments, and more, that were originally published in
separate sements in Lift Lines (our newsletter). Several of our
members contributed their experiences. In the end, we put all these
segments together into a several pages long booklet and posted it on
our website. You can find it on our ARTICLES page at:
http://www.mthigh.org/Articles.htm
. See it under "Safety". It is item 12 on the list of safety
articles. It includes a section about knee braces.
Or, if you prefer, go directly to that article by following this
link:
http://www.mthigh.org/Articles/Knee-Treatments.pdf
Emilio