IRONHEAD1

first off before i get railed for not looking into old threads i did try with no great luck.

I am wondering what is a good all around setup for XC. right now I have spd pedals with roadie shoes. I have yet to get regular offroad shoes. my main issue i am having is if i am going up a hill where i cannot make it I am able for the most part to clip out in time but when i go to reclip in sometimes i have trouble getting my left (weaker leg) to clip in and my foot sometimes might slip on the tiny shimano spd non platform pedal. I saw one guy on the trail had what looked like an eggbeater style clip in with a platform pedal. personally i do want to be clipped in as it does help when climbing. I am guessing i will have to eventually make the plunge into some offroad shoes and possibly some pedals. what are a good set of pedals to get into. it would be nice to be able to jump on the bike with regular shoes if need be.
second question is where would I get a decent pair of knee pads / shin guards that are not overkill but would offer up decent protection from a crash. hopefully something that wont rub me raw from wearing. I have looked but have not found anything great as of yet.
as far as budget i am not concerned too much about price as i am about function within reason.

victim

I like shimano pedals. I use 647's and 540's. The 647 has a nice plastic platform and is comparable to the CB mallets you saw. The 540 are more for XC, lighter but no platform. The platform pedal is a big help with restarting on uphills and is a little easier to get in and out of. The CB brand didn't work out for me but others like them. My favorite though is still a platform and a good shoe like 5-10. Do a search, tons of info out there.

never

I have found that clipless pedals with platforms don't work all that well with hard-soled XC shoes. Just practice and you'll get better at clipping in with any situation.

There aren't really any knee/shin guards that would be comfy for extended XC riding. I use the 661 Kyle Straits for DH...they are fine for pedaling but they do get hot and only protect the knee.