Shin guards are a piece of equipment that you don’t want to look over when buying gear. In MMA and kickboxing, your legs take a beating you need to make sure you have the right ones.
This post is to tell you everything you need to know when looking for a good pair of shin guards. Guiding you through everything about the qualities of good shin guards, ones to avoid, and how to keep them tip-top. Also give you some shin guard recommendations at the end of the post.
Like with most combat sports gear, there is a lot of cheap equipment out there that isn’t worth your money, you should always look for high quality gear. Here are the types of shin guards you should avoid when you’re looking to buy a new pair.
CLOTH SHIN GUARDS
One of the worst purchase decisions you can make is buying shin guards made of a cloth material. These types of guards do nothing to protect you or your partner when you throw and check kicks. You and your training partners will feel every kick thrown if you wear cloth guards.
Cloth guards are also more prone to developing a bad smell and bacteria since they don’t have antimicrobial compounds. It’s a common error for those new to training to wear these types of guards, so avoid buying these guards.
KARATE FOAM GUARDS
Many that come from a point sparring background will have these types of guards when starting Muay Thai. Foam guards are not built to absorb powerful kicks and do nothing to protect you when you throw kicks.
What’s also bad about foam guards is they never stay on right. You’ll always be stopping to adjust and fix your guards. Very annoying to wear and shouldn’t be used in kickboxing or MMA.
FOOTLESS SHIN GUARDS
Another type of shin guards you should avoid are those that just cover your shins and leave your feet exposed. In training the top of your feet constantly absorb impact from throwing kicks. Especially if you make the error of throwing your roundhouses incorrectly.
The small bones in your feet are not built to absorb the impact of throwing and blocking kicks. You will more than likely end up breaking your foot somehow if you wear shin guards without foot protection.
SHIN GUARDS SOLD IN SPORTING GOODS STORES
Remember that it is probably better to altogether avoid anything combat sports related sold in chain sporting goods stores. Gear sold in those stores are mass produced with the goal to make money rather than make a good product.
They aren’t made with the best material and are made with types just good enough to be sold in stores. Sporting goods store shin guards will generally last you around a year until they fall apart from excessive use. If you’re serious about your training don’t settle for the cheap option and do your research for a good product.
Not all shin guards are the same. There’s a few different types of shin guards on the market and each is designed for specific types of training. Here are the 3 main types of shin pads and a description of each type.
ELASTIC SHIN GUARDS
Elastic shin guards are comfortable to wear and either come in 3 versions. Ones that protect both the foot and shin, and either just covering your shin, or the instep of your foot.
They are the cheapest option of shin pads and only protect the fronts of your legs. The back of your legs are completely exposed and have no protection.
These types of shin pads aren’t the best option, but if they are all you have available, they will work.
MMA SHIN GUARDS
MMA shin guards are a thinner version of kickboxing shin guards that allow you to grapple in them. Traditional Muay Thai shin guards are more bulky and difficult to use in MMA grappling.
Like with elastic shin guards, MMA guards have a neoprene back, so they easily slide on. Although they offer more protection and are less likely to move around if they are a good product.
The fronts of the guards are also similar to Muay Thai shin guards offering nearly equal protection. If you do both MMA and kickboxing training, then these are the type of shin pads you should consider.
MUAY THAI SHIN GUARDS
These are the heavy duty shin guards you should get if you do strictly kickboxing training. The top brands are either made of thick cowhide leather or top of the line synthetic leather.
They completely cover your leg from the bottom of your knee to the base of your toes. But be sure to get the right size, because if they go over your knee, they will restrict your movement.
Good Muay Thai shin guards are complete with at least 2-3 thick back straps to keep them from moving. If you only do strictly Muay Thai kickboxing training, these are the type you should look to purchase.
