Shin guards for kickboxing, thai boxing, MMA, Krav Maga, and Taekwon-do
Also in other martial arts – such as Karate, Taekwondo, or Krav Maga – the same or slightly different shin guards (depending on the martial art or combat sport) are used.
In MMA (stand-up fighting part) and Kyokushin Karate (full-contact), generally the same shin guards as in kickboxing are used.
Together with good (kick)boxing gloves, shin guards are the most important equipment in every kickboxer’s sports bag. Therefore, it deserves attention to choose the right pair of shin guards for your build and budget.
Why do you wear shin protection?
Every kickboxer – from absolute beginner to professional fighter – wears shin guards during training. Otherwise, it is impossible to keep training and make progress without constant injuries and wounds.
Matches in kickboxing and thai boxing are without guards (except for youth), but during training shin protection is always worn. Sometimes even with extra protection to avoid last-minute aches and injuries.
How should kickboxing shin guards fit?
Good shin guards fit snugly around the lower legs and protect the entire shin up to about the knee. Ideally, the guard extends just below the kneecap, but if they are slightly shorter, that is acceptable. You also don’t want to choose a larger size if you have slim legs to prevent the guards from slipping.
Nowadays, almost all kickboxing shin guards have a footpiece sewn onto the shin part. There is no fixed rule that the toes must be completely covered, as you should not be kicking with the toes anyway.
Protection of shin and instep
You definitely want to have the vulnerable metatarsal bones well protected. Some brands – like the King from the SG series – cover almost the entire foot, while brands like Twins, Booster, and XPRT often leave the toes free. Both are good and partly a personal choice.
Usually, there is no difference between left and right shin guards, but we prefer to keep the closure (for hook & loop shin guards) on the inside of the leg for aesthetic reasons.
What size shin guards?
Shin guards are almost always available in sizes S, M, L, and XL. Sometimes there is even XS or special sizes for youth.
There is quite a bit of variation in sizing per brand, which is why we have added a unique size chart for almost every brand of shin guard. Please consult this carefully. However, the sizes of different brands cannot be compared with each other. For example, a King XL is many times larger than a Twins XL.
The majority (90%) of sold shin guards are sizes M and L. XL is often for really large men (185 cm plus). S is sometimes really small, like the guards from Twin Special, and is therefore even suitable for youth and smaller women.
In our martial arts store and showroom, you can of course try on the martial arts shin protection of your choice. We have all common models in stock in sizes S, M, L, and XL unless otherwise stated.
For small children, our advice is always a sock-style shin guard. Children from 8-10 years old can move on to the cotton shin guard which is equipped with 3 elastic hook & loop closures.
What types of kickboxing shin guards are there?
Shin guards generally look very similar, especially the most commonly used harder and preformed variants nowadays. The differences are mainly in the closures used (hook & loop or two-sided closure), the materials used, the thickness, and the design or shape.
Types of closure:
Actually, there are two types of closures for the hard (skintex or PU) shin guards.
Hook & loop closure: We prefer this type of closure because with this type of closure you can tighten the shin guards well on the legs. This minimizes the sliding of the guards during intensive use.
However, it is very difficult for manufacturers to make the perfect length, since people’s lower legs and calves vary greatly in thickness. It doesn’t matter if the closure sticks out a bit or sits short on the Velcro. As long as there is enough Velcro adhesion left for the strap to stay in place.
Two-sided closure: This type of closure is often used on shin guards by various brands because it almost always fits and is easy for anyone to fasten.
Materials:
Hard, pre-formed shin guards are almost always made of synthetic leather, skintex, or PU. Genuine leather is almost never used for shin guards, not even in the more expensive models. This is because the material is used differently than in boxing gloves.
Thickness:
There are considerable differences in thickness between different brands of shin guards. You don’t want shin guards that are too thin, although thickness is not always decisive for the level of absorption. King (the SG models) is known for very sturdy, extra thick protection.
Price categories and quality
Unlike boxing gloves, there aren’t really very expensive brands or variants of shin guards costing hundreds of euros. In our range, there are basically three price categories: budget, mid-range, and higher (but still very affordable) segment.
The better shin guards really deserve attention since they offer more comfort, protection, and ease of use. Additionally, they often last longer.
Maintenance of kickboxing shin guards
Shin guards don’t require much maintenance. The most important thing is to take them out of your bag after training and let them dry properly. You can wipe them down with a clean, dry cloth after training.
You can also spray them with an antibacterial spray made for maintaining sports equipment, such as a Sukkiri spray or FreshKO.
Of course, you want your martial arts gear to stay in good condition. Your handwraps and martial arts clothing can be washed, but your boxing gloves and shin guards should absolutely NOT BE WASHED IN THE WASHING MACHINE.
Durability
The lifespan of shin guards is difficult to determine in practice, as this obviously closely relates to the intensity with which they are used. It naturally depends on how hard and how often you train.
We can say that a good shin guard lasts quite a long time and usually longer than a few boxing gloves. Vulnerable points are the stitching (usually at the foot part) and the elastics (under the foot and sometimes behind the Achilles tendon).
Difference women, men, children
There is no difference between shin guards for women and men. They are usually unisex, and women simply usually need a smaller size than men.
Small children usually use a very different type of shin guards: sock models. We almost always recommend this kind of simple shin guards for (smaller) children. They are cheap, easy to put on, and offer sufficient protection.
Buy shin guards at Fight2Win
We sell good kickboxing shin guards from all well-known brands, such as Twins, King Pro, Booster, Hayabusa, Fairtex, and XPRT. You have a choice of more than 50 different shin guards!
Shin guards, available directly from stock
All shin guards are shipped from our own stock within 1 working day! Fight2Win is the martial arts and kickboxing specialist and knows everything about protectors for kickboxing and thai boxing! Of course, you can also buy shin protection for Krav Maga, Karate, MMA, and Taekwondo from us! Huge range of gear for children, women, and men in our showroom!
TIP: Check out our YouTube channel for great reviews of various models.
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