How to Choose the Best Muay Thai Shin Guards – Safety is no joke when it comes to Muay Thai sparring, and one of the most important pieces of protective gear you will need is a good set of shin guards. However, the vast array of choices can quickly overwhelm you when trying to find the best shin guards that fit you well and are perfectly suited to your needs. To help you in your quest to find the best Muay Thai shin guards, read all about the different types available, their pros and cons, along with a few tips to help make your choices clearer.
Why You Need Muay Thai Shin Guards
In Muay Thai sparring, a standard kick is performed using the lower part of your shin to strike, and your ideal target would be the inside or outside of your opponent’s thighs. You’re not supposed to use your foot during a strike because it is more fragile than your shin. Therefore, Muay Thai shin guards are designed to protect not only your shins but also your feet and ankles.
An opponent’s leg strike is checked by raising your leg to block the incoming attack using your knee or upper shin, which should also be covered by the shin guards. For more on which areas need to be protected in Muay Thai, check out this Muay Thai shin guards guide.
While shin conditioning can be done using a thinner shin guard during heavy bag work, it must never be attempted while sparring to keep you and your training partner from harming yourselves. Finally, while not everyone can afford to wear expensive high-end accessories, it is important to not skimp on protective Muay Thai gear such as shin guards for the safety of you and your classmates.
Things to Consider When Choosing Muay Thai Shin Guards
There is no one single pair of shin guards that works for everyone. Finding a good pair will be determined partly by the Muay Thai technique that you choose to specialize in. Your build, height, and various physical attributes will also play a role. However, shin guards hold superiority over Muay Thai shin pads which are more for comfort than protection in comparison to the former.
Below, we have explored the different aspects you must consider to find the best shin guards that will protect you during a friendly bout of Muay Thai.
Muay Thai Shin Guards That Fits You Well
As shown by this shin guard size chart, the size of the shin guards will depend on the height of the fighter. In most cases, a size small will fit fighters up to five foot six and below, a medium for up to five foot nine, and a large for people taller than five foot nine.
However, there can be exceptions where your shins are longer or shorter than the standard sizes. You can always measure your shins or simply visit a shop to see which shin guards fit the best.
The shin guards you choose need to fit your shins comfortably and cover the important areas we mentioned earlier. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a bulky pair that hinders your movement or a small pair that is too tight and doesn’t satisfactorily cover your shins for maximum protection.
Mobility Vs. Protection
Mobility vs. protection will always be a compromise when selecting shin guards. As mentioned above, the size of your shins will play a role. Further, the thickness of your shin guards will also factor in. The thicker the padding, the more it will absorb the impact, making it easier on your sparring partner. The thicker ones with reinforced padding will naturally be heavier, requiring more power from you to strike fast.
Another aspect of the shin guards is how much they wrap around your legs and ankles. Wider ones will offer more protection, while narrower ones will let you sacrifice uncovered parts of your legs to get the benefit of speed. If you’re planning to specialize in Muay Dtae style, you will be relying almost exclusively on kicking techniques. Therefore, your choice of shin guards is important. So higher shin guard movement will greatly affect the speed and grace of the attacks at your disposal.
Genuine Leather Shin Guards or Synthetic Leather Shin Guards?
Muay Thai shin guards are made using genuine leather or synthetic leather. Genuine leather is still the preferred choice for many professional fighters, offering unmatched durability, comfort, and protection. However, these qualities come with a high price tag that not everyone can easily afford. There are also some who are not comfortable using leather shin guards because they are against animal cruelty. Finally, you do have to take a bit of care when using leather gear by cleaning it regularly.
High-quality synthetic leather shin guards, while not matching the high standards of real leather, have greatly advanced in recent years, offering decent protection that won’t break the bank. They also come with unique new features like anti-odor or cooling, which makes cleaning them after a vigorous workout simple. Plus, there’s a lot more variety in cool designs and colors for synthetic shin guards than the relatively sparse options found in leather ones.
Do MMA Shin Guards Work Instead?
When browsing for shin guards online, you might come across shin guards used by mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters that don’t look that different from the Muay Thai shin guards. However, you should know that MMA shin guards are designed for better mobility to perform wrestling maneuvers and grappling on the floor while compromising the amount of protection they provide.
Muay Thai shin guards utilize hook-and-loop Velcro straps to keep them in place compared to the sock-like sleeve design that MMA shin guards use. Furthermore, Muay Thai shin guards offer the fighter more protection while performing and blocking kicks.
Shin guards for combat sports are designed with different purposes in mind, even though at first glance they might look similar. So read the product description carefully about what type of mixed martial arts the shin guards are suited for. You might not be allowed to spar in your training gym if you haven’t bought the correct Muay Thai shin guards.
Quality Vs. Price of Shin Guards
You can go with a pair of cheap shin guards if that’s all you can afford. However, these may not offer adequate protection and may not stay in place during training, causing the inconvenience of having to constantly adjust them. Cheap shin guards don’t last very long either, resulting in you investing in more gear every time something breaks.
If you are planning to do some Muay Thai sparring, it is recommended that you choose responsibly. You may be putting yourself and your sparring partner at risk if you choose low-quality shin guards. In the long run, you may end up with a costlier hospital bill by settling for a cheap pair.
If you really can’t afford a good quality pair of shin guards, always check with your training gym. Most places have spare equipment available for use by members and students. Many gyms sell Muay Thai equipment as well, and might even offer you a membership discount.
Where to Purchase Muay Thai Shin Guards
There are many different brands, each with their own unique features and design materials that will offer more choices at various price points. Yokkao, Twins, Top King are just a few of the brands providing excellent Muay Thai gear for the ultimate protection.
Check out our blog on The Top 10 Muay Thai Shin Guards for Training and Sparring for a better understanding of just how many shin guards and types are available in the market. RDX shin guards, Yokkao Matrix shin guards, and Twins shin guards are just some of them, to name a few.
Try Before You Buy Muay Thai Shin Guards
Now that you’re acquainted with all the things to consider when purchasing a good quality pair of Muay Thai shin guards, don’t forget to visit a shop before you buy them. Even if you’re planning to order online, it’s always better to visit a local Muay Thai equipment store and try on a few shin guards to get a feel for them before adding them to your cart. Talk to the sales assistants at the shops, and get their help to compare different models and brands. You can choose from the Venum elite shin guards to Top King shin guards, Fairtex competition shin guards, Twins shin guards and so much more.
You might even run into experienced Muay Thai fighters who can offer you more solid advice since they’re the ones that will use Muay Thai gear on a regular basis. Find the best shin guards and get ready for some Muay Thai!
FAQs
MMA shin guards are not designed with the high impact protection foam used in shin guards designed for Muay Thai. MMA shin guards focus more on grappling in comparison to protection from high-impact striking techniques used in Muay Thai.
In Muay Thai, the mid to lower part of your shin is the area a fighter can strike with a kick. Shin guards provide complete leg protection, acting as not only a shin protector but also protecting the ankles and feet, when you strike or block a kick.
