TKD Body armour question??

[android]

Hi there

Did some sparring last night, using the Body Armour Pads.
Some people put on those shin and forearm guards.
I have been looking online - this gear can be quite expensive!!!
Although i did notice on 'fleabay' Shin + Forearm Guards - at a pretty decent price.

Im just wondering if i should be looking to get some as a newbie, or maybe a little too soon to start thinking about that,

Been a skinny guy, i dont have a lot of flesh on me and i find my shin bone and forearm when blocking, can be a bit painful - for both people !!! or maybe im just being too paranoid about it...........

Andy

 

[Transk53]

Hi there

Did some sparring last night, using the Body Armour Pads.
Some people put on those shin and forearm guards.
I have been looking online - this gear can be quite expensive!!!
Although i did notice on 'fleabay' Shin + Forearm Guards - at a pretty decent price.

Im just wondering if i should be looking to get some as a newbie, or maybe a little too soon to start thinking about that,

Been a skinny guy, i dont have a lot of flesh on me and i find my shin bone and forearm when blocking, can be a bit painful - for both people !!! or maybe im just being too paranoid about it...........

Andy

What country are you based in?

 

[android]

uk

 

[Transk53]

Not a personal recommendation but I use these guys for all of the gear that I have purchased.

Martial Arts Equipment from the UK s leading Martial Art Supplier

 

[android]

ah yes, have come across that site before
they make nice uniforms.........

 

[Flatfish]

We wear arm and shin guards and still get plenty of bruises.

I don't think you have to go with the most expensive gear. I am in the US but the whole sparring gear package I had my teacher order was right around 100 dollars. This included hogu, head protector, arm and shin pads and gloves.Certainly not the best but for now it does the job.

 

[TrueJim]

In my experience, sometimes "cheap" is even better. For example when it comes to shin and forearm pads, I actually prefer the cheap cloth ones (like these Amazon.com Century Cloth Shin Instep Pad Boxing And Martial Arts Shin Guards Sports Outdoors) as opposed to the ones you velcro on (like these http://www.amazon.com/Adidas-TaeKwo...9540&sr=8-15&keywords=taekwondo+sparring+gear).

The velcro ones seem more likely to twist around while you're sparring (no matter how much I tighten the straps) thereby exposing the shin-bone, while the cloth ones do a better job of staying in-place.

 

[WaterGal]

You know it's funny, but my experience of cloth vs velcro/vinyl pads is just the opposite - after a year or two, the cloth arm pads would move around on my arm so they were protecting my inner arm instead of the blocking area, and with the shin ones the foam would sometimes roll up inside of the cloth pouch. I haven't had that kind of problem with the vinyl/velcro, which I can put on much tighter. But the cloth ones still protect pretty well, so they're totally adequate as long as the OP isn't hoping to do official WTF tournaments.

 

[Manny]

Well I would like to give my two mexican cents on this, I do use the shin pads and sometimes the forearms pads but nothing else, I don't lie the hogu or the helmet (evgen with the helmet I got a broken nose anyway). I don't think a tkdoing should spar inside the dojang in full coverage, we practice a martial art aren't we? It's suposed to get bruises,pain and blood in some way.

Too much coverage is not good IMHO.

El Manny

 

[Jaeimseu]

The biggest issue with the cloth pads, IMO, is maintenance. They get yellowed and funky really quickly. And once they start to smell sour it's over. They're cheaper in the short term, but I've always had to replace them much more often than the vinyl covered pads.

 

[TrueJim]

You know it's funny, but my experience of cloth vs velcro/vinyl pads is just the opposite - after a year or two, the cloth arm pads would move around on my arm so they were protecting my inner arm instead of the blocking area.

I would agree with that. I don't usually keep my cloth ones for more than a year without replacing them...usually after about a year they've become pretty ragged anyway.

One of my TKD peeps claims another advantage of the velcro/vinyl pads is that judges think you're a more "serious" competitor for wearing them, so they're more likely to award you points! I don't know if that's true or not, but certainly the velcro/vinyl ones look cooler.

 

[Gnarlie]

I sweat too much for the cloth ones (they stink after one use and don't wash well) and I find the Vinyl dipped ones too sticky and itchy. At the moment I'm using the lite ones from Kwon with the holes through. Nice and cool, and sweat proof, but expensive.

For the OP: if you intend to compete, check which manufacturers are allowed, and check with your instructor that he or she is happy with your choice. Some protectors afford better protection than others, and some can't be used in certain orgs for insurance reasons.

 

[TrueJim]

...I find the Vinyl dipped ones too sticky and itchy. At the moment I'm using the lite ones from Kwon with the holes through.

Can you provide a link to the type you use? I might give those a try. I agree about sticky/itchy too.

 

[Gnarlie]

Can you provide a link to the type you use? I might give those a try. I agree about sticky/itchy too.

Kampfsport Shop - Budo Security

They have a US store if you're in the US.

 

[WaterGal]

Kampfsport Shop - Budo Security

They have a US store if you're in the US.

Wow! That looks great. Kwon USA doesn't carry them, though.

 

[Gnarlie]

Wow! That looks great. Kwon USA doesn't carry them, though.

They are available to ship to the Americas via eBay from a supplier in Nottingham in the UK, with nominal shipping fees.

I also think Kwon Europe will ship internationally and these item are not heavy.

It doesn't show in the pictures, but the great thing about them is inside. Only about 40% of the surface is in contact with the skin due to crisscross diagonal grooves. Sweat runs out and air gets in.