http://www.centurymartialarts.com/Sparring_Gear/Silver_Training_Gear/Century_Shin_Instep_Guard.aspx
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| The product after 6 months. The white on the bottom isn't a rip, its athletic tape residue from a foot injury. |
Manufacturer: Century Martial Arts
Cost: $79.99 retail ($39.99 wholesale)
Materials: Vinyl, foam, gel, velcro, elastic, canvas (Note: the large have a canvas backer, but the small/medium have a different material.)
Categories under review: Price, Comfort, Protection, Durability, and Aesthetics.
Review:
Price: Okay
These are pretty expensive at $80. There are a lot of shin-instep guards that cost half that amount, though the amount of padding will vary. On the other end, you could drop $150 on some Hayabusa shin-instep guards that would look really cool. These are relatively costly, but you get what you pay for.
Comfort: Strong
After using various cloth and foam shin-instep guards in my many years training in taekwondo, I expected these to slide around and move. This is not the case. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of times these have moved during sparring in the past 6 months, and this was during grappling.
The velcro has yet to be affected by wear after this amount of time. The elastic on the foot is a bit ruffled, but its still as tight as it was, and keeps the instep section on tight. The canvas backer isn't abrasive, and it helps to mitigate any sliding, though it certainly gets sweaty. I've eliminated smell by air drying mine out of my gear bag after every session.
It took a while to get used to the strap enclosure and get it right, but once I figured out how to make it best fit me, these are incredibly comfortable.
Protection: Strong
These are the thickest shin-instep guards I have ever used or seen. After putting these on, I can block anything and not feel it much. It covers most of the foot but not the toes. The gel coupled with really thick foam will protect you 100%. People looking for a more tactile feel should not purchase these guards.
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| Profile of the product to demonstrate the thick padding. |
I have not noticed any negative effects on my kicking ability from the excessive padding. Its important to note that if you want to condition your shins to take and give hits, don't wear these all the time.
Durability: Strong
I've been using these for 6 months, which amounts to well over 100 sessions sparring with these pads on. There are no rips in the material, the padding is entirely intact, and the velcro still works as well as it did in the beginning.
The canvas backer is durable and dries quickly, which helps to eliminate smell. The stitching on the straps is thick, as is the stitching holding the instep to the shin guard. The gel and foam has yet to compress noticeably.
The elastic one one of mine that holds the heel tight has become ruffled, but it still remains tight and unripped.
Aesthetics: Okay
These are plain looking and come in one color - blue, which matches the entire Silver MMA Line. I like blue because I can write my initials on the back, but I use these in a club setting where that is important.
These are no-frills design. If you are looking for something fancier looking, this isn't the product for you. I like the look, but I give an okay simply because having only one color choice is restrictive.
Summary:
Price: Okay
Comfort: Strong
Protection: Strong - Very Strong
Durability: Strong
Aesthetics: Okay
The Silver Shin Instep Guards are not the cheapest out there, but they don't deserve to be. Quality is high, protection is very high, and these appear to be a very durable product. I can't speak for the entirety of the Silver MMA Line, but this product far outclasses the Silver MMA gloves, from the same product line, in quality and protection.
I highly recommend these shin-instep guards.
