Shin pads are the only form of protection that is required for an outfield player including the goalkeeper. There is a reason that these are required and it is to prevent nasty injuries to the shin. Trust me, you do not want to be on a receiving end of a slide tackle and not wearing shin pads. The majority of the time, we all hate to wear shin pads which is why you will never see professional footballers wearing them on the training ground. However, kids football shin pads are designed to provide significant protection against those wearing studs, as you can imagine, a stud to the shin without the shin pads will be very painful.
Every person is different when it comes to wearing shin pads in the sense that there is a wide variety to select from. This is why we have created a guide to provide you with the top 6 kids football shin pads which will have something for everyone. Whether your child is looking for shin pads with ankle protectors, ones with sleeves that just slip in or ones with a strap.
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Nike Mercurial Lite Football Shinguards
These were my personal favourite when growing up as they have slick designs although this isn’t so much a factor as you rarely see your shin pads. As a child, I just liked knowing that I had a cool design on my shin pads. However, the Nike Mercuria Lite Football shin pads are constructed from lightweight material and have a thick foam padding that instantly absorbs the impact of a challenge.
Therefore, you can go out there knowing you will be in safe hands with these shin pads. They come with elastic sleeves to give a snug fit and keep your shin pads locked in one place so they don’t constantly move during the match.
The best thing about them is that you have the opportunity to buy them with football straps to save a little money. The football straps are designed to make the shin pads more secure by stopping them from falling down. These shin pads come in either white or black so the choice is yours.
Mitre Delta Ankle Protect Football Shin Pads
The Mitre Delta Ankle Protect Football shin pads make the list as they offer the most protection possible with detachable ankle guards. That is right, they are detachable so if you find yourself in a situation where you don’t want to wear the ankle guards, you can just take them off. Obviously, you would be running the risk of injury so this is completely up to you. The majority of the time, you will see players cut the ankle guards off so they can put them on separately from their shin pads which eliminates the hassle.
The best thing is that they are lightweight and made from contoured foam for ultimate comfort whilst offering a great deal of protection. If you want your child to minimise injury whilst playing football then these are the kids football shin pads you will need. I forgot to mention, that they are also designed to create airflow and breathability so you don’t get that horrible sweaty smell after a few uses. If you have not experienced this before then just trust me on this, you don’t want to.
Under Armour Flex Shin Pads
The Under Armor Flex Shin Pads are less known for their design and more for the quality of the shin pad. Which in some aspects is better as it means they are spending more time focusing on the structure rather than the design. These lightweight shin pads are one of the best football shin pads for those players wanting to glide around the pitch.
The holes within the shin pads are designed to provide greater ventilation than other shin pads and whilst there are many holes in the shin pads. They are unbelievably durable and will keep your shins protected against those nasty challenges.
Under Armour gave them the name ‘Flex’ as they are easily one of the most flexible shin pads around. Helping them mould around your shins like it is a bit of extra skin, you won’t even know you have them on until someone kicks you. Then you will be thinking to yourself “thank god I have shin pads on.”
Mitre Aircell Speed Football Shin Pad
If you are looking for something more affordable that offers the same amount of protection against the shins then these Mitre Aircell Speed shin pads are the one. Probably not the most appealing of the bunch but they are most definitely affordable and built to perform on the big occasion.
All you need to do is slip them into your football socks so they are super convenient and incredibly light so you can be rest assured. You will still be bursting with pace past the opposing players. Mitre has introduced their latest technology in these shin pads with the Aircell technology. Designed to be super lightweight, offering the same protection whilst promoting more agile movement. They are great for comfort and have great ventilation so you don’t feel that sweat dripping down your shins whilst playing.
G-Form Pro Elite Shin Guards
The G-Form are one of the best kids football shin pads around with a revolutionary design. Combining the sleeve and the shin pad together to create a simple, seamless and unique shin protector. You will not see anything else like this on the market that is for sure, they are elite shin pads and are usually a little more expensive than most.
However, with these shin pads, you are getting the ultimate protection along with a high-quality design that will feel as if you are not even wearing them. With other slip-in shin guards, you will find that they sometimes move out of place without any sock tape or ankle straps. Whereas, with the G-Form Pro Elite you will never have to worry about this issue again as they firmly sit on your shin and provide the ultimate comfort.
Adidas Messi Match Shin Pads
The colourful Messi inspired shin pads from Adidas are by far the brightest and coolest on the list as they showcase Messi’s famous celebration. Also showing him as a young footballer on the other shin pad, it is a unique and creative design. Now you can play like the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time) himself whilst keeping your shins protected against those Sunday League challenges. I have been on the receiving end of a few of these and they are not great I must say. They also have ankle guards to offer protection on the ankles which only seems fitting when considering the number of times Messi is fouled.
