Protection and Padding
Well, first off, you should know the padding is intentionally pretty minimal on these. They are great to use for leg kick checking drills if you want to keep the shin bruising to a minimum. You will still get some shin conditioning, and some bruising, with these, as opposed to the heavy duty shin guards. I wear them for light sparring days, but use my Venum shin guards for full sparring.
If you are preparing for competition these Meister Cloth Shin Guards are a good middle ground between no protection and full shin armor. The level of protection for your shins is decent, the level of protection for your sparring partner is equivalent to 4oz gloves over your fists. Your partner will still feel those round kicks digging in nicely.
Padding stops just below the knee, and the instep padding is great. These cover mainly just the shin area, so if you get sloppy with your kick checking you’ll know immediately.
Comfort
Nice material and pretty comfortable. It’s easy to kind of forget you have these on. Unlike other brands I’ve tried with similar design, these rarely slip or get turned around when I’m sparring. The velcro strap at the top keeps the pads secure without being annoying. The heel hole in the back is great, and it lets the pad kind of mold to your leg. What makes these so comfortable is that they start to feel like part of your body instead of just flapping around on your leg while you move. The fabric is breathable also, so your legs don’t get too hot. (But the pads do get sweat soaked).
Quality and Durability
I’ve had these for over six months, and have put them through the paces. I personally used them 5-6 hours per week, but my friend would borrow them also when training at home (in the grass even). They’ve gone through the washer 6 or 7 times now, and are still in great shape. (I always air dry them) The elasticity hasn’t changed, and the material is holding up well. These shin pads are super durable; I’m pretty impressed.
Design
This slip on design is pretty typical, but what sets these apart is the velcro strap at the top. You can secure it just above the calf to prevent the pads from turning or sliding during training. Once again, the padding is light, so I recommend having heavy duty pads as well if you train intensively for the sake of you and your partner.
Cost
At this price you won’t find a better minimalist shin guard. These Meister guards get the job done, and are worth every penny. Couldn’t be happier.
I purchased this pair of Meister Cloth Shin Guards at full price. This did not affect the outcome of this review, written after 6 months of training with them.
