- Joined
- Oct 15, 2003
- Messages
- 5,391
- Reaction score
- 0
Introduction:
Greetings and salutations! Golden Gear is one of my favorite companies and Danny is one of my favorite people. I've bought a bunch of stuff over the years from him. I was actually in need of new shin guards so I decided to give Golden Gear another try. To be honest it was because I wanted to also try Raja shin guards. They're new line is made by Raja now instead of Fairtex and I wanted to see if it I would like them as much as I liked their new gloves.
Fit & Feel:
I wear an XL in almost all things gear related. Shin guards are usually no different. My last experience with Golden Gear's shin guards were when they were still made by Fairtex. I'm not a huge fan of Fairtex but I do like their shin guards. They fit my big legs well. The fit of their new Golden Gear shin guards isn't what I expected. They're longer and narrower than what I expected for an XL shin guard. I thought they would be a little wider and shorter like Twins or Fairtex. It wasn't too bad and I made it work but the top of the guards comes up to my knee and I had to break them in before the narrow fit would open up wider. I basically kept them on through a few workouts just doing normal training to break them in.
The one thing that I didn't like were the straps. They're standard hook and loop Velcro straps but they're a bit too long for how narrow the shin guards are. The bottom strap is way too long in my opinion. When I strap it down there is a bit of the strap hanging off to the side. I have to use a little tape to strap it down before sparring and drilling. I would hate to be the cause of any unnecessary scrapes or injuries. They need to go back and measure this again and adjust accordingly.
Quality & Craftsmanship:
The shin guards shine in this area. This is really good gear. It's like old school artisan level craftsmanship with good quality materials. The stitching is top notch. The lining feels tough and doesn't slip around when they get sweaty. The screen printing is awesome and the colors are very sleek and professional. It's not gaudy at all. Simple and plain but badass.
The guards are made of synthetic leather to keep costs from skyrocketing but also to keep the guards light in weight. I could wear this thing all day without it bothering me or weighing me down. They're incredibly light. I really don't have any complaints about the quality or craftsmanship. It's rather impressive and they feel like they're going to last a long time.
Performance:
I like the shins. They look and feel good. They're also thin and light so the protection isn't super heavy duty. It's not hard to kick through these if you or your partner have power. If you're kicking hard and need maximum protection then these probably aren't going to be your best choice but if you're longer and thinner and need something light and sleek then I would pick these up.
The padding is dense but thin. There were times where I felt like the padding was a bit too thin. One of those times happened during a mitt workout. I was wearing the shins and holding pads. We were doing a normal Thai Pad workout and my hitter was gassing out. I threw a quick roundhouse that was half heatedly blocked with his knee. I could feel a lot of his bony ass knee through the pad
During sparring the pads didn't slip and they were light so I felt like I could move and dance all around the mats/ring. The padding is thin and hard compared to what I'm use to using. I was able to whip kicks and move without any interference, but the kicks would have a little more sting to them because the padding is light and dense. I was able to produce loud, slapping kicks without trying. From what I'm told the shin guards sting a bit when they connect. At that point in time I wasn't even trying to throw hard. Closer to the end of training we did throw hard during a couple rounds. I could feel the thin, hard padding cleave through my partner's thigh muscle. He got me back by blocking with his elbow that I felt the day after. We promptly turned down the sparring without even uttering a word. It was a silent agreement where the last round would be slow and easy because we both got a little taste of the thinnest of the padding on both sides. He as the hittee and me as the hitter.
Closing Comments:
It's a really nice shin guard. They're solid in build and practical in use, but these aren't made for everyone. They didn't have the maximum protection I was looking for, but they are great if you are in need of something less bulky and lightweight. These are definitely shin guards I can recommend for long, lanky, and seasoned fighters. Heavy weights like me who like to get down in sparring might want to look for something a bit more protective. They're really good but not ideal for someone of my frame and style.
Final Score: 8/10
-1 for the straps being a little too long
-1 because the protection could have been a little better
For those who don't like to read:
+Great craftsmanship
+Super lightweight
+Looks great
+Sleek
+/-Better fit for long and lanky legs
+/-Better for speed and agility then for blocking or kicking hard
-Straps are too long for how narrow the guards are
-Protection is modest
Pictures
Greetings and salutations! Golden Gear is one of my favorite companies and Danny is one of my favorite people. I've bought a bunch of stuff over the years from him. I was actually in need of new shin guards so I decided to give Golden Gear another try. To be honest it was because I wanted to also try Raja shin guards. They're new line is made by Raja now instead of Fairtex and I wanted to see if it I would like them as much as I liked their new gloves.
Fit & Feel:
I wear an XL in almost all things gear related. Shin guards are usually no different. My last experience with Golden Gear's shin guards were when they were still made by Fairtex. I'm not a huge fan of Fairtex but I do like their shin guards. They fit my big legs well. The fit of their new Golden Gear shin guards isn't what I expected. They're longer and narrower than what I expected for an XL shin guard. I thought they would be a little wider and shorter like Twins or Fairtex. It wasn't too bad and I made it work but the top of the guards comes up to my knee and I had to break them in before the narrow fit would open up wider. I basically kept them on through a few workouts just doing normal training to break them in.
The one thing that I didn't like were the straps. They're standard hook and loop Velcro straps but they're a bit too long for how narrow the shin guards are. The bottom strap is way too long in my opinion. When I strap it down there is a bit of the strap hanging off to the side. I have to use a little tape to strap it down before sparring and drilling. I would hate to be the cause of any unnecessary scrapes or injuries. They need to go back and measure this again and adjust accordingly.
Quality & Craftsmanship:
The shin guards shine in this area. This is really good gear. It's like old school artisan level craftsmanship with good quality materials. The stitching is top notch. The lining feels tough and doesn't slip around when they get sweaty. The screen printing is awesome and the colors are very sleek and professional. It's not gaudy at all. Simple and plain but badass.
The guards are made of synthetic leather to keep costs from skyrocketing but also to keep the guards light in weight. I could wear this thing all day without it bothering me or weighing me down. They're incredibly light. I really don't have any complaints about the quality or craftsmanship. It's rather impressive and they feel like they're going to last a long time.
Performance:
I like the shins. They look and feel good. They're also thin and light so the protection isn't super heavy duty. It's not hard to kick through these if you or your partner have power. If you're kicking hard and need maximum protection then these probably aren't going to be your best choice but if you're longer and thinner and need something light and sleek then I would pick these up.
The padding is dense but thin. There were times where I felt like the padding was a bit too thin. One of those times happened during a mitt workout. I was wearing the shins and holding pads. We were doing a normal Thai Pad workout and my hitter was gassing out. I threw a quick roundhouse that was half heatedly blocked with his knee. I could feel a lot of his bony ass knee through the pad
During sparring the pads didn't slip and they were light so I felt like I could move and dance all around the mats/ring. The padding is thin and hard compared to what I'm use to using. I was able to whip kicks and move without any interference, but the kicks would have a little more sting to them because the padding is light and dense. I was able to produce loud, slapping kicks without trying. From what I'm told the shin guards sting a bit when they connect. At that point in time I wasn't even trying to throw hard. Closer to the end of training we did throw hard during a couple rounds. I could feel the thin, hard padding cleave through my partner's thigh muscle. He got me back by blocking with his elbow that I felt the day after. We promptly turned down the sparring without even uttering a word. It was a silent agreement where the last round would be slow and easy because we both got a little taste of the thinnest of the padding on both sides. He as the hittee and me as the hitter.
Closing Comments:
It's a really nice shin guard. They're solid in build and practical in use, but these aren't made for everyone. They didn't have the maximum protection I was looking for, but they are great if you are in need of something less bulky and lightweight. These are definitely shin guards I can recommend for long, lanky, and seasoned fighters. Heavy weights like me who like to get down in sparring might want to look for something a bit more protective. They're really good but not ideal for someone of my frame and style.
Final Score: 8/10
-1 for the straps being a little too long
-1 because the protection could have been a little better
For those who don't like to read:
+Great craftsmanship
+Super lightweight
+Looks great
+Sleek
+/-Better fit for long and lanky legs
+/-Better for speed and agility then for blocking or kicking hard
-Straps are too long for how narrow the guards are
-Protection is modest
Pictures
