The 10 Best Kids Shin Guards
This wiki has been updated 27 times since it was first published in July of 2018. If your budding athlete decides to try the beautiful game, the proper equipment is the key to preventing injuries, and most youth soccer leagues actually require all children to wear shin guards. When choosing a pair for your kids, comfort is also important, so they aren't tempted to take them off. Our selection includes a variety of styles to satisfy everyone from preschoolers to teens. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Adidas X 20 Match
2. G-Form Pro S
3. Nike Shin Socks
Editor's Notes
December 17, 2020:
For this update we added a more updated Adidas model, the Adidas X 20 Match. This full-length model provides excellent protection and their constructed to last with strong seams on the ankle guards and top strap.
While the all-in-one guard with the ankle padding style provides the most protection and tend to stay in place best, as children get older and play longer, they will form their own opinions about what is comfortable. Some players find the ankle padding to limit their mobility.
For a lighter weight choice we continue to include the Franklin Sports Superlight and we added the Gonex Sleeves. While the two-part Gonex Sleeves might not be the first choice for parents worried about kids who misplace their equipment, these are an great option for sensitive kids who don't like the foam padding or straps on their skin.
October 30, 2019:
When evaluating the best shin guards for kids we included a variety of styles as children, especially young ones can be very picky about things that feel uncomfortable or scratchy on their skin.
Our two top picks, the Dash Sport Youth and the Vizari Malaga both have the protection all the way down to the ankle, as even children with the best intentions might simply have very bad aim. This style stays on well and parents tend to prefer them as they offer so much more padding. But some players will find the ankle padding annoying or feel that it limits their movement.
For those children we chose more minimalist options like the Adidas Ghost Pro and the G-Form Pro S. The G-Form is a particularly interesting choice as they are soft and flexible and only become hard upon impact, but their incredibly tight fit may be too frustrating for kids and parents to get them off.
For kids who don't want to feel the shin guard on their legs at all and parents who need their kids to get those shin guards on by themselves, we included the Nike Shin Socks.
4. Vizari Malaga
5. Nike Youth Charge 2.0
6. Dash Sport Youth
7. Champion Sports Youth Socks
8. Franklin Sports Superlight
9. Sportout 2.0 Pro
10. Gonex Sleeves
Tina Morna Freitas is a writer who lives in Chicago with her family and three cats. She has a B.A. in anthropology with a minor in English, and has built a freelance career over the years in writing and digital marketing. Her passions for cooking, decorating and home improvement contribute to her extensive knowledge of all things kitchen and home goods. In addition, her 20 years as a parent inform her expertise in the endless stream of toys and equipment that inevitably takes over the homes of most parents. She also enjoys gardening, making and sipping margaritas, and aspires to be a crazy cat lady once all the children are grown.