The 10 Best Wrestling Headgear

A classic four-strap ear guard, the Adidas Response AE100C puts a rigid molded cup inside each soft foam cover. Each cup is vented, a chin pad is included, and one size fits most adults. Gear Report found the hook-and-loop straps simpler to set than rubber ones, and many color pairs match team colors. The thick foam muffles a coach's voice, and the chin pad can creep once it's sweaty.

Hearing a coach mid-match is the point of the Cliff Keen F5 Tornado, which swaps the solid foam cup for a vented, molded shell that lets more sound through. Cliff Keen says it's much lighter than traditional headgear. Hook-and-loop straps set the fit, and a padded chin strap comes standard. The hard surface wipes clean but must stay out of the washer and dryer. It's pricey, and the ribbed shell looks bulky.

When wrestlers picture headgear, the four-strap Cliff Keen Signature is often what comes to mind. It descends from the design Coach Cliff Keen patented in 1958, and each cup has a tough composite shell wrapped in foam. One size fits adults and adjusts down for youth wrestlers, and a chin cup costs extra. The straps take some fiddling but hold once they're set. Wash it by hand, never in a machine.

Three straps instead of four give the Cliff Keen Fusion a snug fit that, the maker says, won't shift during scrambles. Closed-cell foam covers a light, pliable inner shell, and the vented cups sit low. The straps adjust on the fly, so a wrestler can snug them between periods. It adjusts down to youth heads and wipes clean. It's pricey, and retailers describe the shell differently, so feel the cups if your league wants a hard shell.

Grapplers who split time between wrestling and jiu jitsu should consider the Matman Medalist, which wraps a hard insert in a soft neoprene cover, so the side that meets a partner's face is cushioned. Four hook-and-loop straps adjust on the head, and holes in the shell let sound through. Grappler's Graveyard named it its top pick for ear protection. It runs a little small, and the fabric holds more sweat than bare plastic.

Structured cups usually add weight, yet the Matman Dynasty stays very light. Hard inner cups sit under a soft neoprene shell, and three straps set the fit. It comes in two sizes: Dynasty Kids for heads up to 20.5 inches around, usually ages seven and under, and the regular Dynasty above that, so measure first. The soft shell is kind to partners, but some leagues want a hard outer surface, so check your rules.

Wrestlers who want an Asics guard in the classic four-strap pattern can pick the Asics Snap Down, with foam cups under a smooth outer shell. It comes with a chin cup, where many guards include only a pad, and Asics says the foam is molded to cut friction against the mat. A two-slot strap holder adds fit options. Published details are scarce, and the chin-strap attachment has been a weak point on other Asics guards.

Parts that bigger names often sell separately come in the box with the Trymaker Headgear, from a small, newer brand. Each cup pairs a hard plastic shell with thick foam and extra vent holes, and a soft silicone chin cup detaches. Five adjustment points and a buckle set the fit for adults and youth. The brand is new, so there's no long-term durability record, and no warranty term is published.

A first season or a backup guard is where the low-cost Asics Gel Headgear fits best. Padded webbing straps hold two cloth-covered cups with gel padding inside, with an adjustable chin strap, and retailers describe it as light, breathable and built to meet competition standards. Asics also sells a Junior Gel version for smaller heads. Specs are scarce. The cloth covers soak up sweat and need frequent washing, and the chin-strap attachment is a known weak point on Asics guards.

Jiu jitsu players get ear protection made for their sport in the Gold BJJ Headgear. Neoprene-covered foam cups have holes so you can hear an instructor, the straps adjust from kids' heads to heavyweights, and a mouthguard comes in the box, backed by a replacement or refund promise. It's soft and flat, so it won't scratch partners, but with no rigid shell it doesn't meet high school wrestling rules, so wrestlers should keep it for open mats.