ММА sparring is tricky because you need all the freedom and mobility you can get for grappling while still requiring decent protection.
This is why MMA gear brands have tried different routes to create different shin guards than the widely used Muay Thai ones, which offer great protection but at the cost of being too bulky. Revgear have their own version of what the perfect MMA shin guards should look like, and they've called them the Superlite.
Pros:
Cons:
Revgear Superlite Shin Guards Rating
The Revgear Superlite holds the promise in its name and offers great protection and are lightweight. These are perfect for MMA sparring because they have enough protection to let you kick with confidence while providing more mobility to work on the ground.
overall
Quality
Comfort
Protection
Price
Use code "SWEETSCIENCE" for 10% OFF
Revgear Superlite Shin Guards
Use Code "SWEETSCIENCE" for 10% OFF
Key Features
Revgear has been a brand in the MMA world for nearly a couple of decades, and they know their target customers well.
Just like with other Revgear equipment I have tested, they know their product's strong points well and always highlight them in the official marketing info, giving you a good expectation of what you will receive if you make the purchase.
Here is the key info Revgear shares about the Superlight shin guards:
After spending quite a few rounds with these, Revgear has done a tremendous job at justifying the expectation of producing very protective shin guards that are super light at the same time.
Craftsmanship And Quality
The Superlite shin guards by Revgear are made entirely from good-quality leather. The back of the protectors is made of the standard material used in most shin guards.
There are a lot of stitches all over, much more than you find in boxing gloves, and most of them are stellar. There are a few loose threads here and there. Still, the whole thing feels very well put together and sturdy, capable of withstanding many kicks.
Two straps hold the guards on the legs, and the Velcro used is nice and tight. The straps are solid and well-placed, with loopholes for better stability. Aside from a couple of loose stitches, the overall quality of the Revgear Superlite is excellent.
Design And Comfort
Comfort and feel are where these shin guards excel. They are very light, just like the name suggests, and it fits the product perfectly. I have tried a lot of shin guards, and these are as light as others that are probably half as thin and protective.
The shin portion is very well-designed and has a double layer of padding in front. I can say the thickness and level of protection on the shins are very close to or even on par with the bulkier standard Thai-style shin guards, which is impressive.
The difference is these are more designed for MMA, so they have a lower cut below the knee to allow more movement and not get in the way while fighting on the ground.
The feature making these different from other shinguards is the instep. It is designed differently than most other models, with only one elastic strap on the bottom of your foot.
The instep is made from three parts—two small and one large providing excellent mobility, which is missing from most similar products. The padding is thin and soft enough, combined with the design, allowing you to wrestle and grapple without any discomfort.
Using The Revgear Superlite Shin Guards
There are different options for MMA shin guards. Some prefer the cloth protectors used in amateur competitions, but they offer too little protection, in my opinion. Then the sleeve-type shin guards are more protective but last much less time, and all the cloth will inevitably start to smell sooner or later.
The Superlite Revgear shin protectors solve those problems, at least for me. I have done some MMA sparring rounds with them and haven’t felt them get in the way while I was on the ground at any time. The straps are good enough, and the loopholes ensure they stay in place during scrambles.
Of course, they will move in some situations, but not more than other models would. But the real highlight is the instep part of the protectors, which gives you a lot of mobility.
Revgear says these are also good for kickboxing, which I've mainly used them for. The shin protection is excellent. I am impressed by the level of padding at such a small size and weight. The instep also offers decent protection, but the key here is mobility.
If you are used to wearing Thai-style shin guards, these will initially feel like you are barefoot. While this is an exaggeration, and the protection is good, it is still much lower than other striking-only shin guards.
Still, after you land a few kicks with the foot, you will find out that the protection is okay despite the seemingly thin instep.
Then the low cut below the knee is great for MMA and mobility but offers nothing when checking kicks, so if this is something you often do, the Superlite may not be your preferred piece of gear. These are not for you if you like to blast full-power roundhouse kicks in the gym.
Price
As usual, Revgear puts a fair price on their products. The $70 retail price ($63 using code "SWEETSCIENCE") is well justified, in my opinion. The materials and build quality are great and will last for quite some time.
Then the Superlites are versatile and, despite being perfect for MMA, can still be used for kickboxing without people frowning at you, so you won't need to buy multiple pairs of shin guards for different purposes.
Summary
The low cut and instep design of the Revgear Superlite shin guards are all made to facilitate maneuverability and not inhibit grappling as much as possible when MMA sparring. They can also be used for kickboxing and other types of striking sparring too.
Still, I recommend them to more advanced practitioners with better control over their kicks and more conditioned legs. Overall, I strongly recommend the Revgear Superlite shin guards for MMA practitioners at all levels.
Use code "SWEETSCIENCE" for 10% OFF
Revgear Superlite Shin Guards
Use Code "SWEETSCIENCE" for 10% OFF