Ultimate Shin Pad Sleeve Review
The Ultimate Shin Pad Sleeve is a product that is trying to eliminate the need for another, and that is tape. Shin pad sleeves, at least from my experience, are perhaps the one product that has really gone un-tampered with. It has always been a simple sleeve that would work alright for the first use and then would get progressively worse until after about ten uses, they would become over-stretched and next to useless. I have always been one of those people that has used tape to hold up my shin pads, and I think that tape has become somewhat of the norm for most people. The problem is that tape runs out fast and you have to keep buying it, which can get expensive. The Ultimate Shin Pad Sleeve is the first real attempt at eliminating the need for tape, and I am happy to say that it does in fact work.
The sleeve itself is a simple mesh material has some stretch to it, but not too much. What makes this sleeve unique is the 2-inch thick elasticated bands on each end of the sleeve. The thick elastic bands are positioned in the spots where tape would usually be applied, so instead of actually using tape, it is incorporated into the sleeve itself. There isn’t much to explain here other than the fact that it works. Over a 2 hour session, you will not need to adjust your shin pads. They also seem to be quite durable, and should last a pretty good amount of time. Of course, like any sleeve, it will eventually wear out, but I can guarantee that the Ultimate Shin Pad Sleeve will last 10 times longer than your standard sleeve, while also doing a better job of holding up your shin pads. The straps also give you some freedom as to how you can wear them (check out the pictures above to see what I mean).
The sleeves themselves come in three sizes, small, medium and large. I am 5’11’’ and was able to use the medium size as well as the small. It is also worth noting that the large size is really big, so unless you have unusually large calves, the smaller size will do you just fine. If you have smaller shin pads, go with a smaller size, and if you have bigger shin pads, go with the bigger size. Like I said, the medium or small will suit most people, so unless you have absolutely gigantic calves, you will not need the large.
The sleeves cost $20, which isn’t super cheap, but isn’t expensive either. The way I see it is that you will easily spend over $20 on tape if you are playing several times a week, so the one time investment will definitely save you money in the long run. Overall this is a great product that does a good job at solving a very common problem. These are easily the best sleeves on the market.
Final Score 9 out of 10
