Revgear have recently taken a huge step forward in terms of brand recognition, sponsoring UFC fighters across both the US and UK. Fighters like Jimi Manuwa, Tim Kennedy and Ross Pearson have all sported Revgear equipment in recent outings. As a rising brand, the Revgear name is becoming analogous with fighters who show professionalism as well as athleticism. Craig Thomas Boyle, a 6-0 amateur fighter reviews their leading shin-guard for fightstorepro.com
Revgear Defender Gel Shinguards
The Revgear Gel Defender MMA shin guards are an exciting twist on a common purchase for fighters looking to train Muay Thai and/or MMA. Unlike more traditional Thai shins, these are slightly smaller on the leg but still present a great option for heavy sparring as they do not compromise on padding. Additionally, the gel wraps that help keep the straps tight to your leg make these guards suitable for MMA sparring as they do not slide free during grappling. Fghtstorepro.com presents a breakdown of these interesting shin guards.
Appearance: The Revgear guards come in black leather, with a large Revgear logo running down the centre of the 'shin' area. Different to full thai shin-guards in that these do not have an upwards curve toward the knee and instead cut off in a straight line, the Revgear design is unique. The area the logo runs down is heavily padded with a gel lining that gives quite a raised 'bump' down the middle.
Functionality: The shin-guards are on par with other Thai brands in terms of quality leather, but what sets them apart are the thick, gel-inflated padded areas down the shin and over the foot-guard. Once you've worn these, they seem essential for protecting your shin and brittle bones in your feet as the padding really does give a massive sense of safety.
The biggest asset these things provide are the two gel packs that attach to the straps at the back of the shin-guard. These secure the straps to the back of your calf and mean that there is much less slippage during sparring. Wearing these makes stopping to re-adjust your shins mid-round a thing of the past. It is such a simple twist on a conventional fastening system but makes a huge difference. Despite their bulk, I use these for MMA sparring all the time and have yet to have them slip off.
Value: Currently priced at £56.99 on fightstoremma.com, these shin-guards come in at a mid-ranged price for a quality product. There are thailand based brands for around the same price but there are also far higher priced products that offer less advantages for your money. (Twins shins are around £80)
Verdict: Revgear are on the rise as a quality brand for professionals. These guards offer a great go-between that no other products do, in that you can wear them for MMA and Muay Thai and not compromise on protection. Generally people seek MMA shin-guards that have a neoprene sleeve and thinner padding so that they don't slip and move when grappling, but the Gel Defenders hold firm anyway due to the gel padding that keeps them tight to your leg.
The thick gel insert down the front and foot-guards are a welcome addition, allowing you to absorb impact and throw kicks without fear of injuring your sparring partners. Well-made, designed especially for fighters and with a great new feature, these shin-guards are such an exciting addition to a relatively crowded market and deserve to be noticed. One criticism is that the straps are slightly less thick than standard Thai shins.
When considering other buying options, the Revgear Gel Defenders present a slight problem in defining them. Are they MMA or Muay Thai equipment? Realistically they do the job of both better than any other brand.
For Thai shins, other options include Sandee and Windy Shinguards. Both are similar brands from Thailand, offering a complete sense of re-assurance in that the quality will be great and they will be purpose built in the home of Muay Thai to take heavy punishment and protect you and your sparring partner's legs. Sandee are priced at £59.99 at fightstoremma.com and Windy at £61.74 so the Revgear shin-guards hover under this price.
For MMA shin-guards, the only similar product would be Hayabusa Tokoushu grappling shin-guards as they are the only MMA shins with a decent padding layer. However, they suffer from being too flimsy and way over the odds at £80.74
Final word: Put simply, these shin-guards are the most versatile I've seen. They do not lag behind the market-leaders in either MMA or Muay Thai and work great for both. Revgear have really achieved something with these innovative shin-guards. 10/10
Get them here: Revgear Defender Gel Shinguards
Hard-wearing, coupled with an exciting design that pushes the envelope. These offer more than any shin-guards I've seen.
Written by Craig Thomas Boyle