Finding a quality shinguard is much tougher than you would think. Many models now opt for good looks rather than performance, as players (bafflingly to me) seem to prefer the smaller guards that don’t look clunky. Not sure about you, but when I go and look for a new guard, I’m thinking I’d like my leg to not break. I’ll wear a clunky looking shin guard any day so I can prevent a 6-month sidelining and thousands of dollars in medical costs. At any rate, Nike has still realized there is a market for players, such as myself, with this practical mentality. Enter the new Nike T90 Protegga, one of the best value soccer shin guards on the market today.
The T90 Protegga guard is about as classic a look and design as you can find. The Nike product is designed with a ventilated shell and foam that extends the length of your lower leg. The result is an immensely comfortable and breathable experience that prevents you from feeling like you’re walking through the Sahara. The curvature of the guard fits well with most leg sizes (including mine during testing) both in a vertical sense and horizontal sense. If you have an awkwardly shaped leg, this guard may present a problem for you, but for 98% of people, the fit should feel great. A terrific functional feature built into the guard is a detachable ankle piece, a big plus if you’re not into the feel of an ankle guard. Even if you’re not into that feel, you should certainly try it out; the detachable piece is designed for seamless integration with most boots out there with the shape. A final functional feature of the guard is the micro and macro adjustments that can be made so you can find tune the fit to your leg’s custom dimensions.
At $20, the T90 Protegga Shinguard is a terrific value. It’ s a high quality full coverage guard with great functional features and none of the unnecessary flash and style seen in other modern guards. Plus, it’s NOCSAE-approved, so you won’t have to worry about it’s quality design. A great value buy for the classic player.
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