10 Best Wrestling Knee Pads in 2023 – Also for MMA & BJJ

When you’re looking for wrestling knee pads, it’s important to understand what they actually do- brace your knee and protect it from bumps. A knee pad can negatively affect your speed and movement if you don’t get the size and materials right. Besides, there are different types of knee pads depending on the type of wrestling practice you’ll be doing.

Today, I shall take a look at the best wrestling knee pads. A hard shell pad is worse for mobility but better for protection. Gel pads are a nice middle ground between hard pads and knee sleeves that only provide abrasion resistance as your skin slides against the mat.

KO Sports Gear Neoprene Knee Pad

• Size: S, L, XL, 3XL
• Color: Black and grey
• Material: Neoprene, synthetic rubber
• Features: Pull-on, abrasion resistant
• Strengths: Smooth surface, strong stitching

The edges are smoothed out to not cause any skin irritation, and the stitching is flush with the surface to ensure the same. There is a nice ventilation gap in the rear of the knee sleeve, with a synthetic rubber lining on the foam pad up front that absorbs all the shock. I highly recommend this knee pad if you want something affordable yet durable enough to protect your knee while sparring.

Cliff Keen Impact Knee Pad

• Size: One-size
• Color: Scarlet, black, navy blue
• Material: Neoprene
• Features: Compression-molded foam in bubble structure
• Strengths: Exceptional impact protection, breathable

The closed-cell foam bubbles on the front of this pad stand out immediately to the eye and provide exceptionally good protection from sudden impacts. Any time you drop hard on your knees, this thick layer of foam padding will dull the effect, so you can keep going at it for as long as you want. The sleeve underneath this pad is made from breathable fabric that wicks up sweat and tosses it into the air.

ASICS Unisex Wrestling Sleeve

• Size: XS/ S, M/ L
• Color: Black
• Material: Neoprene
• Features: PU foam padding
• Strengths: Comfortable, forms a perfect fit, and doesn’t slide around

Compared to many other wrestling knee pads in this price range, the ASICS Unisex feels much more comfortable to wear. It uses a blend of different fabrics, with an elastic panel in the rear and a more durable type of fabric in the front. Combined with the PU foam padding, this creates the perfect balance of mobility and protection.

JMOKA Wrestling Knee Pad

• Size: S, M, L
• Color: Black
• Material: Polyester
• Features: Thickened foam pad, moisture-wicking fabric
• Strengths: Multi-purpose pad, lightweight with adequate cushioning

Many cheap wrestling knee pads are just regular sleeves with foam padding on the front, which is good for impact protection but doesn’t do anything else. However, a good knee pad like this JMOKA also compresses your knee joint to prevent it from sliding around under a sideways load. In the long term, this will prevent serious injuries and increase your longevity as a wrestler.

McDavid Hex Knee Pad

• Size: S, M, L, XL, XXL
• Color: White, black, navy, scarlet, pink, royal blue
• Material: Neoprene
• Features: Hexagonal foam cells, moisture management technology
• Strengths: Compression keeps knee ligaments and bones in place under stress

While not a dedicated wrestling knee pad, this compression sleeve does everything you want from one. It has closed-cell foam padding on the front- not a very thick layer, but substantial enough to protect your bones and ligaments from serious injury. And because this is a compression sleeve, it provides structural support to your knee joint and impact protection.

Cliff Keen 2.0 Wraptor Knee Pad

• Size: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
• Color: Black
• Material: Polyester
• Features: Double stitched seams, foam padding
• Strengths: Very durable, good joint compression

It’s not as flexible as the other pads on my list, nor does it compress your knee joint well. However, the Cliff Keen has a low profile, good impact protection, and anti-abrasive properties. This makes it a nice fit for both wrestling and jiu-jitsu, where your knee constantly grins against the mat.

Scraplife Wrestling KP0302 Knee Pad

• Size: S/ M, L/ XL
• Color: White
• Material: Polyester
• Features: Breathable fabric
• Strengths: Very flexible, moisture-wicking

You get the comfort and flexibility of a knee sleeve with the protection of a knee pad. The only downside is that it isn’t suitable for any grappling art other than wrestling due to the massive foam bulge up front. It can get caught up while rolling in BJJ, so I only suggest it for those who practice wrestling.

McDavid Wrestling Knee Pad

• Size: S, M, L, XL
• Color: Black
• Material: Neoprene
• Features: Latex-free microcell structure, viscoelastic gel padding
• Strengths: Comfortable, excellent flexibility, consistent impact absorption

This McDavid knee pad is slim, sleek-looking, and flexible. It has ventilation panels on the bottom sides, made from a different type of fabric than the main sleeve. The padding is made out of a special viscoelastic gel, which provides the same level of protection as a large chunk of PU foam while taking up significantly less volume.

Bodyprox Knee Pad

• Size: S/ M, L
• Color: Black
• Material: Poly-spandex
• Features: Foam padding, breathable sleeves
• Strengths: Easy to slip on, silicone lining ensures a secure fit

Not only does the Bodyprox pad protect your knee from frontal impacts, but it also has foam cells on the sides for complete 360° coverage. The sleeve is made from a spandex-polyester mix, so it’s very comfy and breathable. Of all the pads on my list, this one is the best value for money and has no significant downsides.

Adidas Men’s Wrestling Knee Pad

• Size: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, 2XL Wide
• Color: White/ flag, black/ grey, pink/ black
• Material: Neoprene
• Features: EVA foam padding
• Strengths: Very durable and flexible, good keen joint compression

Adidas uses a hexagonal layout for the foam blocks on their pad, similar to Bodyprox, ensuring all-around coverage for your knee joint. However, the sleeve is made from a very different material- it’s tougher, less flexible, and much more durable. And since it’s all-white, you might want to wash it occasionally unless you want your knee pad to look like a modern art showpiece.

Conclusion

No matter which pad you buy, make sure it suits your needs and is built well. Brands always come and go, so don’t focus on a particular name. Instead, buy based on your budget and customer reviews.

The primary goal of a knee pad is to prevent your knee joint from moving around too much as you spar or do training exercises. It protects you from mat burns and is especially useful if you’ve already been injured in the knee. Don’t get a generic football knee pad; you need a single-piece pad designed specifically for wrestling.

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Last update on 2024-10-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API