Diamond MMA Protective Athletic Groin Protector Cup Review
Brand
Diamond MMA was founded in 2009 as a fight gear apparel company, but after discussions with several fighters Craig Diamond and his team decided to develop the most protective groin guard possible for use in combat sports. Working with both amateur and professional fighters around the world they developed their compression jock and athletic cup system.
Visuals
As you might expect groin guards aren’t the most aesthetic thing in the world, but Diamonds cup does look pretty good. The outer rim of the cup is a ridged, blue, rubberised material, with a hardened, black plastic section in the front. The black section is topped with a silver diamond sticker, featuring a stylised ‘D’. The blue and black colour scheme looks great, giving the cup a sleek modern look.
Materials and Craftsmanship
Obviously when you buy a groin guard you’re looking for it to be as hard as possible in order to offer enough protection, and typically you’re given the choice between a Thai style steel cup (like the RDX cup we previously reviewed) or a rigid plastic one (similar to the Lobloo cups). Diamond have gone for the plastic option, actually using a solid but flexible polycarbonate, the same as the material used for bullet proof glass.
This polycarbonate core is surrounded by an elastomer support, designed to prevent injury to the groin muscles when the cup gets hit. This rubberised material extends around the edge of the cup as well as through the inside, making the cup easy to wipe down and clean.
The materials used in the cup have all been chosen for maximum protection and safety – who doesn’t want bullet proof polycarbonate protecting their Crown Jewels?
Comfort/use
Strictly speaking the comfort of the Diamond groin guard comes down to the compression shorts or jock straps that are used to support the guard, which we’re going to review separately but uses a series of straps to effectively minimise the vertical and lateral movement of the cup, ensuring it stays in position throughout a training session. The only drawback to the use of the compression shorts is the pocket that holds the cup; it can be pretty fiddly to get the cup positioned comfortably, but once it’s in place it stays in position perfectly through a session.
The cup itself is very comfortable thanks to the flexible materials used to make it. This means it can move and bend, preventing it from digging into your groin, and more importantly when you get hit (as I did when testing the cup out) the cup does a good job at preventing the cup from damaging your groin muscles by being hit into them.
The main drawback I’ve found using this cup system is the same as other cup systems that use separate shorts and cups, because you really need to buy several pairs of shorts so you have a fresh pair each time you need to use the groin guard. It’s a minor inconvenience, but means you either need to buy a few pairs of the compression shorts, or alternatively buy the jock strap system and wear it over your compression shorts.
Cost
The athletic cup itself retails at $29.95, and you can buy the shorts/jock straps separately or as a bundle. There are certainly cheaper groin guards available on the market, but the high grade materials and comfort of the Diamond Cup make it a sensible investment for anyone who’s training regularly and needs the extra protection.
Looking to buy these?
Diamond MMA Groin Cup
We like
- Very high quality materials
- Effectively protects groin muscles from impact injury
We don’t like
- Can be difficult to get position correct
- Can be costly if you chose to buy extra shorts
I have gone through four Diamond jock strap holders, and I have the same problem every time. Although I love the cup itself, the elastic straps of the jock do not fit tightly enough, even if I go down a size. They do not match the waist size at all, unless you have bodybuilder legs, I suppose. My legs are not that small, but the straps are always somewhat loose, even when new. Moreover, the quality of the elastic is poor, so they quickly lose their elasticity. I then have to resort to tying knots in them, which doesn’t work very well. I tried to use a jock strap holder from another company, but the Diamond cup would not fit. It’s a shame, since I really love the cup, but I will have to look for something new.