Joya Fight Fast Shin Guards Review
Brand
Joya is a martial arts brand based in the Netherlands. Founded in 2000 they have strived to build an excellent reputation worldwide. Joya have several sponsored athletes and offer a range of equipment including gloves, shorts, pads and gi’s.
About the shin guards
These shin guards are the matching set for the Fight Fast gloves that we’ve previously reviewed, and can be found on the Joya website in both faded black and brown with white piping. These shins are a kickboxing style, as opposed to the grappling style which sit tighter against your leg and are designed to be worn during MMA sparring.
Visuals
As we’ve said in our review for the matching gloves, Joya have gone for a simple design for these shin guards. The same ‘Joya Fight Gear’ logo that’s on the back of the gloves is embossed on the top of the shin guard, just below the knee, and the top of the foot has a genuine handmade stamp embossed. This simplistic design, coupled with the black on black of the Faded Black colour scheme, makes these shin guards look understated, but still looks great.
Below you can find our Fight Gear Focus video giving you a close-up, visual look at these shin guards. Make sure you check out the rest of the video series and Subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don’t miss any of our future videos.
Materials/Craftsmanship
Joya decided to make shin guards from leather, which should ensure their durability, along with a neoprene type material for the inner lining, helping to keep them fresh and comfortable throughout a long training session. They also hand make these shins, which has meant the Craftsmanship is high level – the embossed logos are evenly placed, the stitching is neat and reinforced in the stress points, like around the hinge of the ankle and the straps.
Comfort/use
The Fight Fast shins are overall a good set of shin guards to use for your training. They’re kickboxing style shins, and offer a good amount of protection during sparring. They also feature two Velcro calf straps and two elasticated straps, making sure they stay in position well through a session. However, I did find these shin guards pretty stiff, especially when you first wear them. They do improve with a few sessions breaking in, but the padding is still fairly ridgid. The main issue I’ve found with these shin guards is the ankle joint – the way it’s been hinged means that it can dig into the front of your ankle, which can be uncomfortable. It does improve once the shins are broken in, but it’s certainly a drawback.
Cost
With a regular retail price of £65 I think the Joya shin guards are reasonable value for money; they’re durable, well fitting shin guards that are well made. However, the ankle joint is an issue, and something worth considering before purchasing.
Looking to buy these?
Pros/Cons
+ Good protection
+ Great aesthetics
+ Fit well
– Can be a bit ridgid, even with breaking in
– Ankle joint can be uncomfortable
