Pads have one job — protect your shins and knees from a cricket ball at speed — but the way they do it has changed a lot, and the wrong choice either leaves you exposed or too weighed down to run twos.
Traditional vs lightweight construction
Older-style pads use dense cane or coir rolls for protection, which is durable and cheap but heavier. Modern lightweight pads use high-density foam in a moulded shell, cutting weight significantly while still meeting real impact protection — the trade-off is a slightly higher price. For anyone playing regularly, the lighter pad almost always wins over a long innings.
Getting the length right
A pad that’s correctly sized should cover from just below the kneecap to just above the top of your boot, with the knee roll sitting exactly over your kneecap when you’re in your batting stance — not above or below it. Too long restricts running between wickets; too short leaves your lower shin exposed to yorkers.
Buckles vs Velcro straps
Traditional buckle straps hold their tension for years and rarely fail, but take longer to put on. Velcro straps are faster to fasten and adjust mid-innings but can wear out and lose grip after heavy use, especially in wet conditions. Many pads now combine both — buckles at the top for security, Velcro lower down for a quick, adjustable fit.
Don’t forget the thigh
Batting pads protect the shin and knee — they do nothing for a fast, rising ball to the thigh. A separate thigh pad, worn under your trousers on the front leg, is standard even at club level once bowling speeds pick up.
Shop protection: Batting Pads · Thigh Pads