Ice skating is fun and venturesome. It is one of the greatest ways of spending your time outdoors during the winter period. However, the ice does not care; thus, ice skating comes along with the risk of encountering severe and traumatizing injuries. The wrist is one of the body parts that stands the highest risk; it is very easy to break your wrist while skating.
RELATED: Ice Skates 101: The Complete Guide To Help You Get Familiar with Ice Skates
Usually, skaters always try to suck up falls by using their hands. In fact, falls on the wrists constitute more than 30% of the injuries recorded at the hospitals that admit skaters. The good thing is that it is quite simple to prevent this unfortunate incidence; all that one needs to do is to put on wrist guards.
What are Wrist Guards and Why Do You Need Them?
Wrist guards are protective gear required by both seasoned and beginner skaters to protect them from breaking, spraining, or fracturing their wrists and hands in case of an injury while on skates. They have additional thickness and padding compared to ordinary gloves.
Of course, wrist guards will not entirely protect one from damage, but they reduce the chances significantly. For sure, wrist guards will cost lower than the medical bills that are associated with fractured wrists.
How Do Wrist Guards Work?
If you fall on your hands without a wrist guard on, you are susceptible to serious wrist injuries. Wrist guards will protect you from 95% of the potential injuries.
The cosy fit and locking structure prevents your hand from bending or twisting backwards; thus, preventing serious injuries that could result from these motions.
Wrist guards come with a pad at the bottom. This pad allows your hand to slide when it hits the ground. Injuries usually occur if your hand hits the ground and does not slide.
Furthermore, by putting your body’s weight on the wrist guards when you fall, you will be soaring the other body parts such as the knee from injuries.
Choosing the Right Wrist Guard
As you go out to shop for a pair of wrist guards, the following factors should guide your purchase plans:
- Material: You want a wrist guard that will last long; thus, check out for the material from which the wrist guard is made of. Because you will be exposed to very low temperatures skating on ice, you should select a wrist pair made of thick materials.
- Style: Wrist guards come in different styles which include full-finger wrist guard, fingerless guards, and half-finger wrist guards. Pick the style that is appealing to you, and you consider safe and comfortable.
- Flexibility and fit: A right wrist guard is one that has a comfortable feel and is flexible enough to allow free movement of the muscles in the region. A wrist guard with adjustment straps is ideal.
- Budget: You may want to invest in top-quality wrist guard even if they are costly. It is essential to buy wrist guards that saves money in the long run.
The best wrist guards provide a high level of protection in case of a fall. What are the best wrist guards in the market? This article discusses 11 of the best wrist guards available in the market.
- Dakine Wristguard (1 Pair)
- CTHOPER Impact Wrist Guard
- Soared Skating Impact Wrist Guards Protective Gear Gloves
- Simply Kids Wrist Guards Skateboarding Protective Gear
- Smith Safety Gear Scabs Wrist Guards
- LANOVAGEAR
- 187 Killer Pads Wrist Guards
- JBM Adult/Child Knee Pads Elbow Pads Wrist Guards 3 in 1 Protective Gear
- SKL Kids Protective Gear
- Smith Safety Gear Scabs Pro Wrist Stabilizer
- EvoShield EvoCharge Protective Wrist Guard
1. Dakine Wristguard (1 Pair)
The Dakine wrist guard is sleek, low profile, and is made for use under your gloves. You can find it on amazon for $19.95. Trust me, it is well worth the price. This protective gear is made with Dakine trademark comfort and quality. The interior of this wrist guard is made of lightweight, strong aluminium to guarantee enhanced protection. The wrist guard is available in varying sizes, from extra small to extra-large. To ensure that your wrist guard lasts longer, use it with gloves.
Features:
- Product dimensions: 11.02 x 3.94 x 5.91 inches; 4.48 Ounces
- Adjustable strap that easily wraps on the wrist
- Made of long-lasting Neoprene
- Comfortable to use
- Lightweight and offers maximum wrist and hand protection.
- Comes as a pair.
- Absorbs falls and stretches.
- Can be washed using hands
2. CTHOPER Impact Wrist Guard Fitted Wrist Brace Wrist Support for Snowboarding, Skating, Motocross, Street Racing, Mountain Biking, Weightlifting
The Cthoper wrist guard (Amazon Link) is a proper-designed and fashionable wrist guard. It protects your palm, wrist, and hands from injuries that you expose yourself to while skating on ice. The gear comes in 2 pieces which cover both left and right wrists. The Cthoper wrist guard can be worn inside gloves. The intelligently designed Velcro straps will help you adapt your wrist wraps for the finest fit. Perfect for kids, women, or men; youth or adults.
Features:
- Top-quality EVA form pad protects your hand from bruises or shock.
- Breathable nylon mesh provides a comfortable fit and permits the wrist to perform naturally.
- Super thick flint which enhanced protection at the base of your hand where more substantial impacts occur can minimize pain and injury very well.
- Adjustable and easy to wear; the straps provide free and flexible support while allowing free movement of fingers and thumb.
- Friendly rope design which makes it seamless putting on and taking off.
- Available for palm breadth sizes of 2.36-2.95″(S), 2.95-3.54″ (M), and 3.54-3.94″(L)
- Suitable for both women and men
3. Soared Skating Impact Wrist Guards Protective Gear Gloves
These wrist guards from Soared Store (Link to Amazon) are a bit flexible but hard enough to prevent wrist bending. They also protect the palm and the back of the hand from strain and injuries. The straps are comfortable and long.
Features:
- Package Dimensions: 8.43 x 5.39 x 2.76 inches; 5.4 Ounces
- The adjustable straps ensure that they are long-lasting.
- Breathable and moisture-wicking mesh
- Flexible ABS plastic bones shell with a hole support points design.
- Impact-absorbing splint
- Both sides have sturdy and stretchable lycra mesh fabric.
- Easy to wear and take off
4. Simply Kids Wrist Guards Skateboarding Protective Gear
You love your kids, and for this reason, you feel obliged to protect them from harm. However, you want them to do what makes them happy as they explore the universe. The best way to generate valuable memories with your kids is to engage them in outdoor activities.
This is what inspired ‘Simply Kids’ to make protective gears for kids. This link will take you to the specific product on Amazon for your enjoyment and information Simply Kids. When the fear of falling off is cleared, kids feel freer and more confident even to take risks – trying new skills and much more. As well, knowing that their kids are safe from sprains, fractures, and breaks gives parents some confidence in permitting their kids to participate in fun activities. Using the Simply Kids wrist guards, you are guaranteed magnificent moments with your kid.
Features:
- CPSIA compliant
- Comfortable to wear
- Easy to clean
- Top-quality and highly protective
- Appealing design
- Hard-wearing and cool
5. Smith Safety Gear Scabs Wrist Guards
The Smith Scabs are the ideal gear for your protection. If you click the highlighted link, it will take you to Amazon’s website so that you can check out the product yourself and see some reviews. These wrist guards can be used in any extreme sport that requires protection such as ice skating, skateboarding, roller derby inline skating, etc. Smith Scabs designed this gear to offer maximum flexibility and safety. These wrist guards are a good value for their low price.
Features:
- Product Dimensions: 10.39 x 7.8 x 1.42 inches; 8 Ounces
- The splint is very thick.
- Contoured and highly flexible
- Comes in a variety of colors
- Offers ultimate protection
- Comes with 3 adjustable Velcro straps.
6. LANOVAGEAR Knee Elbow Wrist Pads for Kids 3-8 Years Adjustable Toddler to Youth Protective Gear Set for Bike Skateboarding Scooter Riding Skating and More
This protective gear made by Lanovagear (Amazon Link) is dedicated to offering top levels of safety accompanied by comfort to your children during outdoor fun activities.
Features:
- Comes with adjustable straps for a secure and cosy fit.
- Sturdy and top-quality hook and loop straps to ensure they are always on and in place.
- Pads are built with thick, super breathable padding for comfort.
- Durable outer shells; made from tough plastic to offer maximum protection.
- Pads are flexible – this enhances range of motion.
7. 187 Killer Pads Wrist Guards
This product made by 187 Killer Pads is the ideal solution for protecting your wrist. Click the link here to go to Amazon.com for more details about this product. It is designed to encase the wrist hence protecting you from potential ice skating injuries.
Features:
- Industrial weight stitching and top-strength ballistic nylon make it durable.
- Contoured design to ensure perfect fit and comfort
- The splint is very thick, especially at the base of the hand, which is most susceptible to injuries.
- Angled design wraps the hand perfectly hence a perfect fit.
- The reinforced thumb hole and palm enhance longevity.
- The interior is padded well to boost comfort.
- Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 8.5 x 4 inches; 0.04 Ounces
8. JBM Adult/Child Knee Pads Elbow Pads Wrist Guards 3 in 1 Protective Gear
The JBM protective set is designed to alleviate sports-related injuries to boost the confidence of the users when sporting for fun or exploring their talents. The set is about $29 from Amazon. The production of this gear is guided by the company’s quote “more sports – less worry”, and they strive to support sporting activities at their level best.
Features:
- Built with long-lasting, soft EVA padded material accompanied by tough plastic.
- Multiple adjustable elastic straps fit for a variety of knee girths.
- Delightfully lightweight and do not make the player feel constrained.
- Stronger and tougher than a lot of other brands
- More sizeable and thicker straps to provide added protection
- The pads remain in their ideal places and do not come off even during extreme movements.
9. SKL Kids Protective Gear
The SKL Kids protective gear set provides all that your child requires to set off sporting with the necessary safety guaranteed. The gear is available from Amazon here. This set is most suitable for children between 3 to 8 years old and is one of the best kids gear available in the market.
Features:
- Has protective pads that keep your kid safe from sport-related injuries
- This gear is made from soft EVA padded material alongside sturdy plastic.
- The inner side features soft cushion pad
- Impact resistance is enhanced by durable material with a breathable liner to absorb external pressure
- The thumbhole has a specific design to suit the kids’ thumb
- Comes with adjustable straps
10. Smith Safety Gear Scabs Pro Wrist Stabilizer
This protective gear from Smith (Amazon Link) is the ideal gear for maximum protection and is among the latest products from the company, designed using the latest technology. They feature flexible and safe pads that can be relied upon over and over again. The best thing about Smith Safety Gear production company is that they provide gear that suits everyone’s needs and budget.
Features:
- The splint is permanent.
- Designed to provide slim form-fitting
- They offer additional support.
- No chances of slippage
- Made using new technology in the industry
- Package Dimensions: 9.9 x 4.6 x 2.4 inches; 8.8 Ounces
11. EvoShield EvoCharge Protective Wrist Guard
This protective gear from EvoShield available at Amazon makes use of Gel-To-Shell technology to offer protection from skating injuries. This product gives you a combination of flexibility, comfort, and maximum protection. The top-quality construction adjusts appropriately to the wrist. This gear features numerous colors and original patterns to add some style to your sporting activity.
Features:
- High-level technology: The Gel -to – Shell technology makes this gear a unique one that begins as soft and flexible but transforms to sturdy after some minutes.
- 100% Neoprene fabric construction to enhance comfort
- Provides the compression of tape and shield-like protection.
- The impact of fall is dispersed rather than absorbed.
- Comes with a custom molding shield that wraps perfectly to the body shape as well as a performance neoprene wrist sleeve
- The shield is hand-washable and air-dryable
- Product Dimensions: 1.25 x 11.5 x 8.5 inches; 2.4 Ounces
The Bottom Line
Choosing your wrist guards can be as daunting as choosing your pair of skate, but definitely, you will need a pair of wrist guards before you set out to skate. Keep in mind that your hands are your principal work tools, and they have more than 27 bones each, hence need to be protected; which is why you should not attempt neglecting them. While you set out to buy your new pair of skates, spare a few bucks for the purchase of a pair of wrist guards, they will offer the safety that is needed while enjoying the fun that ice skating brings.
Always remember, prevention is better than cure! Take some time to do some research, and you will get a proper wrist guard that will ensure your safety. As well, go through the list of best wrist guards and the buying guide provided in this article for guidance as you make your purchasing plans and decisions.
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