Learning any physical activity brings with it the danger of getting injuries. Similar is the case with skateboarding. Despite being a good leisure activity and an organic commute option, skateboarders are prone to get injuries, especially beginners. The area most prone to getting bruised is the elbows. To protect your elbows, you need to wear skateboarding elbow pads.
Whether you are a pro, a beginner, or a daily commuter, safety while skateboarding comes first. When one falls, the elbow is the first part that gets scraped against the ground. Therefore, elbow pads for skateboarding are a must.
To help you choose the best elbow pads and ensure safety, we have brought you a very comprehensive buying guide along with a list of the best skateboarding elbow pads available. To further answer your queries, a section of faq’s is also included. Read through the end.
Our Recommendations:
BOSONER Elbow Pads
When choosing an elbow gear for your kid, you will want one that covers their complete arms and not just the elbows. The best one in this regard is BOSONER Elbow Pads. These are made of good fabric and are custom-made for kids. These also come with wrist sleeves that will fully protect your child’s arms.
Triple 8 EP 55 Elbow Pads
After a lot of research and trying various elbow gears, our top pick is Triple 8 EP 55 Elbow Pads. Apart from having a flat plate instead of cups, these are made up of breathable and durable fabric. Therefore, these are not only comfortable but also available in various sizes. Furthermore, these allow size adjustment by the straps.
Top 9 Best Skateboard Elbow Pads Review
Elbow pads are available in various sizes and materials. Every brand presents its product as the best one. However, it is not until you use one that you find one of the best elbow pads for skateboarding.
Therefore, to prevent you from wasting your money and energy on the wrong elbow gear, we have brought you a review of the best skateboard elbow pads. This will help you choose the best one as per your need and budget.
01 Triple 8 EP 55 Elbow Pads – Best Flat Cap Elbow Pads
Our top pick in the list of best skateboard elbow pads is Triple 8 EP 55 elbow pads. These have several good features making them a perfect choice. Let’s see what this offer.
As for the material or fabric of the pads, these are manufactured using nylon, PP plastic, polyester, and elastic in the perfect ratio of 50%, 10%, 30%, and 10% respectively. The use of these fibers not only provides good protection but is also breathable. This means that even after having the pad on for several hours, there will be very little or no perspiration keeping your elbow free of germs and bacteria.
Foam is a good padding material since it is highly resistant to pressure and abrasion. To provide the skateboarder with ultimate elbow protection, this elbow gear comes with EVA memory foam padding. To further enhance the protection, it is shaped in the form of a cup. This means that the elbow foam will cover your elbows completely in the form of a cup making bending easy and resistant-free. Furthermore, this will also protect your elbow from bruises or dislocation in a fall.
Also Check Out Our Article: Best Skateboard Brands
Elbow caps are required to specifically protect your elbow joint. This Triple 8 elbow pad has high-density, impact-resistant caps that are attached with reinforced rivets. The caps are usually in the form of a cup which makes bending the elbow difficult. To prevent this problem, Triple 8 comes with flat caps. These flat-shaped caps ensure durability and stability.
Moreover, it comes with a Lycra sleeve which makes it suitable for all weather conditions. The Lycra sleeve ensures breathability by allowing the sweat to evaporate through its pores. This will keep your elbow cool and free of sweat. To test this, I wore it in the sweltering heat, and even after 2 hours of continuous skating, my elbows were not even damp and I felt quite comfortable.
A good strap is neither very tight nor very loose but fits perfectly well. To make sure that you can adjust the elbow pad as per your size, this one comes with adjustable straps. It has webbed adjustable elastic pads at the top and bottom. Being elastic, they are easy to maneuver and fit.
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02 G-Form Pro-X Elbow Pad – Washable Elbow Pads
When I first bought these elbow pads, it seemed like they would take a lot of force to fit. But guess what? They slid right onto my arm fitting perfectly. This is due to the smart flex technology that makes it fit perfectly well on your arms and does not add any additional weight.
To protect your elbow from bruises, it comes with SmartFlex pads. These shape themselves as per your elbow’s movement making it easy to twist and turn. Thus, they do not hinder movement but instead assist it. Moreover, the SmartFlex pads harden on impact. This means that they absorb 90% of the shock you receive from hitting your elbow on the ground and as a result protect you from any injury. This is due to their Reactive Protection Technology.
It’s made of UPF 50+ compression fabric that offers a dual advantage. Apart from being good at absorbing moisture and keeping the wearer’s elbow free of sweat, it also ensures good blood circulation and reduces muscular fatigue. This makes it both ergonomic and breathable.
Elbow gear is deemed to get dirty over time and you cannot wash it in a sophisticated manner every time. Therefore, these G Form Pro X elbow pads are easily washable. They do not need dry cleaning, instead, you can just toss them into the washing machine and they will be good as new.
To cater to the needs of users of all ages, it comes in 11 sizes. These range from youth small to XXL. Therefore, you can easily find the size that best fits you.
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03 JBM Adult/Child Elbow Pads – Plastic Plates
The JBM Elbow is made of high-quality polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, plastic, and ethylene-vinyl acetate. All these materials provide sturdiness along with acting as a sealed protectant for your elbows. As a result, it keeps the elbows cool and does not let them get sweaty even if they are worn for long.
To cushion your elbows, these come with EVA padded plastic plates. Although it seems that plastic plates would restrict the movement of the elbow, I found them quite easily maneuverable. These do not restrict one’s movement at any rate. Therefore, you can easily perform every skateboarding trick without the fear of your elbows getting bruised.
If you are a beginner read this article: 10 Best Skateboards For Beginners
However, a downside of these elbow pads is that they come in only one size. Therefore, it is often hard to find one’s fit. To solve this problem, the manufacturers have added Velcro straps. This way, everyone can adjust the elbow gear as per their size, but in some cases, it still does not fit.
It is hard to find any elbow pads that come with a warranty. These JBM elbow pads come with a one-year warranty which is icing on the cake.
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04 Bodyprox Elbow Protection Pads – Good Padding
The Body prox Elbow pads are known for their highly padded nature. This makes them suitable for both beginners and professionals.
EVA foam is the best in the market for providing protection. These elbow guards are padded with EVA foam that absorbs all types of shock. Regardless of how hard the elbow hits the ground, these will save you from bruises, cuts, and possibly an elbow fracture. Despite being padded, these are breathable and keep your elbow free from sweat and keep them cool. Therefore, even if you already have bruised elbows, wearing these elbow pads will not ruin them any further owing to its moisture management technology.
Its sleeves are made of a blend of rubber and polyester. These are knitted together in such a way that the body heat exudes instead of making you sweaty. The sleeves are made of compression fabric. Compression fabric has the advantage of being flexible and providing a good fit. The compression sleeves also allow good blood circulation and keep your muscles warm, therefore, even in extreme cold, these will ease muscle movement.
When I bought these, I thought the size would not fit. To my surprise, these can expand up to 60% of their original diameter and still give a perfect fit. You can find these in small ( 7.5 inches – 10 inches or 20 cm – 25 cm), medium ( 10 inches – 12 inches or 25 cm – 30 cm), and large sizes (12 inches – 14 inches or 30 cm – 36 cm) and see what fits you best.
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05 Triple 8 Covert Elbow Pads – Design Elbow Pads
These Triple 8 Covert Elbow pads protect in style. I found them very easy to put on along with the ability to control the amount of padding I needed.
The EVA padding has flexible and non-restrictive construction. This means that the movement of your arms will not be restricted. The foam padding shapes itself in the form of your elbow’s curves and curvatures making your movements easy and hassle-free.
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Furthermore, you can choose the amount of padding you need. If you are just going for leisure skateboarding, you can go with very low elbow padding. However, you can increase the padding when you are up for performing skating tricks or going to skate on rough terrain.
Another excellent feature of these elbow pads is that they can be worn over clothes too. You do not need to wear a sleeveless shirt to have this elbow gear on. You can be wearing full-sleeved shirts and these will still fit perfectly well. They are pretty easy to put on and take off and keep your arms sweat-free.
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06 Pro-Tec Elbow Pad Set – Lightweight Elbow Pads
When it comes to wearing an elbow pad in cold weather, you will want one that not only provides warmth but also does not stiffens the muscles.
The Pro-Tec Elbow pads are made of highly durable material. It includes a mixture of neoprene, EVA, lycra, and nylon. Besides being waterproof and chemical resistant, these materials provide perfect flexibility and fit. They not only keep you warm in cold weather but also act as good insulators. Also, being elastic does not restrict your movement or make your muscles taut. The use of nylon and lycra in its interior makes it a tear-free fabric and provides good stretch.
For the padding, Pro-tec uses EVA foam along with ABS cups. The ABS cups not only mold perfectly over the elbow but make bending easier. It will not resist elbow joint movement in any way. Therefore, even if there is a hard slam, the foam cups and neoprene will absorb all the shock and protect you from deep bruises or possible dislocation of the joint. I thought the padding would make it all heavy and difficult to wear, but it was not the case. I found these quite lightweight and durable despite good padding.
To make sure that it fits perfectly well, these elbow pads come with adjustable top and bottom straps. These straps will help you tighten or loosen the sleeve as per your requirement. To make these straps durable, they come with a loop and a hook. Therefore, you do not have to worry about straps wearing out with time.
Lastly, what is better than a protective gear that has passed all the health, safety, and environmental tests? These elbow protectants are CE-certified for riders up to 110 lbs.
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07 Smith Safety Gear Elite Elbow Pads – Patterned Elbow Gear
Most of the elbow gears you come around are in plain, solid colors; but at times one needs a bit of stylish gear that provides protection too. This is where you should choose Smith elbow pads.
It has foam padded cups but contours the elbow perfectly well and allows flexible movement. The use of foam as a padding material ensures minimal or no bruises if the elbow hits the ground. To make sure that your elbow fits right into the gear, it has cup-shaped pads. These fully cover the elbow leaving no area exposed to the environment.
Despite covering the elbow completely, it does not allow sweat buildup. This means that you can wear it for long hours and still your elbow will be cool and free of sweat. It allows sweat to perspire with time and prevents any germ growth on your elbow.
Check Our Guide: Best Skateboard Knee Pad
When I bought these, I thought they would be hard to wash owing to their patterned design. However, these proved me wrong. I just tossed them in the washing machine with other clothes and they were good as new. The fabric is quite durable and not brittle. You would think that it would wither away with time or that washing will make them brittle. But guess what? These are a set of really long-lasting elbow pads and are a good investment.
To ensure a perfect fit, these come with Velcro butterfly straps which can be used for perfect adjustment of the gear.
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08 BOSONER Elbow Pads – Kid Elbow Pads
The Bosoner elbow pads are perfect for kids. They also only come in sizes for ages up to 17 years. Therefore, if you are looking for good elbow gear for your kid, Bosoner is the right choice.
These elbow protectants have EVA memory foam pads. These are cup-shaped for a snug fit. The EVA foam keeps perspiration to a minimum and allows good ventilation. Therefore, they prevent sweat buildup even if worn in hot weather for several hours. It does this by allowing ventilated airflow through the gear.
They use a compression fabric for a good fit. The use of compression fabric ensures good blood circulation along with providing a perfect fit. It also comes with sleeves to cover the arm completely and not just the elbows. This way, the wrists are also saved from any injuries. Due to the PVC material used in its construction, these offer excellent protection while being lightweight and durable.
Velcro straps are another good feature of Bosoner elbow gear. The straps are flexible and adjustable and can be used to fit your elbow pads as per your likening.
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09 187 Pads Elbow Pad – Articulated Design Elbow Pads
Last but not least on our list of best skateboard elbow pads is the 187 pads. These are known for their seamless design and perfect fit. Let us see what they have to offer.
When it comes to choosing the best material for elbow pad construction, ballistic nylon is the first choice. This is because besides being durable it is also breathable fabric. These elbow pads are made of ballistic nylon. They are lightweight, long-lasting, and prevent sweat buildup by allowing a ventilated flow of air.
The padding of the elbow gear is crucial to providing good protection against any injury. It should be highly padded but should not be uncomfortable for the wearer. Therefore, these elbow pads are well padded providing perfect buffering in case of any impact. Despite being padded well, these do not make it uneasy to wear.
It is designed as such to enhance motion. At the first look, it seems like they will hinder the easy movement of the arm. However, that is not the case. I did not find this movement restrictive at all. Instead, they made it quite easy to twist and turn the elbow. The elbow caps cover the elbow completely and also protect part of your wrist too.
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Best Skateboard Elbow Pads Buying Guide
When buying a skateboard, many of us forget to buy safety gear. However, purchasing safety gear should be your top priority. No one wants their elbows badly bruised with some contusions leaving a mark for a lifetime. The best and the easiest way to avoid this is by using elbow pads for skateboarding.
Whether you go online or to a sports shop, a lot of elbow gears are available, and choosing the right one can be hard at times. But worry not, we got you. To help you choose the right elbow pads, we have brought you this buying guide.
Check out our article: Pros and Cons of Skateboarding Without a Helmet
Here we have listed the important features that you should check to ensure that you got the best skateboard elbow pads.
01 Material / Fabric
The material or fabric of the elbow cushion is the first thing that you should consider. It should be suitable for every weather along with being durable and washable. There are several materials used for elbow pads. The most commonly used are mentioned below.
Ballistic Nylon
Ballistic nylon is considered the best material for the construction of elbow pads. Besides being soft, it is highly durable and provides good protection against several types of bruises. Being a good shock absorber, the ballistic nylon pad will protect your elbow joint from dislocating in case of a hard fall.
Polyester
Polyester is one of the most common fabrics used for making several types of protective gear. Besides providing good strength and protection, it also does not restrict the elbow’s bending movement. Its durability is ensured by the fact that it is resistant to wrinkling and shrinking.
Foam
Foam is the most common material used for padding due to its shock-absorbing ability. The foam elbow pads mold them as per the elbow’s movement and therefore fit perfectly.
Chiffon
Chiffon might sound like a flimsy elbow pad material but it is very commonly used in padding and elbow sleeves. Being a breathable material, the chiffon padding keeps the elbow pads dry and cool. Furthermore, these are also lightweight and ergonomic.
Rubber
Rubber is a very stretchy material making it good for padding. Besides being durable, it is also pretty affordable.
02 Weight
You do not want an elbow pad that will hinder your skateboarding. Good protective gear should be ergonomic and aid your movements instead of making them difficult. Therefore, choose the one which is lightweight but durable.
03 Size
Elbow pads are not like one size fits all. You should buy the one that fits your size. Buying a very big one will keep slipping off and a small one will be very tight and will hamper your elbow movements. Therefore, use a size chart, or better try it on before buying.
Another important factor is the straps. It is advisable to buy one with adjustable straps so you can fit it as required. The buckle strap ones are better than the ones with sticking. This is because the sticking lessens with time but a buckle is everlasting. Below is a list of the elbow pad sizes.
04 Quality
No one wants an elbow cushion that would rip apart if slid across the surface. Therefore, when choosing protective gear, you should never compromise on quality. If you are purchasing online, go for the trusted brands. Furthermore, read customer reviews and ratings to get a user experience. Investing in the best skateboard elbow pads will go a long way though expensive.
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05 Padding
Padding is the main part that will protect you against injuries and bruises. Good padding should be both flexible and ergonomic. Along with being breathable, it should not hinder your elbow movements.
Some elbow pads come with plastic cups. Although these are good protectants they restrict one’s elbow movement to great extent.
The foam elbow padding is highly recommended. Apart from being a good shock absorber, the foam will also prevent high perspiration even if worn for a long time.
06 Price
Budget is a crucial factor when it comes to purchasing the best skateboard elbow pads. Investing in an expensive elbow cushion is a good decision especially if it is durable and fits well.
Furthermore, if you are a routine skateboarder, it is better to buy good elbow pads so that you do not have to change them now and then.
Generally, the elbow pads cost between $30 and $75. The cost varies with the brand and the type of elbow gear purchased.
Conclusion
Whether you are a pro skateboarder or a beginner, safety should be your priority. Elbows are the first part that gets fractionated against the ground if you fall, therefore, these should be protected. Wearing elbow gears is the best way to do so.
Elbow protectants come in all sizes. You should choose one that has a durable and breathable fabric. This way, you can wear your elbow gear for a long time without your elbows getting sweaty. Choosing the compression fabric is also a good idea, especially during the winters. It will keep your blood flow regular, keep you warm and prevent your muscles from getting taut.
Therefore, choose the elbow gear that you are most comfortable wearing. Because in the end, it is all about comfort.
FAQ’s
1. What is the best material for padding?
The elbow padding should be such that it can take any type of impact and should also be breathable. The EVA foam padding perfectly fits this criterion. It absorbs 90% of the impact and prevents your elbow from bruises and dislocation. Furthermore, it does not allow sweat buildup by allowing it to evaporate.
2. What is the importance of compression fabric?
As the name suggests, compression fabric keeps your elbow compressed. This way it prevents your muscles from getting taut and keeps them warm, especially in a cold climate. Moreover, it also prevents your elbow from swelling after an impact. However, you should not confuse it being a compression fabric with not being breathable.
3. Which is better, a thick or a slim elbow pad?
The function of the elbow pad is to provide good protection. If the slim elbow pad has good padding, it is a good choice. However, if you are a beginner, we would recommend thick padded elbow pads. On the other hand, if you are a professional skater and just want to casually skate, a slim elbow pad will also do the work.
4. Do washable elbow pads shrink on washing?
Washable elbow pads are a very good choice especially if you skate regularly. You should choose one that can be washed in the washing machine and does not need any special conditions for a wash. The best washable elbow protectants are G-Form Pro-X Elbow Pad. These will neither shrink on wash nor do they need any special washing conditions.
5. Will cup-shaped padding restrict movement?
The cup-shaped padding does not restrict movement at all. It covers your elbow fully and allows easy movement. These are usually internally padded with foam which does not restrict movement in any way. Therefore, it is very sensible to invest in cup-shaped elbow gears.
