Not only are basketball knee pads for youth a sensible prevention plan for severe knee injury, they’re also a piece of apparel that every serious basketball player should consider.
Although basketball isn’t a full contact sport, playing it usually involves taking your fair share of bumps and bruises.
During a high speed match, players play very close to each other in an attempt to block a ball or make it down the court to their own net.
With so much speed work, tight turns, and close contact, falls are an inevitable part of the game.
Basketball courts are relatively unforgiving surfaces, especially compared to the soft turf of a soccer or football field. If your knees slam into them at high speed, an injury is inevitable.
Your knees are an essential part of your basketball game, and if you hurt them badly, it could put an end to your playing.
What are basketball knee pads?
Basketball knee pads are pads designed to save your knees from damage should you take a serious fall.
Although knee pads are primarily designed to avoid injury, they can also be used to protect knees that have already been injured from incurring more damage.
Typically speaking a basketball knee pad is divided into two parts. A foam guard that absorbs shock, and a sleeve that holds the knee in place.
This sleeve usually fits very snuggly, and is sometimes used therapeutically to provide compression to an injury.
A great pair of knee pads should protect your knees and provide them with the healing and comfort you need to stay safe while playing.
Let’s take a look at some of the best knee pads on the market, and what makes them so great.
Top 10 Recommended Knee Pads
1. Ecourban Knee Pads
One of the all around best knee pads available is the Ecourban knee pads.
The compression sleeves run from lower thigh to your ankle, stabilizing your knee and limiting vibration to it so your knee receives as little stress as possible from playing.
With knee pads so long, moisture is naturally a big concern.
You don’t want to wear long compression sleeves if they’ll only make you feel hot and uncomfortable later down the road.
Luckily, the Ecourban knee pads feature an advanced moisture removal system, as well as an antimicrobial layer that will keep the pads from smelling.
The knee pads also feature an anti-slip strip to help keep the knee pads positioned over the knee, and the light weight fabric is both breathable and comfortable.
You will feel as if you’ve put on a second skin when you slip into these.
Last but not least, these knee pads are SPF 50, no need to put sun screen on underneath them, and can be washed on the delicates cycle in your washing machine.
These pads are our top favorite picks, and to sweeten the deal they are sold in pairs, so you’ll be able to get protection for both knees with just one purchase.
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2. McDavid 6446 Leg Sleeve
This compression sleeve is ideal for those recovering from injury, or who need it for therapeutic purposes.
The sleeve is much shorter than the Ecourban knee pad, covering the knee and a few inches above and below it.
This super light weight knee pad is designed for all day use.
The compression fit stabilizes the knee joint and helps relieve pain associated with injury or rough workouts.
The ergonomic sleeve was designed specifically to conform to the knee, giving you a perfect fit that never slips.
The flexible light weight material moves with your knee, giving you full range of motion despite the sleeve.
This leg sleeve is a favorite for basketball players, but some customers mention that the knee padding can develop holes after a few rough bouts on the court.
Luckily, they also report incredible customer service from the company, so that if they do wear out prematurely, you can count on great customer service to make it work.
Sizing is very important in order for this leg sleeve to work, so follow the instructions on sizing carefully when purchasing this.
The leg sleeve is sold in a pair, and comes in 3 different colors. You can get them in black, orange, or red.
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3. Keepafit Basketball Knee Pads
Great knee pads necessarily need extra protection around the knee joint to keep your knee safe, but without a quality design to go with it the pads can end up too bulky.
The Keepafit Basketball pad is designed to cradle and pad your knee joint, while still giving you the full movement you need to be successful.
The long length of this product helps protect much of your leg from scratches and other abrasions, while the compression style sleeve helps limit vibrations from your movements.
With such a long length, protection from moisture is also a big concern.
The Keepafit basketball knee pad features a moisture removal system that keeps ytour skin dry even as you sweat and move.
The knee pad itself is a series of padded bubbles around the knee joint, giving you extra shock protection at the knee, while maximizing protection.
If you like all your sports gear to match, you’ll be even happier with these knee pads.
They come in several different colors including blue, red, black, navy, white, pink and a patterned grayish color called mgrid.
All together this is a great set of knee pads, and since it is sold in pairs you won’t be caught by surprise with just one pad and two knees.
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4. Bucwild Sports Knee Pads
If you need full protection for your knees, Bucwild sports knee pads is designed to take hits from every possible angle without causing your knees damage.
These pads have many of the same features that we appreciate in quality knee pads—sweat wicking technology that keeps moisture from ruining your game, and offer compression to help stabilize your joints and keep them from harm.
Bucwild takes it a step farther by bolstering their knee pad so that you get full protection at every angle.
These pads have been battle tested in every sport including basketball, and have been designed to stand up to abuse time after time.
These basketball knee pads for youth are unique for one other feature, they can actually increase blood flow to the knee.
That means not only will it prevent injury and protect wounded joints, it may actually help you heal faster and improve your performance.
If that’s not enough incentive to grab a pair of these knee pads, they also come in a variety of colors and patterns.
No matter what uniform you wear, you’ll be able to match them to one of the flashy colors available for these pads.
These pads do need to be sized correctly, so follow the instructions to make sure you get the right pads.
If you do make a mistake and get the wrong size, the company has a no-hassle policy for getting you in the right pair.
These are great all around pads, and perfect for the toughest basketball player.
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5. COOLOMG Antislip Basketball Knee Protector
With all these full length compression knee protectors, sometimes it can feel hopeless finding a knee protector if all you want to do is protect your knee.
The COOLOMG Antislip Basketball Knee Protector could be your answer to a minimalistic style.
The short knee protectors are easy to take off and put on, making them the perfect knee protectors for impatient kids or those who simply don’t want to spend half their life noodling into a pair of compression knee protectors.
Although these knee protectors are short, they fully cover the entire knee area, and the full focus of the design is on protecting the knee.
No-slip grip strips keep the knee pad from sliding out of place, and the extensive range of colors will keep even the pickiest player happy.
One small drawback to these knee protectors is that they only come with one.
This is great if you are just looking to protect one sensitive knee, but if you want both of your knees protected as most players do, you’ll have to purchase them individually.
Although it may seem like these are more expensive, the pricing takes the fact that there is only one into account.
When you compare the price of purchasing two of these to a pair of one of the others, it’s quite comparable.
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6. Reachs Honeycomb Knee Pads
If comfort is your main focus for your knee pads, the Reachs Honeycomb Knee Pads should be your go to.
These wonderful pads are made out of high quality polyester that slides on smooth and is woven in such a way as to grip the skin.
You’ll never slip with this fabulous design, but you’ll feel more comfortable than ever as it gently cradles your knee.
The honeycomb knee pad is another sleeve that provides compression, helping to reduce vibrations and support your knee as you bend, twist, and sprint your way down the court.
The honey comb knee pads are meant to cover the knee without compromising flexibility, and anti-slip strips prevent it from sliding out of place.
If color is important to you, you won’t be disappointed by these knee pads.
The Reachs Honeycomb Knee Pads come in black, blue, purple, red, white and yellow.
They are also sold in pairs, so you won’t have to buy two in order to cover both knees.
If comfort is your major focus for your knee pads, this should be your choice, and with a number of different sizes to choose from, there is a choice for every member of your family.
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7. McDavid HEX Protective Knee Pads
Another great choice from McDavid, this knee pad is their answer to basketball players who need more padding in the front.
While the 6446 chooses flexibility over padding, and is meant to be mainly for therapeutic purposes, the HEX Protective knee pads can support your knee during injury as well as take a hit.
The major difference between the two is the high-density knee pad covering the front.
The hexagon pattern is similar to many of the great knee pads we’ve seen, because a hexagon allows the same level of protection as a flat shield, but with more flexibility.
In these knee pads you can move uninhibited, secure in the knowledge that how ever you choose to bend and flex, the knee pad will move with you.
Of course, in a knee pad designed for active use, how well it handles your sweat is also an important thing to keep in mind.
These knee pads are designed to keep your sweat away from your body with a unique system that binds your sweat to the fiber of the sleeve cloth.
This pulls the sweat away from your body and keeps you dry during even the toughest game.
Last but not least, these knee pads come in an amazing 11 different colors.
This is one of the largest color selections available, so you can choose your knee pads in style.
These pads are sold in pairs, and are machine washable, making them both a practical and stylish choice.
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8. COOLOMG Crashproof Basketball Knee Sleeve
If you like your basketball game to be rough, or find yourself crashing regularly, how long your knee sleeves last is probably a big concern.
While all of the sleeves have their benefits, there’s also usually at least one horror story in each set of reviews about a knee pad that broke on the first day.
COOLOMG has produced a protective knee sleeve in answer to these—one with a life time warranty.
That’s right, no matter how much you crash, bend or twist in these sleeves, if you break it they’ll buy you a new one.
This comfort sleeve is made from some of the most durable fabric in the industry, and the pads at the knee can take a powerful beating before the impact is strong enough to break them.
You can play your toughest game without fear, these knee sleeves will take a beating and still be ready for the next game.
These sleeves are designed to boost circulation around the knee, as well as cradle and protect.
The downside to them is that they are only sold singly, so you’ll have to buy two if you want a pair. On top of this, they also run a size small, so order a little larger than you think you need.
These protective basketball knee pads for youth also come with one other bonus, a startling 21 different colors and patterns available.
Not only can you protect your knee through even the roughest games, you can do it with a style that matches any uniform. Now that is a great deal.
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9. Bucwild Sports Basketball Padded Leg Sleeve
Looking for a balance between therapeutic and protection? Look more than this sleeve from Bucwild.
These sleeves have all the features we associate with comfort, including a no-slip band that keeps the knee pad over the knee, where it belongs.
Flat seam stitching allows you to bend and flex without irritation caused by a seam firmly stretched over your skin.
As one final comfort feature, it also has sweat wicking technology that keeps your legs dry no matter how hard you want to play.
Although it has all the features of a comfortable knee sleeve, it’s also highly protective and therapeutic.
The compression sleeve is designed to heal and improve bloody supply, bolstering the health of your knees.
The padding over the knee protects it from injury and keeps you safe even during a fall.
These padded sleeves have been successfully used by people with arthritis and other knee problems to manage pain and still enjoy the game, but make sure you ask your doctor before trying them as a medical treatment.
Your doctor knows your individual knees best and can let you know if a knee sleeve is the right choice for you.
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10. COOLOMG Long Basketball Leg & Knee Sleeve Protectors
Finishing our round up of the best basketball knee pads available, we have another amazing protector from the COOLOMG company.
These sleeves are designed with knee pads that allow full flexibility while at the same time protecting your knee in every direction.
That means your knee will be protected even if you end up falling at an odd angle, hitting it from the side for example instead of the front.
The compression sleeve promotes healthy knees and is therapeutic to injuries, while also reducing the chance of an injury getting worse or a new one happening.
The pad cradles the knee bone in every direction, protecting and stabilizing it no matter how tough your game is.
These sleeves are also fade resistant, and won’t dull after washing or in the sun.
If you ever have any issues with this product, the company is willing to work with you and make any problems you may have right.
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Choosing the right pads for you
A set of basketball pads are a sensible choice for any player.
If you’re thinking about getting some, you may have been stunned by the sheer number of different pads available.
What style you need will depend largely on you and your game play preferences.During the creation of this article we searched through hundreds of products in order to find the best models.
The most important thing to consider when selecting one is what you want the product for.
Some of these models are a sleeve only and don’t have the protective covering at the front of the knee.
A model like this would be disastrous if you want to protect your knee from impact during a game, but if you’re recovering for an injury and need a compression bandage it would be perfect.
How comfortable the pad is to move around in is also an important factor.
If the knee pads are not ergonomic, or fail to wick away sweat, your experience with them may be uncomfortable at best.Finally, price has to be considered when purchasing your pads.
Some premium pads come with a premium price tag to match, and that’s not always an affordable option.
Nothing is more important than the health and safety of your body, but if a knee pad simply doesn’t fit your price range, it’s perfectly fine to find something more affordable.
Features your knee pads need to have
When you are running back and forth down a court, your knees flex a lot.
A knee pad that is uncomfortable or isn’t sized correctly will burden your game and make you not want to wear them.
A great pair of knee pads should work with your knees instead of against them, so that you hardly notice they are there, until you’ve fallen and what should have been a game ending wound is just a scratch to your pads.
Although what you expect from your pads will vary, here are a few good things to look out for:
The Right Size
Just like shoe size, getting the right knee pad size is important. A knee pad that fits you properly will be less like to rub or shift around while you play.
Moisture Wicking
When you play sports, you sweat. Pads that aren’t good at wicking away moisture may be uncomfortable, hot, or overly smelly as time goes on.
Anti-slip Strips
Your knee pads should conform to your knee and move with it. Anti-slip straps can help keep them more secure as you play.
Compression and Protection
Last but not least, it needs to do the job they were made for. If the high-density foam on the front doesn’t protect your knees, there’s no point in having them.
Likewise, the knee pads should provide compression and comfort as you move so it provides therapeutic healing while you move.
Final Thoughts
All of these different basketball knee pads are great in different ways, and choosing the right one is a matter of knowing what you need and want in a protective sleeve.
Whether you want more protection, more therapeutic features, or a little bit of both, you’re sure to find it in this fantastic list.
