HI I have started kickboxing and am looking at the different kit you can get, i have had some shin guards with foot protectors attached but unsure if these will be any good or should i just go buy separate shin guards and full foot protectors? Is this just a preference thing are are some better than others? thanks
Talk to your instructor, especially if you want to compete, as different federations / comp rules will allow different gear. [though this may be a local quirk] With my previous federation for example you couldn't compete in rulesets allowing low kicks with separate foot and shin guards.
Sandee have recently released a neoprene range of shinguards suitable for Kickboxing. Leather shinguards are unsuitable as they don't fit within the equipment guidelines for the sport (apart from Fairtex Twisters)
I don't know about kick boxing, but I've recently got kitted up for Karate. Our Sensai bulk orders most of the gear if we want him to and I had the kit he could get for us. We had Blitz branded gear supplied and our foot protectors had a detachable shin protector made of a similar padded up material that joined via a vecro type hinge. Like these ones: http://www.blitzsport.com/PU-Elite-Shin-With-Removable-Foot?sc=8&category=6630 Having observed what most people seem to use in the Dojo I routinely leave off the shin protectors for everyday practice, but I expect, if I get better, to need them later on if I get into competitions where a fight ensues or perhaps on occasion if we are practising strikes to the leg area. Some of the members seem to use theirs depending on the 'tenacity' of their practice. I somehow assume that they are needed for competition as when I asked about protection in that environment the other evening someone mentioned that they even use chest protectors for some things.
They wouldn't be allowed for Kickboxing. You need neoprene shinguards and then padded boots that also cover the heel. Those style of shinguards with instep protection generally aren't worn. Though you can get away with wearing them in some gyms (I wear a pair of leather Fairtex shinguards with detachable foot protection) theyre not suitable for Kickboxing competition. In general protective equipment mainly consists of boots, neoprene shinguards, gloves, groin guard & headgear. For professional full contact rules the headgear isn't worn. Even in semi contact / light continous body armour is rarely worn unless it's juveniles competing.
There are so many different shin and foot guards on the market today, that I find it confusing to make a choice myself. I use shin guards with attached chin protectors from Kings for my training: Shin guards - fighters-inc.com and separate shin guards and foot safeties for competing in WKU and WAKO kickboxing events. I bought Windy and DanRho before, but was not very happy with the quality. At least the stuff doesn't wear down as much as the latex equipment sold in the early days of contact sports.