Soccer Shin Guards Made from Bulletproof Material Give Players Shins of Steel

Rikoset is making shin guards that promise to keep shins safe from errant tackles and stray bullets.

David Kent of the Daily Mail reports on the company making giant leaps in the shin-protecting business. Rikoset recently unveiled a shin guard made from Kevlar—the same substance used to make bulletproof vests:

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British company Rikoset has been working with a number of Premier League players and club physiotherapists on the shin pads for two seasons, which are one of the thinnest available and their incredible strength is down to the Kevlar shell. 

After four years in the making and hours of testing, Rikoset are now hoping amateur footballers will not mind shelling out £89.95 for their Elite shin guard to give themselves that extra protection.

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Before we continue, let's state that only the headline in the report suggests these shin guards are bulletproof.

Nowhere does that report—or a similar one from the Daily Star—state the company tested these bad boys out with live rounds, which seems like a lost opportunity from a marketing point of view.

So we approach what is the apparent zenith in shin protection with a healthy amount of skepticism. Still, anyone smarter than this writer, of whom there are many, should let us know what they think in the comments section below.

The company's official website details how these remarkable pads work:

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Made from Kevlar, the material used in bulletproof vests, the construction consists of multiple layers that all work together to stop an impact and disperse its energy. Our hi-tech shell has been engineered to have a greater strength to weight ratio than both Carbon Fibre and steel.

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Each guard is fashioned with a red micro-suede backing that the company claims is highly breathable in an effort to keep out all those nasty odors, so consider these the all-inclusive vacation resort of shin guards.

Via the Daily Mail, Manchester United's physiotherapist, Tom Hughes, had glowing praise for the product:

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The shinguards are manufactured from exceptionally tough and durable materials, and therefore provide players with a great deal of protection which can be very important, especially when returning from significant injury.

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It seems like a healthy number of Premier League stars will take these things out for a spin in the upcoming season.

Those players will be wearing some amazing technology that will be tremendously strong and unbelievably lightweight if the shin guards are as advertised.

Still, we will reserve judgment on whether these are actually bulletproof pads.

That point seems superfluous, especially when the greatest horror in the EPL might come from an errant bite from Luis Suarez.

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