The Best Padded Shirts

Whether they play sports professionally or just for fun, experienced athletes know how important it is to wear protective clothing. Contact sports cause injuries, and a hit to the chest or other delicate part of the body can be mild, moderate, serious or even life-threatening.

Recovering from these injuries also gets harder as we age, so it’s important to safeguard your well-being. Padded compression shirts are good for contact sports like football and baseball, and they are also recommended for skiing, mountain biking and snowboarding.

These shirts use high-tech materials to provide added layers of padding to the most vulnerable parts of the body, including the chest, ribs, back and shoulders. Basically, the more protection you have in these spots, the less likely you are to suffer major injuries in those areas if the worst should occur.

The padding for such tops can be made from EVA foam, and “EVA” is the acronym for ethylene vinyl acetate. This soft, elastic material is made into tough rubber or foam, and it is a safe alternative to PVC that’s used in clothing. EVA is also used in pool noodles, shin guards, bike saddles and footwear, so you’ve likely encountered it before.

Most padded shirts have hexagon-shaped pads on the chests; this shape is ideal for protection and mobility. For full upper-body protection, look for long-sleeved shirts that have additional pads for the ribs, shoulders, elbows and backs. You can also find padded vests and short-sleeve shirts.

Stretchability and breathability are essential for padded shirts, as they are made for athletic use, so you should not have any restrictions on your movements. Look for shirts made with Spandex and Lycra. Mesh construction and mesh panels in the underarms are helpful for ventilation; other materials that wick away moisture are also good choices.

• The majority of padded shirts have from 10 to 20 millimeters of Hg, which signifies medium compression.
• Measure the chest circumference before ordering a padded shirt and check the product page for a sizing guide. If in doubt, choose the smaller shirt, since you will be better protected from tighter padding.
• Not all padded shirts can be machine-washed, so read the label first. If you do not follow the directions, the pads could come off the machine.
• Hand-washing is the safest best for padded shirts.
• Be sure to wash your padded shirt often, because they tend to accumulate odors.
• Be sure to choose breathable materials, especially for sports played outdoors in the heat.