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When you're looking to buy new Baseball leg guards, you need them not only to look great but to be high quality, durable and comfortable.
Our top pick has each of these features and more - click HERE to see that top choice.
These leg guards are loaded with innovative features that will keep you safe, comfortable, and looking good behind the plate for a long time. Keep reading for more information...
Best Baseball Leg Guards
Leg guards are a core piece of catchers gear and are responsible for protecting knees, shins and ankles from wild pitches, foul tips and cleats.
As a required piece of equipment, it is incredibly important that you have Baseball leg guards that are great quality and durable, because they are going to take a beating!
A Brief Historical Detour
Leg guards were first introduced to professional Baseball in the late 19th century, and Hall of Famer Roger Bresnahan was the first popular catcher to regularly use them.
Bresnahan actually received a lot of criticism and ridicule from fans and opposing players, believe it or not, for wearing shin guards during the game. Now a days, you wouldn't think twice about putting them on!
While the basic function (ie, protection) of leg guards has not changed all that much from 100+ years ago, the technology, comfort level and added protective features have gotten much better over the years.
In our current era, you can find many excellent leg guards on the market, which we will get into in a bit.
Leg Guard Sizing
Don't fear buying leg guards online. You can easily measure yourself for most pieces of catchers equipment, and leg guards are no different.
To find the correct size leg guards, simply measure from the center of your knee down to the bend in the foot. The size in inches you get should be the size leg guard you purchase.
Simple, right?
If you measure between two sizes, choose the higher number. A slightly bigger size will provide more coverage and of course they will stay useful to you or your kid for a longer time as you/they grow.
And one last note - virtually all leg guards are sold as a pair. No need to buy it twice!
Leg Guard Reviews
Now that we have covered sizing, let's take a closer look at our choices for the best leg guards for Baseball catchers.
The best Baseball leg guards for catchers are:
1. All-Star System Seven Axis
2. Easton Elite X
3. All-Star System Seven (S7)
Honorable Mention: Mizuno Samurai
#1. All-Star System Seven Axis
Premium leg guards that stand out from the crowd
All-Star claims these are the best leg guards ever developed. It's hard to argue with them.
These leg guards were constructed with unique technology, such as their LINQ™ pivotable hinge designed to support better mobility and to ensure they don't shift on your leg.
They provide good coverage around the leg, above the knee and over the toe, as you can see in these pictures.
It comes with the gel enclosed D30® "Patella Plus" knee pad technology, which gives added protection (and comfort!) to the knee. These pads are also able to be re-positioned, if needed.
They come in multiple colors with matte finished stainless steel hardware. Simply put, these are fantastic leg guards.
Pros
Great quality; they should last you a long time
Made with proprietary hinge system, providing excellent mobility
Gives expanded protection above the knee
Good ventilation and reduced weight due to rear vents
Knee pads with D30® and twice reinforced knee straps
Upper strap helps to prevent excess movement on the leg
Cons
They are more expensive - it's a premium product
#2. Easton Elite X
Good leg guards that are easy to move around in
One of the latest new releases of Baseball leg guards from Easton is their Elite X line.
On these leg guards, the knee area is reinforced with protective material and it is wider than previous versions to help with blocking and with mobility behind the plate.
Elite X leg guards are also lightweight and easy to move around in. Additionally, the protective shell is vented to help keep catchers cool.
A neat feature of the leg guards is that the internal padding behind the knee and shin areas are adjustable for a more custom (and thereby, more comfortable) fit.
Another good thing about the Elite X is that they come in four different color combinations and three different sizes - adult, intermediate and youth. They are definitely worth checking out.
Pros
Features an attractive design that simply looks good behind the plate
Solid inner knee protection, with adjustable knee and shin padding
Excellent ventilation with a design that moves out hot air
Wider knee helps with increased stability when blocking
Cons
They are on the more expensive side, though they are not typically the most expensive Easton leg guard
View of the Back Side of the Leg Guards
#3: All-Star System Seven
Please note: We have already highlighted the System Seven Axis Leg Guards in this review. The regular System Seven Leg Guards - which are a separate model from the Axis - is what we're addressing here.
All Star is a great brand that makes innovative, high quality products. The line of catchers gear that they are arguably most famous for is the System Seven (S7) line. You will likely notice many major leaguers rocking variations of this gear.
System Seven Leg Guards are incredibly durable and can take a lot of abuse behind the dish while still maintaining great protection.
These particular leg guards are lightweight and breathable, with a special design geared towards protecting around the shins - an area where there are often protection gaps with other leg guards.
Like the Axis model, the System 7 comes with the proprietary D30® gel based knee pad and All Star's custom DeltaFlex™ harness, designed to prevent excess movement on the leg.
In short, it is hard to go wrong with the System 7.
Pros
Unique gel based knee pad for comfort and protection
Contains moldable material that conforms to the shape of your legs
Its DeltaFlex™ system provides a snug, comfortable fit
Adjustable, asymmetric shin pads
Odor eating technology is built in to the material
Cons
Cost is higher than average
View of the Back Side of the Leg Guards
Brief Video Review
Honorable Mention: Mizuno Samurai
Solid quality from a solid brand
Arguably the highest quality leg guard set from Mizuno is the Mizuno Samurai line.
Mizuno says they contain the same materials as those worn by their "ambassadors" in the big leagues. Translation: they are high quality leg guards, not something cheap and shabby that you'd buy in a clearance pile at a discount store.
These leg guards have "strategic flex points" throughout, meaning that they conform well and bend where they need to in order to allow you to move as quickly and flexibly as possible.
In the knee area, they have a triple knee cup design, meaning three layers of support and protection. The outer protective (ABS) layer over the knee is flat, which increases the catcher's stability when blocking.
These leg guards also come with a double toe cap and moisture wicking liners, and are typically available in four main color patterns.
Pros
Multiple available colors
Excellent knee protection with triple cup layering
Lightweight and comfortable with the DryLite™ inner liner
Strategic flex points allow for good movement
Has a good design and attractive look
Cons
Not a lot of bright colors available
View of the Back Side of the Leg Guards
Scott Perry
Scott Perry is the owner and lead author at Catchers Home. He's a former baseball player, a current coach, a husband and a Dad. He remains as passionate about baseball today as he was as a kid.