Youth: Picking Padded Shorts for Soccer

Mar 27, 2020

***This article is part of an educational series for soccer parents and youth players new to soccer***

Choosing the right padded shorts or soccer sliders shouldn’t revolve solely around one’s size or favourite colour. There are lots of other features within these sophisticated pieces of equipment that can protect soccer players from all manner of bruises, cuts, and scrapes on the field.

Even though soccer has been around for centuries, modern equipment and apparel makers have continued to innovate, and are currently producing some of the world’s most technically sophisticated soccer gear.

Soccer is a high-speed sport that can quickly turn high-impact. If you want to remain on the pitch long-term, you’ll need to outfit yourself in gear that keeps you safe. To help you choose the best soccer sliders, including padded shorts for goalkeepers, here’s our expert advice on what features you should be looking for.

The Best Slider Features

There’s nothing worse than turf burn, or feeling the crushing bruise of an opponent’s cleat smashing into your thigh. A great pair of soccer sliders won’t completely shield you from the impact of a rough game, but they can offer protection that your normal uniform or workout shorts just can’t give.

In addition to offering protection, the best sliding shorts today are made from technical materials that help provide a more comfortable playing experience. Here are some of the best features you should be looking for when you want to buy your next pair of soccer sliders.

Turf Burn Protection

Unlike looser uniform or workout shorts, a great pair of soccer sliders fits close to the body. These shorts will never move even on a fast dive, protecting you from painful and irritating turf burn. Depending on your preferences, you can purchase a regular pair of sliding shorts, or get more turf burn protection with a ¾ length or full length pair.

Impact Protection

It’s hard to describe the bone-rattling feeling of going down hard on the pitch. To protect yourself from hard falls and painful run-ins with opponents, look for a pair of soccer sliders with built-in padding for maximum impact protection. These padded shorts feature impact-resistant 10mm foam pads that cover the hips, tailbone, and sometimes along the knee, which absorbs 90% of hard impacts.

Moisture-Resistant and Sweat-Wicking

A great soccer game should make you sweaty and exhausted. This feeling of pushing through physical strain is exhilarating, but having to play the rest of the game or trek home in sweaty shorts feels disgusting.

Keep your mind on the game and away from your sweat by choosing sliders made from fabric that’s specifically engineered to wick away sweat and keep you dry.

Anti-Bacterial / Anti-Fungal / Odour Protection

Choosing sliding shorts made from sweat-wicking fabric means that not only are you dry during the game, your shorts won’t hold as much wetness afterwards, making it harder for odors to develop.

You can also look for shorts made with fabric that’s been specifically treated to reduce bacteria and fungus- a much-needed feature if you use the same pair frequently.

Buying the Right Padded Shorts for Soccer with Storelli

Shopping for the right padded sliders for soccer can be difficult. There are tons of options out there- which one do you choose? Some people prefer full-leg coverage, while others value their freedom of movement and opt for a shorter length.

At Storelli, our mission is to support soccer players, so we believe that you shouldn’t have to choose between features. You should be able to have them all!