body protector/pad help

[noimoonchoi]

I'm looking into buying a good body protector/pad to use for some hard sparring. Can anyone who has experience using this type of protective gear recommend a durable and effective brand. There are lots of them out there but no way to test them out prior to purchase. I have had good luck with Ringside in the past, but want to make sure that what I buy can absorb strong kicks as well as punches. Any help is appreciated.

[HardGainer82]

In completely honest NO OFFENSE, but you're 220 pounds and obviously solid, do you really need a body shield to spar? The point of hard sparring is to get used to getting hit, not to get used to taking blows that you can't feel...

[noimoonchoi]

Originally Posted by HardGainer82

In completely honest NO OFFENSE, but you're 220 pounds and obviously solid, do you really need a body shield to spar? The point of hard sparring is to get used to getting hit, not to get used to taking blows that you can't feel...

I would absolutely agree that for regular sparring one of the benefits is body conditioning. But there is a reason why you don't see guys in a gym spar with the same intensity that they would otherwise have in an actual bout. First of all it's just practice. But also, it would not be very productive to have to wait between sparring sessions to let bruised ribs and other injuries heal. Not to mention how hard it would become to find a willing sparring partner. The point of extra padding is to be able to practice as hard and as realistically as possible, while still being able to come back the next day for more. It's also a great way to add an extra dimension to focus mitt work if your trainer wears it.