Foam vs. gel protective gear/crash pads

[kr1981]

A nasty little spill while taking off on a waltz jump the other day got me thinking that it probably wouldn't hurt to start wearing some protective gear now that I'm working my way back into freestyle. I've noticed that returning to skating in my 30s, I'm much more cognizant of how dangerous figure skating actually is, and how easily it could be to really get hurt. When I skated in the 90s, there was very little protective gear available for figure skaters. When I looked online last night, I found that there's now a myriad of options. Mostly gel pads, which are pretty expensive, as in like $40 for ONE hip pad.

I still have my Jan-Pro Krash Pads from the 90s--a thing with foam padding around the butt and hips that you can velcro on, so it protects both hips and the the tailbone (similar to these: http://www.crashwraps.com/). I tried them on, and they juuuuuust fit. Barely, but I got them secured!

I'm wondering, does gel really offer that much more protection vs. foam padding? Or is it about the same? I've never been one to fall all that much in skating, so I don't remember how much cushion the Krash Pads that I have offer (but it certainly has to be better than nothing!). I will say that I use the Bunga Pads bunion sleeve, and I cannot believe how much cushioning the thin gel pad in that offers. But if these new gel pads don't really offer that much more protection than the foam pads I already have, there's no sense in shelling out a bunch of money for new ones.

Also, would volleyball knee pads (gel) offer enough padding to cushion falls on the ice?

[AgnesNitt]

The foam stuff is probably okay, but you may find it constricting.
Also, foam loses its protective properties after several years so eventually you'll find it doesn't work as well.
The gel stuff is expensive, but it works amazingly well and is much easier to wear. You can wear it under costumes for example
The gel hip pads and knee pads are also multi-use (unlike the foam stuff). I sometime use my gel kneepad for a hip pad. So, it's not like you need a complete set.

I know you'll want to save on expenses for figure skating, but if you're looking at padding, I wouldn't skimp there.

[cbskater]

I went from no protection to wearing gel knee pads & a gel tailbone pad. I can't compare  them to the foam ones as I never wore that kind, but I can tell you the gel ones work great. I took falls on those areas that left me bruised for weeks without the pads & with the pads, nothing at all. I did have a pair of volleyball type knee pads but I never wore them on the ice as I couldn't stand the constrictive feeling of them.

[irenar5]

I wear soft volleyball knee pads (they are not gel, but feel like layers of soft material)- LOVE them!  They provide excellent front and side protection!  They have not bothered me at all- I think you can get used to the feel of anything if you wear it for a while.

[TreSk8sAZ]

I wear a gel hip pad when I'm working on jumps I know I'll fall a lot on (double sal and axel right now). I don't like the foam ones because they are thick and, until you break them down a bit, they are harder to fall on than landing on the ice. But that's just me, I know a lot of people that use the foam ones and are fine with them.

[lutefisk]

I like d3o ballistic padding.  I have shorts with d3o pads from Seku skate wear (expensive) and REI (snow board shorts--1/3 of the price, same d30 padding for hips and tail bone).  I also have d3o knee pads, again from Seku and also from Annapolis Performance Sailing (roughly the same price; the ones from APS are bulkier but stay in place better than the ones from Seku).  Wrist guards are Flexmeter brand from Snowboard Secrets.  Do I care if the padded shorts make my butt look big?  Nope.  Do I care about not breaking/shattering any more bones?  Ja, you betcha.

[Meli]

Gel pad user here.  I have a tendency to fall straight down on my kneecap, and being that I'm a plus size gal, the physics equation does not end well for me in that scenario.  Had a wicked fall on a spiral last week, straight onto the knee, and it took the force really well.  No soreness at all.  $40 a knee pad is pricey, but compared to the ER, it's a bargain.   

[axelwylie]

I can't speak for foam pads but love the gel knee pads. I have taken a few very hard falls and had a long recovery time. The gel pads work great - when I fell on my knees whole wearing those, I could barely feel a thing. I even wore the pads during my Gold MIF test!

[Christy]

I'm just about to order some gel knee pads but not sure which might work best. I'm looking for some which also provide support as I have weak arthritic knees - any suggestions please?

[robinsnest]

I have the Bunheads ones and am very happy with them:
http://www.amazon.com/Capezio-Unisex-Comfort-Dance-BEIGE/dp/B0079MHCCQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401888797&sr=8-1&keywords=bunheads+knee

[lutefisk]

I have the Bunheads ones and am very happy with them:
http://www.amazon.com/Capezio-Unisex-Comfort-Dance-BEIGE/dp/B0079MHCCQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401888797&sr=8-1&keywords=bunheads+knee

Those look interesting.  In terms of fit I'm guessing from the comments associated with the link that men should probably move up a size from what the size chart recommends.  Also, I can't fathom from the description whether the price is for a pair of pads (if so the price is great) or per each.  I have no experience with bamboo fabric.  Does it stand up well to frequent laundering?  What's your experience?

[kr1981]

Thanks, everyone! It looks like gel pads are the way to go. I actually wore my old Krash Pads yesterday because I'm working on turning my half flip into a single flip, and thought some padding might give me a little confidence boost. I didn't fall, so I can't attest to just how much absorption they have, but they weren't constrictive or uncomfortable, and the foam rubber in them still feels pretty stiff and sturdy, even though they're 20 years old. So, at least I have something to wear in the meantime while I figure this gel pad thing out.

What I like about my Krash Pads is that they velcro around the waist, and then have a strap that comes up through your legs and velcros. You can put them on over whatever you're wearing, and take them off in a snap. Rather than a series of small-ish pads for certain spots, the hips and butt are complete padded. They cover about the same area that brief-style underwear would. So, I love that ALL of my padding (hips, butt, tailbone) is right there in one piece, and I don't have to change my clothes when I skate on my lunch hour.

Does anyone know if something like that exists, but with gel pads? That you can velcro on and off? The closest thing I've found so far is the Se_Ku brief, but that would still require changing my clothes, and I'm dubious that it would fit under jeans. I don't wear tights or leggings (I wear jeans or basic GapFit workout pants), so I don't have a way to easily hold individual pads in place, and I do really like the over-the-pants on/off.

[sampaguita]

I have both foam and gel pads. For practice, I wear foam -- it's a LOT lighter to carry along (I take public transportation to the rink). I use gel pads for competition, since they are thinner.

Also, Waxel foam pads have butt and hip pads in one piece, but I think you have to order it directly from them.

Here's what I have:

1. Waxel pads -- made of special foam. I love them -- just not for competition (too thick).
2. Bunheads knee pads -- thin but it works. I've fallen on them and though they're not as effective as volleyball pads, the low-profile design makes it worth it.
3. Volleyball pads -- it works, it's light, and it's CHEAP.
4. Akton pads -- same material as SkatingSafe, but I chose the DIY version because SkatingSafe is way too expensive for me.

Have heard of the d3o pads, and the reviews are good too.