Fairtex SP7 Review: Twister Shin Pads with Detachable In-Step

Also known as Fairtex Twister, these shin guards are great for more than just Muay Thai. Their versatile design makes them suitable for MMA and grappling, too! Read this complete review of the Fairtex SP7 Shin Pads to find out why. 

These shinguards are handmade in Thailand using Fairtex’s signature Syntek leather. This material is as just durable as leather, with the added bonus of easy cleaning. Syntek equipment overall produces less odor with use than genuine leather equipment.

The SP7 model uses a rounded shape at the top of the pad. This shape protects your full shin bone and does not cover the knee. This keeps them from feeling too bulky with MMA training.

Both sides of the pads curve to wrap around your shin onto the side of your calf. This provides more lateral coverage and protection than most Muay Thai shin pads. The centre of the shin uses double padding. The contour protruding directly over your shin bone is a noticeable extra layer of padding. Fairtex is written across the top of these pads, it’s also written vertically along each side of the embossed padding. 

The inside lining is a water resistant polyester fabric. Stitching along the edges attaches the lining directly to the padding. The surface of this padding is seamless so there is nothing to rub or cause irritation during training. 

Two velcro straps extend from the inside seam of the shin pad. These straps use double stitching and securely connect to the body of the padding. A Fairtex patch logo is affixed on the back of the top strap.

The velcro is extremely durable and provides a secure hold during training sessions. Both of these velcro straps use padding along the surface that is in contact with your leg. This added feature makes these pads so comfortable, you won’t want to take them off. 

Just like the Fairtex SP5 model, the opening for these Velcro straps is clean cut and bonded to prevent the fabric from fraying. The area around the strap closure is flexible. These pads do not use metal hardware to close or secure the straps. Therefore, limiting the chance of injury to you and your sparring partners. Instead, these shin guards use a well engineered design and top quality materials to provide structural integrity around the closure. 

The foot protector for this Fairtex SP7 design is completely detachable. A strong piece of velcro securely attaches and connects it along the interior of the shin pad. The ergonomic design uses a narrow piece to connect the two pads. This connection is just above the ankle so as not to interfere with the joint’s natural movement. 

The top of the foot uses the same double padding featured on the shin. Similar to it’s matching shin piece, this foot guard wraps around each side to provide lateral protection and support. Behind the ankle there is a firm elastic strap. An additional strap is right under the arch of the foot. These straps are strong and will keep the foot/ankle guard from sliding; and their placement allows you to retain some flexibility. The ball and heel of your feet remain bare so that you have adequate traction in the ring. 

The SP7 Shin Pads come in red, black, blue, yellow, and off white. Fairtex calls this color “white” but it’s important to note that it does NOT match the shade of white used for their BGV1 Boxing Gloves. It is, however, a perfect match for their BGV16’s in “Khaki”. All of the other colors for the SP7’s are consistent with the tones Fairtex uses for their other equipment.

While Fairtex is a predominantly Muay Thai and Kickboxing brand, their SP7 Twister Shin Pads are suitable for a variety of martial arts. The ability to remove the foot piece makes these pads perfect for grappling. The SP7’s provide provide firmer padding and protection than most MMA shin guards. The fact that this guard only covers the shin without blocking the knee keeps their training use versatile. Reviewing the Fairtex SP7’s key component’s, versatility is this equipment’s biggest strength. It’s for this reason that we would recommend the SP7’s to any mixed martial artist. 

If you already own a pair, let us know in the comments below how these shin guards perform for you. If you don’t own a pair yet, use code SP7BLOG to save $5 off a new pair of Fairtex Detachable In-Step Shin Pads today!