Muay Thai Thigh Pads Review – Fairtex TP4 Compact Thigh Pads

Designed by renowned Muay Thai equipment company Fairtex, these TP4 compact thigh pads are designed to be worn by trainers and pad holder to protect them against kicks to their thigh area.

This review covers the Fairtex TP4 compact thigh pads, which have a more compact design compared to the TP3 model which we reviewed in March 2020. You can read our review of the Fairtex TP3 Deluxe Thigh pads by clicking here.

The design for this newer TP4 model is super lightweight. They allow excellent mobility and offer excellent upper leg protection. They are great for training Muay Thai combinations because their design allows the trainer to move around in the ring.

These TP4 thigh pads use Fairtex’s signature from synthetic leather material, “Syntek”. Although they come in one size only, they have three adjustable velcro straps which allow for a customised fit. These thigh pads come as a pair.

Differences between the Fairtex TP4 thigh pads and the TP3 version

Whilst there are a number of differences between the two models, both types offer the same density of padding.
The TP3’s are a little bit bulkier and wider than that TP4’s. The TP4’s are also larger overall and wrap around the leg of the wearer more. The density of the padding ensures that these thigh pads will provide excellent protection against kicks, even when delivered by professional fighters. Not only is the padding firm, it is also very durable. Internally there is a layer of reinforced plastic between the foam layers. This reinforces the pads to make sure they maintain their shape even after extensive use.

These thigh pads are ideal for low kick drills and training combinations. They are suitable for professional fighters as well as people sparring for fitness.

Wearing the TP4 Thigh Pads

These thigh pads have three straps to fit them to the wearer.  Waist strap and two leg straps.  The waist band has plenty of length to go around the waist of most people. The waist band uses black woven nylon webbing and has piping along it’s edges to prevent fraying. The entire length of the waist band has strong velcro, giving the strap plenty of adjustability. The waist strap feeds through a metal loop with secure attachment to the upper part of the thigh pad. The waist strap then loops back around your waist and fastens by the aforementioned velcro. Where the strap joins the pad the buckle area is padded so that any pulling on the strap won’t cause the wearer discomfort.

Leg Straps

To secure the thigh pad to your leg there are two leg straps. The leg straps use the same nylon webbing as the waist strap. Each leg strap has a moveable padded sleeve to make the leg straps comfortable. There is a lot of adjustment available so these pads will fit most people. The leg straps attach to two metal buckles. The buckles are attached very securely. Each buckle has a metal roller which makes feeding the strap through the buckle easier. All the hinge points where the pad straps are fitted are padded and have lots of reinforcement.

Putting them on

To fit these pads, first you would loosely fit the waist strap. Then secure the lower leg strap just above your knee. This will determine where the pad sits over your thigh. Then you can secure the second leg strap and tightening up the waist strap. These pads are easy to put on and take off. You really don’t need anyone else help to get them on or off.

Fairtex have put a lot of engineering into the construction of these thigh pads to make sure they are comfortable for the pad wearer.

Padding Density

The top of these pads where the waist strap is positioned, features an extra soft padded section that sits over your hip bone. Whilst this part of the pad is not supposed to be kicked, this padded section makes wearing these thigh pads more comfortable.

On the outside of these thigh pads the padding is super dense and will be able to take a beating. The stitching is very nicely done and clearly strong and well reinforced. On the inner side the pads uses a polyester fabric for lining. The liner fabric is actually bonded to the pad surface. This means the liner is super smooth and will not create wrinkles against the wearers skin.

Style and Colors

These thigh pads come in six different color combinations. We reviewed the black/yellow version which we think looks really cool. It features a quite wide, bold yellow border around the main pad area. There is a large Fairtex logo in gold screen printed at the top of the pad. Running diagonally across the face of the thigh pad is a Fairtex pattern. This pattern covers about half the thigh pad surface.

In addition to the black/yellow combo, we have these thigh pads in the following color combinations – black/blue, black/red, black/white, black/pink, and black/gray.

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