Everlast Strike Shield Black

This is a flat shield made of the type of material that the water-filled punching bags are made of. It's smooth punching bag material so that you're not going to bleed as quickly if you don't have gloves on. Flat is also better for punching as well, so it's like a portable punching bag, whereas the curved ones can injure your wrist if used for punching. You can tie this by the side straps around a tree or pillar, or hang from an eye hook on a wall by the top strap etc for a compact punching bag. And it can also be used as a kick shield by just tilting it where needed. It's thick and not very dense so the impact is going to be more pillowey so you won't absorb as much with your body but it will probably pop you back a bit more than the denser ones. The straps are just nylon straps, very sturdy but not as comfortable as the padded handles. The best reason to get this over curved shields is definitely if you'll be training people on punches and you don't have a heavy bag nearby.

Does what it's supposed to

I love my teen but they have strong emotions. When they were young I found a similar item at the thrift store and it REALLY helped with expressing anger and frustration. Years later the pressures of being a teen became overwhelming. I ordered this for my kid to pound the hell out of. So far, all is great. I can hear soft thuds as they pound it from time to time. Sure beats the holes that got put in walls from the rowing toys as a toddler.Affordable pricing and great quality. I took some swings at it too and it was a great amount of give without being too soft or too firm.

The kick pad is getting 4 stars almost on value rather than quality. But to get a much better quality kick pad you are spending $70+ rather than ~$40. You might want something better eventually but I don't think you will be sorry if you buy this for your 7-12 year old (well, your kid is going to want to do flying side kicks into you while you are holding it so you might not be thrilled about that part).Pros:The pad is large 15" x 25"The pad is very thick 5"The pad is very light and maneuverable for an adult at 52 oz. A carton of orange juice is about 59oz.The straps are stitched on fairly well.Cons:The outer shell is tough enough for kids but would probably not survive a lot of prolonged kicking from adultsThe back straps are too tight and you cannot get your forearm into (or at least I can't)Overall:Great value for kids up to middle school but will probably not last long with high school boys (but what does).

These are super sturdy and have held up to even our strongest kickers. You have to take a bit more care in cleaning them as they are a tad porous compared to the Century or AWMA vinyl ones, but not so much as to make them a pain. Saved a ton when buying several for our studio with Amazons free shipping, add S&H on the other brands form the martial arts warehouses and we were able to get 2.5 times as may for the same price. These will be our go to body shields

For the dollar spent, this is the best.I own a martial arts school, and am always looking to add to our inventory of mits etc.This is the best cheap one on the market.Others I've bought are super hard and don't dissipate the force, this one absorbs nicely without being to soft.Good product and will be buying more.

As a long time martial arts, I was pleased with the product, customer service and quality. It is an Everlast brand and good for home use. I do not think it would stand up to heavy class use, but could be wrong. It is important that people hold it correctly, basically on your hip, solid stance and use handles to stabilize. Well taught martial arts are great for people of all ages. I just earned a 1st Degree Black belt at age 61 in Tang Soo Do. Earned 3rd Degree in Tae Kwon Do when I was 40. Trained in a Japanese style for a year as well. When I took time off, got unhealthy and overweight. So, I'm sticking with it!!! Amazon offers some good martial arts products at great prices and fast delivery including uniforms. Always check with your instructor before you buy to make sure it is correct for that class.

I've bought about 5-6 "shields" to try to find the one I like. This is it. It's not too hard (like most "kick shields"), and not too soft like some "kid pads". It's perfect for punching in class, for kids AND adults. Sturdy enough vs. kicks, even Thai Kicks.The handles are perfect, not tight, but far from loose, and the bonus handle on the top... Can't even find a use for it, but it's THERE!More goodness that I need. Very happy. Ended up with 3, and returned the others.A+