The best football shin pads are an essential part of every footballer's matchday gear, but they can get overlooked. The shin pads come in a smaller size for players who prefer small shin pads with less bulk. The shin pads come with a pair of compression sleeves that will hold your shin pads in place while playing. The Smart Armor S1 Pro Shin pads probably feature the most technology of any shin pads on the market. Carbon Athletic Carbon Fiber shin pads (Image credit: Carbon Athletic)Carbon Athletic Carbon Fibre shin pads These shin pads are made from carbon fibre and are trusted by some of the best in the game.