When training in any striking martial art, it is essential (especially for males) to have adequate groin protection. The RevGear Steel Cup is one of the options you may choose to protect your precious gonads with.

Thai boxers have used steel cups for generations but unfortunately, they didn’t have comfort into mind when developing the first generation of cups. It’s 2012, and the RevGear Steel Cup is definitely the choice for the future.

The RevGear Steel Cup features a genuine leather lining so you don’t get cold when things do. The three-lace adjustment system allows for a comfortable fit, and it allows for unrestricted movement for when you train your favorite martial art.

The RevGear Steel Cup is available at MMA Warehouse.

PURCHASE: RevGear Steel Cup

PURCHASE: Under Armour Groin Guard

Why not protect the family jewels with the brand-new Under Armour Heatgear Compression Shorts and Cup?

The Under Armour Groin Guard uses the latest UA technology that includes a ventilated mesh area to keep you cool and dry. The Double layer constructed mesh crotch also allows for comfortable, supportive, fit and easy protective cup insertion.

The Under Armour Groin Guard is made out of 85% 7.0 oz. Nylon and 15% Elastane, giving you that signature UA compression fit. It’s also pretty cool that the Under Armour cup says “Protect this House” all over it.

The Under Armour Groin Guard is available at MMAWarehouse for $39.99.

PURCHASE: Under Armour Groin Guard

This technical compression short features a gusseted cup pocket and 4-way stretch loop panels for optional hookup to the Jaco Guardian Protective Cup (sold separately).

• Exceptional Performance – Polyester/Spandex construction provides outstanding mobility and effective moisture wicking.
• Superior Comfort – Flat lock seams and elastic waistband create a comfortable athletic
• Guardian Protective Cup Compatible – Features a gusseted cup pocket and 4-way stretch loop panels for optional hookup to the Jaco Guardian Protective Cup (sold separately). Compatible with most athletic cups.

So basically, a spare pair of shorts for your Jaco Guardian. You should also check out our review of the Jaco Guardian Athletic Cup System.

Available now at MMAWarehouse.

PURCHASE: Jaco Guardian Compression Shorts with Cup Pocket

I’ve always been a Shock Doctor fan. I went from going from the traditional jock strap to the Shock Doctor Compression Shorts and I thought that was good but the transition from that to the JACO Guardian MMA Compression Shorts and Athletic Cup Protection System was just as good.

As the first groin guard specifically designed for MMA, this bad boy delivers unparalleled protection where it counts the most. Featuring a Heavy-duty impact Athletic Cup designed to minimize inadvertent strikes from kicks, (even coming from the bottom) adjustable polypropylene straps provide a secure, comfortable fit and a leg pockets and 6 included pads provide variable training protection.

Note that you can take the pads on and off. In addition, JACO has released a version of this very same item but without the pads for $10 less than the item currently being reviewed.

First Impressions: I received these a little over 2 months ago, and let me tell you, they were one of the items I was most excited about. My original Wal-Mart cup just wasn’t cutting it. The guardian reminded me of something Batman would wear, it was sleek and looked technologically advanced. They came with 6 pads, 3 for each leg… 1 pad alone reduced a lot of the force delivered to your leg, use 3 and you won’t feel a thing. I also noticed that the material the Velcro sticks to is unique, nothing I have seen before. It seems like it will last awhile, and wont start to fray like the normal material. They also had virtually no loose stitching. Then again, I wouldn’t expect anything less from Jaco.

Fit: The reason these are so renown is because of the fit. They are nothing short of great, in fact, they are amazing. There are 5 adjustable straps that keep the cup firmly in place. I ordered the 30-32, usually I wear 30′s, so these fit perfectly. The elastic waist is tight, but not too tight to the point that it leaves impressions on your skin. The body of the shorts are also pretty tight, just tight enough to where they stay in place and don’t bunch up. Getting them on and off is a cinch, I personally don’t even unstrap them. I just wiggle them on, and wiggle them off. Even if you were to strap and unstrap them every time, it is not very time consuming, it only takes a minute.

Construction: Like I was saying, the construction is fantastic. These still do not have any loose threads in sight. The elastic band has Jaco symbols stitched in the material itself, so these will be here as long as the shorts hold up. The only other logo, besides the one on the cup, is on the leg of the shorts. It is vinyl, just like on the Resurgence shorts. Another resemblance between the Resurgence and the Guardian is that both of the bodies of the shorts seem to be made out of the same material, which is very soft. The cup itself is pretty sleek as well, it seems to just be made out plastic with rubber edges, but has several strategically placed slits for breathability. The cup also features a carbon fiber like print/texture, I’m not too sure what this is for. My guess is just for pure aesthetics, not like you see the cup anyways.

Breathability: Like I was saying, the body of the shorts are made out of a material similar to that of the Resurgence shorts. The material itself can breathe very well, but when you insert a pad, that breathability goes right away. I’m not talking about the entire short, i’m just talking about the section of your leg that the pad is covering. The pad makes a pretty solid seal with your thigh, thus restricting the amount of air that can get to, or escape from, your leg. Every other aspect of these shorts was really pushed to be able to breathe. The pouch holding the cup is mesh, and the cup itself is aerodynamically designed, just for your junk.

Stand up: I love training with these on. Sometimes I’m tempted to wear the Guardians without anything else. Not only do they look great, they feel great. They do not restrict your movement whatsoever. You have full range of motion, to throw any type of kick you see fit. Throwing kicks feels just as good as they would without the Guardian on. The cup does not get in the way of the kick, so you are able to throw leg kicks, to head kicks with ease. They do not shift at all, so squishing your junk is no longer a problem. Like usual, I volunteered to be kicked in the crotch with the Guardian on. Not that hard of course, but hard enough. The impact was dispersed for the most part, I could still feel a little bit as the force was transfered from the cup into the groin area.

Ground: This is where the Guardian was truly put to the test. Surprisingly, it felt as good as it did during stand up. I noticed that the legs did not bunch up and stayed firmly in place. But most importantly, the cup did not shift! I know, amazing. Thank god too, because I would have taken some nasty knees if it shifted on me. Once again, I had full range of motion. The cup did not restrict me from shrimping my hips or pulling rubber guard. The only time that the cup was uncomfortable was when I had the cup pressed against my training partners back. It was not uncomfortable for me, but it probably was for my partner.

Pros:
Looks Good
Great Soft Feeling
Great Junk Support
Good Breathability

Cons:
Breathability with pads on

Overall: This is the first time I have given anything a 5/5. They are simply amazing. Even though the price may seem steep, they are definitely worth it.

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PUCHASE: JACO Guardian MMA Compression Shorts and Athletic Cup Protection System

First up, the compression shorts — they’re true to size. They fit really well and are so comfortable that I even forget that I’ve got it on. It’s made out of 88% polyester, 12% spandex and it keeps everything where it should be. Aesthetic-wise, I think the design is pretty sick to the point that they’re kind of like Vale Tudo shorts. (Oh no he didn’t!) Yes, I did. If I had the choice, I’d roll just with these on but unfortunately there are numerous females in my gym and that would be kind of awkward.

Moving on, let’s take a look at the cup. The part that makes the most contact with your skin is made out of pretty flexible rubber, the body of it is made out of plastic and the black shiny bit is made out of carbon. It’s shaped in a way that even you’ve got a 200lb guy in your guard and there’s a knee down there, the top of the inner part of the cup basically never touches you and all the force and pressure is absorbed on the sides. (Writing about groin guards without being “vulgar” is pretty hard, mind you)

Still with me? Okay! Regarding the cup as a whole, I hear some people complain because it goes too far down. Well, it’s like that for a reason. Kicks and knees come from where? That’s right, from below, upwards and this thing protects you from those accidental inside-leg kicks that do more than just graze — with this cup, your family jewels are protected.

The compression shorts have a pocket where you place the cup into and with the X-Fit design, it stays where it should be. Of course, I’d be lying if I said that it NEVER moves; but when it does it’s never uncomfortable and you know that you may just have saved yourself from wiping your genes off the face of this planet. To be honest, whenever I’m on the mat, I actually forget that I’ve got this thing on.

It’s a bit pricey in comparison to your traditional groin guard but it gives you the mobility you need especially in this sport.

To sum it all up in Cliffs:

+Pretty sturdy material, I’ve had it for a while

+Comfortable

+Looks nice for a manhood protector

+Doesn’t move as much as traditional groin guards so you never have to re-adjust every 5 minutes

+Did I mention comfortable?

-A bit hard on the wallet but a good investment in my opinion

Shock Doctor Ultra MMA Compression Short with Ultra Carbon Flex Cup
From: MMAWarehouse.com