If you ever had to return soccer gear because it was the wrong size, we know this frustration. Don’t feel ashamed—it happens to most devoted footy players. That’s even more true if you’re a soccer parent because you know… kids grow—and fast.
With that said, the situation of trying to force an undersized jersey to fit on a growing body can be avoided. Same goes for struggling to fasten the velcro on a too-small headguard. Sizing charts make it easier to find the right soccer gear for any player, regardless of age and body type.
For your convenience, we’ve compiled our sizing guides for some of our popular items here so you don’t have to look too far.
Size Guides for Headgear
If you’re buying soccer headgear for yourself or your kid, you get our applause. Soccer concussion headgear doesn’t prevent concussions—nothing can prevent them altogether—but it may reduce the risk of traumatic brain injuries caused by head impacts.
Of course, you need the right size to get its full protective benefits. Get too big a size, and your headgear might slide off. Get a size too small, and you’ll feel as if there’s no circulation reaching up top (that’s if you even manage to fit it on).
That’s why we created a sizing guide for you to reference (pictured above). It’s simple to use—measure your (or your kid’s) head, and choose the size that corresponds best with that measurement.
Size Guides for Goalie Gloves
The biggest challenge of buying goalie gloves is finding a combination of the right fit (or feeling), grip, hand protection, flexibility and durability. But sometimes finding the correct size gets tricky, especially for kids with growing hands.
The chart posted above gives you the sizes that correspond with hand dimensions. Again, once you find your measurement, you should have little difficulty finding the gloves that will best fit your hand.
The good news is that you won’t have to do this for long, or past a certain age. Once the hands reach adult size, they stay that way.
Size Guides for Tops and Jerseys
The body is where soccer players (and all athletes) differ the most from each other. Think of how diverse body types can be—you’ve got long and short torsos, broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted ones, lean and straight bodies, and all sorts of other variations.
Naturally, that means you might have to spend some time looking for the right tops, whether that’s a goalkeeper jersey, training hoodie or even a chest protector. You’ll probably have to take a few measurements, top-to-bottom, circumference-wise and more.
The goal should be to fit into a top that’s somewhat snug - or if you prefer, slightly loose, as long as it’s not too bulky. But once you have your measurements, you can consult the charts listed above for men and women.
With that said, changes in weight and height will change your fit, but you can just revisit these charts if necessary.
Size Guides for Arm Sleeves
Arm sleeves offer protection for the elbows, and they’re especially useful for goalkeepers. They make all those acrobatic leaps and dives less painful on the elbows, which helps take the mind off the impact of hitting the ground.
Of course, arm sizes can vary. Nevertheless, you just need to take a quick measurement of height, weight, and above all, your biceps, to know what size you’ll need. The chart posted above shows what measurements correspond with what sizes.
Size Guides for Leggings and Shorts
The lower body also varies among soccer players. Soccer players typically have lean and muscular legs, although some carry more or less bulk than others. But height is where you see some real differences—taller players can have long legs, while shorter ones have shorter legs (although this isn’t a hard and fast rule).
Whether you’re shopping for shorts or leggings, you’ll want to opt for a snug or relaxed fit, nothing too tight but not overly loose. You’ll have to measure your waist circumference and inseams to find the right length and size, but it’s fairly straightforward.
Sizing for Leg Guards
Yes, you’ve seen players NOT wear shin guards at the elite level of soccer. Or if anything, they wear tiny ones. We don’t recommend skimping out on shin guards at all, because shinjuries (yes, we made that word up) are no joke.
However, the reason why some players don’t like shin guards, apart from how it feels, is due to wearing the wrong size. And it’s a piece of soccer gear that doesn’t get much attention when it comes to sizing. This leg guard sizing chart helps you choose a natural fit for your shins, so it isn’t too bulky or small.
To find the right sized leg guards, measure your height, weight and most importantly, your calf. With those dimensions on hand, choose the size that corresponds with them best.
Size Guard for SpeedGrip® Socks
One of our less known products is the SpeedGrip® line of socks. They provide traction and stability so that players have more ankle and leg stability, allowing them to run and cut without straining their ACL. There isn’t much to figure out here—once you know your cleat size, just pick the size of socks that corresponds with it.
Sizing Charts to Make Finding Gear Easier
With these charts in hand, you can measure and choose any piece of soccer gear with ease. Make sure to check out the links throughout this article, especially the ones that offer measurement tips. We make guides like these with the intent of making soccer gear easy to find and wear.
Looking for tips on how to find the best soccer gear? Check out our blog to learn more about protective and high-performance soccer apparel.
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