New Balance 500 Wicketkeeping Pads

New Balance 500 Wicketkeeping Pads at a glance

Brand	New Balance
Category	Batting pads
Price	$85.00
Availability	In stock (3 of 3 variants)
Size	Adult, Youth, Junior
Sold by	Cricket For All, Gilles Plains, South Australia

Variants and availability

Variant	Price	Was	SKU	In stock
Adult	$85.00	—	—	Yes
Youth	$85.00	—	—	Yes
Junior	$85.00	—	—	Yes

How to choose batting pads

Pads are sized by leg length, and correct sizing is a safety matter, not a comfort preference.

Sizing

Measure from the centre of the knee to the top of the instep with the player standing.

Size	Knee-to-instep
Small Boys	up to 30 cm
Boys	30-34 cm
Youth	34-37 cm
Small Adult	37-40 cm
Adult (Men's)	40-44 cm
Adult XL / Long	44 cm+

The knee roll must sit on the knee. A pad that is too long pushes the knee roll above the joint and leaves the top of the shin exposed - the exact area a ball skidding through low will find. Too short and the instep is unprotected.

Construction

• Traditional cane - vertical cane rods with bolsters, the classic construction. Excellent impact dispersion, heavier, favoured at senior level.
• High-density foam - lighter, cheaper, quicker to dry, less effective against genuine pace.
• Hybrid - cane in the shin, foam in the wings and knee roll. The common mid-range compromise.

Weight and running

Pad weight is felt most between the wickets, late in an innings. Lightweight pads help with running but disperse impact less. Junior players almost always want the lighter option; senior players facing pace should not compromise shin protection for a few hundred grams.

Getting pad sizing right

Pad sizing is the area where "close enough" causes actual injury, because the consequence of a mis-sized pad is not discomfort but an exposed shin.

The measurement

Stand upright. Measure from the centre of the kneecap to the top of the instep - not to the floor, not to the ankle bone. That figure determines the size.

Size	Knee-to-instep
Small Boys	up to 30 cm
Boys	30-34 cm
Youth	34-37 cm
Small Adult	37-40 cm
Adult (Men's)	40-44 cm
Adult XL / Long	44 cm+

Manufacturers vary slightly, so treat these as a guide and check the specific brand's chart where available.

Why too long is worse than too short

If a pad is too long, the knee roll rides above the kneecap. That does two things: it leaves the top of the shin - directly below the knee - covered only by thin material or nothing, and it stops the pad flexing at the joint, so the player runs stiffly and the pad rotates.

The top of the shin is exactly where a ball skidding through low arrives. A pad that is slightly short still protects the shin; a pad that is too long does not.

Construction in detail

Traditional cane. Vertical cane rods running the length of the shin, separated by foam bolsters. Cane distributes impact along its length and across adjacent rods, which is why it remains the choice at senior level against genuine pace. Heavier, and more expensive to make.

High-density foam. Moulded closed-cell foam, sometimes with reinforcing inserts. Lighter, cheaper, faster to dry, and it disperses less energy. Entirely appropriate for junior and social cricket.

Hybrid. Cane through the shin where impact energy is highest, foam in the wings and knee roll where it is not. The common mid-range compromise and a sensible one.

Weight, running, and the trade-off

Pad weight is felt between the wickets, and most acutely late in a long innings when fatigue is already a factor. Lighter pads genuinely help running.

The trade-off is real: lighter almost always means less impact dispersion. The sensible resolution depends on what the player faces. A junior playing on slow surfaces against gentle bowling should take the lighter pad. A senior player facing 130 km/h should not save 300 grams at the cost of shin protection.

Fitting

• Wings face outward. The wider side flap protects the outside of the leg. Pads worn the wrong way round leave the inside exposed and catch each other when running.
• Straps buckle behind the leg, not on the inside where they snag.
• Three straps is standard; the middle strap carries most of the load.
• Tension: firm enough that a hard shake does not rotate the pad, loose enough not to restrict the calf. Over-tight straps cause cramping.

Check the fit standing and then in a batting stance - a pad that fits standing can bind at the knee when the front leg bends.

Care

Hang pads to dry after every use. The facing absorbs sweat and rain, and stored damp the internal foam degrades and straps rot. Wipe the facing with a damp cloth; never machine wash, which delaminates the facing from the padding.

Replace pads when the foam has hardened and lost rebound, when the facing has split enough to admit water, or when straps no longer hold tension.

Batting pad terms

• Knee roll - the horizontal padded roll that sits over the kneecap; it must align with the joint.
• Bolster - the padded roll running down the pad face, dispersing impact.
• Wing - the side flap protecting the outside of the leg; wings face outward.
• Instep - the lower section covering the top of the foot.
• Facing - the outer covering material, usually PVC or synthetic leather.
• Cane - vertical rods traditionally used inside the shin for impact dispersion.
• High-density foam - the lighter modern alternative to cane.

Common questions about batting pads

How do I measure for batting pads?

Stand upright and measure from the centre of the kneecap to the top of the instep. That measurement, not age or height, determines pad size. If between sizes, size down: a pad slightly short still protects the shin, whereas a pad too long pushes the knee roll above the joint.

Which way round do batting pads go?

The wing - the wider flap on one side - protects the outside of the leg, so wings face outward. Straps buckle behind the leg. Pads worn the wrong way leave the inside of the leg exposed and catch on each other when running.

How tight should pad straps be?

Firm enough that the pad does not rotate when you shake your leg, loose enough not to restrict the calf. The middle strap carries most of the load. Over-tight straps restrict blood flow and cause cramping late in an innings.

Are lightweight pads less safe?

Generally yes, at the margins. Lightweight pads use high-density foam rather than cane and disperse less impact energy. For junior and social cricket the trade-off favours lightness; for senior players facing genuine pace, shin protection should win.

Can batting pads be used for wicketkeeping?

They can, but they should not be. Batting pads are longer, heavier and bulkier at the knee roll, which restricts the keeper's squat and slows the rise. Keeping pads are a different shape for a reason.

How do I stop pads smelling?

Air them after every use rather than sealing them in the kit bag. The facing absorbs sweat and rain; stored damp, the foam degrades and the straps rot. Wipe the facing with a damp cloth, never machine wash.

Where this sits in the range

Cricket For All stocks 138 other batting pads items, priced from $39.99 to $299.99. At $85.00 this one sits around the middle of that range.

Closest alternatives in the same category, matched on shared product tags:

Product	Brand	Price
New Balance 800 Wicketkeeping Pads	New Balance	$110.00
Gray-Nicolls GN 500 Batting Pads Ambi-A	Gray-Nicolls	$79.99
Gray-Nicolls GN 500 Batting Pads Ambi-Jnr	Gray-Nicolls	$79.99
Gray-Nicolls GN 500 Batting Pads Ambi-S Jnr	Gray-Nicolls	$79.99
Gray-Nicolls GN 500 Batting Pads Ambi-XS Jnr	Gray-Nicolls	$79.99
Gray-Nicolls GN 500 Batting Pads Ambi-Y	Gray-Nicolls	$79.99

What to buy alongside

Thigh guards and an abdominal guard complete the lower-body set that pads begin.

About New Balance

New Balance entered cricket relatively recently but has become a major force, particularly in footwear where its running-shoe engineering translates directly, and in bats through high-profile player endorsements.

Ranges this product appears in

• New Balance — 72 products
• All Cricket Gear Except Balls — 1451 products

Buying from Cricket For All

Cricket For All is an Adelaide cricket centre and online store at Unit 1-2, 621-623 North East Road, Gilles Plains, South Australia. Free standard shipping applies to eligible Australian merchandise orders of A$100 or more before cart rewards. Standard shipping is A$15 otherwise; express is A$20. Exclusions and weight limits apply. See the current shipping policy at https://www.cricketforall.com.au/policies/shipping-policy for full terms.

The store sits inside a working cricket centre with indoor lanes and bowling machines, so equipment advice comes from nationally accredited coaches who see the same gear in use daily rather than from a catalogue. Trading hours are Monday to Thursday 12:00pm-10:00pm, Friday 12:00pm-9:00pm, and Saturday and Sunday 10:00am-6:00pm. Phone (08) 7095 5777 or email retail@cricketforall.com.au.

Price, variant and availability details reflect the catalogue when this page was compiled; the live product page carries current pricing and stock.