adidas Karate Chest Guard (P03)
- Mid-range
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Experienced
- Sparring
- Competition
Image coming soon
Product details checked against available sources.
Specifications
Our verdict
adidas's karate body protector: a foam-lined torso shell with extended side coverage, a 600D fabric outer and a mesh lining. adidas is on WKF's approved list for body protectors, at brand level, and says this model is approved. Under-14s at WKF-rules events need different kit.
adidas describes its Karate Chest Guard as a WKF-approved body protector for competition. Its description lists a robust foam-lined torso shell, extended side coverage, padded foam sections, a 600D fabric outer and a breathable mesh-polyester lining, with a back secured by elastic and hook-and-loop fasteners. adidas lists XS to XL. UK retailer Budo Online sells it in white, S to XL, sized by wearer height (S 120-134cm up to XL 170-188cm).
WKF's approved list names adidas for body protectors but does not name the model, so the model's approval is adidas's claim. Cimac, the UK store this page links to, is one of the UK dealers WKF lists for adidas. Check for the WKF logo on the protector you receive.
adidas does not say whether it is worn under the gi. WKF's specification for the body protectors it approves is for wear under the karategi (WKF Sport Items Homologation Process 2025-2028). adidas also states no EN certification. Under WKF rules, a WKF Approved body protector is compulsory for men in kumite (competition sparring), and women use a chest and body protector or an integrated one (WKF Kumite Competition Rules 2026, Art. 2.2.7(c)). Athletes under 14 need different kit, including an external body protector (Art. 2.2.7(g)), and this protector is not sold as WKF's children's protector.
Karateka aged 14 and over preparing for events run under WKF rules who want a body protector from a WKF-listed brand, sized by height, and who will check it for the WKF logo.
You are buying for an under-14 at a WKF-rules event. At that age WKF requires a WKF Approved helmet and an external body protector, and girls also need a chest protector (WKF Kumite Competition Rules 2026, Art. 2.2.7(g) and (h)). This protector is not sold as WKF's children's protector, which is white and worn outside the karategi. You need women's chest protection: see the adidas Lady Chest Guard, worn with a body protector. You only need a protector for club sparring: see the Blitz Intercept.
Pros
- A foam-lined torso shell with extended side coverage, per adidas
- adidas is on WKF's approved list for body protectors, and says this model is approved
- Height-based sizing, per UK retailer Budo Online
- Sold by Cimac, one of the UK dealers WKF lists for adidas
Cons
- Not sold as WKF's children's protector for under-14s
- No EN certification stated, and adidas does not say how it is worn
Why we rated it this way
Protection (3): adidas describes a foam-lined shell with extended side coverage and padded foam sections. It states no certification mark or padding figures.
Comfort (3): adidas states a mesh lining and an elastic and hook-and-loop back closure. The height-based sizing comes from UK retailer Budo Online.
Materials & Construction (3): adidas states a 600D fabric outer, a mesh-polyester lining and a foam-lined shell: the normal build for a karate body protector. adidas also says this model is WKF approved.
Value (3): A mid-range price for a foam-lined body protector with extended side coverage, from a brand WKF lists for body protectors: what protectors at this price normally offer.
Sources
- Manufacturer — adidas's own US combat-sports store (sold under the adidas Combat Sports licence; prices in USD, not a UK destination), re-read 2026-10-22: "adidas Karate Chest Guard WKF Approved" - "foam-lined torso shell with extended side-coverage", "padded foam sections", "600D fabric exterior combined with mesh-polyester lining", "The back is secured with elastic and hook-and-loop fasteners", XS-XL; "officially approved by the World Karate Federation (WKF)" (adidas's claim). Its image files are named ADIP03-01 to ADIP03-07 and KARATE_P03_Size_Helper. No EN standard or wear position stated.
- Other source — UK retailer Budo Online's product page and product feed (re-read 2026-10-22), the source of: the title "adidas Karate Body Protector WKF Chest Armour", SKU ADIP03-<size> (feed), "Foam inside padding", "Polyester outside cover", "Elasticated polyester strap", "in a sleek white colour", "WKF Approved competition ready" (the retailer's wording), S-XL and the height bands S 120-134cm, M 135-152cm, L 152-170cm, XL 170-188cm. Budo Online is not on the UK dealer list WKF's adidas entry gives, so its descriptions are the retailer's.
- Technical documentation — WKF approved list (wkf.net/approved; no version printed): "ADIDAS - BODY PROTECTOR": adidas is listed for body protectors; no model is printed, and the gallery images are file-named P03_* (a file name is not a listed model). Checked 22 October 2026.
- Technical documentation — WKF Sport Items Homologation Process 2025-2028 (approval term 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2028): approved mitts and shin-pad and foot protectors come in red (RED 032 C) and blue (PROCESS BLUE C), mitts with or without thumb protection and open on the inner side; the approved body protector is "of inner use (under the karategi)", protecting the front and lateral thoracic area and the abdomen, to EN 13277-3:2013; the female chest protector is a PU inner part with a washable white lining (EN 13277-6); approved items show the WKF logo in a clearly visible place; the WKF website publishes approved trademarks and a list of dealers by country. Checked 22 October 2026.
- Technical documentation — WKF approved list (wkf.net/approved; no version printed): WKF's adidas brand page names Double-D as adidas's worldwide martial-arts licensee and lists adidas's dealers by country; for the United Kingdom it lists "BLITZSPORT" (London) and "CIMAC" (Solihull). Cimac, the UK purchase route for the adidas kit here, is one of them. Checked 22 October 2026.
- Technical documentation — Governing body rulebook: WKF Kumite Competition Rules (Rules Version 2026.01, valid from 1 January 2026; note of 13 April 2026), Art. 2.2.7 and 2.2.10: compulsory kumite protection - WKF Approved mitts, red or blue (a); gum shield (b); WKF Approved body protector for males, and for females a chest and body protector or an integrated chest/body protector (c); WKF Approved shin pads (d) and foot protection (e), red or blue; WKF Approved groin guards for males (f); under-14s a WKF Approved helmet and external body protector (g). "All protective equipment must be WKF Approved" (2.2.10). Checked 22 October 2026.
Methodology: research-based (not hands-on tested) · How we review products
Last reviewed 2026-10-22 · Last verified 2026-10-22