Ear Guards

Ear guards, often called wrestling headgear, cover and pad the ears in close contact and on the mat. UWW and British Wrestling rules regulate ear protectors but do not make them compulsory. Your club may set its own rule, and US school rules differ, so check with your club.

When choosing, look at the ear cups, how the guard fastens and how it is sized. Some ear cups have a shell under the padding, and others are padding alone. Guards fasten with straps, a chin strap or a chin cup, and come in one adjustable size or in size bands.

For competition, UWW's Uniform Regulations (January 2026 version) say ear protectors must be made of flexible and elastic material without any hard buckle. The ear flaps must be elastic and covered in shock-absorbing material. Each assessment sets the guard's construction beside that rule but never says whether it complies, so check your event's rules.

We assess each guard on its design, fit and coverage only, and make no claims about preventing ear injuries.