Poen 3-Piece Martial Arts Kick Pads: Honest Thoughts from a Training Nerd

So, these Poen 3-Piece Martial Arts Kick Pads keep popping up on the “affordable home dojo” scene, and yeah, I’ve seen their cheerful red color at plenty of gyms and backyards here in Raleigh. They’re all about helping you kick, punch, and chop away your stress—or a pad-holding buddy—using everything from Karate to Taekwondo, Kickboxing, and whatever fusion your sensei watched on YouTube last week.

Hit It or Miss It: Design & Build

Let’s start with the first impression: these things are red. Like, “I-warned-you-the-bags-are-in-the-laundry-room” red. But if you’re picky about your color game, heads up: sometimes there’s a mix-up and you get blue, or a slightly off hue, so don’t get your heart set on matching your shin guards.

Construction’s mostly basic PU leather, with a foamy inside that tries to soak up your flying knees and wild roundhouses. The hard truth? It does its job at the beginning, especially if you don’t throw full-force Muay Thai elbows 24/7. But don’t expect these to be indestructible—push them hard for weeks, and the sponge padding flattens faster than your motivation on Monday morning. If you’re training for tournaments or going beast mode every night, you’ll notice the loss of bounce.

Sizing: Not Exactly One Size Fits All

So, there’s two shapes—one with a weirder “chicken leg” vibe for pinpoint stuff, and a classic rectangle for old-school striking. The smaller pad’s decent for kids or fine-tuning kicks, but the bigger one? It’s not as “big” as you probably think. More like, “maybe-I-should-stick-to-hand-targets” sized. This matters if you’re looking to practice sprawling combos or don’t want to explain your new bruises at the lab.

In short: if you need a target the size of your uncle’s stomach, these probably aren’t the ones.

Comfort & Use: Works… Most of the Time

I do like the handle and arm strap! At first, they’re comfy and the elastic hugs your arm, so you don’t risk slinging the pad across the room every third kick. But elasticity isn’t forever; a few too many sweaty sparring rounds, and now it’s either cutting off blood flow or flopping around like a sleep-deprived pancake. If your classes are back-to-back, expect to make “strap adjustments” a regular part of your workout.

Also, if you savor the satisfying “thwack” when you land a solid kick, you get that in spades—though your roommates might beg for mercy (the sound can echo mercilessly in tight apartments).

Durability: Don’t Get Your Hopes Sky-High

Here’s the deal—with moderate use, these last a while. Crank up the intensity, and you’ll be shopping again sooner than you wanted. The PU leather holds up to regular drills but isn’t magic against continuous punishment. If you treat your gear rough, plan for replacements; the padding just doesn’t have that “bounce-back” grit forever. And let’s not forget those handles: if you love bear-hug gripping like some North Carolina State wrestler, well, flaws may crop up.

What’ll Annoy You—or Not

If super-consistent sizing, color-matching, and long-haul durability are your must-haves, the Poen pads might bug you. Expect to see red (or… maybe blue?), know that the thick padding won’t last for a full year of daily kickfests, and be ready for the handle to go slack or tight as elasticity fades. Not dealbreakers for casuals, but something to expect if you’re building a dream dojo.

Bottom Line

For the price, you’re getting lightweight pads that’ll serve anyone ramping up martial arts basics or mixing in drills before sushi night. Not pro-level, not built for the hyper-intense gladiator, but they’ll take you through plenty of rounds and skill-building sessions before giving up the ghost.

If you’re cool with rolling the dice on color, you hit pads 2–3 times a week, and you’re not too precious about ultimate longevity, these do the job. But if you hinge your whole training on perfect gear and matching sets, or you hit like a freight train every day, be ready to outgrow them—or upgrade—quicker than you think.