DSC vs SG Abdominal Guard

Two inexpensive abdominal guards for guarding your family jewels.

A. DSC Armour Cricket Abdominal Guard

Price

The DSC Armour Cricket Abdominal Guard costs ₹ 129. A fairly cheap price for safety equipment with so much to protect.

Material

The DSC abdominal guard makes use of a new shape; it is designed to ‘attach’ itself to the wearer’s trousers so that it won’t keep moving during a game. It also follows the ‘natural shape’ of men’s private parts. The guard is made from high impact poly-protector plastics, ensuring a strong and durable guard.

It is lined with soft and durable materials such as cotton and foam so that it won’t feel uncomfortable when worn and so that when struck, it won’t transfer as much force to the wearer. It also makes use of the no-strap system which could prove problematic when playing games over extended periods of time.

Area Protected

The abdominal guard is meant to protect men’s ‘private parts’ so they should have been made from quality materials.

Comfort

The abdominal guard is worn inside the trousers so that no straps are required. This is comfortable simply because there are no straps or pins that could make you feel uncomfortable. The guard also has several ventilation holes that allow air to pass through.

B. SG Profile Abdominal Guard
 

Price

The SG Profile Abdominal Guard costs ₹ 119. Fairly cheap and fairly strong for a small package.

Material

The abdominal guard is made from impact-resistant polyurethane foam which makes the guard very, very light as well as rigid. A direct hit would most likely result in a deflection of the cricket ball. The edges of the guard are lined with cotton-stuffed-foam which aid in impact absorption and comfort.

The guard itself has four precisely placed holes that help in air circulation. The guard is also small enough to be slipped into jockstraps and trousers. This is ideal for that ‘quick insert’ when you have been called up to replace an injured teammate. It also is shaped to provide the ‘ultimate groin protection’.

Area Protected

The abdominal guard only has one area to protect - the genitals, the ‘family jewels’, the groin - the man’s sensitive area. Since they are meant to protect such sensitive areas, they are meant to be made from quality materials.

Comfort

The guard, as mentioned, is lined with foam and padding which help reduce the impact - that is, if you are hit in that area. It’s small size also makes it ‘invisible’, meaning that it will feel like it’s not there. First-time users can feel uncomfortable when using it for the first time.

C. Final Comparison

Comfort-wise, the DSC abdominal guard is better because of its ventilation features. It is, however, smaller than the SG which may make it less comfortable to wear. This doesn’t mean that the DSC offers less in terms of protection - they both, to a degree, offer the same amount of protection. The main difference here is that the DSC protects a smaller area than the SG. This may have its cons especially for players who prefer using the DSC because of its features. However, since it cannot protect the entire ‘region’, they have to settle for a different brand altogether.