Hip Pad & Impact Short Size Guide

Why Impact Protection Matters

Tailbone and hip injuries are some of the most common — and most avoidable — injuries in snowboarding, usually from a hard backward slam while learning heelside turns, or from repeated falls hitting rails and boxes in the park. Impact shorts and hip pads cushion the tailbone, hips, and sometimes the thighs, turning a bone-jarring slam into a shrug-it-off moment.

How They Work

Most impact shorts are a compression short with foam or D3O padding sewn in over the tailbone, hips, and sometimes the outer thigh. Standalone hip pads do the same job as a separate strap-on piece, usually worn over your base layer and under your outerwear.

Shorts vs Standalone Pads

Impact Shorts

A compression short with padding built in, worn as your base layer.

Best for: all-day comfort and a low-profile fit under your pants — this is the more popular option and what most of the brands below make. Cons: sized like clothing, so fit depends on getting your waist measurement right.

Standalone Hip Pads

A separate padded piece that straps on over your existing base layer.

Best for: layering over gear you already own, or if a full compression short doesn't suit you. Cons: fewer options on the market, can shift more than a built-in short.

Fit & Sizing

All the shorts below are sized by waist circumference, same as regular apparel — measure around your natural waistline, not your hips. A couple of brands' charts (Burton's included) are their general apparel sizing rather than a short-specific chart, so if you're between sizes, sizing down usually gives a snugger, more supportive fit for impact protection than sizing up would for regular clothing.

Size Charts by Brand

Burton Men's Total Impact Short · Burton Women's Total Impact Short · Demon Zero RF D3O Ski/Snowboard Shorts · Protec Impact Shorts · Triple 8 Bum Saver / Bum Saver 2

Burton

Men's Total Impact Short

Waist circumference

	XXS	XS	S	M	L	XL	XXL	3XL
Waist (in)	27–29	29–31	31–33	33–35	35–37	37–40	40–44	44–51
Waist (cm)	69–74	74–79	79–84	84–89	89–94	94–102	102–112	112–130

Burton

Women's Total Impact Short

Waist circumference / numeric dress size

	XXS	XS	S	M	L	XL	XXL	3XL
Waist (in)	22–24	24–26	26–28	28–30	30–33	33–37	37–41	41–45
Numeric size	00	0–2	4–6	8–10	12–14	16	18	20

Demon

Zero RF D3O Ski/Snowboard Shorts

Waist circumference

	XS	S	M	L	XL	XXL
Waist (in)	24–26	26–28	28–31	31–34	34–37	37–40
Waist (cm)	60–65	66–69	70–80	81–86	86–94	95–103

Protec

Impact Shorts

Waist circumference

	XS	S	M	L	XL
Waist (in)	22–27	26–30	29–33	32–38	36–42

Triple 8

Bum Saver / Bum Saver 2

Waist circumference

	JR	S	M	L	XL
Waist	22–27"	26–30"	29–33"	32–38"	36–42"