Snowboard & Skate Elbow Pad Size Guide

Why Elbow Pads Matter

Instinct sends your hands out first in a fall, and your elbows take the impact right behind them — whether that's concrete at the skatepark or an icy patch on the mountain. Elbow pads protect the joint itself and the thin skin over it, which splits easily on hard, textured surfaces.

How Elbow Pads Work

Like knee pads, elbow pads combine a cushioning layer with a harder cap or shell that spreads impact instead of concentrating it. Because the elbow bends through a wider range of motion than the knee, fit and flexibility matter just as much as the padding itself.

Types Explained

Soft / Foam Pads

Low-profile foam sleeves, sometimes with a light cap, built to move with your arm.

Best for: riders who want protection without restricting their range of motion. Cons: less protection on sharp, direct hits.

Hard-Cap Pads

A rigid plastic cap over a foam base, built to slide across concrete rather than catch and jar the joint.

Best for: park and street skating, and anyone regularly falling on hard surfaces. Cons: bulkier, can restrict full arm extension.

Fit & Sizing

Like knee pads, elbow pads are sized by circumference, but the measurement method varies by brand. Most use a single measurement around the elbow; ProTec's Street range again uses a two-point above/below system. Sizing also splits by age in a few ranges — several brands offer a Youth/JR size alongside the adult range, worth checking if you're buying for a kid rather than sizing down an adult pad.

Size Charts by Brand

Demon Zero RF D3O Ski/Snowboard Elbow Pads · Protec Street Elbow Pads · Protec Vert Elbow Pads · Triple 8 Exoskin Elbow Pads · Triple 8 Street Elbow Pads · 187 Killer Pads Killer Elbow Pad · 187 Killer Pads Killer Slim Elbow Pad

Demon

Zero RF D3O Ski/Snowboard Elbow Pads

Circumference above the elbow

	XS	S	M	L	XL	XXL
Above elbow (cm)	27–30	29–32	31–34	33–36	35–38	37–40

Protec

Street Elbow Pads

Two-point circumference: A = above joint, B = below joint

	Youth	S	M	L	XL
Elbow A (in)	7.5–9	9.5–11	10.5–12	11.5–13	13–15
Elbow B (in)	6.5–8	8.5–10	9.5–11	10.5–12	11.5–13

Same chart across Black / Checker / Camo colourways, and the Street Adult Pads 3-Pack.

Protec

Vert Elbow Pads

Single circumference around the joint

	XS	S	M	L	XL
Elbow (in)	6–7	8–9	10–11	11–12	12–13

Triple 8

Exoskin Elbow Pads

Elbow circumference, arm extended

	S	M	L
Elbow	6–8"	8–10"	10–12"

Triple 8

Street Elbow Pads

Elbow circumference, arm extended

	JR	S	M	L	X
Elbow	5–6"	6–8"	8–10"	10–12"	12–14"

187 Killer Pads

Killer Elbow Pad

Elbow circumference

	JR	XS	S	M	L	XL	2XL
Elbow	6–8"	7–8"	8–9"	10–11"	11–12"	12–13"	13–14"

187 Killer Pads

Killer Slim Elbow Pad

Elbow circumference

	XS	S	M	L	XL
Elbow	7–8"	8–9"	10–11"	11–12"	12–13"