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American football apparel
American football apparel covers everything you wear alongside your protection: game and practice pants, practice jerseys, compression base layers, arm sleeves, socks and the skull cap worn under the helmet. None of it stops a hit, but it keeps your pads where they belong, lets you move freely and makes long sessions more comfortable. Football pants, for instance, are chosen to hold thigh and knee pads in the right place, and a jersey has to fit over your shoulder pads. This page gives you the key points for choosing sizes, cuts and fabrics, and for avoiding the most common mistakes. It is about playing kit rather than replica NFL shirts, so the focus is on what works on the pitch.
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Buying guides Football sock height: what the rules require and what they leave to you
No rulebook sets a football sock height. What actually decides it: the team uniformity rule, where your pants stop, and the knit inside the cleat.
Buying guides Football Arm and Leg Sleeves: What They Actually Do
Compression sleeve, padded arm sleeve or leg sleeve: what the manufacturers claim, which one carries a safety standard, and what the uniform rules allow.
Buying guides How to clean and care for your football gear
Jerseys, pants, girdles, shoulder pads and gloves: the washing and drying instructions published by Barnett, McDavid, Schutt, Cutters and Nike.
Choosing American football apparel
Football pants
Football pants finish just below the knee and exist mainly to hold your protection in place. There are two systems: pants with pockets that take slot-in thigh and knee pads, and pants with integrated pads. If you already wear a padded girdle, simpler football practice pants may be all you need. Choose by waist size and check that the knee pad sits over the knee once the pants are adjusted.
Jerseys
A game or practice jersey goes over your shoulder pads, so it needs to be far roomier than an ordinary T-shirt, cropped or full length depending on your club's style. Mesh practice jerseys are light and breathable; game jerseys put durability first. When in doubt, try it on over your pads.
Compression and base layers
A compression top under your shoulder pads reduces chafing and wicks sweat away. Football arm sleeves protect the forearms from turf burn, and a thin skull cap under the helmet soaks up sweat. Make sure any extra layer under the helmet does not change how it fits.
Socks
Long, cushioned socks help prevent blisters in cleats. Always try your cleats on with the socks you will wear on match day.
Cold-weather kit
British and Irish seasons often mean cold, wet sessions. A thermal compression layer under your kit keeps you warm without restricting movement, and gloves and a skull cap complete a cold-weather setup.
Care
Wash technical apparel at a low temperature and skip the fabric softener, which reduces the ability of technical fabrics to wick moisture. Remove all pads before washing, let everything air-dry and keep stretch fabrics and printed kit out of the tumble dryer.
Ordering kit for a club
Before placing a team order, get players to try one size of each item on over their pads, as cuts vary from one manufacturer to another. It is also worth ordering a few extra pieces for players who join the squad mid-season.
Frequently asked questions
What size football jersey should I buy?
A jersey is worn over your shoulder pads, so it needs to be roomier than a normal T-shirt. The safest option is to try it on over your pads.
Pants with pockets or integrated pads?
Both work. Pockets let you choose your own pads, integrated models are simpler, and if you wear a padded girdle a lighter pair of practice pants may do.
Can I wear a skull cap under my helmet?
Yes, many players do to soak up sweat or stay warm. Just check that the helmet still fits properly with the extra layer.
How should I wash technical kit?
At a low temperature, without fabric softener and with all pads removed, then air-dry. Keep stretch fabrics and prints out of the tumble dryer.