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Contents
- Best youth hand guards for 2026
- Best overall: Bruce Bolt Original Series Hand Guard
- Best for kids over 10: EvoShield Pro-SRZ 2.0 Hand Guard
- Best budget first guard: Franklin PRT Protective Hand Guard
- Best in bright colors: Bruce Bolt Bear Series Hand Guard
- Bruce Bolt vs EvoShield vs Franklin hand guards
- Youth hand guard sizing
- Youth hand guards FAQ
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The best youth hand guard is the Bruce Bolt Original Series guard, because it is the only guard here sold in a youth size, made for hands under 7 inches. For kids over 10 with bigger hands, the EvoShield Pro-SRZ 2.0 molds to the hand and is the most protective, and the Franklin PRT is enough for a player trying a guard for the first time. Last updated October 2026.
For adult and high school picks, see our guide to the best baseball hand guards. Kids also need batting gloves that fit: see the best youth batting gloves.
How we picked: we only included batting hand guards from Bruce Bolt, EvoShield and Franklin, and the sizing comes from what each brand publishes. Prices change often, so check the store page when you click through.
Best youth hand guards for 2026
Best overall: Bruce Bolt Original Series Hand Guard
BRUCE BOLT's PREMIUM PRO Hand Guards feature a semi-moldable thermoplastic protective shell with a Cabretta leather outer and moisture wicking neoprene inner. 1.5" wide elastic strap locks the hand pad in place providing maximum protection for your hand and wrist at the plate. Moldable Thermoplastic Protective Shell Cabretta leather outer shell Moisture wicking neoprene inner 1.5" wide elastic strap to secure hand guard in place. Left hand protection for players who bat "righty"
Bruce Bolt sells its hand guards in two sizes, YTH for hands under 7 inches and ADLT for hands over 7 inches, so a Little Leaguer gets a guard cut for a small hand. The shell is a semi-moldable thermoplastic under a Cabretta leather outer, with a moisture-wicking neoprene inner and a 1.5 inch elastic strap. The guard is ambidextrous, so it works on either hand and can move if your kid switches sides.
Best for kids over 10: EvoShield Pro-SRZ 2.0 Hand Guard
Go all in at the plate with the Pro-SRZ 2.0 Batter’s Hand Guard, uniquely innovative hand protection crafted with a pair of form-fitting Gel-to-Shell Technology shields in one comprehensive design. Shields on the back of the hand and along the outside wrist transform from a flexible material out of the package to body-mapping, ball-deflecting shields in just 30 minutes. Ideal for players over age 10, the Pro-SRZ 2.0 Hand Guard features an ergonomic shape to match the hand without impeding your swing on high and tight fastballs.
EvoShield's guard uses Gel-to-Shell shields on the back of the hand and the outside wrist. Out of the package the material is soft, and it hardens to the shape of the hand in about 30 minutes. EvoShield sells it in one size that it says fits most players over age 10, so it is the better choice for an older or bigger youth player than for a 7 or 8 year old. It is sold for right- or left-handed hitters, so order the version for your kid's bottom hand.
Best budget first guard: Franklin PRT Protective Hand Guard
Protect yourself at the plate with Franklin Sports' PRT LG Baseball Hand + Wrist Guard. Give yourself when you step into the batter's box with this protective hand and wrist shield. With so many small and fragile bones in the hand, hit-by pitches can be costly in terms of pain and injury.
Franklin's PRT guards use a soft shell that Franklin says hardens on impact, and they adjust to fit right- or left-handed hitters with loops that slide over the middle and ring fingers and a bottom tab that tucks into your batting glove's closure strap. Franklin lists the PRT guards as one size and labels them adult, so check the fit on a small hand. For a kid who isn't sure they'll keep wearing a guard, a lower-cost soft shell is enough.
Best in bright colors: Bruce Bolt Bear Series Hand Guard
BRUCE BOLT's PREMIUM PRO Hand Guards feature a semi-moldable thermoplastic protective shell with a Cabretta leather outer and moisture wicking neoprene inner. 1.5" wide elastic strap locks the hand pad in place providing maximum protection for your hand and wrist at the plate. Ambidextrous for either Right or Left hand protection Moldable Thermoplastic Protective Shell Cabretta leather outer shell Moisture wicking neoprene inner 1.5" wide elastic strap to secure hand guard in place.
The Bear Series is the same Bruce Bolt guard in colorways like Sunset, Hot Pink and Caribbean Blue, with the same youth and adult sizing. Pick it if a fun color is what gets your kid to actually wear it.
Bruce Bolt vs EvoShield vs Franklin hand guards
Prices are current merchant prices and can change.
| Product | Price | Material | Technology | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Bruce Bolt Original Series Hand Guard | $50.00 | -- | -- | Shop Now |
| Evoshield Pro-SRZ™ 2.0 Hand Guard | $69.95 | -- | Flexible, Custom Form-Fitting Shield | Shop Now |
| Franklin PRT Protective Hand Guard | $9.99 | Soft Shell | Flexible, Wrist Strap | Shop Now |
 | Bruce Bolt Bear Series Hand Guard | $60.00 | -- | -- | Shop Now |
The three brands take different approaches. Bruce Bolt uses a semi-moldable thermoplastic shell with a leather outer and the clearest youth sizing. EvoShield uses a custom-molded hard shell that covers the wrist as well as the back of the hand, for players over 10. Franklin's PRT is a soft shell that firms up on impact and costs the least.
- Smallest hands (under 7 inches, or a YXXS to S batting glove): Bruce Bolt youth.
- Kids over 10 who face harder pitching: EvoShield Pro-SRZ 2.0.
- A first guard on a budget: Franklin PRT.
Older players comparing these brands can find more adult options in our best baseball hand guards guide.
Youth hand guard sizing
- Bruce Bolt: YTH for hands under 7 inches, ADLT for hands over 7 inches. Bruce Bolt says players in YXXS through S batting gloves take youth, and M through XXXL take adult.
- EvoShield: one size that EvoShield says fits most players over age 10, in left- and right-handed hitter versions.
- Franklin: one size, listed as adult, adjustable for either hand.
The guard goes on the bottom hand, the one closer to the pitcher, and should cover the back of the hand without sliding when your kid grips the bat.
Youth hand guards FAQ
Do youth baseball players need a hand guard?
It isn't required, but the bottom hand is the closest part of the body to an inside pitch and has many small bones. A guard is worth it for kids facing faster or wilder pitching.
Which hand does a hand guard go on?
The bottom hand, which is the hand closer to the pitcher. For a right-handed hitter, that is the left hand.
What size hand guard does my kid need?
With Bruce Bolt, pick YTH if the hand measures under 7 inches or your kid wears a YXXS to S batting glove. EvoShield and Franklin guards are one size, and EvoShield says its guard fits most players over 10.
Is a hard or soft hand guard better for kids?
A soft shell like the Franklin PRT is easier for a young hitter to get used to. A molded hard shell like the EvoShield Pro-SRZ 2.0 offers a more custom, rigid fit for older kids facing faster pitching.
Can you wear a hand guard without a batting glove?
Yes. EvoShield says its Pro-SRZ 2.0 is designed to work with or without batting gloves.
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Zach Kerr
Zach is a former college pitcher & Founder of Baseball Near You.
