Women's Rugby Shoulder Pad Canterbury Pro VapoDri

Technical specifications

Care tips

Wash at 30°C maximum on a delicate cycle; a laundry bag is recommended to preserve the seams and foam. Never spin at high speed — water compresses the foam and can create permanent deformations. Flat drying, in the open air, in the shade, is essential: direct heat (radiator, tumble dryer) stiffens the foam and reduces its impact absorption capacity. Do not iron. Avoid fabric softeners or bleaching agents — they clog the VapoDri fibres and limit moisture evacuation.

Design: anatomical protection and mobility

Canterbury designed this shoulder pad with a specific women's pattern: narrower armholes, adapted shoulder width, and a fitted chest cut to avoid any compression. The high-density foam used in the protection zones is closed-cell expanded polyethylene — it does not compress over repeated impacts and retains its original volume even after a full season. Thickness varies by zone: 12 mm on the shoulders (the most exposed area in frontal tackles), 8 mm on the chest and biceps (sufficient protection without excessive rigidity). The VapoDri fabric enveloping the foam is stretchable in all four directions — arms raised, torso rotation, bending in the scrum: no unpleasant pulling, no friction points.

Brand: Canterbury, rugby protection specialist

Canterbury equips international women's teams and has been developing specific protection for women's rugby for over 15 years. The New Zealand brand introduced VapoDri in the 2000s to meet the demands of prolonged effort in humid climates — a technology now standard across all its technical equipment. Canterbury's positioning: maximum protection without compromise on freedom of movement, with particular attention to female morphology (not a simple adaptation of a men's model in a smaller size).