Protective athletic equipment

A chest protector comprising:

• a torso protector portion;
• and
• first and second arm protector portions including an upper arm portion, a lower arm portion, and an arm hinge,
• wherein the arm hinge includes a forward-facing floater pad, disposed over an interior, forward facing bend of a wearer's elbow on the front of a wearer's arm, and an extension being slidably joined to at least one of the upper and lower arm portions to guide movement of the floater pad in the forward direction during rotation of the lower arm portion toward the upper arm portion,
• wherein the extension defines an elongated channel,
• wherein elongated channel includes spaced apart end portions,
• wherein a guide pin is longitudinally slidable relative to the elongated channel, travelling from a location adjacent one spaced apart end portion toward another spaced apart end portion during use.

An arm protector comprising:

• a protective upper arm portion configured to cover a wearer's bicep;
• a protective lower arm portion configured to cover the wearer's forearm;
• and
• a protective arm hinge overlying a space defined between the protective upper arm portion and the protective lower arm portion, the arm hinge including a forward facing floater pad joined with a lateral extension pad,
• wherein the forward facing floater pad is located adjacent an interior bend of the wearer's elbow, the forward facing floater pad covering at least a portion of the space,
• wherein the lateral extension pad is positioned laterally of the protective upper arm portion and the protective lower arm portion, with the lateral extension pad covering at least a portion of the space,
• wherein the lateral extension pad defines an elongated slot,
• wherein at least one of the protective upper arm portion and the protective lower arm portion are joined with a guide pin that is longitudinally movable during use, relative to the elongated slot, the guide pin movable a distance between spaced apart end portions, the guide pin moving toward a first spaced apart end portion during extension of the wearer's arm, the guide pin moving toward a second spaced apart end portion during flexion of the wearer's arm,
• wherein the guide pin moves within the slot to guide movement of the arm hinge relative to at least one of the protective upper arm portion and the protective lower arm portion as a wearer flexes and extends an arm of the wearer on which the arm protector is worn,
• whereby the forward facing floater pad and the lateral extension pad remain covering respective portions of the space to cooperatively protect the wearer's inner elbow adjacent the space.