An athletic body protective product such as a shin guard with enhanced protection against direct
impact to
bone structure shin. The guard includes a storage
package formed of
moisture-impervious material and sealable to prevent entry of
moisture, a flexible protective guard positioned in the storage
package and sealed therein against entry of
moisture for being custom-formed to the shape of the shin while flexible and upon hardening providing a rigid, supporting
custom fit. The guard includes a
reactive system impregnated into or coated onto a substrate, the
system remaining stable when maintained in substantially moisture-free conditions and hardening upon
exposure to sufficient moisture to form a rigid, self supporting structure. A flexible pad is positioned on one side of the substrate along its length to provide a
cushioning barrier between the hardened substrate and the protected bone of the athlete when the protective guard is in use. An elongate cover encloses the substrate on a side of the substrate opposite the protective pad, The substrate, protective pad and cover are joined together to form a unitary structure. An elongate, narrow, supplemental bone protection pad is positioned relative to the shape of the protective pad so as to reside in overlying relation to the shin bone for providing supplemental protection against direct
impact.