About Us

Hello, my name is Connor Imboden and I am the creator of Gear Guards. I received my masters of athletic training degree and became a licensed and certified athletic trainer in 2020. I always wanted my career path to be rooted in the game of soccer, however, the COVID pandemic changed that path. I had to pivot and was hired as an athletic trainer for a St. Louis area high school. Wrestling was a sport that I knew absolutely nothing about. I had never seen a wrestling match. I didn't know any rules. Honestly, I thought it was strange. Until I saw it up close with some of the best high school wrestlers in the state. Then, I was hooked. The strength, the speed, the strategy, the grit, the dedication. Everything about wrestling was what I enjoyed in a sport.

I left the high school setting in 2024 to advance my career by accepting a job at a division 1 university. I was lucky enough to find myself with their wrestling team from the start. It was everything I loved about high school wrestling but amplified to another level, exactly what I was looking for. One of the biggest differences from an injury standpoint was the shear level of trauma the collegiate wrestlers ears had sustained through years and years of training and competition.

Cleaning up blood from "cauliflower ear" became a regular occurrence. These athlete's ears were so traumatized and swollen, there was almost no way to prevent them from opening up during practice. I had seen wrestlers with what appeared to be a pad attached to their headgear in photos so I attempted to recreate this using scrap materials in the training room. Whether it was materials decaying after a few days, poor adhesive not allowing the pad to stick, jagged edges from trying to hand cut each pad, it just didn't seem like the best option. One day, five minutes before practice, an athlete came in and asked for a headgear pad. I scrambled and got it done in time, but it was my worst attempt yet. After practice, that same athlete and I were talking and I told him what a great idea it would be if those pads were pre-made. Cut to size, quality materials, peel and stick, easy, and ready to go. This is where Gear Guards were born.

Gear Guards are precision cut pads made to the exact shape of any adult size "oval shaped" wrestling headgear. They are made of a durable and comfortable foam with a strong adhesive backing. We have three goals in mind with the creation of Gear Guards. Provide added protection, prevent future injury, and create a more comfortable wrestling experience. Gear Guards are patent pending and proudly made in St.Louis, MO.