Abstract: A garment for wearing while playing sports having padded portions to absorb impact to protect specific body parts, the impact protection being provided by a shock absorbing pad located within a pocket defined on the garment. The pocket receives the protective pad, usually formed of foam, and while the configuration of the pocket substantially conforms to the configuration of the pad, the pad is only affixed to the garment at a location remote from the pad edges whereby the pad edges are free and may adapt themselves to the configuration of the garment and wadding or extensive pad stressing is prevented, and the pad will automatically accommodate itself to the garment and body configuration.