There's some evidence that increased padding leads to increased impact force in a wide range of sports, from boxing to running, that have a padded person initia

There's some evidence that increased padding leads to increased impact force in a wide range of sports, from boxing to running, that have a padded person initiating impact. Anecdotally, this is well known among hockey players and there's a social stigma against wearing more protective gear than average. I've even seen it implicated in pedestrian deaths as a result of driving.