QP Sport

What QP Sport does

QP Sport (legally Quality Performers Limited, also branded QP Sport Protection) is a New Zealand-based manufacturer of specialised chest and breast protective gear for contact sports, founded in 1981 with origins tracing back to 1978 when a New Plymouth orthotics specialist collaborated with a local girls' school to create the first women's chest guard. The company designs and manufactures its products at its headquarters in New Plymouth, Taranaki, with many components still produced locally. Its product portfolio centres on six core lines: EconoGuard (the original polyethylene full-coverage protector since 1981), MaxiGuard (a protective sports bra with interchangeable inserts), CoolGuard (polyurethane foam cup protection), BodyGuard (a WKF-endorsed karate chest protector), MasterGuard (FIE-approved men's fencing chest guard), and FoilGuard Men's (a soft foil overlay mandated in FIE-sanctioned foil fencing from April 2018). Products carry CE, FIE, and EN-13277/EN13567 certifications, and QP Sport's original products were used to define the industry certification standards for chest protectors.

The company's technology foundation is built on variable-thickness polyethylene plastic guards, high-density polyurethane foam (CoolGuard Super), breathable 4-way stretch fabrics, and a fully moulded design approach for FoilGuard — with the BodyGuard engineered after laboratory testing of karate kick forces. QP Sport operates a hybrid go-to-market model combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce through qpsport.com (with global shipping and free North American shipping above $90 USD) and a wholesale distributor network spanning 27+ countries across Oceania, Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa, supported by a dealer portal at dealers.qpsport.com. Pricing ranges from $39.95 to $89.95 USD per unit across nine sizing options. The company is privately held, founder-/owner-operated under general manager Richard Shearer, with a small team of 11-50 employees and no disclosed external venture or private equity investment beyond a single $3,207 Callaghan Innovation grant in 2015.

Name

QP Sport

Legal name

Quality Performers Limited

Website

https://qpsport.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

QP Sport, founded in 1981 in New Plymouth, New Zealand, designs and manufactures CE, FIE, and WKF-certified protective chest and breast gear for athletes in fencing, karate, soccer, and other contact sports, selling worldwide through e-commerce and a distributor network spanning 27+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Protective Equipment

NAICS

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYCRAMAEAJ

Team Sports Protective Gear & Sports Medicine Retail

Consumer Products & Retail/Sporting Goods & Outdoor Retail/Team Sports Equipment Retail

SECONDARYCRAMANAC

Protective Armor & Impact Protection Retail (Body/Back/Chest)

Consumer Products & Retail/Sporting Goods & Outdoor Retail/Motorsports & Powersports Gear Retail

SECONDARYCRAMABAE

Team Sports Equipment & Uniforms Retail

Consumer Products & Retail/Sporting Goods & Outdoor Retail/Sporting Goods Generalist Retail

Keywords

• Chest protection gear
• Sports protective equipment
• Martial arts protection
• Fencing chest guards
• Contact sports padding

Headquarters

HQ city

New Plymouth

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Products sold directly to consumers through qpsport.com online store with global shipping. Prices range from $39.95 to $89.95 USD per product.
2. Wholesale/Distributor Sales: Global network of distributors and dealers in 27+ countries purchasing products wholesale for resale in their regions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

QP Sport manufactures and distributes sports chest and breast protection gear for men and women competing in contact sports including fencing, karate, martial arts, soccer, boxing, hockey, cricket, roller derby, and rugby. The product line spans the original EconoGuard (introduced 1981), MaxiGuard protective sports bra, CoolGuard foam protection, BodyGuard karate protector, MasterGuard men's fencing guard, and FoilGuard Men's foil overlay. Products are manufactured in New Plymouth, New Zealand, and sold globally via direct e-commerce and a wholesale distributor network spanning 27+ countries.

Product overview

QP Sport offers a portfolio of specialized chest and breast protection products for contact sports. The product line centres on two women's core products — EconoGuard (the original full-coverage chest and breast protector since 1981) and MaxiGuard/MaxiGuard Top Only (a sports bra with interchangeable protective inserts) — plus CoolGuard for lightweight/foam-based protection. For martial arts and combat sports, BodyGuard provides an ultra-lightweight unisex body protector endorsed by the World Karate Federation (WKF). Men's offerings include MasterGuard (a low-density polyethylene chest guard for fencing) and FoilGuard Men's (a mandatory soft overlay for foil fencing, developed with the FIE). All products share a foundation of certified protective materials (polyethylene, polyurethane foam) and are distributed globally through a network of distributors across more than 25 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MaxiGuard: Protective sports bra with breast protection inserts for martial arts and contact sports, priced at $64.95 USD
• EconoGuard
• CoolGuard
• BodyGuard
• MasterGuard
• FoilGuard

Products and services

• EconoGuard The world's original breast and chest protector for sportswomen, introduced in 1981. Protects breasts, ribs, and sternum with a flexible, virtually unbreakable polyethylene guard held by adjustable elastic straps. Holds CE and FIE approvals. Suitable for football, karate, boxing, hockey, cricket, and any contact sport. Priced at $59.95 USD.
• MaxiGuard A protective sports bra offering breast-only protection with interchangeable inserts, designed for martial arts and other contact sports. Features breathable 4-way stretch fabric with moisture-wicking and flexible fit. Priced at $64.95 USD.
• MaxiGuard — Top Only Replacement bra/top for MaxiGuard inserts. Available in Small, Medium, and Large sizes in White or Black, allowing users to swap and wash inserts while having a fresh garment to train or compete in. Priced at $39.95 USD.
• CoolGuard Lightweight breast protection featuring Polyurethane foam cups for ultimate comfort during intense sports. Designed for women in soccer and other contact sports, offering a slim, undetectable profile under clothing.
• BodyGuard Ultra-lightweight body protector designed for Karate and martial arts. Unisex design for men and women, featuring breathable foam inside and tough nylon outer. Developed from laboratory testing of karate kick forces. CE Certified to EN-13277 (2014) / EU 2016/425 and endorsed by WKF. Priced at $89.95 USD.
• MasterGuard Chest protector for men and boys in fencing, covering chest, ribs, and sternum. Made from low-density polyethylene, CE Certified to EN13567:2002+A1:2007 and FIE approved. Originally designed for fencing masters and students, now used in fencing and other sports such as paintball and HEMA.
• FoilGuard Men's Soft chest guard overlay for men's foil fencing. Fully moulded for a sleek, slimline fit over plastic chest guards. Developed in conjunction with the FIE to meet FIE rulebook section m.25.4.c, mandatory in FIE-sanctioned foil fencing competition from 1 April 2018. Priced at $59.90 USD.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trusted by hundreds of thousands of women worldwide since 1981
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Global Distributor NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor27+ countries across Australia, Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa. Key distributors include: Australia (Bubishi Martial Arts, Giri Martial Arts, J.G. Fencing, Martial Sports Aust, Shogun Martial Arts, Tans Martial Arts, Warrior Australia, Z Sportswear); France (Royal Escrime, Budo Fight chain, Escrime Diffusion, Planete Escrime, Prieur Sports); Germany (Allstar Fecht-Center, Budoland-Top Ten, Chikara Sporthandel, DAX Sports, Fence with Fun, Ju-Sports, Kaiten, Kwon/Danhro, Phoenix Budosport, S.B.J-Sportland, Uhlmann Fechtsport); Switzerland (Budo-K, Budo-Sport AG, Budosport Nippon AG, FIGHT-FIT Sports, Raion Dojo); UK (Blitz, Bytomic Distribution, Leon Paul Fencing, PBT-UK, Playwell Martial Arts); US (Budomart America, Kwon USA, Leon Paul USA, The Fencing Post, Victory Fencing Gear); New Zealand (Auckland Martial Arts, Christchurch Martial Arts, Fight Times, Fujimae, Mainland Fencing, NZ Boxer, Quality Performers, Zenjo Martial Arts); Japan (IKO, Martial World Japan, Shureido, Tokaido Japan); and others across Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Korea, Liechtenstein, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Adidas: Global sportswear giant with broad product portfolio including protective sports gear (notably for football/soccer) and WKF-approved karate equipment. A broader incumbent whose karate and football product lines intersect with QP Sport's categories but lacks QP Sport's specialty focus on certified chest/breast protection.
• Under Armour: Major sportswear and protective athletic apparel brand with products spanning compression, padding, and impact protection. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering protective sports gear across multiple sports, though without QP Sport's specialization in certified chest/breast protection.

Emerging players

• Bruise Breasties: US-based emerging brand focused on women's breast protection for sports. Directly overlaps with QP Sport's EconoGuard and CoolGuard women's product lines, representing a smaller but category-specific challenger targeting the same primary customer segment.
• Boobi: Australia-based emerging brand offering sports bras with protective padding for active women. Comparable to QP Sport's MaxiGuard protective sports bra positioning and overlapping target audience of female contact sports participants in the Oceania region.

Direct peers

• Hayabusa: Canadian martial arts and combat sports equipment brand offering T3 MMA gear, boxing, and martial arts protective products. Directly comparable to QP Sport's BodyGuard for combat sports and karate applications.
• Shock Doctor: Leading sports protection brand offering mouthguards, body protection, and supports for contact sports athletes. Comparable to QP Sport as a specialist in protective sports gear with multi-sport product lines and established credibility in team sports.
• EvoShield: Sports protective gear maker with custom-moulded protection technology. Directly comparable to QP Sport in the protective gear category, particularly relevant for its emphasis on impact protection gear worn under uniforms for contact sports.
• McDavid: US-based maker of sports protective gear including pads, guards, braces, and supports across multiple contact sports. Directly comparable to QP Sport in product category (protective sports gear) and distribution model (specialty sporting goods retailers and team sport channels).
• Bauerfeind: German manufacturer of medical-grade braces, supports, and compression gear with strong sports segment. Comparable to QP Sport through its emphasis on certified, anatomically-tested protective products sold globally through specialty channels.
• Mueller Sports Medicine: US-based maker of sports medicine and protective products including braces, supports, and taping. Comparable to QP Sport in protective sports gear category, with broad multi-sport distribution and established athlete/trade relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/qp-sport

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about QP Sport