Assessment of the Effectiveness of Hip Protector Pads Produced by Treated Warp Knitted Spacer Fabrics

The objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of hip protector pads utilizing warp knitted spacer fabrics treated with silicone and latex, specifically designed for hip protective applications. Three different types of warp knitted spacer fabrics and silicone- or latex-treated variants were evaluated in terms of transmitted force, compression resistance, and thermo-physiological comfort parameters. A drop weight impact tester with a real hip impact area was used to measure the force attenuation capacity of hip protective pads, yielding transmitted force values ranging from 14.39 to 31.83 kN under applied energies of 12.5 and 25.0 J. Compression resistance values varied from 219 to above 950 N, depending on the fabric structure and treatment. Air permeability of the fabrics ranged from 1300 to 6000 l/m²s, thermal resistance values from 0.0355 to 0.0714 m²K/W, and water vapor resistance values from 2.66 to 3.99 m² Pa/W. The findings demonstrate that treated warp knitted spacer fabricsespecially both sides open-structured onesshowed higher force attenuation, moderate compression resistance, and improved breathability, making them suitable candidates for hip protective pads that combine protection with prolonged wear comfort.