I would try and use some sort of strapping like a harness or fabric sewn to your armor to hold it up and maybe a combination of snaps. You can also run it up to your shoulders like overalls if you want, or attatch it to your chestpeice. I used velcro wich worked ok, but wasnt ideal in positioning for me. I have heard alot of people love that stuff but I didnt prefer it. My armor is also probably considerably lighter because of material. For padding I love the memory foam bed matress covers/tops, but I have found thighs dont generally need alot of padding. Just enough to buffer the armor from your leg.