A shoulder-pad system comprising: - a base layer garment; and - an impact-attenuation sub-layer wearable over the base layer garment, the impact-attenuation sub-layer comprising a first and second impact-attenuation component (320, 340), each comprising a cushioning component (322, 342); and wherein the first and second impact-attenuation components (320, 340) each include a shoulder-cap component (304, 306) coupled to the cushioning component (322, 342); wherein the cushioning component (322, 342) comprises a first surface (312, 313); and a second surface (314, 315) opposing, and facing away from, the first surface (312, 313), wherein the cushioning component (322, 342) includes a thickness between the first surface (312, 313) and the second surface (314, 315), wherein the second surface (314, 315) comprises an anterior releasable fastener (328, 348) and a posterior releasable fastener (330, 350) for coupling the impact-attenuation sub-layer to the base-layer garment; wherein a perimeter edge (316, 318) forms a boundary around the cushioning component (322, 342), the perimeter edge of the cushioning component of the first impact-attenuation component being discontinuous with the perimeter edge of the cushioning component of the second impact-attenuation component; wherein the shoulder-cap component (304, 306) is coupled to the cushioning component (322, 342), such that it extends outward, and away from, the perimeter edge (316, 318), wherein the shoulder-cap component (304, 306) comprises a third surface facing in a same direction as the first surface (312, 313), wherein the shoulder-cap component (304, 306) includes an impact plate that comprises at least part of the third surface, and wherein the base layer garment includes releasable fasteners (418, 420, 422, 424), which are adapted to correspondingly mate with the releasable fasteners of the impact-attenuation sub-layer. - a base layer garment; and - an impact-attenuation sub-layer wearable over the base layer garment, the impact-attenuation sub-layer comprising a first and second impact-attenuation component (320, 340), each comprising a cushioning component (322, 342); and wherein the first and second impact-attenuation components (320, 340) each include a shoulder-cap component (304, 306) coupled to the cushioning component (322, 342); wherein the cushioning component (322, 342) comprises a first surface (312, 313); and a second surface (314, 315) opposing, and facing away from, the first surface (312, 313), wherein the cushioning component (322, 342) includes a thickness between the first surface (312, 313) and the second surface (314, 315), wherein the second surface (314, 315) comprises an anterior releasable fastener (328, 348) and a posterior releasable fastener (330, 350) for coupling the impact-attenuation sub-layer to the base-layer garment; wherein a perimeter edge (316, 318) forms a boundary around the cushioning component (322, 342), the perimeter edge of the cushioning component of the first impact-attenuation component being discontinuous with the perimeter edge of the cushioning component of the second impact-attenuation component; wherein the shoulder-cap component (304, 306) is coupled to the cushioning component (322, 342), such that it extends outward, and away from, the perimeter edge (316, 318), wherein the shoulder-cap component (304, 306) comprises a third surface facing in a same direction as the first surface (312, 313), wherein the shoulder-cap component (304, 306) includes an impact plate that comprises at least part of the third surface, and wherein the base layer garment includes releasable fasteners (418, 420, 422, 424), which are adapted to correspondingly mate with the releasable fasteners of the impact-attenuation sub-layer. wherein the cushioning component (322, 342) includes a thickness between the first surface (312, 313) and the second surface (314, 315), wherein the second surface (314, 315) comprises an anterior releasable fastener (328, 348) and a posterior releasable fastener (330, 350) for coupling the impact-attenuation sub-layer to the base-layer garment; wherein a perimeter edge (316, 318) forms a boundary around the cushioning component (322, 342), the perimeter edge of the cushioning component of the first impact-attenuation component being discontinuous with the perimeter edge of the cushioning component of the second impact-attenuation component; wherein the shoulder-cap component (304, 306) is coupled to the cushioning component (322, 342), such that it extends outward, and away from, the perimeter edge (316, 318), wherein the shoulder-cap component (304, 306) comprises a third surface facing in a same direction as the first surface (312, 313), wherein the shoulder-cap component (304, 306) includes an impact plate that comprises at least part of the third surface, and wherein the base layer garment includes releasable fasteners (418, 420, 422, 424), which are adapted to correspondingly mate with the releasable fasteners of the impact-attenuation sub-layer.