Buying new pads, blocker and trapper for next season..Any suggestions??

[canadian_man_44]

I'm buying new pads, blocker and trapper sometime before next season. Since I'm starting a new job at the end of the month that will give me a pretty good increase in salary, I figured I would spoil myself. Nothing but the best this time around. I'm going all out and buying pro stuff. While surfing the net I found thehockeyshop.com. They will customize any pads, blockers and trappers for you as far as color and size. I'm leaning towards the CCM Vector Pros but I'm also checking out the RBK Premier Pro and the Vaughn 7000. I'm definately going to a lot of sports shops the rest of this winter and through the summer to try on every pro pad they have. One things for sure though, whatever I get will be in red, black and white to match my custom painted Team Canada mask and the Team Canada goalie jersey my wife bought me for Christmas.

Does anyone have any experience with the gear I mentioned above? I have tried the RBK's and like them a lot, but, I definately want to get the best gear I can. I'm looking at paying around $2500 or more if necessary so if you have opinions on the three kinds I already mentioned or any other top knotch set, let me know.

What I'm looking for is something that will compliment the Profly/butterfly style. Maximium protection with a knee cradle that will slide to the side with my knee when I go down with the pads facing the shot. Any comments or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

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[MikeD]

be sure to also look at Smith Hockey. Pete makes a superb product. Sounds like you have the right idea in trying as much on as you can. So much about gear selection is personal preference.

 

[castlesave*]

go with the ccm vectors for the pads. vaughn for the glove. rbk for the blocker. the ccm blockade glove is bad *** too if u have bigger hands.

 

[VisionQuest*]

be sure to also look at Smith Hockey. Pete makes a superb product. Sounds like you have the right idea in trying as much on as you can. So much about gear selection is personal preference.

Smith, without question. SmithHockey.com

The only big brand Id go with is Vaughn.

Brown for Chest and Arms.

That is all.

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

Smith, without question. SmithHockey.com

The only big brand Id go with is Vaughn.

Brown for Chest and Arms.

That is all.

haha Thats exactly what I wore when I played juniors and in college. Vaughn Velocity pads and gloves and Brown chest-protector. Quality stuff. Vaughn is the only goalie gear that I have had since my first set of goalie equipment when I was 8 (Koho Patrick Roy pad set)

 

[TBLfan]

I like tps blockers(love the finger protection on them), brian's(older models, haven't seen the newer ones in person), eagles or vaughn for catchers and vaughn for pads.

velos ftw.

but it's all personal preference.

 

[theguy351]

I have Vapor XXX everything except glove, thats a supreme. They work great. I originall yhad TPS summits and didnt like them so i returned them and got the vapors and for the most part they are great.....i hear good things about the V2's and the RBK Premeir Pros.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

Right now I sport TPS Bionics, but once I decided to get new pads in a few years, I will be leaning towards TPS Summits, but more towards the Sherwood Cerebrus 10's. I just love how amazingly light they are, and I think they're a quality pad.

 

[TaiMaiShu]

RBK Premiere Series 2(Luongo, Huet, Fleury) or X-Pulse(Brodeur)
TPS Xceeds(Henrik Lund.)
Itech 12.8(Theodore)
Itech Prodigy(Dipetro)
Vaughn Velocity 2(Kipper)

 

[canadian_man_44]

Smith, without question. SmithHockey.com

The only big brand Id go with is Vaughn.

Brown for Chest and Arms.

That is all.

I'm not really looking for new chest and arm protection. I bought RBK armour last year and am very pleased with it.

 

[Thiazi]

Smith, without question. SmithHockey.com

The only big brand Id go with is Vaughn.

Brown for Chest and Arms.

That is all.

Wow, Smith's pricing seems really good. I may need to look into them for my blocker and catcher. How does their gear compare to the major brands?

 

[sc37]

His gear is awesome...and compared to other brands? Well, he designed for Vaughn...and his stuff is essentially custom for a price where you might only get a mid-high range in retail gear.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

I hear Smith makes great stuff as well, and hes got really good pricing, ive never heard anything really bad about his pads at all from anyone. The only complaint some people I have I guess is that theres a really long wait time for the pad.

I want new pads this summer and I just saw the Sherwood C10's just dropped in price, so im excited for that, I think theres a new pad coming out from them really soon, which is why the price dropped I assume.

 

[MikeD]

Pete MADE vaugh with his velo design.....The shop is located in Brockport NY (next door to pizza hut). Difficult to locate sice you have to go around to the back parking area for the entrance door. Very small shop and customers are always welcome to drop in.

He will aslo send you a try-on glove, I believe.

Vortek is another Solid maker but the prices are a bit high.

Simmons makes SOLID top quality gear at very reasonable prices. Contrary to some comments you may read, they do not purchase cheap inferior chinese materials...
Simmons gear is one of the most durable out there if looking foor something thats going to be with you for many many years.

 

[canadian_man_44]

After surfing every site I could find with custom goalie pads, comparing pretty much every different brand and taking all the opinions into consideration, I have reached my verdict. Smith is the pad I will be going with, unless someone can convince me otherwise. Pete Smiths inovations and improvements are amazing. As if his sliding toe bridge, adjustable thigh board and the customizer wasn't enough, the price is very reasonable, protection is top knotch, the knee cradle is superb as well as the calf wrap. I've got three different color schemes set up on the customizer. If I can figure a way to get them on this forum, we'll take a vote and see what everyone likes best. I'm waiting for Pete to put the SP5000s up on his website so I can see exactly what is different between them and the SP4000. So it's either the 4000s or 5000s and I'm going with the SP2000 graphics on whichever set I order.

I'd like to thank everyone for their in put. You were all very helpful in helping me with my choice.

 

[canadian_man_44]

This is a picture off the smithhockey.com customizer that I'm ordering for next season.

This is me playing gentlemens hockey. This one made the local paper.

 

[canadian_man_44]

I was googling when I saw my picture pop up. I had forgotten about this thread. For anyone that cares, I got my new pads in January. I went slightly different then the original that I had picked out, but, here's my Smith set. Thanks to MikeD for bringing up the topic of Smith pads. I had a buddy that had a pair for quite awhile, but, they just slipped my mind. Now I'm the proud owner of what I would consider to be equal to, if not better, then all the "big names" I've tried in my search for new gear in quality and protection. I'll let you all know about the durability after I've had them for awhile. Anway, here they are.