Equipment: Shin Guards that hug the knee better?

[Jarick]

Any new shins out there that do a really good job of hugging the knee?

My Reeboks are super protective (6k from a couple years ago) but they always feel like they aren't locked into place and feel like they move around while I'm skating. I've taken a couple falls on the knee where it wasn't quite in place that hurt a good bit.

With some new gear out the last couple years, any good shin guards that I might want to check out? Would love if I could really get a nice secure fit around the knee especially.

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[AIREAYE]

I suppose that would depend on the angle & shape of your patella and tibia. Ever tried CCM or the newer Stealth models?

 

[vapor11]

Do you use sock tape at all? I have Reebok 2k's and there is a little gap right below the "6k" in the picture that works perfect for holding socktape in place

I was going to switch to a pair of vapor shins but taping that slot and putting the shins over my skate tongue makes my Reebok's feel great

 

[beth]

I molded my shins to fit my skinny girl legs better - maybe you could try this before giving up on yours?

Get a big tub that will just fit your shins and be able to get them completely submerged. Put your shins on, and put duct tape completely around them at a few places to get them as snug as you want them. Mark the duct tape with a pen so that you can take off the shinguards and then cinch them back up with the tape in the same way. Take out any inserts, put them in the tub and get a BIG pot of water boiling. Pour it over the shinguards (I had to use two pots of water to get them completely submerged). You will have to put something on top to keep them under the water. Let them come to room temperature for a few hours, and they should fit a lot better! I did this with my CCMs and I don't even need to use sock tape. But your mileage may vary!

 

[AIREAYE]

Ehh, boiling water might be a bit much. You don't want to run the risk of weakening the plastics. Beth brings up a great point about heat though. Instead of the boiling water, I would take your heat gun and essentially do the same thing; different heat source.

 

[rinkrat22]

for me the best fitting have always been the jofa's or the RBK's now using the style of the jofa's. FWIW. also if you use heat on any plastic its ok as long as you heat slowly and cool slowly it shouldn't cause any breakdown problems.

 

[beth]

Ehh, boiling water might be a bit much. You don't want to run the risk of weakening the plastics. Beth brings up a great point about heat though. Instead of the boiling water, I would take your heat gun and essentially do the same thing; different heat source.

Heat gun is way hotter and much easier to melt the plastic by accident.

 

[AIREAYE]

That wouldn't happen if you don't use high heat and you don't direct it at one spot for a considerable period of time. It's not as if I turn on a heat gun and everything suddenly melts. By that logic, I would melt the clear coat/paint off any two piece that I handle just by using a heat gun. Common sense.

 

[Jackson12]

heat gun

 

[beth]

I stand by my view that a heat gun is a BAD idea for this purpose. The area you're heating is too large, and it's too easy to heat unevenly, so that it will bend more in some spots than others. The fabric parts, especially, will melt very quickly. Great if you've pulled it off (have you?) but I would recommend the boiling water method as there is much less room for something to go wrong.

 

[bp spec]

I've never had this problem with my Bauer TotalOnes. That's the only thing I can contribute to the thread with.

 

[AIREAYE]

I stand by my view that a heat gun is a BAD idea for this purpose. The area you're heating is too large, and it's too easy to heat unevenly, so that it will bend more in some spots than others. The fabric parts, especially, will melt very quickly. Great if you've pulled it off (have you?) but I would recommend the boiling water method as there is much less room for something to go wrong.

Yes I have, for several pairs.

I don't think your method is efficient or safe for the pad; you're essentially subjecting the entire pad to 100 degree water, not only stressing the plastic in all areas, but the strapping, foams and liner material. The only part that you need narrowed is the plastic shell. It won't help if you saturate the foams; they were never designed to be soaked in boiling water, much less any water (except for the removable liner).

With a heat gun, you can pick and choose your areas, with Jarick focusing on the knee cap and the widest part of the shell right below that. The directed heat is on that area only, the plastic shell, and not on anything else that shouldn't be heated. Simple steady passes of the heat gun at a reasonable distance is all that it takes. Saying that the fabric will melt very easily is an exaggeration and suggests to me that you either have not used a heat gun before, or that you grossly underestimate the melting point of conventional synthetic polymers.

Here's nylon (190–350 °C), Polyester (around 300) etc.etc.

It's like making that delicious and crunchy sugar crust on top of a creme brulee. Would you rather use a kitchen torch, or a home oven to make that?

Again, a heat gun is not a torch.

 

[beth]

Yes, I own a heat gun. I know first hand how easy it is to screw things up with one. And they can get way hotter than 100C. The foams and everything are fine at 100C. My shins still work great two years later. I don't know why we are arguing about this. Just be careful, people!

 

[nystromshairstylist]

Any new shins out there that do a really good job of hugging the knee?

My Reeboks are super protective (6k from a couple years ago) but they always feel like they aren't locked into place and feel like they move around while I'm skating. I've taken a couple falls on the knee where it wasn't quite in place that hurt a good bit.

With some new gear out the last couple years, any good shin guards that I might want to check out? Would love if I could really get a nice secure fit around the knee especially.

I use these to keep the shin guards in place, and don't need to use tape:

http://www.hockeymonkey.com/rsrshinstraps2.html

The long ones for the top hold the guard in place so well I've recently stopped even using the bottom pair.

 

[ReverendAlBundy]

Are they the second series 6ks? (the ones with orangish writing). If so, I absolutely love these shins, but I will agree they tend to knock crooked fairly easily. Just tape hard at the designated taping areas and they should stay nice and tight

 

[Jarick]

I'm more curious if there had been any innovations in shin guards. Something that stays with the knee above and below the joint rather than just strapped to the shin.

My shin guards slide up and down and/or twist a bit. Like they are a bit big overall. They are 14" but of course all 13" guards are way too small.

Do you use sock tape at all? I have Reebok 2k's and there is a little gap right below the "6k" in the picture that works perfect for holding socktape in place

I was going to switch to a pair of vapor shins but taping that slot and putting the shins over my skate tongue makes my Reebok's feel great

These are my shins FYI

I suppose that would depend on the angle & shape of your patella and tibia. Ever tried CCM or the newer Stealth models?

Haven't, but I liked my old One90 shin guards (when they were top end). The new CCM and Stealth shins look intriguing. I think I have a narrower knee/shin overall.

 

[AIREAYE]

I'm sure we'll see some innovation of the sort in the future

The CCM models over the past 3 generations (CL, U+Pro, V10) have all had a similar fit in that the shape of the pad follows the natural inward curvature of the tibia. Not as narrow as the Stealth, but more of an 'anatomical' fit than Supreme or Vapor. I would start here.

The mid-higher end models have all had a simply ingenious yet simple 'v-shaped' strapping system featuring two anchor points for the straps leading into a single velcro end, in addition to a diagonal traditional strap. Spreads the 'pressure' over a wider area of the leg as opposed to only across the strap. The calf padding gives a nice wrap as well, due to the v-straps. I would start there.

I don't think that Easton has ever out a somewhat respectable full shin pad line in its entire history save for perhaps the ST line (16,6,4) and the current Stealth lineup. Perhaps the narrowest line among the big players, they feature a traditional horizontal back-of-the-knee strap as well as the traditional wide calf strap.

Haven't seen the new Easton Makos yet however, and have not seen enough Graf or Sherwood to comment.

 

[Jarick]

Would a heat gun keep them from sliding around all that much though? Suppose it's worth a try.

AIR, might have to check out those CCM's. Straps are huge for me. I just don't like to crank down on the tape. Maybe that's my problem.

I would also LOVE if I could go back to putting my tongues over the shins, just to make it easier to get dressed and tighten the laces.

 

[AIREAYE]

The purpose of heat in your case would be to narrow in key areas.

Jarick, if you wanted to go tongues out again, I would suggest double checking your size. One would typically have a size lower when they want tongues out due to mobility. Might as well bring your skates with you when you try on different pairs.

 

[Jarick]

Does anybody make an honest 13" senior shin guard though? 14's are usually a bit big on me but every 13" I've tried feels like it's made for little kids, calf wrap doesn't come close to coming around, etc.

One issue I had with my Reeboks was the bottom of the guard bumped into my skates, so I had to adjust the liner, and that made a bit of overhang about the knee.

Definitely bringing skates with, did that last time, that shin-skate area is super important to make sure there's no gaps or overlap.

 

[rinkrat22]

why dont you jus cut a little off the 14" ones you onw now? and I would start taping a little tighter. try that before getting into heat guns, new shins or whatever. it may feel different at first but give it a couple of sessions and see how it goes.

 

[AIREAYE]

If you have the tools, cutting and then beveling the edge could work.

 

[Jarick]

No Dremel at home. Could borrow one though.

I'll try on some other shins first. Honestly, if I've got to Dremel and sand, heat and curve, and then clamp down on the tape...that's probably a bad fit to begin with.

 

[Jarick]

Went shin shopping today. Got some funny looks for bringing my skates in to try on shins? They're the weirdos. Who buys protective gear without making sure it doesn't conflict with existing gear? End of the season so missing a lot of 14" shins.

My two cents:

Easton Stealth - shape was nice, but your knee doesn't sit inside the shin so much as on top of it. All that padding but it's just floating on top.

Bauer Nexus - nice shins, a bit bigger fitting, a little too big for me, knee does sit deeper but not super deep.

Bauer Vapor - not a fan, nice taper at the bottom but again just sat right on the knee. FYI that makes it slide around on me.

Bauer Supreme - good fit, fits slimmer, straps don't get very tight though.

CCM U12 - wanted to like these, but the straps were too loose and they sat on the leg rather than wrapping around it.

Warrior Bully - very, very close to buying these. Leg and knee fit SUPER deep into these. Very much wraps around your leg. Straps were a hair loose but not bad at all. Maybe not the most protective pad though.

Reebok 7k - I didn't bring my shins but figured I'd try these on for comparison and was surprised. They actually didn't interfere with my skates while inside the tongue and were more secure than the Bully. Also had a vented shell/liner. Bought them on clearance for $50.

At home, compared with the older 6k's, and while they are the same circumference edge to edge at the bottom, the 7k's were over 1/2" narrower across. They are also slightly narrower all around, so they are a bit narrower yet deeper than the old 6k's. Similar strapping system. Sure enough, the 6k's knocked into the skate tongues while the 7k's snuck underneath.

Score one for Reebok...improved their old design.

 

[nolan91]

Tape like the wind