It is very difficult to find the right fit in goalie pants. Alot of women I see playing out or in net tend to wear their pants tight. I disagree with this because the looser they are the better movement you will have. I personally buy a large size and use suspenders to hold my pants in place. I also do not tuck in my chest protector, which is all personal preference. You have to determine what you will feel most comfortable with wearing.
Here are some things to consider when shopping for goalie pants:
Tail Bone Protection: I have had a pair of goalie pants that lacked in tailbone protection. It was not a good outcome and breaking your tailbone is painful.
Hip Protection- If you stack your pads or take a stick or shot to the hip you want the best protection. I hear plenty of complaints from goalies recieving stingers in these areas and if you think about it hip bones are very vulnerable and stick out.
Why not give those hips good protection? Look for pants with Plastic/hard foam inserts in the hip and waist line.
Thigh Protection- If you drop to a butterfly your thighs are part of the brick wall you are imitating. You need hardcore protection and the most legal blocking surface possible if your league is following NHL/USA hockey rules. You may also look for five hole protection but be careful some brands really pack the five hole with excessive amounts of stuffing leaving you to wobble about the crease. Most pants on the market have decent thigh protection just don't wear player pants in the crease and you will be fine.
Weight- I consider this to be personal preference. I have 3 pairs of pants. Two are feather lite and one is heavy. I really cannot tell the difference because they all are balanced and fit very well and the difference is bulkiness.
Durability- IMPORTANT- How often do you want to buy new pants? Do you want to worry about skate cuts, frayed stitching, or breakdown of padding? You get what you pay for in most cases with hockey equipment. I do understand if you are still growing and will only last a season in a pair of pants. In that case buy used or the throw away Cheap'o pants.
POSSIBLE GOALIE PANTS BRAND CHOICES AND HOW THEY FIT:
Vaughn Velocity 3-
These pants are amazing! You may think they are heavy but once on they fit so balanced and do not hinder your movement. I have short legs and a 30 inch inseam and did not find these pants overly bulky in the five hole padding. I have a 33 inch waist and bought them in size medium. These pants will last forever and worth the price. These are pro level protection.
Mckenney Pro-Lite Goal Pants-
Mckenney is a great company that strives on making quality goal equipment. I have a pair of these pants and they are very well made. The legs are shorter then most brands and the sizing can be complicated. I ordered a medium which felt way to big so I opted for a small. Again I do not tuck in my chest protector. The pants feature a belt loop in the legs for your thigh board strap. These are basic pants and they offer great protection for their weight. I wear them for ice, roller, and ball hockey. They are great!
TPS Goal Pants- I just bought a pair of flat faced pants TPS GP104. I was very impressed on how nicely made they are and how light weight. These pants are big and offer a lot of blocking surface but do not hinder movement. These pants were recommended to me instead of RBK which are over-priced and over-bulked. These pants fit snug in the waist and then large in the legs- kind of A-frame. The thighs are flat faced but do curve in at the edges which I believe offer better mobility. The Leg length is not long or short on my 5' 6" frame with short legs. TPS GP104 pants are on clearance right now (summer 2007)! I purchased mine for 49.99 on clearance here. I am also interested in checking out the TPS R8 pants which look pretty good.
Itech- Lots of women love Itech pants and find the fit and protection great. I know a lot of women goaltenders who wear the Itech 4.8. I personally do not think its enough protection but then again I have never tried them. The new Itech Elite series looks very nice and seems to offer some great protection. I recommend you give them a try and let me know what you think.
The Itech HP Pro is their top of the line model and I am very curious how it performs. Last years model Itech HP 9.1 recieved a ton of great reviews so you may be able to find a pair on clearance right now.
RBK/CCM- I know these pants are all the rage but I have yet to try a pair. I know CCM 620 Pro return models are popular but only seem to come in XL sizes which I would swim in.
If I am leaving some brands out its because I do not have information on them. There are a ton of companies out there offering custom pants which is the ultimate way to go if you can afford it.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Story of the Skate-Small feet accomodations
Do you have small junior sized feet like I do? If you don't you are lucky in many ways. The only good thing for people with junior sized feet is the smaller price tag.
Lots of us fall into the junior size category. I wear a size 5.0 junior skate. The biggest problem for me is finding a skate with enough ankle support for a 165 pound body. I doubt a lot of 12 year olds weigh this much, so how do I find a junior skate that is built with amble support?
A lot of manufacturers make a junior skate with the thought that a child will just out grow it.I have found a lot of junior skates were lacking in support around the ankle and the materials were not so sturdy. This is important to a goalie because we are out on the ice for the entire game and sore feet is not a fun experience. We also need support for strong lateral movements in the crease and a sturdy cowling.
The best advice i can offer an adult with small feet is to buy the top of the line junior model which is often labeled "Pro" or has the highest manufacturer number (usually the most expensive).
Here are some models making my list for top Quality:
Bauer 7000 Supremes (if you can still find them because they are discontinued)
Graf 750 Pro Goaler (TOP NOTCH but not for all feet)
Bauer Vapor XXX (warning Cowling is not very strong and will crack)
CCM Super Tacks 852 (discontinued model)
Bauer- seems to offer a pro level choice in their junior models. The problem is these skates run narrow and the Vapor model is a skate that is not going to last as long as the old Supreme models. If you can find the Bauer Supreme 7000s in your size anywhere snatch them up! They are built to last and are a great skate! I hear the Bauer 3000 are not bad but lack the pro comfort foams in the ankle and you might pick up a pair of these on clearance as a backup pair.
Graf- is a Pro level skate and I love the construction of the boot. The problem is not every foot will love Graf. The toe box area is pretty small and I could not get a proper fitting in these skates, but I have weird feet. They do have wider sizes and I hear they have custom offerings as well. My problem with their junior sizes is the amount of blade on the ice. If you are an adult you will have less blade on the ice and it will be rockered. I am used to wearing goalie skates with less rocker and more blade touching the ice and find it more stable. Its all personal preference and some may embrace the mobility of a rockered blade. These skates will last you forever and they are a bit expensive but worth it as they are Canadian and not full of corporate gimmicks.
CCM Super Tacks 852
-I do not know much about these other then they are a high level skate in the Junior category. The current models offered by CCM is the Vector 6.0 model and I am not sure how much support is offered in this skate either. The Senior model goes up to 10.0 style. I wish they offered this in the junior line. CCM skates
fit wide in the forefoot area and snug in the heel. I wear their player skates in junior Vector Pro model and love them and wish they had this style in goalie skates.
The best advice is to buy what is comfortable and what will last. If you don't have a good hockey store in your area then pick the online company with the best return policy and plan to order several brands and sizes to see what will suit you. Just do not sharpen them until you are sure they are the correct fit you need.
Lots of us fall into the junior size category. I wear a size 5.0 junior skate. The biggest problem for me is finding a skate with enough ankle support for a 165 pound body. I doubt a lot of 12 year olds weigh this much, so how do I find a junior skate that is built with amble support?
A lot of manufacturers make a junior skate with the thought that a child will just out grow it.I have found a lot of junior skates were lacking in support around the ankle and the materials were not so sturdy. This is important to a goalie because we are out on the ice for the entire game and sore feet is not a fun experience. We also need support for strong lateral movements in the crease and a sturdy cowling.
The best advice i can offer an adult with small feet is to buy the top of the line junior model which is often labeled "Pro" or has the highest manufacturer number (usually the most expensive).
Here are some models making my list for top Quality:
Bauer 7000 Supremes (if you can still find them because they are discontinued)
Graf 750 Pro Goaler (TOP NOTCH but not for all feet)
Bauer Vapor XXX (warning Cowling is not very strong and will crack)
CCM Super Tacks 852 (discontinued model)
Bauer- seems to offer a pro level choice in their junior models. The problem is these skates run narrow and the Vapor model is a skate that is not going to last as long as the old Supreme models. If you can find the Bauer Supreme 7000s in your size anywhere snatch them up! They are built to last and are a great skate! I hear the Bauer 3000 are not bad but lack the pro comfort foams in the ankle and you might pick up a pair of these on clearance as a backup pair.
Graf- is a Pro level skate and I love the construction of the boot. The problem is not every foot will love Graf. The toe box area is pretty small and I could not get a proper fitting in these skates, but I have weird feet. They do have wider sizes and I hear they have custom offerings as well. My problem with their junior sizes is the amount of blade on the ice. If you are an adult you will have less blade on the ice and it will be rockered. I am used to wearing goalie skates with less rocker and more blade touching the ice and find it more stable. Its all personal preference and some may embrace the mobility of a rockered blade. These skates will last you forever and they are a bit expensive but worth it as they are Canadian and not full of corporate gimmicks.
CCM Super Tacks 852
-I do not know much about these other then they are a high level skate in the Junior category. The current models offered by CCM is the Vector 6.0 model and I am not sure how much support is offered in this skate either. The Senior model goes up to 10.0 style. I wish they offered this in the junior line. CCM skates
fit wide in the forefoot area and snug in the heel. I wear their player skates in junior Vector Pro model and love them and wish they had this style in goalie skates.
The best advice is to buy what is comfortable and what will last. If you don't have a good hockey store in your area then pick the online company with the best return policy and plan to order several brands and sizes to see what will suit you. Just do not sharpen them until you are sure they are the correct fit you need.
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