Feature Story
A breakdown of goalie leg pads
Hello fellow goalies! I live in
Today, I’m writing about three different
makes of goalie leg pads. I went to our local sporting goods store (Thanks
Stewarts!) to examine a variety of leg pads. The three I looked at ranged in
price and function. All were 10" in width, and about 28" in length.
The first pair was TPS Summits. These are
great pads for someone who is a hybrid style goalie. The front of the pads are
made of synthetic leather and are partially flat, with three horizontal knee
rolls that are designed to help you control rebounds from a standing position.
The outside edge of each pad has a
rectangular side roll that helps deflect pucks down towards the ice when you’re
in the butterfly. There are four “hinges” that help the pad break in and bend
easily.
They also come with a one-inch thigh
board that is removable. I think this will come in handy for not getting smileys, as well as allowing for some growth.
The back of the pad has a deep,
comfortable leg channel. The thigh and calf protectors are secured by two
Velcro straps, giving your leg a comfortable, tight fitting. Three nylon straps
with plastic buckles help hold the pad to your leg.
All three are adjustable so you can find just the right feel. I like the
plastic buckles because they are easy to snap together, and you can un-buckle
them with one hand.
A thick, leather strap with a metal
buckle locks the pad to your skate. The toe is held firm by a lace that ties to
the skate. The backs of the pads are made of nylon and suede materials, making
them very comfortable and fairly lightweight.
Overall, these are great pads that will
help the beginner goalie learn the butterfly technique, as well as fit an
upright style goaltender. The standard color and design is red, black and white
with a neat butterfly design when the pads are placed together. These were the
most expensive pads I looked at, running around $450, but well worth it if you
want to learn the butterfly style.
The second pads I looked at were the
The fronts are made of synthetic leather,
mostly flat, with a rectangle side roll for rebound help. Each pad has three
hinges that aren’t quite as bendy as the Summits when new, although I don’t
think it would take long to break them in.
The backs are similar to the Summits as
well, featuring mostly nylon with some suede lining in deep, comfortable leg
channels. The thigh and calf protectors wrap completely around the leg,
offering comfort and protection. Each pad straps to the leg using a combination
of nylon straps with plastic buckles and leather straps with metal buckles, two
of each. The four buckles will help you find the perfect fit, but they will
take a bit more time to put on if you’re young like me. Each pad attaches
firmly to the skate using a leather strap and metal buckle as well as a nylon
cord for the toe.
When the pads are placed together, they
form a cool X design. They are pretty lightweight, and the silver and white
color combination that I tried looked great. These pads had a price tag of
$269, so I think they are designed for the junior player looking to find a good
pair of beginner butterfly pads for a price that won’t empty your piggy bank
(or Mom or Dad’s wallets).
The third pair were
the Sherwood GP Cerberus 5 Jr. These pads are designed much like the others
with a thin profile, but are probably better for a butterfly style of play.
These pads are mostly flat so that you
can control rebounds while in the butterfly position. There are removable thigh
boards that give you some extra length. They have a side-roll that is thinner
than the
The back of the pads are nylon, with
suede in the leg channels. The channels fit comfortably, with a Velcro strap
for the calf and thigh. One interesting feature is that the knee cradle is
adjustable. It is held in place by Velcro and can be adjusted to fit your
comfort. Like the
The pads I looked at were stiff, and made
in kind of an ‘S’ shape. I think this is to help the true butterfly style
goalie, and probably would take some getting used to if, like me, you’re
accustomed to more of a stand-up style of pad.
The color combo I looked at was red,
black and white that formed a cool design when placed together. Overall, these
are nice pads and would be great for someone who is ready to switch to a
traditional butterfly style pad. The price was reasonable at about $300.
All three pads I looked at were fantastic.
The type of pad you buy should be based upon what type of style you have and
what you can afford. When you decide to shop for new pads, think about how you
will be using them.
Have you been a stand-up goalie? Do you
want to try to be a butterfly goalie? Do you have a good mixture of styles? Do
you want your pads to be more flexible?
Remember that you’ll be in them for a
while, and you might have to do quite a few chores to help pay for them.
Until next time, square up and keep your
eye on the puck!
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