Best Goalie Company

[DDude26 0]

Hey guys i just wanted to know who's is your favorite goalie equipment company... Thanks for doing the poll

[jimmy 194]

I have to go with Battram and Smith, and even Brown. The others are just to big to care, special orders take too long. When you call any of the above companies you talk right to the man, not some customer service guy.

I do like the new RBK stuff though. Seems better than Vaughn. I owned Vaughns, they don't hold up. The CCM Gatekeepers are an awesome pad too,

[sundin13 1]

Most of my stuff is Koho. They've held up so far. Good stuff.

[DDude26 0]

All right good poll so far but need more opinions from goalies cuz i need just more than 13 votes so far now.

[DDude26 0]

oh i forgot what's the website for battram?

[KG62 0]

Sorry had to be alittle bias... Used to work for TPS, but i still do like Vaughn equipment. :)

[Scarey 0]

iF yOU WEORKED FOR TPS THEN MAKE A DARN GOOD 2006 LINE! THE XCEEDS DIDN'T CUT IT I SWITCHED TO VAUGHN NOW ... I had Bionic Glove & chest Pad, Icecap Pads and Blocker , GM1 mask, Xhale Pants.... I'd actually like a new set of TPS pants so whats a good series..... and well graf skates and itech jock so yah.... now im gunna get velo's so... its a shame

[Puckstop31 0]

I use Smith gear and I will swear by it until he stops making it. Not only is the gear of the highest quality and performance, but Pete is a simply amazing guy to work with. BY FAR the best customer service I have ever had. WAY, WAY better than $immons.

Also, I have never been a Battram customer, but I have heard nothing but very good things about them as well.

Perhaps the big brands are just as good, but why pay the big bucks if you don't have to?

[merle720 0]

Reebok, CCM and Koho are the same company. There customer service is hands down the worst. www.battram.com is the way to go.

[DDude26 0]

Hey PuckStop if u had to decide for stock velos or custom (same as velos) Smith Equipment for the fraction of the price? Which one would you pick?? It really obivious that most people should go to smith right?

[Puckstop31 0]

Hey PuckStop if u had to decide for stock velos or custom (same as velos) Smith Equipment for the fraction of the price? Which one would you pick?? It really obivious that most people should go to smith right?

Of course... I am not the kind of guy to buy something, just for the name on the front. The Smith SP1000 is pretty much the same pad as the Velo and of course was designed by the same guy. The SP2000 is a SP1000/Velo with out the knee rolls, you know the "modern" look.

Seriously, if you are in the market for a box pad, Smith would be a good choice. He is even offering the SP3000 now, which is a SP2000 without fancy graphics and such. You get all the very cool features, but ONLY in monocrome color. You can pick black or white.

Check it out...

www.smithhockey.com

Again, this is not to take anything away from some other custom vendors (well, except $immons, screw them, but that is for another thread) I just have personal experience with Smith and can say nothing but good things about them.

[DDude26 0]

Dude i know the website then how would i say things about smith?? <_<

[goalie39 0]

Brians anyone? My brians (A-Maxx pads & Air Thief gloves) have held up great and i have had no problems whatsoever. The customer service was great (i work in a shop). They will do any custom modifications to the pads (for the right price, but you cant expect something for nothing) Overall a great buy.

http://www.briansmfg.com

[Puckstop31 0]

Dude i know the website then how would i say things about smith?? <_<

This being the WORLD wide web and all, others might want in on the secret too...DUDE.

;) :lol:

[jrphantom042 0]

my fav goalie gear is brians.best gear i ever had

[puckmugger 0]

Guys,

I just had the worst customer service experience of my life with Battram. When I recieved my pads (the second pair I've ordered through them) Battram had made significant changes to my graphics essentially ruining the entire look that I was going for. Frankly, they are so bad I would be embarrassed to wear them.

Long story short, they told me that the graphic I picked was too tough for them to make and it was too bad. They got my money and apparently don't care that the pads look like crap.

They've always been a little weak at communicating, but this is ludicrous that after three emails they simply refuse to fix their errors. They even suggested that I sell the pads on ebay for $600 less than I paid and order another pair from them. Am I crazy or is that the stupidest thing you've ever heard? Why would I give them more money when they refuse to make things right?

Anyway, I just thought you all might like to know. I think I will have to check out Smith Hockey and see if they can get things right.

Scott

[Scarey 0]

ok lets see your pads show us a pic..

secondly how much did you pay?

thirdly don't go to Smith Go with a big name like Vaughn. Vaughn is the leading customizer in goalie equipment. If you don't like Vaughn then go TPS or Brians. They have much more ti offer than Battramn or Smith do. Thats my opinion though.

I ordered my Vaughn velo 2's and I received them in the wrong colour combination... see thread .. who here has ever been dissapointed...

I took some good time to look at them and well

I love them more than the ones i was supposed to get. mainly because they are different and that I've never seen a set like them. Shure if it was a big mess up on the pads and wrecks the total whole point of the design then i say demand for a refund. if they wont then sue them or something. Thats why it's best to go through a better name brand like Vaugh or TPS or Bauer or RBK yata yata... They have the $ and the name brand to keep sake so if for example i had received blue yellow and orange v2's instead of baclk silver and blue. Vuaghn would most likely not dare to say F*** off and we have your money har har har... because they would have their name shot down my word of mouth... any ways I's like to see the pads yo got

[puckmugger 0]

Here you go. The leg pads are possibly the worst of the pieces. Notice how they cut off the part of the graphics that were supposed to extend up the vertical rolls and covered the points on top. My last communication with them indicated that they would extend up the rolls but might be a little out of alignment. Imagine my surprise when they proceeded to simply cover them up. It also looks like they ran out of room and squished the bottom part of the graphics to me. (The curves are supposed to be above the toe break.

The package with both gloves was a little over $1600. I like Vaughn's gear, but I don't think they can get me in the door anywhere close to that price, can they?

Scott

[Netminder32 32]

The package with both gloves was a little over $1600. I like Vaughn's gear, but I don't think they can get me in the door anywhere close to that price, can they?

Scott

Not even close. Vaughn pads alone with stock graphics are $1600 cdn by the time you add sales tax. Add another $800+ for gloves. Then add the extra for graphics work...

The Battrams might not have turned out "exactly" as pictured, but when you factor in they were $1600 for the complete set and all the material work had to be hand cut... I'd say they did a pretty darn good job.

That having been said, I'd be torn whether or not to go to small claims court over the tips in the graphics...Tough call. I'm like you, real picky about the smallest details of my gear.

Did Scott (Battram) offer to fix the tips after you received the pads?

[puckmugger 0]

Did Scott (Battram) offer to fix the tips after you received the pads?

His suggestion was that I sell these on ebay and send him more money to make another pair. Almost funny if I wasn't so angry.

[Scarey 0]

Yah Vaughn is kinda pricey but almost any Bigger name brand manufacture is now... 1800 cnd with thx i think i paid for my V2's but larry's had given me a deal because i got soem RBK pantaloons.. lol

Now IMO totally now!

I love the blue on your pads.. (reminds me of my V2's) but why the yellow on the inside leg? The GFX would look way better if they didnt have that their just make it contuinue onso it merges better .

They did screw up big time thoughI hav eto say thats more of a messup than mine... then now ask yourself...Do you like battram pads? do they fit you well

for if they do

I may suggest keeping them.

You can be blinded by your dissapointment like i was...

[wolfshadoww 0]

I've used various pieces of Brian's, Sherwood, TPS, Vaughn (older), Koho, Tour (inline), Itech and CCM. Currently I am loving my CCM Heaton Healite Z leg pads. I have an Itech Vamp Elite 7.8 glove, which is okay for the money. And I have a CCM Blockade Pro Intermediate blocker. I'm using a Koho 570 helmet which was a huge upgrade from my Itech 1200 helmet. Just a used pair of CCM Tacks 425 skates, Sherwood pants and a Brian's AMaxx C/A.

I think when it comes to gear, it's just what you are comfy with, really. But I also think it's good to try lots of different stuff and not just swear by one brand only.

[masterpirate13 0]

I've used vaughn for the past 6 years. My pair of velo's i have now are completely custom (straps moved and thigh rise and changed the toe of them plus pro foam) along with custom gloves. I paid only $1000 USD. Granted yeh my uncle owns the shop and I did order them with a pro form...they get their pads hella cheap if they actually have to pay for them at all. I had the first pair of custom velo's in New England...I am pretty proud of that. The wear on my pads is minimal. I played two years of high school hockey and two years of club hockey and went through a summer of training sessions with University of Maine...i was lined up to be third string but then I tore my groin and decided to transfer to a school with better academics for my field. The gloves need to be replaced but the pads only need new velcro on the knee stabilizers. The only way i'm leaving vaughn is if i get a sweet deal on some rbk equipment...possibly the pair of pro returns that we have in the shop...I'm kinda a gear whore and I enjoy having nice stuff...

[maverick 0]

I think the Rbk premier gear is by far the best set of gear around the rest of the gear out doesnt hold a candle to it well okay except the velocity2 they are nice.. but overall Rbk is the way to go.. now im not talkin about the reebok...lol RBK!

[jrphantom042 0]

The RBk stuff is CRAP! i wore it yesterday and i wont wear ti again. it sucked so bad i thouhgt. id take brians over any goalie company anyday