RBK 8K gloves

[Chadd 916]

Open for review

[Tex 0]

I picked up a pair of these 15" 8Ks at my LHS for $100 about a month ago. They've been put through about twelve or so outings.

Fit - When I was trying on gloves these just "felt" like CCM gloves. I grew up with a CCM gear bias, and this RBK glove seems to be the evolution of CCM gear. They fit a little tighter than average. It was a big change coming from my 03 14" M1 gloves which were a looser type glove. When I put these gloves on they just felt right.

Protection - This is why I went out glove shopping. I had just received another scar on my wrist from some punk hooking at my gloves and catching my wrists instead. These gloves extend up the forearm and overlap my elbow pads even with my wrists flexed. My previous gloves also had a thin palm so that when I caught the puck my hand would bruise ... I haven't had a chance to catch a puck moving fast enough to test the 8ks yet, but so far so good for the palm. I can't recall receiving a direct blow on my hands during a game from a stick. It has probably happened ... I just haven't really noticed or remembered one. This tells me the protection is working well.

Weight - These gloves are average in weight. The won't be confused with Synergy 1300s or the other lightweights.

Durability - This seems OK so far. After twelve games there is some minor marking on the palm from gripping the butt of the stick and there is a tiny "nick" on one glove where the color has been worn off (but the leather has not been penetrated).

Intangibles - I bought a first pair of these gloves, and during my first game wearing them stitching came out of one of the pads so severely that the pad started falling out. I returned the gloves to the store and they replaced them with no troubles. The second pair has had no such issues. The sales guy told me later that there were more and more quality issues like this happening in the past year ... probably due to manufacturing being moved away from Canada and the States.

These gloves seem to collect moisture more than my previous gloves (Mission and CCMs all included). There was a lot more ventilation in my previous gloves, probably because they fit much looser. My hands felt noticably warmer while playing in the 8ks, but it has become the norm as I don't notice it any more. This is the only place I'd like to see these gloves improved ... better ventilation.

Conclusion - It is all about personal fit. These gloves just felt right to me when I put them on. This is probably because I wore CCM gloves for most of my youth. I'd buy them again.

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The end of the gloves - It is March 1st, 2009, I've had them for 3 years playing ~2 games per week and I will be replacing these gloves shortly. The palm on my high hand came all the way out. My full palm plus my midle three fingers is worn away. Outdoor duct tape kept them functional for an extra few months but the time is now. I will end up buying another pair of RBK 8k (9k now?) gloves or a pair of Warrior Dolomite or King Pin gloves. No hand or wrist injuries were sustained while wearing these gloves.

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Edited March 2, 2009 by Tex

[duch 0]

Profile 6.0' 198lbs playing twice a week in an average mens league.

Fit : The 8k fits looser than the Synergy gloves I had before them but thats probably due to the finger length being longer which gives them a much more comfortable fit for me personally. They sit very nice on my hands during game situations and I haven't had these pop off my hands the way my Eastons sometimes did. Even theough they feel looser I believe my hands sit in them a little deeper and the seem to cradle around my hands very nicely anotomically, and the feel in them is phenominal while I stick handle, a very well balanced glove.

9.8/10

Protection: I can't think of another glove on the market that protects like this one. Inserts in all the key slash areas and in the pinky pad and back of the hand pad as well. The four piece cuff overlaps my elbow pads on the forearm section yet there is no interferance of motion when you roll your wrists and mobility is excellent. I've taken some wicked slashes and felf nothing and even had a slap shot off the back of my hand with not as much as even a slight sting. 10/10

Weight: Definitely a bit heavier than my old Easton Synergies but only slightly. Slightly squarer than the Eastons as well but still roll nicely on your wrists when manoevering the stick and handling the puck. 9/10

Durability: Nothing to speak of .These things are tanks Very little wear areas after almost a year of regular play, in fact they still look almost new. The palms are holding up well. A few wear marks from the right hand that holds the end of the stick but no holes or even wear areas. The palms in these gloves seem a little thicker than most gloves but you still have a great feel of the stick. No crusty build up on them at all and the palms still are very pliable even after the glove is dry. 10/10

Intangibles: This glove has that classic CCM feel to it. My hands do seem to get a bit warmer in them than in my Synergies but nothing that can't be adjusted to,the material inside the gloves seems to soak up the sweat nicely and the glove doesn't have a heavier feel to it later in the game as some may. The glove is a bit bulkier than an Easton or TPS might be but mobility is still excellent. The fingers have duo splits giving you excellent mobility. A heavy duty foam and PU inserts galore give you incredible hand and wrist protection second to none. A few extra ventilation portals in these babies and there are few gloves on the market that can compare to these 9.5/10

In Conclusion: Probably a pair of the best gloves I've ever had. There are other gloves on the market with a better reputation like Eagles and lighter gloves like MIA's , TPS's and Easton's but I'd say these can hold their own in most of the catagories. You can see the R&D from CCM and JOFA has been taken to a higher level with these gloves. 10/10 An excelllent product.

Edited April 4, 2010 by duch