Do I really benefit from better Shoulder pads?

[spoonhead 0]

Ok, I am an old goalie playing forward now, and the guys on the team were bugging me about my CCM V10 shoulder pads. I am no spring chicken so I figure that the extra protection can't hurt if I go into the boards or accidently block a shot and I got a great deal at Play it Again. But there are guys on my team that don't even wear shoulder pads, and there are others that have those whimpy Jofa or old Bauer ones that look like they came from the 70's.

Now the question is, can someone give me some concrete evidence that the high level pads like the V10 will save me if I go into the boards as oppposed to the light weight jobs. The argument that the guys made was that the boards win no matter what I am wearing. I have had some pretty good accidental collisions so far and have always got up again, shaken not stirred.

I searched on shoulder pads and I read some good opinions on both sides of the argument but like I said if someone feels that the better pads saved them or did not make a difference to an injury I would like to know.

Thanks

Spoonhead

[Chadd 916]

wear whatever makes you feel comfortable, I've never been a fan of peer pressure at any age. They will protect you better from sticks and pucks at the very least and will help with some collisions along the boards.

[Kevin 5]

Better pads can't hurt. I had shoulder surgery last May--not fun. I am now wearing new Pro Defenders.

[WSjo22 1]

I have really bad shoulders and I ended up taking the caps off a pair of coopers that had caps like the ones off the SBDII and sewed them on to a pair of old sherwoods. I would take chadd's advice and let what they say go in one ear and out the other and wear what makes you feel comfortable on the ice

[Reaper 0]

I think better shoulder pads can definitely be beneficial. After I got my CCM Vector Control (~Vector V08) shoulder pads I felt a huge difference over my previous Bauer 6000s. The first game I wore them a guy skated cage first into my right shoulder at full speed (for both of us) and he was taken clean off his feet. I barely even felt the hit because the dispersal of the impact by the cap system was so even.

I didn't buy good pads because I wanted to throw hits or anything like that. I bought them because in beer leagues there is always a good chance that somebody will stare at their skates while moving at a good clip or wave their stick in the air as they try to regain their balance while in your immediate vicinity. I don't play pro hockey and I have to get up in the morning if I'm going to earn a living so I think I made the right choice "because you just never know."

[Beflar 55]

I have the 200 dollar shoulder pads (RBK 8K?)and the 30 dollar shoulder pads. I like the cheap one better.

The RBK 8K just make you sweat more and make you feel top heavy. You could probably play football with these pads.

I say go cheap. It's good enough and you sweat a lot less.

[db88 0]

i do alot of hitting, i like shoulder pads with padding. i use one90s... plus they are comfortable and i have no problem with my movement for playing forward with stickhandling and what not.

[johnpace2 0]

I think you need good shoulder pads even in beer leagues for just the reasons you described. I play D and have taken slap shots off the shoulders, taken hits (non-check league), collisions, and all kinds of crap. Even though it's a non-check league, there are always clowns out there who think they are in the NHL.

[ArcArsenal 0]

The benefit from the shoulder pads comes from how confident you are when wearing them - if you are going out there and blocking shots, taking bumps in the corners, etc.. you may find you are more willing to do these things knowing you are protected.

Example - I know guys going shoulderless and everytime they are angled into the boards when bringing the puck in they shy away.

I go with the trade off between lightweight and protection - plenty of pads out there that meet that description.

if you are confident with what you have, then you are set.

[stick9 905]

The V10's might be a little overkill for the level you are playing at, but who cares. You're protected and you got a great deal on them.

[Rustpot 1]

I'm thinking about making some franken-shoulders. I have a set of 6k shoulders that are just bulky and overkill for what I play. I'd go with a SWD 5030 but with a previous shoulder separation I want something with a nice, low profile, hard shoulder cap.

I also have issues with finding pads that fit. The 6k in size 6 is slightly too small for me. It's good for shoulder width, but it feels so short, and the kidney pads are well above and away from my kidneys and I end up rubbing my elbow pads on them which help the shoulders shift on me. I wear suspenders on my pants an put them over my shoulder pads, but it doesn't help too much to keep them from riding up on the bench and making me feel like a linebacker with pads up to his ears.

Is there a pad that exists which combines minimalist protection except the shoulder caps? Or am I better off getting a cheap bulky set with the right caps and a 5030 and going to town?

[roller to ice 0]

i only play open hockey and will soon be in a beer league and i used to have paper thin tacks and find my shoulders be sometimes sore the next day sometimes pick up games and games like beer league games get more physical than you think even if there is no "checking" im one of the heavier guys on the ice always and use my body and shoulders alot even if its not checking if you are just as mobile with more padding then go for it plus stick and pucks have eyes! you never know

[MLSman 22]

There is no such thing as "too much" padding...or anything. Just because you don't play in the big show doesn't mean you shouldn't use the best equipment available. In fact, I argue that beer league is where you want the best you can get, because you don't play hockey for a living, and less skilled players are more prone to being careless.

All that said, get the most comfortable thing you can find.

[spoonhead 0]

Thanks for the input, I appreciate it. 2 points that I like so far is that wearing the better gear will increase my confidence to go into a corner a little quicker, and that they do feel comforatable so what the heck! When it comes to pants, I am super paranoid, I have ordered a pair of Sande pants because I have heard that they are bulletproof, and I have landed on my tailbone a couple of times, and have taken a couple of shots to the thigh that have resulted in some pretty good bruises. Not sure if thats a good example, you see guys not wearing shoulder pads? but everyone wears pants.

If someone has had any problem when they were wearing top of the line gear I would like to hear about it. If it were up to me I would be wearing all V10 stuff and have a couple of layers of bubble wrap around me as well. The funny thing is the better players I see are the ones more lilkely to be wearing the broken, torn 20 year old crap. We had a guy the other day; he was clearly the best player on the ice, and he was losing foam and stuffing from his pants all over the ice. One of his teammates said the pants were like that all season.

Thanks

[MLSman 22]

The funny thing is the better players I see are the ones more lilkely to be wearing the broken, torn 20 year old crap. We had a guy the other day; he was clearly the best player on the ice, and he was losing foam and stuffing from his pants all over the ice. One of his teammates said the pants were like that all season.

Old habits are hard to break. Most likely because they don't want to change what works. Most of us here are more prone to change! :)

[WSjo22 1]

I'm thinking about making some franken-shoulders. I have a set of 6k shoulders that are just bulky and overkill for what I play. I'd go with a SWD 5030 but with a previous shoulder separation I want something with a nice, low profile, hard shoulder cap.

I also have issues with finding pads that fit. The 6k in size 6 is slightly too small for me. It's good for shoulder width, but it feels so short, and the kidney pads are well above and away from my kidneys and I end up rubbing my elbow pads on them which help the shoulders shift on me. I wear suspenders on my pants an put them over my shoulder pads, but it doesn't help too much to keep them from riding up on the bench and making me feel like a linebacker with pads up to his ears.

Is there a pad that exists which combines minimalist protection except the shoulder caps? Or am I better off getting a cheap bulky set with the right caps and a 5030 and going to town?

Excatly why I just went with the franken pads, I couldn't find anything that made me totally comfortable while playing. My advice would be to scroll through Perani's website and find a cheap pair with caps that your looking for and go from there...I got a pair of old Cooper SP 650 and took the caps off them and got bicep pads of a cheap comfortable pair of Vaughns that were to small....

And for wearing top of the line protective... I've played my whole life and have a good skill set but I wear 6070 shins, 7k elbows, and Franklin pro stock pants, some people probablly think its over kill but thats what I feel comfortable in. I play in both beer leagues and competive leagues and I get crap from people about wearing overly protective gear, but the same guys giving people a hard time about the gear they were are usually the same ones flamingo in front of shots and shying away from pucks in corners....I'd rather be the guy in to much padding that plays the game full go at all times than be the guy wearing whats "cool" to wear and flamingoin' in front of shots and letting guys beat me to pucks in corners

[legiahockey 3]

i say go smaller if your having mobility issues. look at alot of nhlers shoulder pads. there tiny.

[saba 0]

Well if your built like me 220 and broad shoulders you dont want pads that make you look like you belong on the O-Line of the Sooners. I tried Mission, Christian, and CCM shoulders before being blessed with my cousins high school gear. In the bag of goodies were some Cooper Armour-Flex SBP64 shoulders, OLD SCHOOL and I love em. Mobility is excellent and I can get into and out of the penalty box without turning sideways

[donkey87 0]

Is there a pad that exists which combines minimalist protection except the shoulder caps? Or am I better off getting a cheap bulky set with the right caps and a 5030 and going to town?

Have you tried looking at some Itech pads? Their low to mid level pads have decent shoulder caps without being overly bulky. I've got a pair of their mid levels pads from several years that have worked out well.

[Wolfpack_1986 154]

I'm pretty short, 5'4", so despite it being beerleague, I never go without a pair of shoulder pads... i take too many sticks, too many pucks, elbows, etc. Gotta do waht feels right...

Pick-up, i leave em off, though. But i know the guys i play with pretty well.

[fatwabbit 93]

at the end of the day its just personal preference, or in this case personal protection.

just because everyone is not wearing a condom doesnt mean that you shouldnt wear one... peer pressure sucks big time.

[duch 0]

I wear RBK 8K's in my mens league and Easton Synergy 700's when I play pickup. Both are overkill for the level of hockey I play although I do occassionally play a bit of contact with some younger gentlemen and then they are perfect for the application. I'm to the opinion it's always good to wear some kind of shoulder protection because you never know if your going to fall awkwardly onto the ice or into the boards or net posts etc.

I have already experienced a shoulder injury simply because I wore cheap shoulder pads and let me tell you the operation and rehab wasn't a lot of fun. Frankly I don't give a diddley squat what anyone I play the game with ,has to say about the level of my equipment. It's what I choose and if they don't like it tough. I refuse to leave myself open to another injury like the one I had. I'll do what is necessary to keep myself from having to go though that again. At least by buying good protective equipment I've done everything in my power to prevent a reoccurance of that episode.

[WSjo22 1]

just because everyone is not wearing a condom doesnt mean that you shouldnt wear one... peer pressure sucks big time.

LOL..........What??????