TPS Summit 5 Goalie Pads

[Netminder32 32]

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This is my first review, so if there is anything you guys would like me to add, or if you want additional pics, please ask.

First impressions:

These are TPS Summit 5 (Senior) pads, size 35 + 1” (stock). I am about 5’8”, ATK is 15-16”. I tried on other pads, and in most other companies I fit in a 34”. White jenpro with black weave and charcoal jenpro accents. The first thing I noticed was how light they are. They are not all that different from S7’s, just lacking in the bells and whistles department and not made in Canada.

Quality:

They are well made, even though they were made overseas. They are fraying in the expected nylon areas, but they are holding up well after a few months now.

Design:

• Flat faced, flexible at the break below the knee (but not at the thighrise).
  
• HD foam in the face, with soft/stuffed foam behind that.
  
• Leg channel: 2 calf raisers that can be removed for an open channel if desired (I took 1 out).
  
• 1 Leather boot strap, 2 leather calf straps, 1 nylon strap at the knee, no thighrise straps.
  
• Pretty shallow boot with a tapered toe.
  
• Knee (from outside to inside): a 1/2“ knee wing (touches the ice), then a 1” block, then the lock with a Brian’s-esque donut thing.
  
• They come with thigh guards as opposed to boards. I took mine out and stole Chakal’s idea as seen here: link
  

Things I Like:

Simple, lightweight, effective. These guys do the job for what I need them for (mostly beer league and pick-up) and were reasonably priced. I also like that all the knee and calf raisers are removable.

Things I don’t like:

I would have preferred another break above the knee. Also, there are no straps above the knee. This is the only stock pad I think I’ve ever seen without any. Without a strap or upper break, it is impossible to get any flex up there, and can get difficult to close the 5-hole unless you have a wide butterfly, which I don’t.

The flap on the outside of the leg channel is too small and useless, it just falls in and does nothing.

The knee-lock is laced into the pad (not stitched or velcroed), and cannot be removed. The 2 strings that run down the inside of the pad are simply run through the knee lock and the shin pad. For the shin it’s fine, but there is way too much stress put on the knee lock for it to only be held in by 2 weak strings.