breaking in gear

[kvnwos 0]

I bought a rbk premier II a while back and havent really been breaking it in because of game. im starting to wear it during drop in and going to during practices. is there any other way to break it in than just by playing with it?

thanks

[Law Goalie 147]

Depends what piece of gear you're talking about...

RBK pro retail pads do not break in. Period. The EPP core doesn't allow it.

If you mean the C/A, pants, or the glove, the only thing I've ever heard that works is steam: take it in the sauna with you, spray it with a Shark steamer or a garment steamer, whatever, and then throw it on and move it around -- open and close the glove, do cartwheels in the C/A, etc. Steam will soften the glues and plastics, and relax the fabrics (even Jenpro) just enough to let them adapt to your body and movements. Just don't overdo it...

[kvnwos 0]

oops i forgot to mention it was a C/A haha. do you think i could just steam up the bathroom and leave it in there then? of course with moving all the arms around and stuff

[Law Goalie 147]

Sure - the old shower-running-on-full-hot trick works just fine: not as well as a sauna or hydrocollator or a proper steamer, but it'll do. I often use that trick for improptu shirt and suit decreasing.

The other thing that can work very well for a glove is leaving it over the spout of a stove-top kettle on full boil. Kills everything nasty and softens it all up. One of these days I will invest in a Shark steamer or something similar with a long nozzle to get right into the finger-stalls of gloves and blockers, as well as a wide, flat steamer for garments and C/A's, etc., but I'm much too lazy.

[McDougalfaschnitzer 32]

Sleep in it, wear it around the house, etc. Do a bunch of goalie-centric movements while you aren't doing anything else, and it should help a bit.

[Cove 39]

Sure - the old shower-running-on-full-hot trick works just fine: not as well as a sauna or hydrocollator or a proper steamer, but it'll do. I often use that trick for improptu shirt and suit decreasing.

The other thing that can work very well for a glove is leaving it over the spout of a stove-top kettle on full boil. Kills everything nasty and softens it all up. One of these days I will invest in a Shark steamer or something similar with a long nozzle to get right into the finger-stalls of gloves and blockers, as well as a wide, flat steamer for garments and C/A's, etc., but I'm much too lazy.

Make sure to plug up the space under the door and if you have any other vents cover them too.

[jimmy 194]

Heating them in a skate oven works real well. Find some place that has a Bauer oven, they fit in their. 175 degrees for 5 minutes, put it on and do some jumping jacks! That will soften it up without the moisture.

I HATE breaking in C/A's. My old Blockade is in need of replacement, but I've been holding off till the black and blues get real purple! :-) The RBK's pros seem very stiff. I think my next one will be a Brian's ZeroG,they seem like they are almost broken in out of the box. Heating them in a skate oven works real well.

[McDougalfaschnitzer 32]

The V3 didn't really seem like a pain to break in. Compared to the rbk it is a softer unit, but I like that you can actually feel the shots a little bit instead of the somewhat numb feeling of the rbk C/As.