Shoulder Pads in the NHL

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

exactly what I wanted to say...it's the DESIGN...I don't care about them being made in China...what interests me more is, what will happen to the pro style RBKs/Jofas...??? Will RBK produce them now (in China ;-)...will we then be able to buy RBK pro stuff easier than Jofas or are pros all going Warrior..? Will there be a sellout on Jofa pads in Sweden now (I HOPE!!!!)...

But it's so sad to see them going down...I still have Jofa shins and elbows at my parents house...they are 30 years old...I really grew up with Jofa :(

Unfortunately rbk retail is moving away from the original jofa design. Stock up on the jofa or equivalent first generation rbk stuff while you can. As for closing the sweden plant, I have no idea if the pro stuff with the original jofa design will be produced for the pros.

[hockeyfreak7 0]

i just dont understand how they can discontinue something that was so popular among professional athletes...anything that is being worn by above 90% of the entire league should not just cease to produce their product.

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

i just dont understand how they can discontinue something that was so popular among professional athletes...anything that is being worn by above 90% of the entire league should not just cease to produce their product.

I'm always asking myself why companies cease to make the products that I love. I wish companies would leave products out on the market longer instead of taking them off and replacing them with new ones that I dislike

[zebra_steve 11]

i just dont understand how they can discontinue something that was so popular among professional athletes...anything that is being worn by above 90% of the entire league should not just cease to produce their product.

Because they have new and ~ahem~ "better" stuff that they want is to pay them money for... Doesn't matter if we actually like the old stuff... Gotta have flashy new designs to market.

Maybe a better question is whether the league may mandate design changes along with the new focus on head contact....

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Unfortunately rbk retail is moving away from the original jofa design. Stock up on the jofa or equivalent first generation rbk stuff while you can. As for closing the sweden plant, I have no idea if the pro stuff with the original jofa design will be produced for the pros.

Really? I didn't think that at all - the elbows are 5044s, the shinpads are the same caps as well as the shoulders.

[tscharf 0]

Have you guys considered that maybe these pros are still wearing the old stuff, not because it's better, but because it's what they're used to?

If the old stuff was truly better than the new stuff, they would keep the old designs. They make money either way.

[/sarcasm]God, I sure wish I could find a store that sold a good old fashioned tube TV... [/sarcasm]

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

Really? I didn't think that at all - the elbows are 5044s, the shinpads are the same caps as well as the shoulders.

My bad I forgot that the elbows are still similar to the 5044 design. Wish they offered something like the 9177 to. The shoulders just don't feel the same to me. I tried the 10k on last night. I don't see a narrower shin pad either. They all seem like the first 6k shinpad, while I prefer the narrower fitting 7k one.

[Johan Santana 0]

im gonna buy so many 9177 Pro's it will be borderline illegal

[hockeyfreak7 0]

Have you guys considered that maybe these pros are still wearing the old stuff, not because it's better, but because it's what they're used to?

If the old stuff was truly better than the new stuff, they would keep the old designs. They make money either way.

[/sarcasm]God, I sure wish I could find a store that sold a good old fashioned tube TV... [/sarcasm]

more than a significant amount of pros wear jofa protective. a lot more than 50% of nhl players...it is for both reasons: they are used to it, and it is better. that is the general consensus.

my point was, i find it stupid that they would stop making it for the current pros and the future pros who may not get the chance to wear jofa elbows, shoulders or shins. seems a little pointless.

just because its new certainly does not make it better. i hope you dont actually buy into the marketing campeigns that these companies throw at you.

[tscharf 0]

more than a significant amount of pros wear jofa protective. a lot more than 50% of nhl players...it is for both reasons: they are used to it, and it is better. that is the general consensus.

my point was, i find it stupid that they would stop making it for the current pros and the future pros who may not get the chance to wear jofa elbows, shoulders or shins. seems a little pointless.

just because its new certainly does not make it better. i hope you dont actually buy into the marketing campeigns that these companies throw at you.

Not at all. I do a lot of research and try things out before I buy them. All of my protective equipment is Jofa/RBK/Reebok. I've used past and present gear and although the old stuff is good, I can't say that it is definitively better. These companies put a good amount of R&D into their products and in theory, new designs are better. As goes for anything these days, quality of manufacturing may go down, but I think they are making steps forward in design. I've used the older Jofa shoulders and I liked them a lot, but I recently bought the new Reebok 4k KFS shoulders and I think they're great.

It does not make sense for companies to continue to manufacture old designs if they want to stay competitive. As long as technology keeps improving, we will keep seeing new designs.

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

Not at all. I do a lot of research and try things out before I buy them. All of my protective equipment is Jofa/RBK/Reebok. I've used past and present gear and although the old stuff is good, I can't say that it is definitively better. These companies put a good amount of R&D into their products and in theory, new designs are better. As goes for anything these days, quality of manufacturing may go down, but I think they are making steps forward in design. I've used the older Jofa shoulders and I liked them a lot, but I recently bought the new Reebok 4k KFS shoulders and I think they're great.

It does not make sense for companies to continue to manufacture old designs if they want to stay competitive. As long as technology keeps improving, we will keep seeing new designs.

I went from newer shoulder pads to much older designed ones and like the olders ones much better. Stills comes done to pp though.

[duch 0]

I personally think the R&D at RBK/Jofa is amoung the best in the industry and their equipment continues to improve as far as protection and mobility is concerned. They've never dissappointed me as long as I've worn their protective and that to me says a lot. I personally don't give a diddley squat where they make their stuff as long as the design is sound and is functional. I'll continue using their protective because of the proven track record they've provided me over the years I've played the game.

[spylo18 0]

I think the brands should make a classic line. So they could sell the old loved products with a little changed design but the old technik. Many people love the old jofa stuff and I think they would all (including me) buy jofa stuff if you could buy the old products again.

[Scoobersti 0]

I would love for Reebok to sell the older Jofa line under a classic line or keep selling them as a Jofa line, but if I remember correctly I think several people that works at/owns shops on this board mentioned that although Jofa protective prodcuts are awesome, it just doesn't do/sell very well at retail.

[spylo18 0]

I dont know Im a customer only;)

but I believe what you say . But I'm still missing the old school stuff

[Scoobersti 0]

yeah, I'm a customer only too and I miss the old stuff too.

[sebseb 0]

Moving away from the Jofa design and ideas can only mean good news for other companys and especially Bauer. CCM made the decision to change the Tacks, great idea and see how great it worked out for them, and now the Jofa protective line. It seems that CCM/Reebok is really trying to give the second place to Easton

[dsjunior1388 81]

We have to remember that we are in the minority as a consumer. A much higher percentage of buyers walk into the LHS or jump on the internet, and essentially end up buying the pads that are the newest, shiniest, and with the most impressive tech words in their listing. Oh, you're warrior has a double shoulder pad setup for better mobility? Well, even though I've never felt a lack of mobility in the shoulder area with my Eastons from 2002, you say it's progress so let's put it in the cart. Not knocking warriors pad, never used them, but for every guy who wants a Jofa pad designed in the late 90s, theres at least 5 others who think the pad that Bill Guerin pulls on every day is outdated and behind the times. It's pretty much the same in a lot of industries, the average consumer thinks anything new is superior to the old.

[hockeyfreak7 0]

We have to remember that we are in the minority as a consumer. A much higher percentage of buyers walk into the LHS or jump on the internet, and essentially end up buying the pads that are the newest, shiniest, and with the most impressive tech words in their listing. Oh, you're warrior has a double shoulder pad setup for better mobility? Well, even though I've never felt a lack of mobility in the shoulder area with my Eastons from 2002, you say it's progress so let's put it in the cart. Not knocking warriors pad, never used them, but for every guy who wants a Jofa pad designed in the late 90s, theres at least 5 others who think the pad that Bill Guerin pulls on every day is outdated and behind the times. It's pretty much the same in a lot of industries, the average consumer thinks anything new is superior to the old.

pretty much sums it up right here.

i guess the bottom line, is we need to realize that the average consumer is not nearly as educated as the members here at MSH.

[lukejameslarson 5]

daniel briere