New To Goalie - Looking For Advice On Equipment

[rangers1234 0]

I have played about 5 times using other people's equipment and I've finally decided to commit to the position.

Pads

I'm pretty sure I'm a size 33 + 1 or 2 for pads.

Is this size standard, or do some companies make the pads bigger or smaller than other companies? (I've tried on Itech and used Itech pads).

Helmet - Everyone’s opinion is to spend your money here. However I will only be playing old man hockey and I don't want to spend more than $350.

Choices -

Hackva GM2608 Texilium Certified Goal Mask

Eddy GT II Certified Goal Mask

Vaughn VM 7700 Velocity Goal

Bauer NME 7 Goal Mask

(Or any other suggestions in that price range)

Glove & Blocker -

I typically wear size 13 player gloves, and was planning on buying intermediate size. (Itech Re-Flex7 Elite Int. Goal Blocker)

Is there any difference b/w a senior or intermediate glove/blocker for protection?

Chest & Pants

I'm not too worried about these and plan on picking up a used pair or a hand me down from a friend

Skates

Also not too worried about these and plan on using my back up skates until I can afford to get some hockey skates.

Thanks for the advice.

[Law Goalie 147]

Sizing is more or less standard, in that everyone uses a base measurement (33") and a thigh-rise 'plus size' measurement, and they don't vary much. Having said that, Reebok pads tend to fit taller, meaning that you could probably wear a 32" in Reebok (or old Sherwoods like the 9980 or C-10) if you were a 33" in everything else. There's also some variation in how that base measurement is match to the leg: some companies used ATK (ankle-to-knee), and some use FTK (floor-to-knee). If at all possible, try pads on with goalie skates, and be very careful about how you have them strapped and tied to your leg and foot.

Of those masks, the Hackva is definitely the most protective and durable (and has a lifetime warranty on the shell), followed by the Eddy and the Vaughn (which Eddy ghosted for them). The NV7 is a definite cut below. Between those first three, I'd say it's strictly a matter of fit: pick the one with the least wiggle-room, and you're golden. You could also check out the low-end Sportmask options like the Ricochet, Razor and X8. Still, I think you'll find the Hackva both the best deal and the best quality -- provided it fits you well.

With 13" player gloves, an Int. goalie glove is a good bet. However, unless you luck into one of the few gloves that is a true "Intermediate Pro" (like the old Reebok P1 and P2), you are going to sacrifice protection for that snugger fit. Most Int. gloves are on par with or a little less protective than comparable Senior price-point gear (that is, below pro-level). Personally, I'd spend more on the glove than the blocker, since your catching hand is far more exposed to the puck, and the glove is a much more complex piece of equipment.

Try to avoid flat-thigh pants, if at all possible - they tend to hinder skating and butterfly movements significantly.

I would also strongly suggest not playing goal in player skates. Because of the way modern pads are built, your toes and the sides of your feet can be easily exposed to shots unless you are perfectly square on the angle, and react in just the right way.

[rangers1234 0]

Of those masks, the Hackva is definitely the most protective and durable (and has a lifetime warranty on the shell), followed by the Eddy and the Vaughn (which Eddy ghosted for them). The NV7 is a definite cut below. Between those first three, I'd say it's strictly a matter of fit: pick the one with the least wiggle-room, and you're golden. You could also check out the low-end Sportmask options like the Ricochet, Razor and X8. Still, I think you'll find the Hackva both the best deal and the best quality -- provided it fits you well.

The Sportmask look real interesting.

I found them at the hockeyshop with these prices;

Ricochet - $339.99

Razor VX - $499.99 (Out of the range)

X8 - $399.99

Mage RS - $399.99 (this one looks like it has some great visability features)

The only one in my price range seems to be the Ricochet, but I will definilty be looking for this companies masks as well. On the companies web-site it describes the Ricochet is made out of all fiberglass, which I'm not sure if that makes a difference or not.

Thanks for the advice

[rangers1234 0]

What's your opinion on the Staceycomposite masks?

They seem to have some masks in the $350 range, plus they are customized to fit my head.

http://www.staceycomposites.com/keepermaskers.php

What's your opinion on the Staceycomposite masks?

They seem to have some masks in the $350 range, plus they are customized to fit my head.

http://www.staceycomposites.com/keepermaskers.php

[Gummer12 134]

I agree with LG on the Hackvas... but another one you might be interested in if the league play is low enough, is NXI (now named 21 Degrees). You can find them from time to time on eBay for around $100-200, or brand new at hockeyservices.com

[Law Goalie 147]

Stacey makes superb masks, and his is the one remote fitting system (ie. not based on direct in-person measurement or a mailed plaster head mould) that I would ever trust. He also uses EVA foams, which can be thermoformed to your head for that little little bit of perfect fit.

The one drawback (for your purposes) is importing his masks into Canada, which will get you slapped with tax and duty to the tune of about 25%, IIRC.

I have really enjoyed my NXI mask, but it is definitely due for an upgrade. I do not generally recommend buying them used unless they're in great shape. They're extremely unusual masks in terms of how they're made and how they handle impacts.

[rangers1234 0]

Another novice question;

Someone here has the RBK Premier pads for sale in my size, however they are the butterfly style. Being an old guy newbee, I see myself playing more of a Hybrid style (I'm als short and not that wide, so I'll have to move around a lot).

Will pads with no breaks (Butterfly style) in them be a bad choice for someone who wants to play the Hybrid style?

I found a used RemiC that I'm hopefully going to get. From every review I read they seem like good masks at a good price.

I won the helmet on Ebay for $155 + shipping. It looks like it's in great shape and the price was right for my budget.

Thanks again for your help.

[Law Goalie 147]

You mean a ReidiC mask? They are fairly good masks, especially if you 'bake' them like you would a skate: the foam is EVA, which is thermoformable. Be sure to find out how old it is, since Reidic's break down over time with exposure to certain wavelengths of light, even if they aren't being hit with pucks on a regular basis.

As far as the pads, I'm afraid you have a few misconceptions.

Pads 'without breaks' (by which I assume you mean without visible breaks in the vertical roll) are not inherently "Butterfly style" pads any more than, say, red pads would be.

In theory, yes, a stiffer, less flexible pad like the Reeboks is better suited to a game that relies more on the butterfly than a more flexible pad like the original Vaughn Velocity. The only difference is that the Velocities are meant to move with your leg, and the Reeboks are meant to float in front of it; it's the difference between protection for your leg that is expanded to stop the puck, and a tool that your leg uses to stop the puck.

[rangers1234 0]

You mean a ReidiC mask? They are fairly good masks, especially if you 'bake' them like you would a skate: the foam is EVA, which is thermoformable. Be sure to find out how old it is, since Reidic's break down over time with exposure to certain wavelengths of light, even if they aren't being hit with pucks on a regular basis.

This was the response I got from the seller, so hopefully it's still good;

"Hi, the helmet was made in 2003 as marked on the manufacturing sticker. It

was used for only one season and I can assure you it is in great and

perfectly safe condition."

[Law Goalie 147]

It's easy for him to make that assurance...

If it was only used for one season, and it was stored in the dark, it's probably OK -- but I certainly wouldn't bank on using it for more than a year or two.

The issue is that ReidiC masks, because of the way they're made, rely on surface tension to disperse impacts. This surface tension breaks down three ways: quite quickly with repeated impacts, relatively quickly with exposure to certain ranges within the UV spectrum (I can't recall which offhand), and gradually over time even without those two conditions. Those rates of breakdown are in comparison to a composite mask (fibreglass, aramid/Kevlar, carbon fibre) made with epoxy resin; a composite mask made with polyester resin will break down noticeably from UV exposure after about seven years, which is more or less the outside range you're looking at with a Reidic that was very lightly used and store in the dark.

Again, not to be an alarmist, your head is probably the one place not to skimp.

I can also tell you that for $300 Canadian you can get a custom-made mask that has been used in the NHL for over a ddecade: Protechsport, run by Michel Doganieri, is under contract to Reebok to make masks for all their goalies, and has been since Michel Lefebvre stopped making masks in the late eighties.

[Netminder32 32]

You mean a ReidiC mask? They are fairly good masks, especially if you 'bake' them like you would a skate: the foam is EVA, which is thermoformable. Be sure to find out how old it is, since Reidic's break down over time with exposure to certain wavelengths of light, even if they aren't being hit with pucks on a regular basis.

As far as the pads, I'm afraid you have a few misconceptions.

Pads 'without breaks' (by which I assume you mean without visible breaks in the vertical roll) are not inherently "Butterfly style" pads any more than, say, red pads would be.

In theory, yes, a stiffer, less flexible pad like the Reeboks is better suited to a game that relies more on the butterfly than a more flexible pad like the original Vaughn Velocity. The only difference is that the Velocities are meant to move with your leg, and the Reeboks are meant to float in front of it; it's the difference between protection for your leg that is expanded to stop the puck, and a tool that your leg uses to stop the puck.

I love that comment... hey wait a minute. My pads are red... hmmm.

Sorry, I know this adds nothing material to the post and I should know better, but it really made me laugh. I need to get more sleep...

[rangers1234 0]

Law Goalie, Thanks for all the advice. You should seriously consider righting a book or guide for Goalie equipment (and I'm not being a wise ass). There is so much to consider when buying the gear and so many different companies. It seems like there is a lot of smaller companies that make quality Goalie equipment compared to player equipment, that’s dominated by the bigger companies, making it even more complicated.

I'm most likely going to re-sell the helmet on EBay and save up to buy a new one so I don't have to worry about it.

[Law Goalie 147]

Glad I could give you a chuckle mate. :D

The sad thing is, rangers, of all the books I'll be involved with in my life, I doubt one will ever involve anything as interesting as goalie equipment.

It's true that there are a lot of smaller companies involved. Retailing goalie equipment is not easy. It's expensive, but the margins aren't great and the volume is *at most* 1/12th of a store's business, so it requires a significant investment from the store for relatively little return. That's why most goalie stores specialise in it. That does not, however, change the fact that manufacturing goalie gear is equally tricky. Just as an example, Bauer has several retail lasts for player skates, but only one for goalie skates; ditto Graf. Look at the variety in curves, flexes, grips and options of composite sticks between players and goalies. To most companies, we're an expensive, inconvenient necessity. To some smaller companies, we're a decent living but mainly a labour of love. That's by no means to suggest that bigger companies don't care, don't try, or don't succeed in making first-class equipment for goalies. They absolutely do. It's just that from a purely economic perspective, we're a huge pain in the ass, and most big companies have boards and investors to whom they ultimately answer. That, and for whatever reason, a company like Reebok keeps its best masks out of retail circulation.

As for the Reidic, my suggestion would be to use it as an interim mask until you get something better. It'll probably still be worth what you paid for it in a few months. Just so you know, Michel's wait time is currently something like 13-16 weeks, because he'll still be filling pro orders into October.

[jcp2 2]

I am in the same situation as the OP, and I just picked up a new Hackva mask. I'm coming off of borrowing a friend's Mage 2. There's not much of a significant difference in visibility for me, but the Mage 2 is slightly lighter.

[greyraven8 9]

If you don't have much to spend, I'd get a helmet with goalie cage and get a used pair of goalie skates. The right helmet with goalie cage will provide enough protection. Goalie skates provide much better protection and balance than players skates.

I've used the helmet/ goalie cage combo in 'scrub' aka 'pickup' hockey, and as a backup goalie in beer league.

I've been using a jofa 390 helmet with a cooper GL100L cage.

If you can't find a goalie cage locally, you can check the goalie store bulletin board classifieds online - under masks/combos - helmets/cage. Also, check out the thread on the goalie store site 'Calling all combo wearers' to check out what other set ups goalie there currently wear, and for general advice on combo set ups.

[docar15 1]

My opinion has always been that your mask and your skates are most important. If your skates don't fit, you can't play your 100%. If your mask is not right you will either be afraid of getting hit knowing that all it takes is one shot to give you permanent damage from a closed head injury, or you will literally get a headache from pressure points caused by a poor fit.

If you need a wider forehead and wear 7 5/8 or larger hat, your options are limited. Hackva worked best for me, Vaughn was second in terms of space. I can't even touch the NVY7 (tried the Fit3). Hackva L and XL looked like the same shell with different faom thickness to me wheen I tried them.

To add to the previos post, Sportmask makes cages that will work with just about any setup, they are not cheap around $90US. Their cateye is SM90 and their birdcaage is SM50.

Also, for the money, if you don't mind the birdcage, there are some Koho 570 masks that can be had for $100+. Full layer of Kevlar, very solid, like I said, you can re-foam them as you like. Finish is sloppy, but protection is good. They had three sizes.

I get my foam from McMaster-Carrr, they have mdeical gradde equivalent for a good price. Nash and other have sheets of foam as well.

For the catcher, if you have room in the Senior or Int level glove (not-pro) you can wear a gel road cycling glove or find one like TPS made(last model I used was TPS Bionic). If you feel pain on every shoot, you will catch yourself thinking of where to put the glove vs catching a puck. I would not say if using an inside glove was the same as having a pro-palm installld, but it did take most stingers away for me (comparing Prodigy 9.8 Pro side by side with TPS Summit Plus with Perl Izumi gel cycling glove bought for $29.99US).

Best of luck.

[rangers1234 0]

Thanks again for all the advice. I just won a Hackva Texalium Mask for a great price.

[jcp2 2]

Thanks again for all the advice. I just won a Hackva Texalium Mask for a great price.

Good choice. Mine's in black.

[docar15 1]

Congrats! Nice mask. If you have some fine sandpaper, like 2000, you may want to spend a few minutes around the vent holes, lower chin and back. Hackva masks are super strong, but finish can be a little rough. Sand it down and it will be perfect. Now you need to start thinking about a paint job for your new mask down the road.

If you want something temporary till then, electrical tape and an exacto knife work well.

Again, great mask.

Fill free to ping me if you need any fitting foam.

No concern at all.

[rangers1234 0]

Buisy day today. I just purchased a new C/A today as well.

Vaughn Velocity V3 7500 Pro Chest & Arm

I'm working on a pair of pants as well. I think I can borrow some pads & gloves for a while, but with this stuff I wanted to make sure they fit well and to be honest, it's kind of nasty using other peoples chest, helmet and pants.

[rangers1234 0]

I ended up getting the pants yesterday too. Iteck 9.8 Pro Goalie Pants - New. These I think were a great deal for Pro protection. The pads look like they are the squared off style, but for the price I couldn't pass them up.

[rangers1234 0]

So I think I put the final touch on my gear search.

Most of this stuff is slightly used.

Helmet - Hackva Texalium - $225

Pants - Iteck 9.8 Pro Goalie Pants - $30

C/A - Vaughn Velocity V3 7500 Pro Chest & Arm - $165

Leg Pads - 32+2.5" Viper BOA/Evo pads - $375

Blocker - SWD 9990 Pro blocker - $100 (New)

Trapper - Litespeed Pro trapper - $100

Are there any opinions on the prices or equipment in general?

I still need Skates & a stick & Cup, but I'm most likely getting these new.

I think this will be a pretty good set that I can get rid of if I decide not to play down the road.

Thanks for all the help.

[jcp2 2]

I got my skates used at a Play It Again Sports store. They fit, were in good shape, and were pretty inexpensive. I got the least expensive all wood stick. I also have a couple of other hand me downs from other goalies so I can figure out the right paddle length for me. The cup was new, and I wear it over a player's cup. Better than a double cup goalie jock, so I'm told.

[rangers1234 0]

Nike Bauer One95 Goalie Pad Set, 34 +1

My first deal to purchase a set fell through & I ended up getting this set on Ebay for a good deal. I haven't received them yet, so I'm not exactly sure how good of a deal they are. The post has them listed as being used only a few times and the picture looks great. They are 34 +1 & after re-measuring my ATK at 17", I think they should fit pretty good.

[Law Goalie 147]

Looking good, rangers. They should fit well, though you may feel like they're tripping you up a bit, since the One95's sit notoriously high on top of the foot. They're also a very underrated set: they were made offshore, but Bauer's QC with this series wasn't bad at all.

Did you end up getting that Hackva mask, or something else?