Down low shoulder pads

[sikocycles 1]

Washing? Never heard of such a thing

[Gr8erade 1]

They look pretty good. Decent coverage, I think my 6K shoulders leave about that much in the belly area. I would say the only lacking bit is some rap on the ribs/side area. But I don't know how much coverage that area needs.

If they ever go on sale I might give them a go.

How do they recommend washing it?

They recommended taking the plastic off and washing in cold water. I just hosed it off in the shower. It was dry by morning.

Rib/side protection differs from shoulder pad to shoulder pad anyway. If you feel the need to really armor up, then these are probably not the right choice. But as I said, I play no-check but encountered a fair bit of contact in these and didn't find them lacking.

[Jarick 5]

How durable is that undershirt that the pads attach to? I'd be worried about dropping $160 on one and it wears out or rips in under a year.

[Gr8erade 1]

How durable is that undershirt that the pads attach to? I'd be worried about dropping $160 on one and it wears out or rips in under a year.

Hard to say after a whole 2 days.... but they seem like good quality. But who knows?

[goaliemanshark 6]

Are the areas where there are no plastic padding strong enough to be protective?

[sikocycles 1]

Skated in the shoulder pad first time last night.

I was wearing the Sherwood traditionals and the always bothered me where the elbow and bicept pads meets. With the new DL pads there is none of that.

I have to say the pads are super comfortable and you dont even know you are wearing them.

Since I am in a no checking league I think they are perfect unless there is a high slapshot and the sherwoods would not do any better.

When does the puck hit you where there is protection anyway. It always seems to find the spot unprotected.

I would say the pads are perfect except for the price.

[Gr8erade 1]

Skated in the shoulder pad first time last night.

I was wearing the Sherwood traditionals and the always bothered me where the elbow and bicept pads meets. With the new DL pads there is none of that.

I have to say the pads are super comfortable and you dont even know you are wearing them.

Since I am in a no checking league I think they are perfect unless there is a high slapshot and the sherwoods would not do any better.

When does the puck hit you where there is protection anyway. It always seems to find the spot unprotected.

I would say the pads are perfect except for the price.

I agree with all of this. Now my brother is interested in getting a pair after seeing mine.

I will also add that the company has been very responsive to my questions about these, including my stupid ones about things like how best to wash them.

[xrickyb86x 1]

Hey siko, any updates on how the pads are holding up?

[sikocycles 1]

Great. Played 2-3 times a week and not an issue. I don't wash my stuff often so I am not sure how they would be if you washed them every time you skated.

They are very stinky but I like it that way.

I would buy another pair in a second if needed.

[rightfield 0]

Great. Played 2-3 times a week and not an issue. I don't wash my stuff often so I am not sure how they would be if you washed them every time you skated.

They are very stinky but I like it that way.

I would buy another pair in a second if needed.

I'm thinking of buying them as well. Any option to get the red caps vs the white ones?

[Gr8erade 1]

Since this thread resurfaced, let me add that I've been playing in these 2-3 times a week since the beginning of the year. They're holding up great. I was interested to see how well the shirt would stand up or whether it would stretch out. It hasn't . I am doing my best to take care of it though, I'm not sure this would be a good pair of pads for a guy who would ball them up and toss them in a bag until the next game. They'd probably stink (see above). I've been letting them air dry after each game and every couple of games I take them and hand rinse them out and let them air dry again. This has worked well. I also wear a shirt under them.

Even though I'm in a non-checking league, I've taken and given some solid hits in them and they've been protective enough for my needs.

As for the red caps versus the white caps, I'm not sure why that would matter under a jersey, but I found the company very responsive, so if this is a real concern, email them and ask. I'm sure they'll tell you. As the white pads are plastic, I'm sure you could spray paint them pink if you wanted to.

[xrickyb86x 1]

As the white pads are plastic, I'm sure you could spray paint them pink if you wanted to.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that will actually make the caps deteriorate over time.

[Gr8erade 1]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that will actually make the caps deteriorate over time.

Hey, he's the guy worried about what color the pads are......... But I'm also pretty sure that plastic gets painted all the time and its not a problem.

[rightfield 0]

I just saw that they had red caps on the website. Just asking cause I had old white plastic bits go yellow over time.

[dave from down low hockey 0]

I'm thinking of buying them as well. Any option to get the red caps vs the white ones?

Rightfield, Dave here from Down Low Hockey, I designed the Down Low Hockey shoulder pads. I went to school for Industrial Design and chose to design shoulder pads for my senior project, being a hockey player myself and realizing there was a need for a shoulder pad that offered protection without the bulk.

The shoulder pads with the red caps that you see on the website were pictures from my design project. I spray painted the caps for looks but the paint chips and scratches off so for the production I decided to stick with the white caps. So right now the only option offered is white for the caps.

I will keep up with this tread to answer any questions and hear the feedback from you guys. I am always looking to improve the pads and player feedback is one of the best ways to do that.

[Katzenjammer 1]

Rightfield, Dave here from Down Low Hockey, I designed the Down Low Hockey shoulder pads. I went to school for Industrial Design and chose to design shoulder pads for my senior project, being a hockey player myself and realizing there was a need for a shoulder pad that offered protection without the bulk.

The shoulder pads with the red caps that you see on the website were pictures from my design project. I spray painted the caps for looks but the paint chips and scratches off so for the production I decided to stick with the white caps. So right now the only option offered is white for the caps.

I will keep up with this tread to answer any questions and hear the feedback from you guys. I am always looking to improve the pads and player feedback is one of the best ways to do that.

Congrats on your new venture - I think there are many players out there who will pay up a little for the decreased bulk/increased mobility without sacrificing protection. I'll be purchasing these.

EDIT: also, just wondering, I miss outdoor/pond hockey - where are those pics from on your website? Looks like a blast. Envy. :)

[dave from down low hockey 0]

Congrats on your new venture - I think there are many players out there who will pay up a little for the decreased bulk/increased mobility without sacrificing protection. I'll be purchasing these.

EDIT: also, just wondering, I miss outdoor/pond hockey - where are those pics from on your website? Looks like a blast. Envy. :)

Thanks, the pond hockey pics were from the inaugural Black Ice pond hockey tourney up in Concord, NH. It was a ton of fun. My brother lives up there so I put together a team with him and a few of my college teammates that are still in Boston. There are a few big pond hockey tournaments that I plan to check out next year.

[Sputnik20 46]

I haven't worn shoulder pads in about 6 years of playing, untill I met Dave.

These pads are great! I have been wearing them for about 2 months now, no issue or complaints on my part. Feels just like wearing a shirt and not shoulder pads. About as light as the Sherwood 5030 and Bauer Classic, but with better mobility. The padding covers all the vital areas, I actually took the spine off. Price might be an issue, but the comfort and performance are well worth it considering you don't have to buy a shirt (if you wear one)and shoulder pads.

Highly recommended!

[DSR 0]

I have tried for some time to find comfortable shoulder pads. Traditional pads seem to bother my mobility more than they should. Previously tried Farrel pads but found them heavy and also limited motion because material folded on itself when my arms crossed over my chest. Recently tried Downlow shoulder pads and was pleased to find them very comfortable. No limitation of motion. In fact, I perceived no difference playing with them compared to playing with no pads at all. Needless to say, I was very satisfied. While the pads are not "light" they distribute weight evenly across the torso so they don't feel heavy at all. Two important points. While these pads offer reasonable protection from falls, checks, and sticks, I will not be diving in front of any slap shots to take one off the chest. The sternum plate should protect against the most dire consequence of a puck to the chest (sudden cardiac death from commotio cordis, but the level of overall protection is not at the level of traditional pads. That said, IMO they are fine for house league (no check) players like myself. The other limitation is price. I guess high price tag is to be expected given limited distribution and manufacturing of this product. Overall, I would highly recommend this product, but you may want to think twice if you are playing competitive hockey at advanced levels.

[chrisg19 5]

I have tried for some time to find comfortable shoulder pads. Traditional pads seem to bother my mobility more than they should. Previously tried Farrel pads but found them heavy and also limited motion because material folded on itself when my arms crossed over my chest. Recently tried Downlow shoulder pads and was pleased to find them very comfortable. No limitation of motion. In fact, I perceived no difference playing with them compared to playing with no pads at all. Needless to say, I was very satisfied. While the pads are not "light" they distribute weight evenly across the torso so they don't feel heavy at all. Two important points. While these pads offer reasonable protection from falls, checks, and sticks, I will not be diving in front of any slap shots to take one off the chest. The sternum plate should protect against the most dire consequence of a puck to the chest (sudden cardiac death from commotio cordis, but the level of overall protection is not at the level of traditional pads. That said, IMO they are fine for house league (no check) players like myself. The other limitation is price. I guess high price tag is to be expected given limited distribution and manufacturing of this product. Overall, I would highly recommend this product, but you may want to think twice if you are playing competitive hockey at advanced levels.

I could have written this post word for word right down to the Farrells. My experience has been exactly as the poster above. Overall I am extremely satisfied with the Down Low pads, and would highly recommend them for anyone playing house league hockey, who wants some protection but does not need the high level or bulk of traditional pads.

[rykwon 0]

I've been wearing mine for about a month. Very much agree with the other reviews. Great for rec/non-checking leagues! Feels like wearing shirt and not bulky shoulder pads.

[dave from down low hockey 0]

Summer Jam 2011 was great! It was good to hear feedback from all of the players that demoed the pads. Looking forward to future Mod Squad Hockey events.

[Chadd 916]

Thanks for bringing the product, the response seemed to be pretty positive.

[nicksmission14 0]

I liked them so much, I bought the pair I was wearing. I didn't want to give them back when I got off the ice LOL.

[goaliemanshark 6]

Did you find them warmer than your normals shoulders? Wearing two shirts felt weird to me... Although i guess i didnt need the undershirt!

The product has a lot of potential. I would make a more padded version with more belly protection!