Z airs. why the love?

[stevo_323 0]

I havent worn these before, but I want to know why there is so much love for these

[Scotty 8]

Gloves? Because several generations of them were awesome. The first gen ones I always wanted, but never bought. I bought a pair of second gen ones and wore them for many, many years until the leather exterior wore through and padding fell out. Then I bought another pair of them that were only slightly used.

They're nothing too special compared to today's top gloves, but sometimes what was once a top of the line product is better than that when you've used it for so long.

[MattKingDelToro 2]

I wear second-generation pro stock Z-Airs. I'm going to have disagree with Scotty; I think Z-Airs have a very special, unique fit. I find they're not quite as tight-fitting as the current Stealth gloves, but certainly offer a closer fit than the Synergy gloves. What I love about my Z-Airs is that while the glove fits fairly close to the hand, the glove positions my hand in a very natural manner. Even when wearing a roomier glove, say like the Synergy 800, I'm not crazy about how my hand sort of rolls over to fit the glove despite the relatively large amount of volume. Though the Z-Airs probably have less negative space, I find the glove fits my hands freer for how I like my hands to feel. I guess what I'm trying to explain is that Z-Airs offer a wider fit with less volume which I absolutely love. In my opinion, the closest current glove to the old Z-Airs is the Bauer Vapor line.

[Chadd 916]

Why the love? They were the last good glove Easton made.

[PHLAllstar 0]

Simply put a great fit,

I would rather have a new pair of z-air's then any other top end glove offered today, aka Total one etc...

There is a reason Iginla still wears them, they rock.

[Krev 86]

They look even better in Nylon/Tufftek.

[ibeck 38]

They look even better in Nylon/Tufftek.

They are absolutely GORGEOUS in nylon !

[stevo_323 0]

They are absolutely GORGEOUS in nylon !

I wear 14" in every glove, but I recently checkout out E-Pros and bought a pair in 13". It seemed like the palms were the same size on the 14" and 13" anjd I liked the shorter cuff. Same deal with the Easton Customs.

If I am going to get Z-airs, what would you guys reccomend according to my sizing in eastons, and in other gloves.

[number21 3]

I didn't know Z-airs until I joined MSH. I saw TBL's and JR's and just really liked how they looked, when I finally came across a craigslist pair of 2nd gens, I found out how I like the fit as well.

I would like to get a copy of Richards but with a white cuff roll and white welts between the pads on the back hand. Or a black version of Yzerman's gloves with split fingers. Looks like I could make it happen now, if I can pony up the cash.

Wish I could help you on the sizing stevo. All my z-airs are pro-returns so they all vary. All my 2nd gens are 14 or 14.5 but vary in finger length a little. My 1st gens may have been 15" but were pretty beat up so I had them re-palmed, they have a bit more volume to them.

[BureKovy 20]

Richards in nylon are actually really nice, only remember the leather.

[stevo_323 0]

So whats the consensus on 1st gen vs 2nd gen? Which is generally the favorite? and why?

[MLSman 22]

Why the love? They were the last good glove Easton made.

Agreed...every Easton glove since has fingers that are stiff as rocks.

[Scotty 8]

So whats the consensus on 1st gen vs 2nd gen? Which is generally the favorite? and why?

First gens are very nice and the favorites of a lot of people, but I prefer the mobility and fit of the 2nd gens, plus they're simply what I got used to.

[MattKingDelToro 2]

Agreed...every Easton glove since has fingers that are stiff as rocks.

Couldn't agree more. The top-of-the-line Stealth S9 glove was the worst product I've ever owned. And, somehow, the S17 glove fingers felt even worse.

[Burning Bear 76]

Being a Flames fan, Jarome Iginla and Craig Conroy turned me on to them around the turn of the millennium, and since I was used to 13.5" Eastons already, I loved them. The Xtreme version was the only retail model that came with a fully nylon exterior and they were alright for low-end gloves, though I swear the palms were made out of felt. I always wanted a custom/pro model version like Richards or Iginla and I was very disappointed when PSHG pulled the rug out from underneath me recently, but let's not get into that. They were great, great gloves.

[MLSman 22]

Couldn't agree more. The top-of-the-line Stealth S9 glove was the worst product I've ever owned. And, somehow, the S17 glove fingers felt even worse.

Add to the list the 800 pros and the SE16 pro stocks...all the same way. What a great set of gloves....what a terrible set of fingers.

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

Add to the list the 800 pros and the SE16 pro stocks...all the same way. What a great set of gloves....what a terrible set of fingers.

+1

I never picked up a pair of eastons because of how the fingers felt. I found a pair of havlat's epro's that had better fingers(less stiff) and scooped em right up

[MattKingDelToro 2]

I have to say- I got a pair of Synergy 500 Pros from what used to be East West Hockey, and the fingers were quite flexible. Phenomenal pair of gloves. 800s were noticeably stiffer, although my 500s were tufftek and my 800s are all nylon.

[AIREAYE 248]

Couldn't agree more. The top-of-the-line Stealth S9 glove was the worst product I've ever owned. And, somehow, the S17 glove fingers felt even worse.

Regarding the S17s, I couldn't disagree more. Although the palms are quite objectable imo, the fingers felt perfectly mobile even before break-in. Just goes to show that an opinion is just an opinion.

[MattKingDelToro 2]

Regarding the S17s, I couldn't disagree more. Although the palms are quite objectable imo, the fingers felt perfectly mobile even before break-in. Just goes to show that an opinion is just an opinion.

Very true. Sometimes I wonder though- who on this planet thinks the Stealth line is actually an improvement over the Z-Air gloves.

[AIREAYE 248]

Haha, having never tried the Z-Airs, I wouldn't know. However I do agree that the S9 and its line (I have the S5s) were a disappointment.