Eagle Talon

[AIREAYE 248]

13" Black

Background: My first pair of hockey gloves were the Easton Stealth S5 (2006 edition) which featured a very bulky and wide fit, completely different from my next pair of S17s and the current Talons. Coming from the top-of-the-line S17s, I knew that my preferred type of fit would be anatomical, and with the release of the Talon, Eagle’s most recent foray into anatomically-fitting gloves, I simply had to see why people adore Eagle gloves.

Fit: 8/10

Although the Talons were definitely anatomically-fitting gloves, the main problem I had with them was the position of the finger breaks. The Talons have slightly longer fingers than other 13" gloves, but I think that that feature is a disadvantage in terms of how one's fingers and knuckles flex. The breaks in the Talons, especially on the pinkie finger did not match up with how my fingers flexed and this both restricted dexterity and even caused some discomfort in the joints. However, this is ultimately a minor problem as come game time, you won’t always be moving your fingers as much. The thumb pocket was quite narrow and tight-fitting, exactly what you would want when it comes to anatomically-fitting gloves. Overall, the Talons definitely ‘fits’ into the anatomical category and is what you would expect.

Weight: 10/10

The most insignificant factor in my opinion, the Talons with their nylon shell are definitely up there in terms of weight regardless. The hydrophobic properties of the MSH2 palm also play a part in keeping the glove lightweight throughout any game.

Comfort: 6.5/10 -> 8/10

As a whole, I find this glove to be pretty comfortable, especially with the supple MSH2 palm and soft foam liners in the fingers. However a big issue I had with these guys is that the silver hydrophobic liner on the backhand of the glove was quite thick, making putting your hand in and out of the glove a hindrance because you would always have to push the liner down. Also when removing your hand after sweating a bit, the liner would often come out with it as it sticks. However after breaking them in a bit, this issue is less apparent, but definitely something to consider.

The main issue about these gloves would be the ventilation. The lack of any perforation in the palm/gussets (really wished that Eagle would have put mesh or even stretch instead of solid MSH2) combined with the thickness of the back liner prevents a lot of the heat from escaping and air from flowing. There were a few occasions mid-game that I needed to take these gloves off because they were too stuffy. Then again there are people who like some warmth; I’ll probably be grateful for this when I’m playing pond haha.

EDIT : after breaking these in, the comfort issue has been addressed with the back liner and thus an upgrade in score. However, I've also noticed that the backliner holds a lot of moisture after games (though air drying solves this issue every time, a testament to the method more so than to the gear) and I hope Eagle addresses this issue in the future.

Mobility: 7.5/10

Not bad. For a player who doesn’t dangle or pull off any significant stickhandling moves, the range of mobility on these gloves is satisfactory. However just by wearing them and rolling my wrists around, I can see why some might consider the cuff a little too restrictive. The foam cuff extensions don’t bloom outwards and are a tad thick.

Protection: 7/10

The protection on these guys are definitely what you would expect out of a $130 price point glove: featuring mid/high density foams all over with plastic inserts on the surface. However the plastic inserts are quite thin and quite flimsy and are even MISSING on the cuff extensions of my left-handed glove! I haven’t had a chance to compare different pairs, but even still; this is a pretty disappointing oversight by quality control. For those playing younger rep hockey or men’s league, these gloves would do the job in terms of protection, but for those playing higher level contact hockey, there are better options out there.

Durability: 8/10 -> 6.5/10 -> 4.5/10

Having used these gloves for only a couple of months, I was slightly disappointed to find numerous areas where stitching came loose. Although purely a surface issue that won’t affect the overall integrity of the glove, I expected more from Eagle.

EDIT : The inner silver back liner is done. The soft foams inside have completely disintegrated, clumping and loosening so that parts of the liner have no foam in between the fabric anymore. This occured only in my left glove, the same glove where the plastic insert was missing from the cuff. Although I'm putting this under durability, I believe this could be simply very poor quality control as my right glove is fine. Very dissapointing, can't wait for the RS because I need new gloves already.

EDIT 2 : The seam in between the first finger segment and the second on my index finger of the left glove has ripped out and I have no idea how it happened. With a little force, I can rip off the nylon and expose the foams. The surface plastic inserts are not glued/secured solidly in place, allowing for shifting underneath the nylon. Although literally a surface issue at the moment, I fear that in time, rips and blemishes will be common as the insert rubs against the nylon above/around it.

Overall: 7.5/10 -> 7/10 -> 6.5/10

Although they do not stand out in any category, Eagle has put forth a respectable passable product into the market. Hopefully they will be able to continue to build and improve upon this glove and offer something as significant as the PPF in the future. This pair is not worth the $130-$140 pricetag and doesn't offer the same level of protection or durability as others in its price range. Although a great glove for beer league and recreational hockey, one should never confuse this glove with something top-of-the-line.

Edited March 29, 2012 by AIREAYE

[Kyle Friedman 9]

Background: Coming from Bauer supreme one75 gloves, I have been using the Talons for about 3 months now.

Fit: 10/10: I love the fit of these gloves. Very anatomically fitting throughout, and they hug my hand very nicely, Plus the cuff doesnt restring movement.

Weight: 10/10: Lightweight, not much to say about terms of weight.

Comfort: 9/10: Coming from Bauer gloves, the MSH2 palms are very soft, and comfortable. The only downside is they could use a little more ventilation.

Mobility: 10/10: For a glove that fits so close to your hand, I have no problems at all with mobility, and I have never felt held back by them at all.

Protection: 9/10: Great protection for my use. Im not sure if people would have any problems or night in a higher level ice hockey league. For competitive roller hockey I have no problems.

Durability: 8/10: After 3 months of use, I have absolutely no wear on the palms. The only reason I gave this an 8/10 is because the stitching seems a bit weak in a few areas. No real problems with it yet though.

Overall: 9/10: These gloves are a great buy, I love the fit and I cant see myself going to any other gloves in the near future. The only things I can see eagle improving on with these is, 1. More ventilation, and 2. Better stitching in key areas.