Warrior Projekt shoulder pads

[hellaavangard 33]

5'7

~130lbs

Right wing D-league

Size: Jr. XL

Background:

I play in a non-checking D level adult league. My stature seems to make me a target for guys living out their body check fantasies and I usually draw a tripping or roughing call every other game or so. Combine that with repetitive strain in one of my shoulders and the fact that pucks and sticks to ribs are painful; and I try to avoid going out on the ice without shoulder pads on

Fit/comfort: 9/10

I went with the Jr. XL size for two reasons mainly, that I have a slender build, and for the smaller shoulder caps. My previous shoulder pads were Jofa 6500's, I had to have the straps shortened by someone at Perani's so that I didn't have to overlap the straps to get a snug fit. No such issues with the Projekts. Their 2-timer strap system is very nice, I do have it at basically it's smallest setting but nonetheless, I'm able to wear the pads nice and snug around my upper body, they do tend to slip a little bit, I wear an Under Armour long sleeve shirt with grip print on the arms, and I've found myself wishing that it had more grip over the sternum and once a game goes on for a bit and the undershirt gets wet, the pads tend to shift up a little bit. The liner itself is very comfortable and breathes much better than my old Jofas however. Another fit aspect that I really enjoy is the 2 piece biceps guard, the lower, skinnier one fits perfectly underneath the biceps guard on my Jofa 9144 elbow pads. These parts are also adjustable with a velcro strap which really enables you to fine tune the fit

Protection: 9.5/10

Among the protective aspects that drew my interest in this pad were the spine, clavicle, and in particular rib protection. The pad wraps around your ribs very nicely and covers up a spot where I was taking cross checks especially when I would go to the front of the net. It also has removable extensions on the front and back to provide a little abdominal and lower spine protection. They aren't going to make a puck or a spear from a stick feel like a pillow hitting you, but it's a nice touch.

The foams used throughout the pad and in particular the Zote foam used in the sections of the pad feels very protective without feeling while being lightweight and mobile. The spinal and sternum protection utilize the "bones" technology and are very protective as well. The times I've landed on my back or chest haven't been painful at all. The shoulder caps are solid as well, non bulky and while they're smaller and offer less coverage than my previous pads, I haven't noticed diminished protection. The main front and back sections of the pad are narrower than what I was used to so the outer parts of your chest and back aren't as protected but this is a small sacrifice for the sake of mobility.

Mobility: 9.5/10

This is another big step up from the Jofas I wore. As I mentioned above, the narrow front section enables much better mobility, I've noticed it in shooting and in pulling the puck from one side to the other. The shoulder caps and segmented biceps guards yield a very nice range of motion comfortably. The spine and sternum guards are separate from the main sections of the back and front are connected with elastic, also increasing the mobility.

Weight: 10/10

Very light weight. You almost don't notice them on. They seem to resist getting heavier toward the end of a skate as well, nice low occurrence of moisture retention. The use of hi-tech foams over plastic inserts really keep the weight low.

Durability: 9/10

I've been using these since December with no issues, the stitching is solid and while there are a few snags in some of the fabric from contact with velcro, I haven't spotted anything that concerns me. The fit has broken in but the foams still feel as protective as the first time I wore then and the elastic straps still going strong, no signs of stretching.

Intangibles: 10/10

One of the things that caught my eye about this pad was I'd seen that many pros had switched over to it upon it's introduction. While it's never the greatest idea to use the same piece of gear just because you see them using it (especially disregarding difference in fit, etc) I figured that if guys liked enough to change to it over the normal Jofa gear that you'd see, then there was something to it. The pad dries nice and quickly, and I haven't noticed any odor after several months of use (I lay the pad inside out after every game as well, others may have different results depending on how you handle them after an ice time) The various features of the pad that piqued my interest: rib protection, fit customization, mobility; have all exceeded my expectations. Though appearance should be a non issue with gear, especially what goes under your jersey, I really like the appearance of the pad and admit that it's shelf appeal helped draw my attention, the appearance, predominantly white with grey accents, has a very classy look with a modern edge in the cut of the sections.

Overall: 9.5/10

Definitely the best shoulder pad I've used and one of the best pieces of gear that I own. It has a truly great balance of protection, mobility, comfort and light weight.