Shotblockers

[ktang 34]

I was watching the followup to the OTR Sean Avery episode, in which Anson Carter and Ken Belanger talked about Avery's effect on the Kings.

At the end, Ken Belanger showed an interesting foot protector "Shotblockers", and I found a link to it here:

http://www.shotblockers.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=content&menuid=3&pageid=1002

The "XT Shorty" seems to be woven on top of the skate tongue with the laces, and the "XT Pro" looks like the existing clear ones extended.

Anybody have any experience with it yet? Could it be something for the LTR?

[jds 20]

The pros look like the best for me since I seem to get hit more on the side of the foot. They seem a bit pricy though. I bought the Skatefenders brand for $80 and they work great though they aren't as slick looking as the XT Pro. I have taken several shots off the foot and felt nothing wearing the Skatefenders http://www.skatefenders.com/product.html

[ktang 34]

I was thinking of getting the Skatefenders ($90 in Calgary), but I only seem to get hurt on shots off the front of the foot (Bauer One95 skates). So for $40 I could get the "XT Shorty".

I became interested in the Skatefenders when I saw the Montreal defensemen wearing them.

[tareatingrat 4]

Buddy on my team has the full Shotblocker setup. He loves them. He plays D and said he has taken a few hard ones off the side of his foot and said that while it still stings, it's way better than it used to be without them.

[innotastic 12]

do the xt or xt shorty affect skate volume at all?

[ktang 34]

It looks like the xt and the xt shorty are attached outside the skate, with the xt shorty attached with the laces over the tongue. So they wouldn't affect skate volume.

[ktang 34]

do the xt or xt shorty affect skate volume at all?

I just received delivery of the shotblocker xt. I just weaved them into my skates (Bauer One95s), and I'm going to try them out reffing later tonight. I usually get some slashes to the instep on faceoffs, so this will be a good trial.

I have always backlaced, but to weave in the lower part of the shotblocker xt it has to be done with normal lacing or you lose skate volume. Even if done this way, I find that I lose a little volume at the toe end of the skate (for about 4 sets of eyelets). I normally lace snug but not tight at that area, so it's OK for me. I lace most tightly at the instep, but at that part the laces go behind the shotblocker xt and back over the tongue. It looks like the xt shorty wouldn't reach the instep.

Luckily I have enough spread in my eyelets so that the shotblocker xt just fits between them with enough room for the laces to get to the eyelets.

[ktang 34]

At first I tried the left skate with the shotblocker xt weaved under the laces, as instructed, and with the right skate's shotblocker xt over the laces (like spats). Weaving them under the laces reduces the volume a little bit, but not as much as I thought they would because the eyelet plackets in my skates are quite thick. I got slashes to the newly protected area on both skates conducting faceoffs, and the protection was quite good.

So then I weaved the right skate's shotblocker xt under the laces as well, and went to play in a hockey tournament in Las Vegas. I blocked a shot, on purpose, and it went off the instep - again, no pain or injury.

Back home to officiate some city championship playoff games. Got slashed on the instep on faceoffs, but haven't been hit by the puck there.

[mickz 107]

I was thinking of getting the Skatefenders ($90 in Calgary), but I only seem to get hurt on shots off the front of the foot (Bauer One95 skates). So for $40 I could get the "XT Shorty".

I became interested in the Skatefenders when I saw the Montreal defensemen wearing them.

The Habs were wearing knockoffs, not Skate Fenders, most notably during the Josh Gorges mishap in the playoffs.

[jds 20]

The Habs were wearing knockoffs, not Skate Fenders, most notably during the Josh Gorges mishap in the playoffs.

The Habs have custom moulded versions.

[mickz 107]

The term "Skate Fenders" is starting to get used like "Kleenex", "Sharpie" and "Jell-O." Not sure if that's a good thing.