PadSkinz: adhesive pad graphics

[Law Goalie 147]

A while back, a company called Chameleon Sports (based out of Caledon, Ontario, north of Toronto and not far from the home of the legendary mask-maker Jerry Wright) got in touch about their PadSkinz product, and sent me a few small samples to play around with. I regret that I didn't get to them as quickly as I might have, but I've finally had a little time to check them out, and I'll be posting a full review once I've had a chance to test a few pieces under fire. Since this is the time of year when kids of all ages are joining new teams, it seems an ideal moment to talk about changing your stripes, so to speak.

The company's new owner, Mark Philipps, is on MSH to answer any question you may have.

Basically, PadSkinz are the only viable alternative to cutting and sewing new graphics onto pads that I've encountered. I've seen guys mess around with various paints and dyes, and with coloured duct tape and other adhesive surfaces. The colouration methods are generally the worst kind of semi-permanent: the dyes are very hard to balance to the right shade, and fade over time (often rubbing off on the ice and smearing onto other gear), but will never fully come out; once you use them, you're stuck with a patina of faded, smudged dye forever. With duct tape and the like, you're A) going to look like you put tape on your pads, and B) the surface never lasts when abraded on the ice, and C) you're left with a horrible mess of adhesive to clean up.

Thus, the first point about PadSkinz is their pressure-sensitive adhesive. It appears to hold exceptionally well to polyurethane-based synthetic leathers (generally, in goal gear, under the Ennis trade names 'Jenpro' and 'Robocop', aka weave), and I've even tested it on some old Sofrina and true Clarino. The remarkable thing is that it *removes* equally well, based on my initial testing. Simply by getting a fingernail under a corner, you can peel it off relatively easily, even though pushing on the edges of the material or even pulling at it with anything less than careful precision won't move it a bit.

The application process is pretty simple. PadSkinz comes with a set of good quality tracing paper, which you use to trace the graphics on your pads, or to design the graphics you want. You then put the tracing paper over the PadSkinz sheet and cut away. Scissors work well, but a skill/Exacto knife works even better, as long as you keep the sheet in place. Naturally, the more careful you are, the closer you can get to clean, die-cut looking edges. You then peel off the backing from the adhesive and stick the shapes on the pads.

Of course, you needn't use PadSkinz only with pads: it'll work equally well for goalie gloves, player gloves, skates, whatever.

Generally, I was pretty impressed with the stuff. It's thin enough (under 1mm) that it doesn't add perceptibly to the thickness of a graphical overlay; in fact, compared with cut-and-sewn Jenpro, it's decidedly low-profile. It's easy to handle, and applies well. The surface seems sturdy enough that I can well believe it can hold up for years even on the sliding surfaces of pads, though I'd be leery of using as at the medial boot area, which rubs on the ice almost constantly; this is, however, simple prejudice on my part, and not borne out by any experience as yet. My sense is that you could probably use a layer of PadSkinz to repair a shredded knee-wing, and certainly a calf-wing, without any tools or repair know-how: enough to get you through a season at least.

PadSkinz currently come in 17 colours, including some relatively uncommon colours like powder blue, pink, teal, purple, and orange; generally, these are only available as custom-order options. Mark is in the process of adding some Robocop/weave patterns in the next while, but they're not ready for prime time just yet. The one word of warning I'd have is that the colours and the finish of the material are NOT a 100% match for Ennis Jenpro, or any other synthetic leather: they work as contrast-pieces, not as full cover-ups. In other words, if you try to apply a piece of, say, white PadSkinz material to an all-white Jenpro pad, the PadSkinz piece will not blend in especially well. However, if you took the same white piece and applied it to any other colour of Jenpro, the effect is pretty convincing; if you apply PadSkinz with a non-weave finish to weave-based pads, it's even more compelling (and vice versa, I would assume).

Current pricing is $29.99 for one 26" x 15" sheet, $49.99 for two sheets (any two colours), and $79.99 for two 52"x15" sheets, which is enough to do two full-size pads, top to toe. Compared with what it costs to have a new leather shell made, this is pretty competitive. They're available through the company's website, and through Sara at Protective Athletic Wear (PAW).

Frankly, I see more potential for this stuff outside the crease. How nice would it be to re-finish a pair of gloves in your new team's colours? Beyond the end-user, it could also give some real flexibility to any retail store that stocks goal gear but isn't a specialist. If you can't afford to carry pads in 30 different colours, you can do a bulk order of, say, white and black pads, then use PadSkinz to customise them for buyers. It's a niche product with some really interesting potential.

I'll try to grab some pics in the new little while, as I get the review going.

[forbs02 20]

Your chameleon sports link is very incorrect, you might want to take off the hyperlink.

Interesting looking product, thanks for the info.

[Netminder32 32]

Looks like the link is correct... but their site/domain has been hacked.

[phlups 1]

We got hacked early this morning, sorry about that. We're back up and running again. If anyone has any questions, you can ask here

Stay hungry, my puck eating friends! :)

[Monty22 833]

Pretty interesting product- looks like it might be an option for those looking to black out the heels of the Easton Mako skates..

[phlups 1]

Just wanted to give everyone the head's up:

DOING OUR PART FOR BREAST CANCER...PINK PADSKINZ!

Breast cancer is a complex disease that will affect 1 in 9 Canadian women during their lifetime. In 2013, it is estimated that 23,800 Canadian women and 200 Canadian men will be diagnosed with breast cancer.
*source: Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation*

Many of us goalies (and non-goalies) have been affected in one way or another by this deadly disease and we at Chameleon Sports would like to help do something about it. So starting today, September 14th 2013 until October 31st 2013, we will be donating 50% of the profits from the sale of our Pink PadSkinz to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation! Even if it's just a Mini Skinz package, show your support by putting some pink on your gloves or pads. I'm sure I heard someone tell me that 93% of shooters reported not being able to be as accurate with their shots, when the colour pink was added to goal equipment. LOL, just kidding. :)

[jimmy 194]

Pretty interesting product- looks like it might be an option for those looking to black out the heels of the Easton Mako skates..

Funny, Bauer skates has silver heels but no one thought those were ugly.

[Monty22 833]

Funny, Bauer skates has silver heels but no one thought those were ugly.

Are you talking about the APX? I think those are ugly too, just not as bad as the Mako. I think it's due to the ribs and the black red graphic on the lower heel. With that said, I wear APX's because they fit my feet well. I can't see the heels when I'm wearing them....

[IPv6Freely 2093]

Does this stuff come off fairly easily? I mean if I wanted to just use it for a tournament or a couple months?

[DocShawn48 7]

From every YouTube amateur video and review I've read,minus one on goalie monkey, it comes off easily and the adhesive that may remain, you use the removed wrap's sticky side to lift off. The one review that was negative regarded the residue which,at pure speculation, I'd guess they tried to wipe it off and spread it around like jam as opposed to following the instructions. I imagine trying to rub it off or using a solvent to remove it, which is not in the instructions BTW,would spread it thin and smear it making a mess. Picking some up for my son's blocker and leg pads today to add some WV blue and gold highlights to match the team colors, very similar to the blues or predators. Bottom line ladies and gents,read the instructions and you should be good,unless it's certain brands of furniture, then toss those "extra parts", and use gorilla glue and marvel at your work.

[IPv6Freely 2093]

Cool. I'm considering it for things like the occasional weekend tournament or whatever. Definitely don't want it to be permanent:)

[BenderHockey 127]

If you do get this, please let me know your opinion on it.