Is it me, or have shoulder pads gotten HUUUUUUUGE?

[bunnyman666 445]

After a twenty-plus year absence, I have returned to hockey. Needless to say, my equipment disappeared and whatever, so I have bought all new stuff.

My Winnwell shoulder pads are SOOOOOOOO huge that I almost need help getting my sweater over them. I don't ever remember the caps being close to the size of American Football shoulder pads. I like the main body of my pads, but hate the size of the caps. I am almost thinking of brewing my own solution...

Any suggestions?

[AIREAYE 248]

Nope it's just you. They've trended towards getting more lower profile. The best suggestion is to go to a store and you'll see what I mean. Try on multiple pairs to see what fits best.

[Hammers44 4]

If you like the chest on the Winwells then I'd find a pair of caps you like, wack the Winwell caps off, get a speedy stitcher and sew the new caps on.

[bunnyman666 445]

Nope it's just you. They've trended towards getting more lower profile. The best suggestion is to go to a store and you'll see what I mean. Try on multiple pairs to see what fits best.

You have to admit that some caps are bigger than the Jofas I wore in the '80s, right? These things are MASSIVE!!!! That could be a reason why they were so cheap on Hockeymonkey.com, if you catch my drift.

If you like the chest on the Winwells then I'd find a pair of caps you like, wack the Winwell caps off, get a speedy stitcher and sew the new caps on.

Yes, I think that is the next step...

[hunterphfr 12]

They were getting pretty large for a while not too long ago. The new current trend as was mentioned is "low profile". They look big and cover some area, but fit low and close to the shoulder.

[bunnyman666 445]

I remember seeing carbon fibre on the shoulder pads about 10-12 years ago. All I thought was "Holy injury-makers, Batman!!!!"

[romdj 26]

Have a look at sherwood 5030

they are old school and cheap so you may really like them!

Personally, I don't want to be injured, whether it is by a puck or a hit so the better shoulder pads I'll get equals less chances of injury. However it's the opposite for people that just play in order to check and hurt the opponent.

[boo10 323]

CCM Fit series is a good choice if you like smaller, low-profile caps.

Something like this:

http://www.prohockeylife.com/hockey-shoulder-pads-senior-hockey-shoulder-pads-c-3_26_87/ccm-u-fit-07-sr-hockey-shoulder-pads-p-3015

[Chadd 916]

You have to admit that some caps are bigger than the Jofas I wore in the '80s, right? These things are MASSIVE!!!! That could be a reason why they were so cheap on Hockeymonkey.com, if you catch my drift.

I have a pair of 20 year old Jofas that have caps as large as anything on the market now. A lot of the new pads have more chest and spine protection than the old days but caps couldn't get much bigger than they were with Douglas Defenders or the old TPS flexor pads.

[bunnyman666 445]

Have a look at sherwood 5030

they are old school and cheap so you may really like them!

Personally, I don't want to be injured, whether it is by a puck or a hit so the better shoulder pads I'll get equals less chances of injury. However it's the opposite for people that just play in order to check and hurt the opponent.

Maybe that's where I look. I like the spine and sternum protection on my winwell pads.

I am not out to injure anyone. This is a no contact pickup thing I'm doing now. I do wear an armoured shirt, but because of me trying to get my steps back, I need protection from myself these days...

CCM Fit series is a good choice if you like smaller, low-profile caps.

Something like this:

http://www.prohockeylife.com/hockey-shoulder-pads-senior-hockey-shoulder-pads-c-3_26_87/ccm-u-fit-07-sr-hockey-shoulder-pads-p-3015

Those might be what the doc ordered!!! Thanks for the link.

[Stewie 721]

If your buying shoulders with caps too big for your liking, your doing it wrong. Now there's such a large range in shoulders you really get to pick what you want. My fit05 are great for my level of play and usage

[Cavs019 710]

Just food for thought...In my experience I've taken more shots to the head/sticks to the face/random blindside hits in pickup/adult league then I did when I was playing high level competitive hockey. People are reckless, play with their head down, and have significantly less body control. I'd err on the side of more protective.

[bunnyman666 445]

I have a pair of 20 year old Jofas that have caps as large as anything on the market now. A lot of the new pads have more chest and spine protection than the old days but caps couldn't get much bigger than they were with Douglas Defenders or the old TPS flexor pads.

I remember when the Douglas Defenders were in the stores. Crikey!!!! Can you say "injury maker"?!?

My old Jofas were foam with plastic caps integrated into the bicep protectors. They were actually a close relative to a BMX/MX protector (as I recall they made those, as well). No spine or even back protection. I had a broken rib from a slapshot I blocked whilst wearing those.

My main complaint with my WinnWells is the size of the shoulder caps. The main body is great with ample protection for the spine and sternum. I know they aren't the biggest on the planet, but are just huge compared to what I grew up with.

[mojo122 541]

The mobility aspects of today's shoulder pads are so much better than those from a couple of decades ago, unless you were wearing something like SB90's, which had little protective properties.

[Stewie 721]

You might like ccm shoulder caps better. Check them out

[bunnyman666 445]

The mobility aspects of today's shoulder pads are so much better than those from a couple of decades ago, unless you were wearing something like SB90's, which had little protective properties.

I wore Jofa 410, which are definitely NOT protective compared to the stuff of today. No, I'm NOT going to try to find a pair, even to graft the caps onto my Winnwells.

[beedee 227]

Man, remember these?

I had the Winwell version back in 1991 or so.

[bunnyman666 445]

Man, remember these?

I had the Winwell version back in 1991 or so.

OMFG!!!! Brian Sutter had the prototypes of those back in his last season!!!! Whoa...

[Law Goalie 147]

Those head-masher shoulders drive me nuts. There is absolutely no reason that anyone needs plastic in their caps *or* elbows any more; HD foams are more than enough for everything except shins, skate-bots, helmets, and goalie C/As (which can do just fine with HD instead of plastic, but will break down *quickly* against good shooters).

[hunterphfr 12]

Just food for thought...In my experience I've taken more shots to the head/sticks to the face/random blindside hits in pickup/adult league then I did when I was playing high level competitive hockey. People are reckless, play with their head down, and have significantly less body control. I'd err on the side of more protective.

I'm a firefighter/paramedic and play around 2 times a week in non-contact leagues. Over the last 8ish years I've personally seen/helped on the ice for our team or our opponent 3 broken clavicles, a broken tibia, seizures due to a head slammed off the boards, numerous lacerations resulting in stitches or glue including having my face glued shut 3 times, 3-4 ACL/MCL injuries, 2 third degree shoulder separations and 6 teeth over 4 separate incidents. Very few of these incidents were a result of malicious or dangerous play. Hockey is a very fast paced game that is played on a surface with very little friction, on an enclosed surface, with grown men heavily padded in protective equipment made of hard plastic, carrying sticks and shooting a puck made of hard rubber that moves at great speed. I play in the C and occasionally the B league. The D and novice leagues are even worse. All it takes is an errant shot, a lost edge, an unexpected bump, a stick in the skates or some other unforeseen incident and the result could be medical bills, lost work and pain & suffering.

The new shoulder pads are for the most part low profile and very unrestrictive of ones movement. Before blowing them off try a pair on you'll be surprised. I'm using the Bauer Pro Series which have probably one of the largest and high profile shoulder pads made in the last few years and they are extremely unrestrictive movement wise.

[bunnyman666 445]

I'm a firefighter/paramedic and play around 2 times a week in non-contact leagues. Over the last 8ish years I've personally seen/helped on the ice for our team or our opponent 3 broken clavicles, a broken tibia, seizures due to a head slammed off the boards, numerous lacerations resulting in stitches or glue including having my face glued shut 3 times, 3-4 ACL/MCL injuries, 2 third degree shoulder separations and 6 teeth over 4 separate incidents. Very few of these incidents were a result of malicious or dangerous play. Hockey is a very fast paced game that is played on a surface with very little friction, on an enclosed surface, with grown men heavily padded in protective equipment made of hard plastic, carrying sticks and shooting a puck made of hard rubber that moves at great speed. I play in the C and occasionally the B league. The D and novice leagues are even worse. All it takes is an errant shot, a lost edge, an unexpected bump, a stick in the skates or some other unforeseen incident and the result could be medical bills, lost work and pain & suffering.

The new shoulder pads are for the most part low profile and very unrestrictive of ones movement. Before blowing them off try a pair on you'll be surprised. I'm using the Bauer Pro Series which have probably one of the largest and high profile shoulder pads made in the last few years and they are extremely unrestrictive movement wise.

I even agree with you. I am not even discounting the need for possibly bigger shoulders, frankly! I mostly have just observed how huge the caps have become.

I am part of the problem, I admit. I haven't played in a long, long time. Sure, I avoid all contact if at all possible. But I accidentally ploughed into the goalie last week and incidentally contacted an opposing player with nothing added (i.e. no shoulder, slow speed) on my end. Of course I was molested by a player (the hands all over me would've been a penalty in ANY league I ever played in and I AVOIDED my normal "Gordie" elbows from back in my day as a reaction). I have noticed that "slightly" dirty play gets no retaliation. I think my "Gordie" elbow manoeuvre would have had gloves dropped!!!! I got all of that aggression out of the way years ago. No dropping of the gloves for me...

I do like that there is no restriction as far as arm movement on these. The caps are just HUUUUUUUUUUUUGE!!!!! I guess I need to decide which sweater I am wearing, put the shoulders inside the sweater, and pull it all over my head. It is just a different thing, just like I am trying to learn how to play with a composite stick. Dammit- the new game is just a bit different...

[Cosmic 178]

Man, remember these?

I had the Winwell version back in 1991 or so.

Easton Donzis!! I actually wore CCM Supras back in the day, which was a similar construction. Big plastic all over the place, sitting on pillow like lining. They were heavy!! It was not about wanting to hurt anyone; I saw too many people wearing the flimsy Coopers get their collarbones snapped on medium hard body checks, that I just went to the pro shop and did little test to see which pads would not collapse under lateral forces. And I had no fear going into the corners to dig out pucks, because no matter how hard I got hit, I knew that the pads would take all impact, and never cause my shoulder girdle (my skeleton, that is) to squeeze and snap and the collarbone.

I wear CCM Crazy Light now. Super light, do not even notice that they are there, and they stay dry. I play non contact, but there are still plenty of collisions (due to other guys skating with their heads down right into me), which I tend not to feel upon impact.

[Kessel'sOversizedSuit 18]

I have to admit that I went from playing with some Nike AirZoom shoulders for the past 5 years, to Sherwood 5030s. I just wanted something more lightweight and a little lower profile. The level of protection is significantly less, but they are more mobile and much lighter.

Interesting, less then 1/3 of the guys I play with wear shoulder pads. so I'm a bit of an outlier anyway. I guess I'm not as tough as most ;)

[Tikkanen 1]

I use the Sherwood 9950's, I find the caps are too big for no check rec leagues. I've tried Farrells which I loved but I removed the caps and now when I pick them up I can't believe how heavy they are. I think the best option is if you need new shoulders keeping the caps of the pair you like and moving forward with customized shoulders for your preference. The 9950's seem to be holding up great, don't see myself moving on from them.

[bunnyman666 445]

I just gotta find the caps I like. For now, I am just going to "run what I brung" as far as shoulders go. I need to go to a used sports shoppe and see if there aren't some gently used pads with caps I like.