Reebok 9K elbow pads

[Hermans 9]

Height – 5’10’’

Weight - 190 lbs

Pad size – Medium, used with Bauer Vapor Pro Gloves and Bauer Lightspeed Pro shoulder pads

The 9K Kinectic Fit elbow is very similar to the previous 8K Kinetic Fit. From visual observation the new 18K seems the closest thing that Reebok has in the current line of elbow pads.

Use: September 2013, playing 2-3 times a week

Previous elbows used include: Nike Bauer Vapor XXV (used the last five years), Nike Bauer Supreme One55 (clearance sale cheap back-up set) and Bauer Vapor X40 (discarded)

Level of play: Beer League / mixed level pick-up

Fit – 8/10

The fit is comfortable overall. It took some time for the break-in to occur, but now I feel the pad forms to my arm very well and stay in place with minimal displacement, with no sliding or rotating. The interior liner is comfortable enough. The strapping system does not have a lot of stretch. While it secures the pad in place it does pinches a bit. The pinching is not enough to be hindrance, but rather an annoyance.

In comparison I have been using Bauer pads with their “Y” shaped anchor strap. The Bauer strapping is more comfortable but with the stretch fabric used but it certainly does not feel as locked in and allows for the pads to rotate around the arm by a small margin.

Mobility is somewhat restricted as the elbow pads are very solid and tight to the arm, making it difficult to extend an arm completely straight. There are no issues bending my arm or rotating the forearm.

Protection: For beer league – 8/10

Protection is better than I had with the three piece Bauer pads albeit at the price of more restrictive mobility. I would prefer the pad to extend further down my arm towards the wrist. Used with my Bauer Vapor Pro gloves there are some gaps in coverage.

For the heavy spills I have taken wearing these I have never felt sharp pain in the elbow joint. These 9K don’t flex as much as my older, and worn pads and I suspect that these accounts for the feeling of increased protection.

Weight – 6/10

Weight is just a subjective measurement. Certainly there are many newer pads on the market that are lighter on an objective measurement, but these just “feel” heavier.

Durability - 9/10

No issues to note for durability so far. The construction seems at least as good as my previous pads, which lasted five years.

Intangibles/Other

Without intangibles the pads would rate 31/40 (78% or 8/10). The only intangible is on the whole the I would suggest that the 9K should rate higher as “the sum is greater than the parts”

Conclusion

I don’t think about these pads anymore. Sure they felt awkward those first two or three times I wore them but now I put them on and never think about them until I come back into the dressing room to change out of my gear. That is exactly how I want them to be and I couldn’t be happier.