Reebok 9K padded shirt

[cmflynn 16]

Hey, I was looking a the 9k shirt to replace the padded shirt that came with my RBK hybrid shoulders nad was looking to get some feedback, specifically concerning sweat retention. The shirt that came with the shoulders retains a ton of sweat, so I'm hoping the 9k will be a bit dryer, plus I prefer compression fit shirts. Also, is the protection of the 9K comparable to the kfs hybrid one? Any feedback would be appreciated

[Nealoc187 10]

i actually just bought the 9k padded shirt AND hybrid KFS shoulder pads (which comes with the long sleeve KFS shirt) like 3 weeks ago but i've only had one game so far since I purchased them since it's between seasons right now. I have no use for a long sleeve shirt so I wore the 9K shirt under the KFS shoulder pads. since I haven't worn the KFS shirt in a game yet I can't compare them for sweat retention. it does SEEM like maybe the KFS shirt would hold more water/sweat (more of a fabric feel to it, more breathable but also more possibility for getting water logged?) while the 9K shirt seems less breathable but less likely to retain water. Again this is just my impression of feeling them while dry, I haven't worn the KFS shirt yet. I will say I was hot in the 9K shirt in my game, but I am used to wearing very light shoulder pads with NO shirt at all, so take that with a grain of salt if you're used to wearing the shirt. I found myself spraying my face/neck with water to let it run down and cool off my chest during the game. again, I'm used to wearing no shirt at all so wearing the 9k shirt was a big change for me. i haven't decided if I'm going to try to sell my KFS shirt (like I said I have no need for long sleeve shirt) or just cut the arms off of it and try it under the pads.

protection-wise, the KFS shirt padding is about 2x (or maybe 1.75x) as thick as the 9K shirt is, but the 9K shirt padding covers a much larger area of your body. 9K padding goes much further down your back, has rib protection which the KFS shirt does not have, and there is an extra bit of padding on the shoulder/bicep joint BETWEEN the clavical padding and bicep padding area that the KFS shirt doesn't have (and it's got bicep/shoulder padding that 7K shirt doesn't have, that is the specific reason I bought the 9K shirt actually, i wanted that little bit of protection there.) Obviously there is also the lack of sternum and spine padding with the KFS shirt because that's where the shoulder pads cover with hard padding, while the 9K has sternum and spine protection. The KFS shirt in size M fits looser than a the 9K does in size M, I am honestly thinking i might have been better off with a size L 9k shirt because I am not really looking for a compression fit, I like the looser fit.

if you have any specific tests/comparisons you want me to do/take pics of I'd be happy to oblige.

[cmflynn 16]

Wow, thanks for the feedback. If you ever do wear the KFS shirt let me know how it compares as far as sweat retention, as well as whether it's hotter/cooler/the same during games. I know from using the KFS it seems like it weighs 2-3 times as much after a skate from sweat (it's always the wettest piece of equipment afterwards). Does the 9K feel really drenched after you skate? I think we're in slightly different boats in terms of fit, as I actually prefer the compression feel better than loose. As far as the protection goes, would you feel comfortable that you could take a decent shot in a C level or so game from the 9K shirt?

[Nealoc187 10]

well i've only used the 9K shirt once, and yes it was drenched because i kept pouring water on myself to cool down. I don't feel like it would be drenched if I didn't pour water all over myself though. protection wise no I don't think you could take a direct shot well with it. the padding is about half as thick as the KFS shirt is, and a direct shot or serious cross check for instance would still be pretty bad. it'll take a little bit off of the impact but not much. i'd say it's much more for protection from glancing pucks and mild slashes and hooks rather than direct impacts. there are some guys that can really wire the puck in my beer league and I am not confident that a direct shot from one of those guys would be mitigated very much by the 9K shirt. it's more for protection when I'm going around the outside of someone and they try to lay a stick on me or minor bumping in the corner of a non-check league (talking about the shirt alone, not shirt + KFS shoulder pads). i won't be laying down in front of any shots wearing it.

[Nealoc187 10]

I've played in the KFS shirt a couple more times now.

I find the KFS shirt, even though it is long sleeved, to be cooler than the 9K shirt because it breathes way better for me (the material is more breathable in the KFS, and there is less surface area covered with padding in the KFS shirt than the 9K, and that foam padding doesn't breathe at all). Sweat retention is probably a little higher in the KFS shirt because the material seems to hold water a little more, but I end up with the 9K padded shirt being way wetter because I find myself spraying water all down my neck to cool off. I don't sweat that heavily so I don't completely drench the KFS shirt with sweat (which it sounds like you might) so take this for what it's worth.

[Nealoc187 10]

Another update on this. I've probably had 12 games in the KFS shirt with the KFS shoulders over the top of it (as designed), probably 8 games with the 9K shirt alone, and 6 games with the 9K shirt under the KFS shoulder pads.

My preferred setup is the 9K shirt alone, but against some of the more competitive/rougher teams I haven't done that yet. In a lower league I sometimes sub in, and against some of the weaker teams in my other leagues, I wear just the shirt. Took a couple light to medium slashes, pucks popping up, light shoulder to shoulder contact in the corners and it was fine.

Lately when I wear the KFS shoulders, I have switched to using the 9K shirt under it because I hate the long sleeves of the KFS shirt, and also I like that the padding of the 9K shirt is a bit thinner than the KFS shirt is. I still feel like the KFS shirt absorbs more sweat than the 9K shirt does. 9K shirt doesn't absorb much, it just lets the sweat sit there on your body and on the surface of the shirt.

Coincidentally, 2 other guys on one of my teams bought the KFS shirt/shoulders combo, and they have quit wearing the shoulders altogether and just wear the shirt.

I've been looking at the CCM RBZ padded shirt thinking I might give that a try, and also have considered trying to perhaps modify the 9K shirt by perhaps adding some thin plastics to the outside of the "pockets" that hold the individual foam pieces, making the shirt a little more protective, and getting rid of the need for the shoulders altogether. Or alternately, I just discovered these two products today which say the shoulder cap/bicep guards are removable, made by BlackEdge (discovered these shoulders while learning about BlackEdge runners for my one.9s). BlackEdge BE55 with the chest and back padding, BlackEdge BE33 without the chest and back padding.

[IPv6Freely 2096]

I'm confused. One pic looks like there's body padding and the other doesn't.

Never mind, two different models.

They look pretty good though I don't care for them being long sleeve. Can just cut them I suppose though.

[Nealoc187 10]

I'm confused. One pic looks like there's body padding and the other doesn't.

Never mind, two different models.

They look pretty good though I don't care for them being long sleeve. Can just cut them I suppose though.

Yep 2 different models. I don't like long sleeve (though that is easily enough remedied by a pair of scissors) but what I really don't like about the BE55 is that it has a zipper on it, weird (can't see it in that pic but do a google search).

It does however say that the shoulder and bicep pads are removable. Thinking about picking up a BE33 and trying to attach the shoulder caps and clavicle protector to the 9K shirt or a CCM RBZ shirt.

[IPv6Freely 2096]

Yep 2 different models. I don't like long sleeve (though that is easily enough remedied by a pair of scissors) but what I really don't like about the BE55 is that it has a zipper on it, weird (can't see it in that pic but do a google search).

It does however say that the shoulder and bicep pads are removable. Thinking about picking up a BE33 and trying to attach the shoulder caps and clavicle protector to the 9K shirt or a CCM RBZ shirt.

Man, if that CCM shirt had regular shoulder caps I would be totally sold. Down Low nailed it with theirs and I'd love to find something similar. The Reebok shirt also looks good but again with the lack of real shoulder caps.

I think at this point the best option out there to replace the Down Low pads is the Mission Pro: http://www.inlinewarehouse.com/Mission_Pro_Compression_Padded_Shirt_Sr_/descpage-MPROS.html