Bauer Elite Padded Jock Short

[proth0303 29]

I'm a 6'0", 185 lbs, 41 year old newbie with a 32"-34" waist (depending on time of year as mom's cooking at Thanksgiving/Christmas is too hard to pass up) and a delicate rear end.  Within the first few weeks of learning to skate/play hockey, I fell on my tailbone hard enough to darn near bring me to tears.  I immediately started to research alternatives to provide more protection in this area and found a number of options for padded jock shorts.  I wanted an all-in-one short that had the additional padding as well as the jock/cup and velcro for holding socks up.  There were plenty of padded shorts for football, snow sports and figure skating, but none of them had the all-in-one solution I wanted for hockey.  At $85, the Bauer alternative wasn't cheap but it was a brand that I trusted and I knew a serious tailbone injury would cost a lot more so I went ahead and made the purchase.

Fit:  Given my dimensions listed above and the Bauer sizing guidelines, I purchased a large.  While the fit does work, they definitely feel a lot snugger than the Shock Doctor compression shorts/jock that I normally use.  I made the mistake of looking in the mirror with these on and they are certainly doing me no favors.  I considered to return for a larger size but figured they would stretch a little over time and/or I would get used to it.  Another fit note is they use an internal jock/cup setup  which does a great job of keeping the cup and family jewels secure but it is a little tricky making sure you slide your legs through the internal straps.  Not a big deal but it is a little nuance that takes a little getting used to.  It is also worth noting the added padding is very low profile so it easily fits underneath hockey pants.

Protection:  This is where the shorts were a big disappointment.  The day I got the shorts I went to a drop-in that night and luck would have it, I fell on my tailbone.  While there might have been a marginal improvement in protection that may have prevented me from bruising/breaking my tailbone, there wasn't enough cushioning to keep me from wanting to cry from the pain.  At $85 and the whole "absorb more than 90% of all impact energies" (pulled from Ice Warehouse's description) I was expecting a lot more.      

Weight:  The material of the shorts is very lightweight and breathable.  

Durability:  I only used these shorts once because of the lack of tailbone protection/cushioning; however, they do feel extremely well made.  The padding is secured very well and even the velcro sock tabs feel very durable.  It is a well made product which I would expect from Bauer.  

Intangibles:  I really spent a lot of time searching for a suitable alternative to protect my tailbone and am somewhat disappointed on the current state of hockey options.  In searching this site and others, several people had additional padding sewn in or made do with a non-hockey alternative.  I spent some time at one of the largest LHS comparing numerous pant options and my hockey pants were on par with even the high end options.  Maybe my rear end is more delicate than others? ;)

Conclusion:  While the shorts are indeed a high quality product, they didn't come close to offering the protection that I wanted/need.  I have since started using a $15 figure skating pad that I slide in the back of my compression shorts (no issues with sliding out of place).  I have fallen countless times on this simple pad and it has provided more than enough cushion.  When my current compression shorts wear out I may start to use these shorts again but will be planning on using the figure skating pad.    

Final Rating:  5/10