Bauer Curv Protective

[hockeygeartester 0]

Does anyone have any feedback on bauer curv protective (specifically shins)? How is it different/better?

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

Light.  Very protective.  Nice stuff if you are interested in it.

[RickDC 24]

I had these for 3-4 months... very light, loved the flexible bottom. However 2 issues.. 1st, I crashed into the boards with my knees pretty hard after being tripped and managed to dislocate my knee cap. Who knows what would have happened with other shin pads, I feel like they're very light.. but don't protect the knee very well (no wrap around feeling and it always felt like they were sitting on top of my knee but that's a problem I have with most shins). The 2nd... they've already started to fall apart and this is the second replacement set for 1x shins that fell apart too. The cap is only sewn in on 2 places onto foam, which rips easily.

I've now moved over to Super Tacks.. whilst they're not the lightest, and I feel that it protects the knee a LOT more than the 1x's.. for a little weight gain (I can weight them).. The Super Tacks have a removable lower part of the inner pad making it fit those of who keep their flop in. The cap is also sown onto the main shin and seems a LOT more sturdy.

[hockeygeartester 0]

By using curv composite, are they able to make the shins less bulky compared to other shins?

[g3k 29]

45 minutes ago, hockeygeartester said:

By using curv composite, are they able to make the shins less bulky compared to other shins?

That's not really the idea of it. It's just that it's a stronger and lighter material.

The bulkiness is still determined by the line of shin guards and their fit profile.

[hockeygeartester 0]

1 hour ago, RickDC said:

I had these for 3-4 months... very light, loved the flexible bottom. However 2 issues.. 1st, I crashed into the boards with my knees pretty hard after being tripped and managed to dislocate my knee cap. Who knows what would have happened with other shin pads, I feel like they're very light.. but don't protect the knee very well (no wrap around feeling and it always felt like they were sitting on top of my knee but that's a problem I have with most shins). The 2nd... they've already started to fall apart and this is the second replacement set for 1x shins that fell apart too. The cap is only sewn in on 2 places onto foam, which rips easily.

I've now moved over to Super Tacks.. whilst they're not the lightest, and I feel that it protects the knee a LOT more than the 1x's.. for a little weight gain (I can weight them).. The Super Tacks have a removable lower part of the inner pad making it fit those of who keep their flop in. The cap is also sown onto the main shin and seems a LOT more sturdy.

Is the weight of the 1x shin noticeably lighter when skating?

[RickDC 24]

Weight of the 1x shin: 520g

Weight of the Super Tacks: 590g

(both in 14 and measured now)

I don't notice any difference, the tacks seem to be a touch longer.. They're definitely more protective around the sides of the knee and I don't find my knee cap slipping out of the knee area as much as the 1x.

[g3k 29]

You can go to a site like icewarehouse and go to the specs section and it will tell you the weight for every piece of protective gear.

[Thirdlineplug 4]

I use super tacks. The best shin pad on the market. But also one of the bulkiest

[goalieman39 37]

18 hours ago, hockeygeartester said:

By using curv composite, are they able to make the shins less bulky compared to other shins?

They use the curv so it will eventually mold to you almost like skates

[Hills 717]

18 minutes ago, goalieman39 said:

They use the curv so it will eventually mold to you almost like skates

Uh...what? You'd have to heat it first to do that. Pretty sure the protective curv isn't there yet.

[RickDC 24]

42 minutes ago, goalieman39 said:

They use the curv so it will eventually mold to you almost like skates

So does the plastic of every shin pad if you warm it up.. it's all thermoformable ;-) 

The SuperTacks are definitely bulky around the side of the knee but some work on heating and moulding it better will fix that.. I'd take better protection than less.. :-) 

[swede 50]

26 minutes ago, Hills said:

Uh...what? You'd have to heat it first to do that. Pretty sure the protective curv isn't there yet.

And it's not supposed to be either.. Liner will eventually form to your shin, but shaping the shell to your shin would be like wearing soccer shin pads... It would not be protective at all. There must be air between the padding and the shell, and how the hell can you achive that if the shell is molded after the shins? 

There's a reason most pros still use old Jofas or old Reebok shins.. 

[chippa13 1844]

Air between the shell and padding isn't a must but impact dispersing padding between the shell and body is.

[Hills 717]

34 minutes ago, chippa13 said:

Air between the shell and padding isn't a must but impact dispersing padding between the shell and body is.

Great example of this is the awful STX Stallion shins.

[flip12 717]

1 hour ago, swede said:

There's a reason most pros still use old Jofas or old Reebok shins.. 

Designs over 20-years old, and still next to impossible to improve on!

[goalieman39 37]

2 hours ago, Hills said:

Uh...what? You'd have to heat it first to do that. Pretty sure the protective curv isn't there yet.

Last time I talked to a Bauer Rep there were hinting that you could without really saying that. Maybe I'm thinking of a different line, I have been wrong before lol. I'm 99% sure that's the direction they are headed sort of like the OD1N stuff at the retail level.

[goalieman39 37]

2 hours ago, RickDC said:

So does the plastic of every shin pad if you warm it up.. it's all thermoformable ;-) 

The SuperTacks are definitely bulky around the side of the knee but some work on heating and moulding it better will fix that.. I'd take better protection than less.. :-) 

I was referring more to the layer below the plastic but you're correct.

[stick9 896]

Two things.

I looked at the 1X shins and thought they looked huge, very wide at both the bottom and knee cap areas. Bit on the pricey side too.

I've been reviewing the Super Tacks shins. They do appear bulky but they don't fit or play that way. 

[hockeygeartester 0]

Has anyone noticed the curv change shape to better form to their leg? I have narrow calves/shins and find many shin guards to be too bulky. Also is the protection on the calves and the 1x in general considered bulky?

For reference, I currently wear mx3 shin guards, and I find those to be pretty bulky. When I strap them, the calve guard on both sides have to overlap in order to get a good fit.

[hockeygeartester 0]

Has anyone tried the 1s shoulder pads?

[swede 50]

Vapor 1x is pretty much the same as apx2 with the addition of curve composite instead of plastic shell. So fitwise it will be bulkier than supreme..