Suggestions for low profile short elbow pads?

[VegasHockey 1284]

I think I have tried every elbow pad on the market (exaggeration) and they all interfere, come into contact, with my glove cuff which drives me bonkers. I am trying to find something that is low profile, has decent protection, and is somewhat short so it doesn't extend into the glove cuff. I currently use Supreme 2S Pro gloves. 

Suggestions? 

[Stewie 721]

Rbz elbow pads. Not sure about the more recent iterations, but the original rbz bows are the best I’ve found in this regard

[JSK81 400]

Quicklites are the lowest profile ones I’ve used. The cap especially is much smaller than CL/RBZ/FT1.

[strosedefence34 179]

2 hours ago, Stewie said:

Rbz elbow pads. Not sure about the more recent iterations, but the original rbz bows are the best I’ve found in this regard

 

59 minutes ago, JSK81 said:

Quicklites are the lowest profile ones I’ve used. The cap especially is much smaller than CL/RBZ/FT1.

I use the Quicklites and second this.  Man CCM really messed up by switching things up with the current Jetspeed line.  The RBZ line in my opinion was the best line they ever had and kind of wish it would have remained untouched.  FWIW I was using the original STX Stallion elbows prior to the Quicklites and I found those to run short.

Edited December 3, 2019 by strosedefence34

[VegasHockey 1284]

1 hour ago, strosedefence34 said:

I use the Quicklites and second this.  Man CCM really messed up by switching things up with the current Jetspeed line.  The RBZ line in my opinion was the best line they ever had and kind of wish it would have remained untouched.  FWIW I was using the original STX Stallion elbows prior to the Quicklites and I found those to run short.

Which model of the Stallion? 

4 hours ago, Stewie said:

Rbz elbow pads. Not sure about the more recent iterations, but the original rbz bows are the best I’ve found in this regard

Thanks!Ill take a peek online and see if I can find a set. Thanks! 

[Stewie 721]

1 hour ago, strosedefence34 said:

 

I use the Quicklites and second this.  Man CCM really messed up by switching things up with the current Jetspeed line.  The RBZ line in my opinion was the best line they ever had and kind of wish it would have remained untouched.  FWIW I was using the original STX Stallion elbows prior to the Quicklites and I found those to run short.

Agree with you fully. Switched over to rx3 elbow pads, but few those wouldn’t be ideal for what the original poster was looking for. Still looking to find perfect shins  to replace the RBZ but that’s another topic

[strosedefence34 179]

15 hours ago, SkateWorksPNW said:

Which model of the Stallion? 

Thanks!Ill take a peek online and see if I can find a set. Thanks! 

I said Stallion sorry I mean Surgeon.  I just looked back to my sale of them.  They were the Surgeon 500 the white ones.

[GunnarStahl 5]

I am also in the market for low profile pads and heard good things about STX. I snagged some senior medium RX3 elbow pads from their online store and they arrived within a week to the west coast. Pretty impressive considering the black friday deals and traffic they had. Their website was a little funky with order status but STX was quick to acknowledge their website kinks and they gave me the tracking number when requested. Long story short the pads seem like keepers. OP - STX has a good return policy so I'd say give em a shot since they might be what you're looking for. Here's a few photos and my initial thoughts:

https://ibb.co/NFxMvh6
https://ibb.co/4jHcKBw
https://ibb.co/nL6G12L

• The OP was asking about shorter forearms so they don't hit the glove cuff. In two of the photos you can see how far the pad go down my right forearm. I wear 14" Vapors and the forearm length of the pad is perfect for me. When my hand is flat or lifted upwards, there's about 1/2" to 1" of free space. When I keep my hand flat but move it left, I ever-so-slightly hit the pad with my cuff but not enough to notice when stickhandling.
• The sleeve was the biggest question mark I had. I prefer the nylon lock straps but seemed like the sleeve will help keep the pad up during games, especially if you have a grippy baselayer. After trying the pad on the sleeve is take it or leave it for me, but I can see the sleeve being the polarizing factor with RX3s.
• The three piece design is great for mobility. The main pivot point is actually on the forearm, not the upper arm. Unlike the Tacks I can extend my arm straight without any restraint or discomfort. I found these to fit most similar to Vapors and like the fit far more than the three-piece Jetspeeds.
• The hex material is super comfy and probably very breathable. I'm not a fan of the Curv composite material the high end Bauer elbows have for forearm protection. There's a grid of hard plastic on the RX3s that seem like they will do a good job protecting the forearm.

 

[jpeaslee 30]

I’ll second STX. The surgeon 500 are my favorites with the RX3 being a close second. 

[th6252 25]

On 12/3/2019 at 12:18 PM, SkateWorksPNW said:

I think I have tried every elbow pad on the market (exaggeration) and they all interfere, come into contact, with my glove cuff which drives me bonkers. I am trying to find something that is low profile, has decent protection, and is somewhat short so it doesn't extend into the glove cuff. I currently use Supreme 2S Pro gloves. 

Suggestions? 

just checking in to see if you've had any luck in finding anything that works.  i have the same problem as you being cursed with short arms, i also have an issue with most elbow pads butting up against the cuff of my gloves(always try to look for the shortest fitting 13" gloves i can find).  the best pair that worked for me were the old reebok 20k's in small which were just barely wide enough to accommodate my forearms, but they're on their last legs and i need a replacement.  i remembered the original rbz's and the ft1's in medium were a pretty good option as well back then but i was satisfied with my 20k's at the time.

[VegasHockey 1284]

40 minutes ago, th6252 said:

just checking in to see if you've had any luck in finding anything that works.  i have the same problem as you being cursed with short arms, i also have an issue with most elbow pads butting up against the cuff of my gloves(always try to look for the shortest fitting 13" gloves i can find).  the best pair that worked for me were the old reebok 20k's in small which were just barely wide enough to accommodate my forearms, but they're on their last legs and i need a replacement.  i remembered the original rbz's and the ft1's in medium were a pretty good option as well back then but i was satisfied with my 20k's at the time.

The CCM QLT elbow pads were the best option. Lightweight, flexible, and they dont interfere with my glove cuff. The STX RX3 was nice, but I didn't really like the 360 strapping system very much and the elbow pads kept shifting making them uncomfortable. 

[Coldclay 53]

My 16yo kid wears Supreme 2S Pro gloves with STX RX3 elbows and he has zero complaints. STX RX3's are priced reasonably, light, durable (still looks intact after over 120 hrs of hockey), and do not stink as bad as his previous elbows (STX HPR, CCM CL) and the sleeves and strapping system never bothered him.

[JSK81 400]

8 hours ago, pgeorgan said:

For sure STX 3-piece are where it's at. 

I use the HPR line, which I guess is now the RX3, but for the most part, they seem identical, just new colors. 

I'm really surprised at the lack of demand for 3-piece elbow pads. Besides STX, Warrior are the only other maker that do this, and that's only as of their most recent line. 

Leave it to the lacrosse guys...

CCM CL, RBZ, QLT, FT1 are all 3 piece elbow pads.

[JSK81 400]

7 minutes ago, pgeorgan said:

Indeed. Just noticed CCM does have a "3-piece" in their new lineup, the FT1. The rest of the top brands don't, except for maybe True, but theirs are hideous looking. 

From the video, though, I can't tell if the FT1 are a true 3-piece. Can anyone confirm this? See here for what I'm talking about: FT1 Elbow Pads and Initial Review

It doesn't appear that the 3rd piece hinges outward in the direction of the triceps, only in towards the biceps. It appears to be tightly sewn on with only a little hinge. 

On the STX Surgeon and HPR lineups, the 3rd piece is free-floating and accomplishes this. 

 

They hinge a bit both ways.

Whether the forearm part hinges down or not doesn’t really matter that much mobility wise though, your arm doesn’t bend that way unless it breaks.

[Stewie 721]

15 hours ago, pgeorgan said:

For sure STX 3-piece are where it's at. 

I use the HPR line, which I guess is now the RX3, but for the most part, they seem identical, just new colors. 

I'm really surprised at the lack of demand for 3-piece elbow pads. Besides STX, Warrior are the only other maker that do this, and that's only as of their most recent line. 

Leave it to the lacrosse guys...

The hpr line is not now the RX3, they are two separate lines (surgeon line on rx3, stallion HPR) HPR is their more protective (think tacks/supreme protective) and RX3 is their “more mobility” line with lighter weight (vapor/rbz) 

[Coldclay 53]

1 hour ago, pgeorgan said:

Is it? I didn't know. Just sort of assumed as I got my HPR's a few years ago and the RX3's look virtually identical, new foams or otherwise. 

RX3's looks nothing like HPR's.

[Stewie 721]

3 hours ago, pgeorgan said:

Is it? I didn't know. Just sort of assumed as I got my HPR's a few years ago and the RX3's look virtually identical, new foams or otherwise. 

Yes. The rx3 is from the surgeon 500 and the hpr is from the stallion 500 (I think that was black and yellow). I wasn’t much of a fan of the original surgeon 500, in terms of comfort, but love the rx3.  I don’t think the two lines  look very similar, outside some of the basic construction materials, as the HPR is much more beefed up protection wise. If you want the highest mobility I’d go with RX3. 

Edited December 29, 2019 by Stewie

[VegasHockey 1284]

17 hours ago, pgeorgan said:

My personal preference but I notice a difference with the extra mobility. With traditional elbow pads, when I fully lock out my elbow, I find the cap moves off and away from my elbow joint. Not so much with the STX.

I think the extra mobility is a byproduct of the variations in lacrosse movements, which tend to be a bit more varied than in hockey. Plus, I really like the neoprene sleeve, which the CCM do not have. 

Again, personal preference, but with the STX, the elbow pads do feel like an extension of my arm and not an addition. 

Edit: Here's a good video of this feature on the Warrior Alpha DX's: Warrior Alpha DX 3-piece mobility

What's weird is the Warrior DX3 is a three piece elbow pad as is the DX, but the DX Pro which sits between those two is a two piece. Go figure!?

[shooter27 122]

The issue with the current 3 piece elbow pads is that they all have a connected elbow cap with hinge points above and below.  The connected elbow cap is why people have issues with the cap “separating” from the arm when you straighten your arm, like someone mentioned above.   The last elbow pad I really liked was the old Bauer Vapor 4, which was an outgrowth of the original Cooper Techniflex line - these basically went out the door with the advent of the hard plastic elbow cap Jofa’s (which you can’t have anymore for safety).  

With those Bauer/Cooper’s, the bicep and forearm pieces were attached to each other, creating a single hinge point in line with the elbow, and the elbow cap floated above the elbow and those two pieces.  So when you straightened your arm it was already floating so it didn’t “separate” from the elbow.  If I could find a pair of those I’d still wear them today even though they’d be a bit bulky and they tended to slide down.  I’d have to believe with today’s modern materials, a similar construction would be an awesome pad but apparently there isn’t enough demand for that out there.  

 

https://www.hockeyworld.com/Bauer-Vapor-4-Elbow-Pads-Senior

[VegasHockey 1284]

21 hours ago, shooter27 said:

The issue with the current 3 piece elbow pads is that they all have a connected elbow cap with hinge points above and below.  The connected elbow cap is why people have issues with the cap “separating” from the arm when you straighten your arm, like someone mentioned above.   The last elbow pad I really liked was the old Bauer Vapor 4, which was an outgrowth of the original Cooper Techniflex line - these basically went out the door with the advent of the hard plastic elbow cap Jofa’s (which you can’t have anymore for safety).  

With those Bauer/Cooper’s, the bicep and forearm pieces were attached to each other, creating a single hinge point in line with the elbow, and the elbow cap floated above the elbow and those two pieces.  So when you straightened your arm it was already floating so it didn’t “separate” from the elbow.  If I could find a pair of those I’d still wear them today even though they’d be a bit bulky and they tended to slide down.  I’d have to believe with today’s modern materials, a similar construction would be an awesome pad but apparently there isn’t enough demand for that out there.  

 

https://www.hockeyworld.com/Bauer-Vapor-4-Elbow-Pads-Senior

I remember these. Loved them. 

[BenBreeg 495]

21 hours ago, shooter27 said:

The issue with the current 3 piece elbow pads is that they all have a connected elbow cap with hinge points above and below.  The connected elbow cap is why people have issues with the cap “separating” from the arm when you straighten your arm, like someone mentioned above.   The last elbow pad I really liked was the old Bauer Vapor 4, which was an outgrowth of the original Cooper Techniflex line - these basically went out the door with the advent of the hard plastic elbow cap Jofa’s (which you can’t have anymore for safety).  

With those Bauer/Cooper’s, the bicep and forearm pieces were attached to each other, creating a single hinge point in line with the elbow, and the elbow cap floated above the elbow and those two pieces.  So when you straightened your arm it was already floating so it didn’t “separate” from the elbow.  If I could find a pair of those I’d still wear them today even though they’d be a bit bulky and they tended to slide down.  I’d have to believe with today’s modern materials, a similar construction would be an awesome pad but apparently there isn’t enough demand for that out there.  

 

https://www.hockeyworld.com/Bauer-Vapor-4-Elbow-Pads-Senior

Those are the ones I recently replaced with the STX.  They were old and just wouldn’t stay in place anymore.  Super light and soft though.

[bvictor 0]

On 1/4/2020 at 9:47 PM, shooter27 said:

With those Bauer/Cooper’s, the bicep and forearm pieces were attached to each other, creating a single hinge point in line with the elbow, and the elbow cap floated above the elbow and those two pieces.  So when you straightened your arm it was already floating so it didn’t “separate” from the elbow.  If I could find a pair of those I’d still wear them today even though they’d be a bit bulky and they tended to slide down.  I’d have to believe with today’s modern materials, a similar construction would be an awesome pad but apparently there isn’t enough demand for that out there.  

 

https://www.hockeyworld.com/Bauer-Vapor-4-Elbow-Pads-Senior

Dang, these are the elbows that I have, and was looking to upgrade to something that didn't hold moisture quite as much.  I really like the movement of them even if the bicep guard is a bit large, the fit isn't bad at all.  Guess I got lucky picking them up in almost new condition for $9.  Looks like I'll just be washing them a bit more frequently compared to my modern gear.

Edited March 5, 2020 by bvictor

[VegasHockey 1284]

I ended up with the Warrior Alpha DX elbow pads which are three piece and have tons of flexibility and good protection. They are a little long but since I use a very short cuff glove they seem to work ok.