Goaltender pad comparison

Ebywyld · Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2011 6:28 pm Post subject: Goaltender pad comparison

Alright, so I've been glancing at a new set of pads for a while now, and I'm thinking I'll be able to grab a new pair around the end of the summer/beginning of fall (August I'm thinking). With this, I had a sort of general comparison question for everybody. My GOALS (to be upfront) are to grab a pair of pads just old enough to be cheap, but new enough to have most of the goodies that make it worth it.

Alright on to the comparison:

Simmons has a few good looking pads. 996s and UL6s are the two I was debating. I can't figure out which one is more specialized for a butterfly style. One is called "ultralight", but it's heavier than the 996s if you compare them on the website! So my questions are: what are the advantages for a butterfly minded goaltender that sets these pads apart? 996 looks like a tighter seal on the ice, but I don't really know, which is why I'm asking.

Smith pads. Never even heard of them before today, and I've heard Pete Smith moved to Warrior. I don't like the Warrior name. Seems like a cheap knockoff of stuff, but maybe it's changed? How, if possible, would one look up Smith pads and make comparisons? Is that impossible now? Are they worth it? Again: what sets them apart for a butterfly goaltender?

The major problems are this: heavy pads tire me out, and with my current pads (Simmons 991s), they're great, but seeing as how they're like 5 editions back, I feel like I need to upgrade. I haven't goaltended long enough to know what's special, or nice, so I want to make sure my next pair is a step up, and not a step sideways, so to speak. My butterfly in THESE pads (36+2 size, but old so probably shrunken) has a wide open 5 hole. This, again, may be me, but I'm fairly flexible in my hips, I just have to "flutter" to get my 5 hole to close. Also: I have a HELL of a time leaning onto my push foot (when already down in the b-fly) and moving myself. I rotate in darned circles for the most part. It's frustrating. That, and it's exhausting. Maybe because the pads are older, but I'm not sure, which is why I'm asking. I've been practicing this move for a year and a half, and I'm still awful at it Sad

I'm more than willing to offer more information, if needed, I'm just looking for some help figuring out what I need/want for my 2nd set of pads. Keep in mind I'm open to any suggestions that fit my self-described style of "slide and move and pray it hits me". Haha. I play very aggressively to cut down angles, so I really NEED the ability to move while down, so that I'm not getting burned backdoor and on long passes.

Thanks in advance!
Matt
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Think YOUR goaltending is bad? Mine is so bad, I made a blog about it. I should rename it 'inspirational blog for anybody ELSE between the posts...'

http://eebs-rookiegoaltender.blogspot.com/

bella10388 · Squirt Joined: 09 Sep 2011 Posts: 1

Thank you so much for your post.
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canadian_man_44 · Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 5:25 pm Post subject:

Smith pads are just amazing. With him working for Warrior now, I wouldn't have a problem buying a set of Warrior pads. As to knockoffs....with Pete Smith doing the designing for them now I wouldn't worry about it....after all, he is the first guy to design the box style butterfly pads that most of us enjoy using. At that time he worked for Vaughn and designed the Vaughn Velocity box style goalie pads. If it's knockoffs you're worried about, but Vaughn Velocity or other Smith designed pads as all the other box style pads are just knockoffs of them. Very Happy

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