Ah at long last a way to recapture my youth!
Well, not exactly. I suppose that if you mean you’d like to reminisce about your younger days as a goalie while you play with the kids this might work. But if you’re thinking that this is some kind of youth catching device . . . ah, never mind that would just be plain silly.

So how do you feel about this one?
The Mylec youth catch glove has its merits. It certainly isn’t meant for game use. But as a toy it is a pretty nifty little number. There aren’t many options for kids who want to play street hockey with a ball and not spend a fortune. That’s where this glove comes in. Mylec came up with a cheap glove that is meant for playtime, not game time.

Why not for game time?
Well, gloves need to be broken in, but things in gloves shouldn’t get broken. If you try to catch even my mediocre shot while using one of these gloves it’s going to hurt like mad. I know a few guys who could certainly send you to the emergency room if you try to play goalie in one of these.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that kids cannot shoot hard either. I know some ten and twelve year olds who could total your car with less than 20 hockey pucks. One of them will do it for twenty bucks, so don’t push my buttons!

If you cannot catch a hockey puck in it, what’s the point?
Remember that hockey pucks are hard and heavy. According to Plutonian physics, (that’s Mickey’s dog) hard multiplied times heavy equals ouch-itude. However, if you use a lighter and or softer object such as a Z-ball, hollow puck or even a tennis ball, the opportunity for pain is greatly decreased. According to Newtonian physics an item with a lower mass carries less energy when traveling at the same speed as an item with higher mass. This effectively explains why being hit by a bus going twenty miles per hour hurts a great deal more than having the Taco Bell dog run into your leg at the same speed. The same is true for a heavy puck as opposed to a hollow one.

Hmm, I’ve apparently taken a wrong turn on that road marked Too Much Information

Yes, tell us about the dang glove already!
Alright, the Mylec Youth Catcher is a rather large bundle of heavy vinyl formed into the shape of a goalie trapper. Off the shelf this glove is going to need some serious break-in time. With goalie gloves you tend to get a nice break in on an expensive glove and nothing on a cheap one. This one being as cheap as they come, some kids will have a hard time even closing it.

With a normal goalie glove, the only proper way to break it in is by using it. The pocket in a goalie trapper isn’t like that of a baseball glove which you can break in by putting a ball in it an keeping it closed with rubber bands. This brings up a small problem with the Mylec Youth Catcher. You cannot really catch anything heavy enough in this glove to assist with the break-in process. For this reason I am going to part with traditional advice on this product and suggest parking the car on it . . . Oh fine, try the rubber band method or stack some heavy books on it to help junior out.

The catcher has all the parts that a real goalie trapper would have. The pocket isn’t a bad shape. It is even strung with heavy nylon chord just like a real one would be. The rear flaps open just like a full size, real glove for drying as well. This brings up one major point.

Hockey is a sticky business. No, I mean stick like lots of sweat. I imagine that wearing this for a long time would make even little kids get a serious case of clammy hands. Now this might not seem like a big deal. You might even be thinking, “Good, my kid needs to sweat a little.” Here’s the deal – sweaty goalie stuff smells really, really bad. To say it reeks would be fair.

Comfort in the Mylec Youth Catcher is going to be so-so at best. Actually having a large glove on your hand isn’t really ever all that comfortable. But with all the sweat, stink and the low grade vinyl lining on this glove it will set new standards for discomfort. You know what though - most kids won’t care.

Will this glove impair my ability to operate heavy machinery?
If you are wearing this glove to operate any sort of construction machinery, please read carefully and follow the instructions: 1. Turn off the heavy machinery. 2. Find a loved one and tell them that you need help.

Parting Thoughts
The Mylec Youth Catcher is a good toy for kids who want to play street hockey. Do make sure that they are not using an ice hockey puck with it. They will get hurt eventually.

It will probably only last a couple of summers if your kids play as much as most of the youngsters that I know. It seems like street hockey is an endurance event. Let’s see who can wear out the most inline skate wheels this summer! If you know what I mean then you understand the nature of this glove is pretty temporary. However that doesn’t imply that you should spend more on a glove. If you do that, you will spend more money on a glove that also won’t last forever. Asphalt eats hockey gear; it’s just that simple.

Mylec Youth Catcher
CCM Outcast Inline Skates
Mission D-2 Inline Skates


Battram Custom Goalie Equipment

© 2005 Scott Noble – All rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited.


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