RBK Pro Leg Pads – Don’t tell anyone that RBK is short for Reebok
Written: May 25 '05 (Updated Dec 13 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A good improvement on CCM's Gatekeeper pads
Cons: Leather straps and nylon leg channel lining are so-so quality materials
The Bottom Line: There is a reason the Canadian market has made RBK one of the most popular goalie brands. These are outstanding pads.
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| puckmugger's Full Review: RBK Premier Pro Leg Pads |
What do Canadians know about hockey?
That’s something of a stupid question really. Last I checked most people credited the Canadians with inventing the game. I for one would like to extend a personal thanks to all of the Canadians for doing so. Another important item of note is that even with all of the Europeans and U.S. players the majority of the high level pro players in hockey were still Canadian last time I checked . . . Checked . . . hockey get it? I know, puns suck, sorry. Anyway, I think Canadians know a thing or two about hockey.
The really interesting thing is that the percentage of Canadians in the NHL takes a pretty big jump when you look at goalies. They just don’t make really good goalies quite as proficiently anywhere outside of the Great White North. Point is that the Canadians know more than a thing or two about goaltending.
Now on we go to the big kicker of this long-winded – and thus far nonsensical – opening. Last year about half of Maska’s goalie business was under the CCM/Heaton brand name. The other half was Koho. The last few months Maska has been selling a third brand north of the border – RBK. (Of course this is short for Reebok, the new owner of Maska).
One might think that with the previous symmetry of an equal split between brands that RBK would command a third of Maska’s goalie gear sales, perhaps less as these shoe guys are new to the hockey gig. In fact what has happened is astounding. A full 80% of Maska’s goalie gear sales in Canada have been the new RBK brand since its rollout.
What’s that mean to me?
A little skepticism is healthy. I mean fine, the Canadians know about playing goalie and appear quite smitten with RBK’s early entry, but what’s that mean if you’re not Canadian? What you really want to know is how good these pads are. Kudos to you!
The first thing that you should know is that Reebok didn’t come into this game and just decide to make some goalie gear from scratch. The pads that bear their name would have been either CCM or Koho pads had Reebok not purchased the company. They bear an uncanny resemblance to CCM’s Gatekeepers. Coincidence? I think not.
Unlike another shoe company who entered hockey and decided they were changing everything, Reebok is going with the flow thus far. By the way did you know that Adidas made hockey skates for a while? They aren’t the other shoe company that I’m referring to though.
Tell me about the pads
Well, like all of the decent Maska goalie pads, the Premier Pro pads are a Michel Lefebvre design. If you ever wondered why your old Koho pads had that weird little Lefebvre label on them, well he’s been doing this for a while. How he got to be a goalie pad designer or what type of college curriculum prepares your for such a career I cannot tell you. However, he has designed some pretty nice pads over the years.
As I mentioned the Reebok pads have the outward appearance of CCM’s Gatekeeper pads. These are a relatively flat faced pad. While the Blockade revolutionized goalie pads by getting rid of the knee roll, there is a little reminder of them on the Gatekeeper and the RBK Premier Pro. While there are no knee rolls to speak of, the seams between them are still there. This creates a slightly more traditional.
Both the new RBK Premier Pro pads and the Gatekeepers that they resemble will flex at the knee. This is helpful in closing the five-hole. This was one of the weaknesses that I found in the Blockade and half of the reason that I didn’t like the completely flat faced pads.
Of course the graphics on the RBK pads are different from those on the Gatekeeper. While the Gatekeeper has a rather unimaginative two color swoosh (apologies to Nike for my lack of a better word) the RBK has a nice splash of color. I personally find the graphics of the RBK more appealing.
Normally the graphic design is purely cosmetic, but there has been some science to the graphics on pads in the past. Large white areas in the lower five-hole are often intended to confuse shooters into thinking the five-hole is a bigger target than it really is. A couple of RBK’s color schemes do sport a bit of white in this area but I don’t know if this is the intent. The overall look of the white background pads certainly does have the potential to cause some shooter confusion though.
The other difference in the RBK pads is the square blocks. CCM used an angled block on the outside edges of the Gatekeeper. While I am uncertain that either design has an advantage over the other, it is different. The square block on the RBK is more traditional and some might argue it stands a better chance of stopping pucks from skipping over when in the butterfly. I don’t think it make much difference.
Beyond the cosmetics
I’ve always mentioned that the goalie’s side of the pad is typically more important than the player’s side. While the two pads look pretty similar from the front, they are completely different on the back.
My main complaints about CCM’s pads of late have been that they’ve put too much on the goalie side of the pad. This is usually the opposite of what happens in a pad that I find fault in. Cheap pads simply don’t have enough support and padding in the knee. CCM’s Blockade and Gatekeeper went the opposite direction and padded areas that inhibited the goalie’s mobility and flexibility.
Fortunately the new RBK pads have much less of this. Instead of attempting to keep the goalie from ever touching the ice the Premier Pro has a nice knee cradle and a small flap for the calf. The knee cradle features a three-layer knee rise. There are also two wraps that cover the entire back of the calf as well.
The padding in the RBK seems to be something that would please Goldilocks as, in my opinion, it is just right. There is plenty there to keep goalies from smashing their knees into the ice every time they drop for a butterfly. The knee lifts are nice and the lack of CCM’s silly calf lifts makes them effective.
Another nice thing that RBK did with these pads was to virtually eliminate the skate channel. A deep leg channel is important. It keeps the goalie protected and comfortable in the pad. Deep leg channels help to keep the pad in place. However, skate channels can be a detriment. Goalies need to be able to get their skates on the ice for mobility. It the pad locks the skates in place too well mobility from the butterfly position suffers as the result.
RBK addressed the freedom of movement for skates by flattening out the bottom of the pad. There is still sufficient padding to keep the puck from hitting the top of the goalie’s skate which is a possible concern with less of a channel there. As long as the toe lace is properly tied, protection will not be an issue. (I have a knot about an inch and a half from the toe of my pads to allow mobility on my pads without creating a sloppy dangerously loose fit).
The straps on the RBK are leather. I would prefer nylon on my pads as they are both lighter and more durable. Nylon straps are also easier to adjust as you set them where you like them and then just clip the pads on. If you prefer leather, I recommend using a marker to indicate where you strap them up. Getting the pads too loose or tight can have a pretty resounding impact on your game.
The pad itself is a pre-curved thin profile design. While the RBK Pro is thinner than a traditional pad, it isn’t as thin as most of the new flat faced pads. A Blockade is much thinner and a little lighter. The pre-curved portion will eliminate the need for breaking in pads and help goalies to close the five-hole right from the start.
Materials and Construction
The Premier Pro is surprisingly void of today’s most popular materials . . . cosmetically anyway. Roboweave has become the material of choice for goalie eye candy. Roboweave is a metallic material that has the appearance of carbon fiber. RBK skipped this and went with the more traditional synthetic leather.
The absence of roboweave is a purely cosmetic one. While roboweave looks very sharp it doesn’t really have any established history of outlasting traditional materials. Honestly the choice of roboweave vs. JenPro or any other material is just a style choice so I neither fault or applaud RBK for their shell choice.
The other side of the pad is a little weak however. The pad is lined with ballistic nylon. This is a good solid material that will last a long time. From a comfort issue there are better choices out there. Most upper end pads are currently lined with a full Clarino back or at least a Clarino channel.
Parting Thoughts
Reebok’s initial entry in the Pro level goalie pads market is a good one. While the Gatekeeper is a little bit better than CCM’s Blockade, the differences in RBK’s Premier Pro make it the best functional pad that Maska is currently offering.
It is fairly lightweight, made from good materials and designed by a known factor in the business (Michel Lefebvre). The only negatives I have are the leather straps and the non-Clarino lined backing. While the straps are more of an issue of personal preference, the lack Clarino lining seems to be something of a shortcoming.
Still I would recommend these pads to anyone who is looking for a good pro level pad. These are suitable for higher-level recreational players all the way up to the pros. They will stand up nicely, create an excellent blocking surface for Pro Fly style goalies and last many years.
Well done Reebok.
A few of my other reviews that you might find helpful:
Fitting Goalie Gear
RBK Premier Pro Blocker
RBK Premier Pro Trapper
CCM Blockade Goal Pads
Vaughn Velocity II Goal Pads
Bauer Vapor 2 Leg Pads
Battram Custom Goalie Equipment
© 2005 Scott Noble – All rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited.
Thanks to openroad for adding this item so I could review it.
Recommended:
Yes
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