Salming PG1 Gloves – The 2005 model is better . . . and worse
Written: Jan 13 '05 (Updated Jan 13 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Excellent cosmetics, good materials, exceptional value
Cons: Slightly inferior design to the previous model
The Bottom Line: I still highly recommend these glove, I just prefer the 2004 model
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| puckmugger's Full Review: Salming Sports PG1 Gloves |
First Glance
The 2004 model of the PG1 gloves was a good looking glove. Not exceptionally flashy with its silver and black, but certainly not mean in appearance. For 2005 that changed. The bold black and gold theme of the new PG1 makes a statement. They aren’t in your face, screaming “Look at me, I rule the ice!” This is a good thing, since I most certainly don’t rule the ice.
Still they are more eye catching and certainly more aesthetically pleasing than last year’s model was. The sniper target above and the white bold text logo bracketed by gold piping both jump out at you. This is as nice looking any glove currently being sold. Certainly the text logo pops even better than the single “S” on the back of the 2004 model did.
The design of the PG1 was more than mere cosmetics though. This too is obvious at first glance. A three piece cuff replaced what was essentially a single piece cuff from the 2004 model. The index finger gained a little added flexibility being upgraded from a two piece to a three piece finger. Imitation robo-weave covers the finger as if to point this detail out. Lastly, the new palm reinforcement is coated with Salming’s very own version of stick’um.
Fit and comfort
The new PG1 feels much different than its older counterpart. It is wider in the hand and cuff allowing for greater wrist flexibility. While the majority of the glove is much wider, the fingers feel a little narrower to me. I’ve found with many gloves the fingers don’t seem to bend the same way that mine do. This is one such pair. The new PG1 feels like it’s pushing the ends my fingers together as I close my hand. It might be dangerous to punch someone in the head wearing these.
The lining is plush and remains unchanged from last year’s gloves. It is a light blue, semi fuzzy, wicking material. Last year’s model indicated Anti-Microbial; this year’s has no such tag, but I assume that too is unchanged as the lining appears to be exactly the same, the lack of this tag being the only difference.
The Palms are still out of Nash which is an excellent material. Nash is very comfortable, highly durable and dries soft unlike leather. Only Clarino is generally considered a better palm material (although there are some claims that goat and kangaroo skin have natural anti bacterial properties).
The stitching is excellent throughout and despite the issue with the fingers bending a little differently than my hands, the gloves are quite comfortable. They are a little warmer than the old model as the gusset material is a bit thicker. (The 2004 PG1 used a ventilated material on the gussets). You will have to be the judge of how warm you like your gloves, I prefer vents myself.
Game Use
The 2005 PG1 is pre-curved a little more than its predecessor was. I didn’t notice this until I tried to take my bottom hand off the stick and proceeded to whack a guy in the face with my lumber instead. With my hand relaxed the gloves had enough curve built in to still maintain a grip on the stick. This was mildly annoying, but something that would be easy enough to get used to. It will also go away as the gloves breaks in a bit.
Both PG1 gloves do have thumb locks. I’ve heard a few people complain about this feature, which is a common one in gloves. Essentially it keeps you from moving your thumb backwards. I personally prefer gloves with thumb lock as I have been prone to breaking my thumb in numerous other sports. I’ve also never found the thumb lock to be a deterrent to my play.
There isn’t quite as much protection in the finger joints on the new model. The 2004 gloves had a tiny, seemingly cosmetic flap in each joint that would actually minimize the risk of a blow directly striking the unprotected area. I’ve seen some mangled fingers and frankly like mine the way they are. The new PG1 doesn’t have this flap. I did notice that the fingers bending funny never bothered me during game play. It simply wasn’t a factor once I was on the ice. The gloves seemed comfortable enough for play, with one exception.
The sticky palms are a feature that some people might like. Certainly if you are prone to dropping your stick, you would like a little help in that department. I have a kung fu grip that keeps my stick firmly in place except for when I chose to drop it. Thus I found the sticky palms a bit disconcerting when attempting to slide my bottom hand up or down the shaft. I tried this with a grip stick just for fun and as expected the result was amplified and completely unacceptable. My advice, don’t use these gloves with a grip coated stick, it won’t work.
Final Thoughts
I mentioned there were some improvements and some declines in the overall PG1 for 2005. Let me break those all down here:
Overall appearance is much improved. This is a great looking glove.
Quality and design is pretty much a push. The workmanship is outstanding. The design, while different than that of the 2004 model is still quite respectable.
Materials are essentially the same. Synthetic leather backs are on par with the better gloves on the market with very few using real leather anymore. While a first glance indicates that some expensive robo-weave material has been added to the new PG1, it is a clever illusion, fake robo-weave, hmm.
Usability is a bit lower than that of the 2004 model. The grip palm and the tightly pre-curved fingers make this glove a little tougher to use and break in.
Protection remains good in these gloves, however the finger joints are lacking the extra padding, and the length is not quite on par with the older model for wrist protection. A slight edge goes to the older model here.
The bottom line is that I like the way these look better, and I like the way the old model works better.
The new model of the PG1 is still an outstanding value and an excellent glove in for the lower end of the price spectrum. I am tempted to give it the full five stars just for its appearance and in spite of the slight issues, but I feel that functionality in hockey gear must come before form. Thus the four star rating I awarded.
Some of my other reviews that you might find helpful:
Fitting and Selecting Hockey Protective Gear
Salming 2004 model PG1 Gloves
CCM 852 Gloves
Koho 4440 Gloves
Recommended:
Yes
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