Frederik Andersen's Bauer 2S Pads Up Close

[Adam Cooper]

This week I had the opportunity to get up close to an old set of #Bauer2S Pro Pads that Frederik Andersen used. These are on display in the shop at Scotiabank Arena. I found it so fascinating how beat up these pads are. There are some significant skate cuts and chunks taken out of these pads. I’d be interested to see how other manufacturers like Brian’s, CCM, Vaughn etc. hold up with other NHL Goalies.

Some guys commented on my original post that they believe these NHL pro pads break down quicker than normal pro pads as they are lighter and might have thinner material mods.  Thoughts?  Do NHL goalies really use materials that are different than pro gear that is sold by manufacturers?   

If you have Bauer 1S or 2S pads please share how your pads are holding up and what are your impressions on their durability?  I understand skate cuts happen but how are you finding this gear holding up versus other pads you have worn?  I'm not an owner of Bauer pads but I do like the look of them, booming rebounds and great sliding.  I can't tell from these pics if Andersen uses the same sliding surface or not as the regular pro 2S pads.

Original Twitter post https://twitter.com/GoalieCzar/status/1029891558441594884

[coopaloop1234]

If that was his only set last season, I'd say they held up great.

NHL guys put their gear through the ringer, it's pretty common practice that they go through 2-3 sets of leg pads per season. Unless you're Schneider where ever 3rd skate is new gear time.

I know that Dubnyk stated that he only used one Bauer set last year.

[BadAngle41]

3 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

If that was his only set last season, I'd say they held up great.

NHL guys put their gear through the ringer, it's pretty common practice that they go through 2-3 sets of leg pads per season. Unless you're Schneider where ever 3rd skate is new gear time.

I know that Dubnyk stated that he only used one Bauer set last year.

Agreed w/ @coopaloop1234 here... although if I were a betting man I'd say this was set 2 or 3. I think too that there are some inherent trade offs when you go from Jenpro to a material like CORETECH ST. It's thinner, lighter, directly adhered to the pad, graphics can printed directly on (although I'm not sure if that's the same for Jenpro and just doesn't happen) but because of some of those "good qualities" you get the "easier to cut, wears through faster, puck marks adhere permanently, etc. Good to see some of the training staff glue fixes in there too. My interest is peaked at the location of puck marks though... he's a shin man. not much above the knee or on the boot.

Great post and anxious to see others weigh in on the subject.

[itis121]

ACC for life. But are they selling them in the real sports apperal? Tbh I would still like a bit more durability out of a pro level pad.does the skin appear to be cracking at points? 

[bunnyman666]

@Adam Cooper Belfour’s pads were slightly thicker and more protective than street hockey shin pads, for example. I don’t think he had legs that were full of bruises, but from what I understand, you could definitely feel the puck. Belfour was a crazy gear experimenter, fo sho. Look up on GSBB to see one member’s Belfour collection... I don’t think Belfour’s pads were used too long due to the light weight nature of his pads. 

A pro is more than likely testing newer core materials, skins, etc. Some may never see the flourescent light of a showroom as consumers would have a FIT if their pads broke down like that. But if the goalie likes it, then they make it like that while they look for a material that performs equally but is more durable. 

Part of when I was a sponsored bicycle racer was that I had to test bike components that were in the R&D process. People forget that a BIG part of gear sponsorship is that you are also the field R&D as well as the BIG NAME on the roster. 

Getting back to the subject of pro’s leg pads, it could be a variety of reasons why a pro’s leg pads are less durable. Go back to as late as the early ‘90s, and some guys used leg pads for many seasons, especially in the leather era. Billy Smith and Grant Fuhr were exceptions to the rule as they had pads that were replaced pretty regularly.

Heck- until Mike Liut was hurt in his Harrison, he used that mask from his WHA days up until 2-3 seasons before St.Louis traded him to Hartford. He went to a Jofa for a bit, then a Lefebvre caged mask. His Harrison still had the yellow back plate from when it was painted like a bumble bee! That was in ‘72-73-ish, which was quite a few years before he got the starting job for the Blues. That long-winded example says how long goalies and players kept their gear years back.

Gear is generally more disposable now that it ever was; granted even in the leather days, some of those pads should have been retired LONG before they were. I saw a pair of Liut pads a few years back, and the leather face was torn up, plus a myriad of stitches, patches, and the like. Those old Cooper pads looked like hell and were maybe 3 seasons old. Pads got re-stuffed back in the day, as well. Now, it makes no sense to re-stuff a goal pad, and with the desire of the league to not let players and goalies alike not have crappy-looking gear, all of it is infinitely disposable unlike back in the day. Also- the manufacturers don’t want crummy looking gear advertising their name.

[goalieThreeOne]

He has at least one modification that's not retail. His toe bridge is screwed in. Normally they're just stitched.

[Mroy31]

I think those would have been set 1 or 2 if that sliding surface is the 2S sliding surface that it looks like (he switched to the 1S sliding surface part way through the season).  

Also, might just be due to wear, but looks like those maybe have a double internal break?

I used my 1S for about 9 months out of the last year.  The pads themselves maybe softened/settled just a little bit, they aren't flexible by any means.  They do have way more puck marks on them than my TotalOnes that I used for 6-7 years, so that idea of the puck marks seems to hold true. 

[ULTIMA]

Pfft. More wrinkles than an old lady's kitty.

Hard pass.