R GT/2

[dreadlocked1]

Prolaces are much better imo.

[RichMan]

So I played my first game in the pads tonight and, oh what an experience lolll

They are sooooo light! Skating with them was so awkward, it felt like I had plywood sheets sitting over my thighs. After a good 10 minutes I felt a little more comfortable and mobile. Rebounds are nice without being exaggerated. Knee lift were perfect. Knee pads (SR Ritual) were more than sufficient and didn't bother me at all, even if I didn't receive shots there. Sliding was ok. I don't care what material or design you use on pads for sliding, if the ice is shit, nothing spectacular will happen. It was suitable.

In the end, I think I'm gonna like these once I dial-in the toe ties. I ordered the Trav spec Pro Laces. Hopefully they will do the job. If not, project time  

[estogoalie]

On 8/31/2021 at 3:30 AM, RichMan said:

So I played my first game in the pads tonight and, oh what an experience lolll

They are sooooo light! Skating with them was so awkward, it felt like I had plywood sheets sitting over my thighs. After a good 10 minutes I felt a little more comfortable and mobile. Rebounds are nice without being exaggerated. Knee lift were perfect. Knee pads (SR Ritual) were more than sufficient and didn't bother me at all, even if I didn't receive shots there. Sliding was ok. I don't care what material or design you use on pads for sliding, if the ice is shit, nothing spectacular will happen. It was suitable.

In the end, I think I'm gonna like these once I dial-in the toe ties. I ordered the Trav spec Pro Laces. Hopefully they will do the job. If not, project time  

I've been eyeing Warrior RGT as my next set of pads for a while. I tried some in the store a couple of years ago, I liked the feel, except the very stiff thighs, as you noted. That kind of scared me away from them. Let me know if you adjust to them, I'm still thinking about a pair.

Instead of the RGT, I went with Brian's Gnetik2, which I've liked for the most part, but took some adapting. The elastic toe-ties really messed me up, felt too loose, but I just replaced them with regular skate laces, and all was well again

[RichMan]

4 hours ago, estogoalie said:

I've been eyeing Warrior RGT as my next set of pads for a while. I tried some in the store a couple of years ago, I liked the feel, except the very stiff thighs, as you noted. That kind of scared me away from them. Let me know if you adjust to them, I'm still thinking about a pair.

Instead of the RGT, I went with Brian's Gnetik2, which I've liked for the most part, but took some adapting. The elastic toe-ties really messed me up, felt too loose, but I just replaced them with regular skate laces, and all was well again

I have a game lined up Monday, hoping for more in between. I'll let you know for sure. It's nothing like you and I are used to for sure. 

The original GTs aren't as thin in the thighs so the adjustment shouldn't be that drastic. I would of went with those had i been able to find  pair in my size. Hence why the GT2s.

[RichMan]

Second game in with the pads and I have a huge disclaimer:

Saying these pads are "hybrid" or more traditional is a serious misnomer! They feel AND play like a modern stiff butterfly pad, period. Walking with them is awkward. Skating with them is awkward. The stance in them is awkward. They kind of force me in a wider stance. They play great in the butterfly but are nothing like they are marketed for.

I appreciate the lightness, the ease of strapping, the solid butterfly, but the mobility is a challenge onto itself. 

Am I the only one?

[estogoalie]

8 hours ago, RichMan said:

Second game in with the pads and I have a huge disclaimer:

Saying these pads are "hybrid" or more traditional is a serious misnomer! They feel AND play like a modern stiff butterfly pad, period. Walking with them is awkward. Skating with them is awkward. The stance in them is awkward. They kind of force me in a wider stance. They play great in the butterfly but are nothing like they are marketed for.

I appreciate the lightness, the ease of strapping, the solid butterfly, but the mobility is a challenge onto itself. 

Am I the only one?

uh, not good, you're confirming my fears  but still, with new gear, give it a little time to adjust. even with my Gnetik2, it took me 5-10 ice times to adjust and make adjustments to where I felt comfortable in them 

I remember trying the RGT pads in the store and liked the lower part of the pad boot/shin, but had reservations about the stiff thighs. They guy in the shop was like "you'll get used to them" and I was like "yea, maybe, but maybe I won't"....

[insertnamehere]

8 hours ago, RichMan said:

Second game in with the pads and I have a huge disclaimer:

Saying these pads are "hybrid" or more traditional is a serious misnomer! They feel AND play like a modern stiff butterfly pad, period. Walking with them is awkward. Skating with them is awkward. The stance in them is awkward. They kind of force me in a wider stance. They play great in the butterfly but are nothing like they are marketed for.

I appreciate the lightness, the ease of strapping, the solid butterfly, but the mobility is a challenge onto itself. 

Am I the only one?

I don't have R/GTs, but I'm on my 3rd or 4th Warrior set and over a little bit of time they've all softened up quite a bit.

For comparison, I've kept choosing them over Optiks with an FLX core, Vapor 2X pros, Premiers, and a couple other sets. The only ones that I really considered was a Gnetik 3 set, only problem was the sizing wasn't quite right. 

I don't think anything made today will play much like a traditional old school pad unless you get a bespoke old school pad made. 

[RichMan]

I will try a few things to see if it gets better and yes, they should soften up at the thigh rise I hope. Amazing that them being so thin, at the same time can be so stiff. 

Erik, the issue with you and I is that we are used to either a tapered or mushy thigh rise. The new stuff is totally different. Even my just sold Reactor 9000, they looked the part but something was different, despite them being from 2015-2017.

[coopaloop1234]

1 hour ago, RichMan said:

I will try a few things to see if it gets better and yes, they should soften up at the thigh rise I hope. Amazing that them being so thin, at the same time can be so stiff.

Since you're using the SR GT2, there isn't any hypercomp reinforcement in the thigh, so you'll have an easier time breaking them in.

And I understand the almost misguiding advertising for the RGT lines. They're essentially a Ritual line but with more torsional flex. The cavernous leg channel will definitely play a lot different than a "traditional" pad. It also doesn't help that the GT2 line has a softer calf wrap portion that lets the pad 'hang' off your leg a lot more.

The slit in the G5 leg channel to modify how tight you want the leg strap was a good change, the GT2 line really kind of forces you into a particular strapping style.

Which I'm fine with, but I definitely see why people wouldn't like it.

 

 

[RichMan]

35 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Since you're using the SR GT2, there isn't any hypercomp reinforcement in the thigh, so you'll have an easier time breaking them in.

And I understand the almost misguiding advertising for the RGT lines. They're essentially a Ritual line but with more torsional flex. The cavernous leg channel will definitely play a lot different than a "traditional" pad. It also doesn't help that the GT2 line has a softer calf wrap portion that lets the pad 'hang' off your leg a lot more.

The slit in the G5 leg channel to modify how tight you want the leg strap was a good change, the GT2 line really kind of forces you into a particular strapping style.

Which I'm fine with, but I definitely see why people wouldn't like it.

 

 

I can deal with a looser leg channel. A wide knee cradle, perfect. It's just the way the thigh rise sticks out, both legs keep beating on each other while I'm trying to do my thing in goal. I'm thinking that mine could of just been a 35" straight and do without the 1.5 extra and still play just fine. 

[coopaloop1234]

8 minutes ago, RichMan said:

I can deal with a looser leg channel. A wide knee cradle, perfect. It's just the way the thigh rise sticks out, both legs keep beating on each other while I'm trying to do my thing in goal. I'm thinking that mine could of just been a 35" straight and do without the 1.5 extra and still play just fine. 

I had some issues for the first 2-3 ice times when I made the switch from my 34+1 V4's to my 33+1.5 RGT 1's.

Felt awkward as the thighrises constantly bumped into each other, I felt like I was somewhat tripping over myself. I obviously adjusted and never pay them any mind, but your experiences are similar to mine.

[RichMan]

24 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

I had some issues for the first 2-3 ice times when I made the switch from my 34+1 V4's to my 33+1.5 RGT 1's.

Felt awkward as the thighrises constantly bumped into each other, I felt like I was somewhat tripping over myself. I obviously adjusted and never pay them any mind, but your experiences are similar to mine.

Well that brings some form of comfort to my ears.

Do you wear the knee strap across or down?

[coopaloop1234]

1 hour ago, RichMan said:

Well that brings some form of comfort to my ears.

Do you wear the knee strap across or down?

Down to the calf, no boot strap, standard pro laces.

Calf wrap has been loosened a bit and only goes 2/3'rds of the way across the available velcro.

[estogoalie]

1 hour ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Calf wrap has been loosened a bit and only goes 2/3'rds of the way across the available velcro.

I'm in Europe, what's the metric equivalent?

[coopaloop1234]

3 minutes ago, estogoalie said:

I'm in Europe, what's the metric equivalent?

>_>

It's a fraction, it's the same...

And you know Canada uses the metric system right?

Edited September 7, 2021 by coopaloop1234

[estogoalie]

1 hour ago, coopaloop1234 said:

>_>

It's a fraction, it's the same...

And you know Canada uses the metric system right?

It was a joke,  c'mon man, I'm not as dumb as I look

PS- just for the record, the metric equivalent of 2/3 is 0.66

[coopaloop1234]

1 minute ago, estogoalie said:

It was a joke,  c'mon man, I'm not as dumb as I look

PS- just for the record, the metric equivalent of 2/3 is 0.66

Look at you only using two decimal points. It's infinite, duhh.

[estogoalie]

5 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Look at you only using two decimal points. It's infinite, duhh.

I only used one decimal point, if I used two decimal points it would be 0..66

[coopaloop1234]

5 minutes ago, estogoalie said:

I only used one decimal point, if I used two decimal points it would be 0..66

Or would it be 0.6.6?

[Lucky Pucker]

9 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Or would it be 0.6.6?

 

[estogoalie]

13 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Or would it be 0.6.6?

What kind of weird decimal system are you guys using in Canada? 

[Korppi32]

20 hours ago, insertnamehere said:

I don't have R/GTs, but I'm on my 3rd or 4th Warrior set and over a little bit of time they've all softened up quite a bit.

For comparison, I've kept choosing them over Optiks with an FLX core, Vapor 2X pros, Premiers, and a couple other sets. The only ones that I really considered was a Gnetik 3 set, only problem was the sizing wasn't quite right. 

I don't think anything made today will play much like a traditional old school pad unless you get a bespoke old school pad made. 

This is true, almost all the "hybrid soft pads" are stiff/thin and "stiff butterfly" pads are extra stiff. Then there might be some old stock Reactors or Eflexes which are heavy and thick, but still quite stiff. I wouldn't wait the time when Warrior's thigh rise is "mushy".

 

I sold some old stock Reactor 9000 pads to a ringette goalie, her old pads were 10 years old. After the first skate she call me back and said she wanna return pads because they are so stiff. Now after two years she is happy with Reactors.

 

I had GT's two season, then I used brand new GT2's about one month while I waited GT2 customs. While the transition was quite easy and pads were similars but still few first skates they felt "odd and stiff".

Edited September 8, 2021 by Korppi32

[estogoalie]

12 hours ago, Lucky Pucker said:

 

Sorry, but the only man I've ever loved is Brian Heaton.

...well, ok, after Dave Wilcox made the TPS Summit trapper, I've kinda had a thing for him too.

[RichMan]

Question...

For those of you wearing the leg pads strapped at the knee and with the Warrior knee pads, how long (if at all) did the elastics get more slack on the outside attachment guards? Getting that extra inch of room would make it so much more comfortable and better rotation too.

[RichMan]

Another question...

Has anyone added more foam on the inside of the calf landing to give the pads more lift to level with the knee landing?