Brian's Gnetik/SZ Leather Boot Straps?

[estogoalie]

I have a pair of stock Gnetik 2 leg pads that I'll be using next season, I took them on the ice already a few times, and while I generally like the smart-strap system, I am really missing the leather boot strap. For some reason it's not giving me that "oneness" feeling with my skate/pad. Maybe it's supposed to be like that to give better rotation? Or maybe I just need to torque it down a little more (?)

Anyway, I have seen some Gnetiks/SZ with leather boot straps. Can I change mine out easily, or...?

https://goalie.purehockey.com/product/brians-g-netik-5-0-goalie-leg-pads-senior/itm/14478-41/?mtx_id=0

https://goalie.purehockey.com/support.aspx?pg_id=7004

[keeperton]

On 5/20/2019 at 3:04 PM, estogoalie said:

I have a pair of stock Gnetik 2 leg pads that I'll be using next season, I took them on the ice already a few times, and while I generally like the smart-strap system, I am really missing the leather boot strap. For some reason it's not giving me that "oneness" feeling with my skate/pad. Maybe it's supposed to be like that to give better rotation? Or maybe I just need to torque it down a little more (?)

Anyway, I have seen some Gnetiks/SZ with leather boot straps. Can I change mine out easily, or...?

https://goalie.purehockey.com/product/brians-g-netik-5-0-goalie-leg-pads-senior/itm/14478-41/?mtx_id=0

https://goalie.purehockey.com/support.aspx?pg_id=7004

Hey, I'm surprised you never got a response to this.

You should be able to change those out pretty easily from what I know. Keep in mind that I have GN3TiKs, but here's a couple of pictures that assume they use the same bootstrap set-up. As someone that came from full leather strapping to the smart strap, I will say there is definitely a much looser feel that you will need to get used to for a few skates. What I found after awhile is that I really appreciated the nylon not stretching much and keeping in its place better skate-after-skate. I can't accurately speak to the "oneness" of it accurately since I used to crank my leather straps town to be incredibly tight, including the boot. Are you using traditional toe laces or the smart strap toe laces? Once I switched my toe laces to the ecopro versions of prolaces I found I could make the boot strap tighter again, more to how I was accustomed when I was younger.

While maybe not the clearest pictures... on the "clip" side, that piece should slide into the bit of the primo with some suasive movement so that it anchors, and you can tuck in the smart strap clip. On the strap side, you can take out the nylon part by pulling it through the backside of the primo part and sliding the leather strap into its place.

Hope this helps, sorry if the gnetik2 isn't the same

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1yUH_347bnT4OWCJ4nlvP9UC91cWsQ31z

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-0JLq84j_Qj5Jkvrtda6tA8iwIPCVTOk

[estogoalie]

2 hours ago, keeperton said:

Hey, I'm surprised you never got a response to this.

You should be able to change those out pretty easily from what I know. Keep in mind that I have GN3TiKs, but here's a couple of pictures that assume they use the same bootstrap set-up. As someone that came from full leather strapping to the smart strap, I will say there is definitely a much looser feel that you will need to get used to for a few skates. What I found after awhile is that I really appreciated the nylon not stretching much and keeping in its place better skate-after-skate. I can't accurately speak to the "oneness" of it accurately since I used to crank my leather straps town to be incredibly tight, including the boot. Are you using traditional toe laces or the smart strap toe laces? Once I switched my toe laces to the ecopro versions of prolaces I found I could make the boot strap tighter again, more to how I was accustomed when I was younger.

While maybe not the clearest pictures... on the "clip" side, that piece should slide into the bit of the primo with some suasive movement so that it anchors, and you can tuck in the smart strap clip. On the strap side, you can take out the nylon part by pulling it through the backside of the primo part and sliding the leather strap into its place.

Hope this helps, sorry if the gnetik2 isn't the same

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1yUH_347bnT4OWCJ4nlvP9UC91cWsQ31z

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-0JLq84j_Qj5Jkvrtda6tA8iwIPCVTOk

Thanks, yea, I was kinda surprised it took so long for someone to chime in on this as well

I wanted to try to use the full smart-strap setup and give it a chance, but have been struggling with it, altho I only have been on the ice a handful of times (maybe 5-6 times?).  The main issue is that my skate and leg pad feel independent of each other, which is causing movement "challenges" for me, because I've always had my boot strap making a tight connection between my skate and pad, and am used to moving with the support of the pad. I now removed the smart toe-strap and replaced with traditional skate-laces, and tightened the nylon boot-strap further, and am hoping it improves things. But as a backup plan, I ordered some traditional leather straps and will see how I can install them. On the shin and knee it looks pretty simple because Brian's pre-installed inserts on the pad specifically for that. But the boot-strap left me a bit confused. Well, the "strap" side of the boot looks simple, just slide in the leather strap. But the "buckle" side I don't understand:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1yUH_347bnT4OWCJ4nlvP9UC91cWsQ31z

You say "on the "clip" side, that piece should slide into the bit of the primo with some suasive movement so that it anchors, and you can tuck in the smart strap clip"

...so the plastic clip that you have your thumb on should be tucked inside the black-colored area there (you called it "primo"?)? And then stuff the anchor-shaped part of the traditional leather buckle-strap in the also? Do you have a pic of how it looks all inserted? I'll give it a try later when I get home. 

In addition to the boot strap, I also have had some issues adjusting to the knee area. I'm used to thigh-flaps, but with these pad it's not an option, so I had to get the Brian's knee pads. Which aren't bad actually, but together with the stock knee lifts, I find it to be too much bulk there and my knees are always banging into each other when moving around. I took the knee lifts out of my V4 pads, which are thinner and not as long as the stock Brian's, and swapped them out with the Brian's, and now it seems to be a little better with less bulk/clutter. Well, I have to still try these changes on the ice. After March/April most of the rinks melt there ice here in Switzerland, so ice times are few and far between until August.

[estogoalie]

That's the buckle end of my boot-strap there in the pic below. I don't see any way to attach a leather strap. Unless I somehow attach it to the plastic clip (?)

[keeperton]

6 hours ago, estogoalie said:

That's the buckle end of my boot-strap there in the pic below. I don't see any way to attach a leather strap. Unless I somehow attach it to the plastic clip (?)

You see how the leather on my buckle side is flared? After experimenting, I think that flared leather is supposed to go through the plastic part of what you're holding in your picture. I've not actually done this, but it seems to make the most sense spatially...