motowngoalie Posted June 21, 2019 Share Posted June 21, 2019 (edited) Hey everyone! Here's my review of the R/GT2 senior chesty from Warrior. This is my first attempt at a long form review, so please feel free to critique I'll do initial impressions, and then a 1-2 month impression (I'm only playing once a week currently), and then long-term consensus in a few months or so. Anyways, let's jump in: Chest Protector History Vaughn VP5500 Vaughn V5 (unsure of exact model) Brian’s Zero G Warrior G2 Sr w/ G1 Pro arms Initial Impressions Very bulky. As @BonesDT said in the Bauer Vs. Warrior thread, this thing is beastly for a senior C/A. I don’t believe it’s NHL-spec (which I’m not overly concerned with). Very adjustable, I’ve counted at least 9 places per side with the ability to adjust. It also sits noticeably higher than my G2, but my mask interferes less with the floaters on this unit. The chest portion of my G2 is adequately protective, it’s the arms that are sorely lacking (hence the upgrade to G1 pro arms). This unit doesn’t have the same problem. Looking at the GT2 compared to the Bauer S2.9 and Brian’s B-Star (the 2 other non-pro units I was interested in), these arms feel the most protective. The foams are noticeably harder than the other 2 mentioned, and I’m really impressed with the triple layer of protection at the elbows. 2 additional pieces on either side of the bicep area do a nice job of covering the upper arm. As Bones also noted, there's zero gap between your arms and sides when your arms are in a natural relaxed position. I'm really interested to see how this goes, as I'm used to squeezing my arms to my torso while playing. Removable belly/side pad extensions are a nice touch. My XL G2 is a little short IMO (I’m not a tucker) and this makes it the perfect length for those of us with a longer torso. The branding on the floaters is a separate piece of material. Not sure if this is just aesthetics or maybe for suspenders....? Doesn't seem to be for that, but figured I'd include a photo for reference. There's also 2 additional loops by the pant loop on the stomach area, I'm not sure what purpose they have. A few things to note: -Underpadding on arms interferes slightly with my gloves. This section of padding makes sense when the arm is flexed, but it protrudes outward whenever I straighten my arm, interfering with my glove and blocker. This might be negligible once I have a jersey over it during gameplay, so I’ll see what happens. The G2 arms were very easily adjusted with velcro, whereas these are laced in. This is just a personal preference of course. I fought with the laces for a half hour or so on one side to shorten the arm up, compared to about 3 minutes to adjust the Sr. arms on the G2. Once I figure out how to lace these in properly, this will be a non-issue (mostly operator error!). Velcro wrist straps fall out, a mushroom ended strap would fix this. Overall, I’m pretty happy with this for the very short time I’ve had to mess around with it. I’ll put it through the paces over the next few weeks and provide some updates along the way. Let me know if you have any questions! Edited June 21, 2019 by motowngoalie image 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motowngoalie Posted June 21, 2019 Author Share Posted June 21, 2019 (edited) reserved, 30-45 day update **Edit as of 1/16/20 - kinda missed the bus on this, eh? There's not much to update from initial usage. Little to no break-in time, it's pretty flexible right out of the box. Very usable on the first skate, I had none of the awkwardness that usually comes with a new piece of gear. Edited January 16, 2020 by motowngoalie update Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motowngoalie Posted June 21, 2019 Author Share Posted June 21, 2019 (edited) Final update as of 1/16/20: I'm still really happy with this chest protector. For a Sr level product, it's held up very well for me, and no stingers to report thus far. I skate an average of 2 days a week, low to mid level skill. This unit may be inadequate for A-level beer league or junior hockey, but I've taken some relatively hard bombs in it and came away unscathed. @Kirk3190 makes a good point below about adjusting the arms. My first few skates my elbow was falling out of the cup, but I adjusted the arms and the issue went away. I also noticed the unit riding down in the front after a few skates, so I made a few adjustments and it went away. My concern with the forearm blocks has been a non-issue, I haven't noticed any interference with my gloves during a game. I probably mischaracterized this unit as bulky, as @estogoalie points out below. It is extremely mobile. I meant that in the sense of protection, this unit is very beefed up. Visually (on ice with a jersey over top), it "appears" very large as well. Overall, I'd say this is a great piece of equipment for a rec-level goalie. Similar level of protection as a pro unit at a decent discount. Edited January 16, 2020 by motowngoalie update 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deltadre Posted June 21, 2019 Share Posted June 21, 2019 Awesome, thanks for posting this. I have a G4 Senior and tuck my chesty. In reference to your 2 loops in the stomach area, I use those to attach the G4 chesty to my RBK 11K pants. The pants have internal ABfit clips and when I attach my chesty to my pants, the connected feeling helps keep everything together which is how I like it. Nothing feels loose or floppy. The stomach loops are a little small for my ABfit clips to fit through so I've gone as far as to tie a skate lace loop to the stomach loops and now I run my Abfit clips through the skate loop to tie them all together. I can't wait to hear about how it feels after a few skates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seagoal Posted June 21, 2019 Share Posted June 21, 2019 P.S. @motowngoalie where are pics of your pads/mitts? I tried to find them but couldn't. That's an amazing set my friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motowngoalie Posted June 24, 2019 Author Share Posted June 24, 2019 On 6/21/2019 at 2:22 PM, Deltadre said: Awesome, thanks for posting this. I have a G4 Senior and tuck my chesty. In reference to your 2 loops in the stomach area, I use those to attach the G4 chesty to my RBK 11K pants. The pants have internal ABfit clips and when I attach my chesty to my pants, the connected feeling helps keep everything together which is how I like it. Nothing feels loose or floppy. The stomach loops are a little small for my ABfit clips to fit through so I've gone as far as to tie a skate lace loop to the stomach loops and now I run my Abfit clips through the skate loop to tie them all together. I can't wait to hear about how it feels after a few skates. You're welcome! Ahh, that makes sense re: the loops. I'll have to try that out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motowngoalie Posted June 24, 2019 Author Share Posted June 24, 2019 On 6/21/2019 at 2:36 PM, seagoal said: P.S. @motowngoalie where are pics of your pads/mitts? I tried to find them but couldn't. That's an amazing set my friend. Thank you sir Here's some pics: 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seagoal Posted June 24, 2019 Share Posted June 24, 2019 1 minute ago, motowngoalie said: Thank you sir Here's some pics: Wow, so good. Reminds me of Blue Angels 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max27 Posted June 25, 2019 Share Posted June 25, 2019 Personally, Im in the g4 senior right now and honestly im very dissapointed in it. Its crazy bulky, the protection isnt good at all, i feel every shot in it. theres a deal on a like new lt90 that im gonna likely get Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk3190 Posted June 25, 2019 Share Posted June 25, 2019 @motowngoalie I'm glad to hear you're liking the new GT2 SR C/A so far. One suggestion I have is that you snug up the 4 elastic straps (elbow cap) on each side. You don't need to crank them down. Just a little bit will help get a more comfortable fit and help keep your elbow in the right spot as you start to sweat like crazy mid-game. @Max27 Sorry to hear that you're not satisfied with your current G4 Senior model C/A. Increasing protection was a MAJOR focus for us on the GT2 C/A series. I am confident you will not have that same issue should you move into a GT2 Senior. To be honest, I am a but surprised to hear you believe the G4 Senior is crazy bulky. Our C/A models are widely known for having exceptional mobility/functionality. Is there an area in particular you're thinking is too bulky? Chances are I could recommend some tweaks to the unit to help reduce the bulkiness you are experiencing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max27 Posted June 25, 2019 Share Posted June 25, 2019 25 minutes ago, Kirk3190 said: @Max27 Sorry to hear that you're not satisfied with your current G4 Senior model C/A. Increasing protection was a MAJOR focus for us on the GT2 C/A series. I am confident you will not have that same issue should you move into a GT2 Senior. To be honest, I am a but surprised to hear you believe the G4 Senior is crazy bulky. Our C/A models are widely known for having exceptional mobility/functionality. Is there an area in particular you're thinking is too bulky? Chances are I could recommend some tweaks to the unit to help reduce the bulkiness you are experiencing. I feel like im turtling in it, even in a small. feels way to broad around the shoulders and arms when compared to my old V7 XF. Ive tried tampering with the adjustments, which is a positive ive found in it is all the adjustability Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk3190 Posted June 25, 2019 Share Posted June 25, 2019 2 hours ago, Max27 said: I feel like im turtling in it, even in a small. feels way to broad around the shoulders and arms when compared to my old V7 XF. Ive tried tampering with the adjustments, which is a positive ive found in it is all the adjustability Hmm.. If you could send me a few pictures (direct message - or in this thread would be fine) that would help. Turtling makes me think the adjustment would be in the neck/collar area. The broadness would make me think it's in the outer shoulder area. Pictures would help a lot to pinpoint it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaveByRichter35 Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 On 6/25/2019 at 1:24 PM, Kirk3190 said: Hmm.. If you could send me a few pictures (direct message - or in this thread would be fine) that would help. Turtling makes me think the adjustment would be in the neck/collar area. The broadness would make me think it's in the outer shoulder area. Pictures would help a lot to pinpoint it! And this is why its awesome having these reps and manufacturers on the forum! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max27 Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 On 6/25/2019 at 1:24 PM, Kirk3190 said: Hmm.. If you could send me a few pictures (direct message - or in this thread would be fine) that would help. Turtling makes me think the adjustment would be in the neck/collar area. The broadness would make me think it's in the outer shoulder area. Pictures would help a lot to pinpoint it! I’ll pm you- sorry didn’t see this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter36 Posted November 20, 2019 Share Posted November 20, 2019 Are you going to update this? Looking into this unit. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichMan Posted December 30, 2019 Share Posted December 30, 2019 On 11/20/2019 at 11:35 AM, Peter36 said: Are you going to update this? Looking into this unit. I second the above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichMan Posted December 30, 2019 Share Posted December 30, 2019 On 6/20/2019 at 9:39 PM, motowngoalie said: A few things to note: -Underpadding on arms interferes slightly with my gloves. This section of padding makes sense when the arm is flexed, but it protrudes outward whenever I straighten my arm, interfering with my glove and blocker. This might be negligible once I have a jersey over it during gameplay, so I’ll see what happens. Looking at these 2 pics and the issue you raise, is the side under-padding of the forearm under the bicep block necessary? Is there sufficient protection at the forearm itself? If so, the side walls could be removed. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estogoalie Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 The first comment in the review was "very bulky", which is kinda strange to me. I have the original RGT and what I love most about it, is that it is very light and mobile, with great movement in the arms (ie: I can drink my water bottle no problems). "Bulky" is not the word that comes to my mind with this CA. Can anyone who has tried both units give a comment? Was there any drastic changes between the original and version 2? Or was it just small incremental upgrades? It's all a matter of opinion of course, one persons "bulky" is anothers "mobile" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeantodt Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 What is the difference between GT2 SR and Pro? Is the all padding same? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunnyman666 Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 (edited) The arms seem to last forever on the Warrior units. The body part of mine has somewhat outlived it’s usefulness as a goalie unit (now I use it as a shot block protection for that rare time I skate out as a D man; just attach shoulder caps and bicep pads), but the plastic arms got grafted onto my Brian’s unit, performing better than my Factory Mad modded arms (not Factory’s fault; the design of the Brian’s arms combined with the velcro placement tears the shit out of the mesh on the arms). I wish Warrior sold new arms separately and I could graft them onto other units. **Mod Note - I think its fine for the conversation Bunny don't worry about it Edited January 10, 2020 by SaveByRichter35 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichMan Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 2 hours ago, bunnyman666 said: The arms seem to last forever on the Warrior units. The body part of mine has somewhat outlived it’s usefulness as a goalie unit (now I use it as a shot block protection for that rare time I skate out as a D man; just attach shoulder caps and bicep pads), but the plastic arms got grafted onto my Brian’s unit, performing better than my Factory Mad modded arms (not Factory’s fault; the design of the Brian’s arms combined with the velcro placement tears the shit out of the mesh on the arms). I wish Warrior sold new arms separately and I could graft them onto other units. SR or Pro? This unit in a SR model has to be the most juiced up unit at price point when you compare pics to other SR level ones from other brands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunnyman666 Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 1 minute ago, RichMan said: SR or Pro? This unit in a SR model has to be the most juiced up unit at price point when you compare pics to other SR level ones from other brands. Pro. I revised my comments to clarify. Thanks for catching that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coopaloop1234 Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 On 12/30/2019 at 7:42 AM, RichMan said: Looking at these 2 pics and the issue you raise, is the side under-padding of the forearm under the bicep block necessary? Is there sufficient protection at the forearm itself? If so, the side walls could be removed. Just a thought. My GT1 is similar with how they've down the floater protection. The floaters are made in such and armadillo fashion that they're never noticeable while playing and actively move out of the way when needed. Though, it did force me to place my blocker position to the "mid" setting on my warrior blockers (CCM) instead of the "high" setting (Velocity) due to the interference when playing the puck and standing. In a ready position it was never an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teezle Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 I use the R\GT2 Pro C/A and it is the best unit I have used so far (history: some senior model Vaughn from when I was in HS, Brown 2300, R\G4, now R\GT2). It presents large to shooters while still being very mobile. I play in an A/B level men's league and I've never had a stinger yet, on the arms or anywhere else. Not the lightest C/A in the world, but still significantly lighter than my Brown unit was by ~1.25 lbs. My favorite feature on it is the velcro sandwich attachments for the back plate into the belly piece, because 1) no more worrying about a clip breaking from a shot and 2) you can dial in the tension and angle of how you want it to fit precisely to how you like it. The adjustability of the unit overall is second to none, in my book. One thing that helped me when I was moving the arms up was to use a pair of needle-nosed pliers to grasp the lacing. That cuts down on the effort to shift them quite a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichMan Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 (edited) How's the visual when looking side to side, say like on wrap arounds or behind the net? The shoulders look pretty wide and high. Edited January 10, 2020 by RichMan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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