2018 Brian's Optik

[gsmith0062]

Just now, coopaloop1234 said:

Change the outer lightning bolts that are black black weave (for texture) and the green to orange weave.

So just change green to orange for easy visual purposes.

Exactly. I was just about to reply. If there's anyone with the ability to mock that up, I would love to see it.

Also, is matte orange a possibility? @Brians_Joz

[Punisher Goalie]

3 hours ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Change the outer lightning bolts that are black black weave (for texture) and the green to orange weave.

So just change green to orange for easy visual purposes.

Ah ok that makes sense. Cool. 

[TheGoalNet]

8 hours ago, gsmith0062 said:

Looking for some opinions before i order my set. Which would you go with for the stock graphics? And what would you think of the Demkos, if the main part of the lightning graphic were black weave, and shadows were orange weave? (all versions are matte black base, with weave accents)

If you go Demko, go weave or jenprp for the outer roll. Matte is not a great material on the outer roll. 

[gsmith0062]

1 hour ago, TheGoalNet said:

If you go Demko, go weave or jenprp for the outer roll. Matte is not a great material on the outer roll. 

What’s the reasoning behind this? I’m interested to here your opinion on the matte material and it’s durability. I’m really hoping to get some good use out of this set, since my Bauer’s have been a flop in that department.

[keeperton]

Brian's posted my gloves. Couldn't be more excited, especially after getting my hand bruised in a game just last night.

[bunnyman666]

14 minutes ago, keeperton said:

Brian's posted my gloves. Couldn't be more excited, especially after getting my hand bruised in a game just last night.

Very cool graphic!

[TheGoalNet]

@keeperton - what is the inspiration for that graphic? 

[keeperton]

12 minutes ago, TheGoalNet said:

@keeperton - what is the inspiration for that graphic? 

@TheGoalNet

There's a lot of things that kind of link in ways pertinent to who I am, interests, people in my life, and nicknames.

The crown is more-or-less that of a marquis/count/margrave, which is what I consider a goalie to really be at the core. I'm casually into heraldry and pretty into titles.

I hold a degree in physics and have a large interest in astronomy (no schools near me offered a program in it). The main constellations I've been able to find in my life have been the ursas. A very good friend of mine refers to me as the bear and they are referred to as the bird, hence ursa and corvus and relating back to titles. Additionally, in one of my favorite games the main character is only ever referred to as "Raven" in any shape or form.

The colors are because those are the colors I've always used/had since I was 6. Anchor T because my last glove, the first run of the DX2, has one and I really like it. I've never used a double T, so I have no clue what they are like, but my Vaughn Legacy was a single T and I didn't much care for it, nor hate it really.

I suppose it might also be relevant to measure I'm really into minimalism and constructivism artistically.

[TheGoalNet]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing @keeperton

Are pads coming?

[keeperton]

3 minutes ago, TheGoalNet said:

Awesome! Thanks for sharing @keeperton

Are pads coming?

Nah. My white pillow g3netiks are less than a year old and fantastic.

[Finland??Perkele]

10 hours ago, keeperton said:

Brian's posted my gloves. Couldn't be more excited, especially after getting my hand bruised in a game just last night.

What that trappers dual break actually means? Is that more like 600 break or 590 break or 580 break? @keeperton

[Finland??Perkele]

What that gloves dual break actually mean? @TheGoalNet

[keeperton]

8 hours ago, Finland??Perkele said:

What that trappers dual break actually means? Is that more like 600 break or 590 break or 580 break? @keeperton

@Finland??Perkele I don't actually have it yet, nor do I have any experience with a single Koho glove ever, so I'm not sure I can explain or relay that adequately.

I do know TGN took some pictures showing the two different ways it closes in his review/deep dive. As far as I know, the glove closes very much like a baseball glove. I also know that my DX2 has a very similar dual break sort of deal.

[cwarnar]

This is by far my fave graphic on the Optik line... clean and simple

[TheGoalNet]

6 hours ago, cwarnar said:

This is by far my fave graphic on the Optik line... clean and simple

I believe this was designed when the line could have been called SZ4

[Mroy31]

I'm test driving these for the next week. One skate so far. Knee blocks are a little thick, but definitely a really nice pad. Any slight gripes I have would be easily addressed via the custom build process.  The glove is unreal, the puck just gets swallowed up by that double T skate lace pocket. Even if I end up getting a set of 2S, I might still get an Optik glove as well

[TheGoalNet]

@Mroy31 - FLX or FLY? What don’t you like? 

[IPv6Freely]

On 2/11/2018 at 9:17 AM, TheGoalNet said:

Here’s another look at knee rolls on Optik

Here's more knee rolls:

[Mroy31]

1 hour ago, TheGoalNet said:

@Mroy31 - FLX or FLY? What don’t you like? 

34" +1.5" FLY

I think a better description of the things I don't like so far is that they don't do them better than my 1S set.  Which is to say that they may still do them very well or as good, but not so good as to make me switch yet.

• The knee blocks are a little too thick for my liking, they kind of get in each other's way when skating or when I am compact in my stance (bad/immobile hips, so stance isn't super wide). I had a similar issue with my Monster knee blocks which I ordered to be a bit thicker, I have since shaved down the foam.  So that's not a dealbreaker by any means.
• The sliding (black primo sliding surface) is good, better than the SLRs I tried, but still not quite CorTech. 
• The SmartX strap is good, but I think I get the same connected feeling as with my one calf strap on my 1S's.  I did modify that strap myself though, so I'd put those as pretty equal.  (I removed the knee wing/strap and bootstrap)
• The pad feels a little cumbersome, like a lot of material wrapping around my leg, but I'd attribute that to comparing them to the relatively minimalist nature of the 1S pads.  

The blocker is the only part I'd say has things I actually don't like.  The side wall seems a little disconnected, like it sways too much from a 90degree angle.  The location of the wrist strap (BOA) is in a spot that it felt like the blocker wouldn't stay snug on my hand.  Like it the strap was secure, but it felt like my hand just wasn't all the way in the glove.  Maybe it's an XL palm or something?  There's also a puffy spot on the underside of the blocker board where the Optik logo is behind the fingers that looks like there's way too much skin material, maybe it's just from a rushed demo build?

I don't get a whole lot of time with them, but so far I think I'll be basing my decision on if I can get a couple of specific things done to a 2S set through TGC.  If Bauer is a pain in the butt about those (I see angled kneeblocks on Dubnyk's and Hank's pads, don't tell me you can't do it) then Optik will be the ones.  Again, nothing that I didn't like that couldn't be pretty easily addressed with a custom build.

[TheGoalNet]

32 minutes ago, Mroy31 said:

34" +1.5" FLY

I think a better description of the things I don't like so far is that they don't do them better than my 1S set.  Which is to say that they may still do them very well or as good, but not so good as to make me switch yet.

• The knee blocks are a little too thick for my liking, they kind of get in each other's way when skating or when I am compact in my stance (bad/immobile hips, so stance isn't super wide). I had a similar issue with my Monster knee blocks which I ordered to be a bit thicker, I have since shaved down the foam.  So that's not a dealbreaker by any means.
• The sliding (black primo sliding surface) is good, better than the SLRs I tried, but still not quite CorTech. 
• The SmartX strap is good, but I think I get the same connected feeling as with my one calf strap on my 1S's.  I did modify that strap myself though, so I'd put those as pretty equal.  (I removed the knee wing/strap and bootstrap)
• The pad feels a little cumbersome, like a lot of material wrapping around my leg, but I'd attribute that to comparing them to the relatively minimalist nature of the 1S pads.  

The blocker is the only part I'd say has things I actually don't like.  The side wall seems a little disconnected, like it sways too much from a 90degree angle.  The location of the wrist strap (BOA) is in a spot that it felt like the blocker wouldn't stay snug on my hand.  Like it the strap was secure, but it felt like my hand just wasn't all the way in the glove.  Maybe it's an XL palm or something?  There's also a puffy spot on the underside of the blocker board where the Optik logo is behind the fingers that looks like there's way too much skin material, maybe it's just from a rushed demo build?

I don't get a whole lot of time with them, but so far I think I'll be basing my decision on if I can get a couple of specific things done to a 2S set through TGC.  If Bauer is a pain in the butt about those (I see angled kneeblocks on Dubnyk's and Hank's pads, don't tell me you can't do it) then Optik will be the ones.  Again, nothing that I didn't like that couldn't be pretty easily addressed with a custom build.

I agree on the blocker sidewall. I actually normally dont like the "1 piece" sidewall in general because it always get warped. The weight of the Optik may me give it awhirl though. My 1S felt sorta floppy too. The GNetik / CCM style is more my preference. As much as the sidewall has come to be the lowest point in the Optik line for me. I haven't felt a puck there yet or let in a squeaker or anything because of it though. 

I would agree the modified 1S strapping is amazing. However, I played with my Optik and use the thin elastic at the top as a professor and have nearly the same feeling. If you get more ice in them, mess with the strapping more. 

I don't follow the part about the material though? You don't like the inner calf wrap? 

[Mroy31]

35 minutes ago, TheGoalNet said:

I agree on the blocker sidewall. I actually normally dont like the "1 piece" sidewall in general because it always get warped. The weight of the Optik may me give it awhirl though. My 1S felt sorta floppy too. The GNetik / CCM style is more my preference. As much as the sidewall has come to be the lowest point in the Optik line for me. I haven't felt a puck there yet or let in a squeaker or anything because of it though. 

I would agree the modified 1S strapping is amazing. However, I played with my Optik and use the thin elastic at the top as a professor and have nearly the same feeling. If you get more ice in them, mess with the strapping more. 

I don't follow the part about the material though? You don't like the inner calf wrap? 

It's like the inner calf wrap hugs too much of my leg.  It's a secure feeling, but I think because I prefer a looser fitting pad (loose pad, snug calf strap), I like how the 1S kind of sits around my leg, whereas the SmartX strap system makes the whole leg channel hug my leg.  Does that make sense?

[cwarnar]

7 minutes ago, Mroy31 said:

It's like the inner calf wrap hugs too much of my leg.  It's a secure feeling, but I think because I prefer a looser fitting pad (loose pad, snug calf strap), I like how the 1S kind of sits around my leg, whereas the SmartX strap system makes the whole leg channel hug my leg.  Does that make sense?

I'm with you... Sounds like a preference thing.  My RGT Pro's have the big calf lock sling.  I loved mine snug, but I've always prefer a closed/tight leg channel on my pads.  @coopaloop1234 Found the best of both worlds tho, in disconnecting the sling wrap from the calf wing

[raucebyalien]

Had the 'too snug / too attached' issue when I initially moved from P4's to my Gnetiks, so re-routed the smart strap through leather strap attachments on the outer calf wing (don't know if the Optiks still have these??) to create a bit more space in the leg channel:

[Mroy31]

4 hours ago, raucebyalien said:

Had the 'too snug / too attached' issue when I initially moved from P4's to my Gnetiks, so re-routed the smart strap through leather strap attachments on the outer calf wing (don't know if the Optiks still have these??) to create a bit more space in the leg channel:

No such option on these Optiks. (calf wedge removed for better view) 

[Mroy31]

Here are pics of what I was talking about with the blocker. The side wall feels a little disconnected, not like it would let in a goal or anything, but moves a little too easily. Maybe that would actually help absorb a shot in tight to the body though? 

The other part that is even less functional but looks weird is the extra Jenpro in that area behind the fingers.