Wet Gear

[Puckducker]

So for the majority of my time playing goal, I've always had a preference of playing in wet gear.

When I arrive at the rink, I pull out my pants, C/A, and gloves, and empty a water bottle on them, getting them pretty soaked before I put anything on. 

This largely came around from playing in out of town tournaments as a kid, where you don't have the chance to dry gear between games. I always found that my 2nd game in the day, putting on the still wet equipment, it felt like I had already played a period or two and was in the middle of a game, rather than starting cold. 

That's the psychological aspect at least. In regards to the physical though, I've found that wet gear tends to sit a little better on me (gear softens up a bit, and the added weight helps it settle into position). It crucially also helps me stay cool until I can get onto the ice and start building up a sweat on my own. 

I never questioned this practice myself, but over the past few years I've been playing on a bunch of different teams, and every time I get asked why I'm purposefully soaking my gear.

So anyone else feel the same way? 

[bunnyman666]

Not gonna lie- I have heard of a lot of things, but this is a first for me. But as I say- we’re all built differently and NONE of us are in a position to judge.

[coopaloop1234]

I used to do this for years. I like the broken in feeling that wetting my C/A and gloves had. I don't think I soaked them, but i definitely got them wet.

I've been going with dry gear for the past year though. Especially the gloves. Warrior dry gloves > Vaughn dry gloves.

[Doobiesnax]

I used to get the old mits wet pre skate, but that was becuase they would be crusty from the previous game or practice.

[IPv6Freely]

Definitely not.

[Mike24]

I prefer my gear on the damp side.  I always add some water when my gloves get dried out.  

[Puckducker]

Nice to see I'm not alone in this. 

Yeah, my old gloves got pretty crusty, which the water certainly helped. But even when I got new gloves, I tried to go a few games totally dry and it still felt off. 

I should say "soak" is probably not the correct term, but I'm definitely not stingy when applying the water. 

[BadAngle41]

23 minutes ago, Puckducker said:

Nice to see I'm not alone in this. 

Yeah, my old gloves got pretty crusty, which the water certainly helped. But even when I got new gloves, I tried to go a few games totally dry and it still felt off. 

I should say "soak" is probably not the correct term, but I'm definitely not stingy when applying the water. 

I'll get my glove hand wet a couple times and slap it my glove prior to packing my bag before a game, but that's about the extent of any dampening to gear. 

[Punisher Goalie]

Yeah I’m not going to criticize you for doing something that’s become part of your routine, but I would never do that. Just the psychological aspect of knowing there was all that extra water weight on the gear would mess with my head, even though I know I’d ultimately sweat a ton into it. I like to feel dry and light as long as possible. 

[loki1416]

I hate playing in wet gear. Only exception is my glove. Will throw a squirt or three in there to loosen it up a bit.  That being said, it depends on the rink. The one I play in now is super hot compared to other rinks. I actually change out my sweat band between periods because it's so full and I use the after market one thats like a sham-wow towel folded up. Been so hot at times that when I've cleaned up my crease I shoved that snow down my chesty.

[Puckducker]

6 hours ago, Punisher Goalie said:

Yeah I’m not going to criticize you for doing something that’s become part of your routine, but I would never do that. Just the psychological aspect of knowing there was all that extra water weight on the gear would mess with my head, even though I know I’d ultimately sweat a ton into it. I like to feel dry and light as long as possible. 

It could partially be because the damp gear creates a better feel/connection to the body, rather than dry gear that is lighter and so floats off you a little easier. Specifically with the C/A. When I got a new C/A in the summer I figured I'd give it a few clean runs without any water, but I immediately felt uncomfortable in it. I didn't feel connected in with the unit. It wasn't until I went back to watering it down that it suddenly started to get that connection back.

Though to be fair, that could just as well been because it was  completely new C/A and so it was bound to take time to get used to regardless. Perhaps I should test out another few clean runs. 

4 hours ago, loki1416 said:

I hate playing in wet gear. Only exception is my glove. Will throw a squirt or three in there to loosen it up a bit.  That being said, it depends on the rink. The one I play in now is super hot compared to other rinks. I actually change out my sweat band between periods because it's so full and I use the after market one thats like a sham-wow towel folded up. Been so hot at times that when I've cleaned up my crease I shoved that snow down my chesty.

That's got to be some pretty rough ice if the arena is so warm. That being said, if you're overheating, I'd suggest maybe try putting some water on your C/A before putting it on. It really does help keep me cool in the early portions of the game. 

[mik]

I don´t like to play in wet gear, especialy gloves. I allways use cotton gloves to keep my goalie gloves dry as long as posible (and it helps) . If I play back-to-back games, allways change for dry second set of goalie gloves. Sometimes I see goalie put some watter to the catcher, but rather rarely. 

First time to hear about that, but if that fitts you Puckducker, why not. I do lot of things that other goalies may find strange  .

[bunnyman666]

I know a bloke who wears Playtex kitchen gloves under his goalie gloves. I bet his gloves smell better than mine. I can’t imagine playing in kitchen gloves, but that’s his thing. 

I do wet my goalie glove when it’s new and trying to break it in. 

Different strokes for different folks.

[mik]

9 minutes ago, bunnyman666 said:

I know a bloke who wears Playtex kitchen gloves under his goalie gloves. I bet his gloves smell better than mine. I can imagine playing in kitchen gloves, but that’s his thing. 

I do wet my goalie glove when it’s new and trying to break it in. 

Different strokes for different folks.

Kitchen gloves  it's an very extreme solution . Ordinary cotton gloves take sweat and ventilate, goalie gloves are damp after the game but not so much;).

 

[bunnyman666]

On 11/8/2017 at 6:47 AM, mik said:

Kitchen gloves  it's an very extreme solution . Ordinary cotton gloves take sweat and ventilate, goalie gloves are damp after the game but not so much;).

Very extreme! I think of the sweat INSIDE the water-tight gloves- blech!!!!

[KootenayKeeper]

I hate wet gear. When I first started I rented gear at the rink. Sometimes I'd get gloves that had just been returned. Yuck! 

I prefer putting on dry and warm gear gear if possible. I had an oldtimers tournament this past weekend. I took my gloves home between games to dry. I still don't like wet gloves, even if they’re my own.

[ULTIMA]

Everyone has their quirks. But that's definitely not for me.

[SaveByRichter35]

I can definitely see what you're getting at here.  Wet gear tends to be much more pliable for the body than dry gear.  Dry gear can tend to be stiff and seem to work against what you want it to do, specifically the c/a.  I used to give a light wipe down of my c/a but I stopped some time ago.  I never soaked it though.  Same goes for my blocker palm before I started using Vaughn's black M2SH3(or whatever its called) material palms, which doesn't get crusty so I don't need to wet it.

[TheGoalNet]

Before gear had nice materials in then gloves, I like a damp glove because it closed easier. 

Now I could never think about that again and hate damp gear!