Optik Pad Break In

[Kapz]

How much do these pads settle (drop a 1/2' to an 1'?) and how long did that take?

[old but slow]

Modern pads really don't/shouldn't settle. the breaks at the boot and knee may soften a little but with the use of "sheet foam" there really shouldn't/isn't settling.

If I'm wrong, I apologize but this is the way I understand it.

[bunnyman666]

Stuffed pads settle a fair bit. The sheet foam pad core (most modern pads) does settle nominally at the breaks as I have witnessed when taking apart a pair of pads, but not like stuffed pads in the least from what I have seen.

[Bgums13]

They won’t settle I had to keep mine compressed under a table for the first 12 skates or so I still had to adapt my skating but now they’re perfect 

[BadAngle41]

i don't wear Optiks... but can say the lack of settling is the reason I'm going to shave down some thigh rise.

[jayluv54]

Newer pads typically don't settle, but you my find that the pad may begin to soften and lose some rigidity.  I've heard of this happening rather quickly with the Optiks and know from personal experience that this started happening with my G3's.  Its a different kind of break down that occurs now in modern pads.

[Urabus33]

Mine have not broken down in size at all (34+1 FLX) but they are noticeably softer than they were 2 months ago. similar to a double break vaughn pad, but with a better lateral stiffness.
should've gone with the FLY.

[TheGoalNet]

On 5/5/2018 at 11:38 PM, Urabus33 said:

Mine have not broken down in size at all (34+1 FLX) but they are noticeably softer than they were 2 months ago. similar to a double break vaughn pad, but with a better lateral stiffness.
should've gone with the FLY.

Thanks for the info. Whenever people ask for a recommendation, I always suggest FLY. It's stiffer, but not crazy. I can't imagine it being too stiff for anyone. 

[IPv6Freely]

I'd definitely be going FLX if I was going to buy Optik. 

[Kapz]

1 hour ago, TheGoalNet said:

Thanks for the info. Whenever people ask for a recommendation, I always suggest FLY. It's stiffer, but not crazy. I can't imagine it being too stiff for anyone. 

I ended up ordering FLY with a soft boot see how that turns out in 8 weeks or so.

[Yzueblin]

23 hours ago, Kapz said:

I ended up ordering FLY with a soft boot see how that turns out in 8 weeks or so.

i love my fly but after 2 game i give them a pretty small curve hehe

[IPv6Freely]

5 hours ago, Yzueblin said:

i love my fly but after 2 game i give them a pretty small curve hehe

Yea thats the main reason I'd be going FLX. I want that curve. 

[Urabus33]

On 5/8/2018 at 9:23 AM, TheGoalNet said:

Thanks for the info. Whenever people ask for a recommendation, I always suggest FLY. It's stiffer, but not crazy. I can't imagine it being too stiff for anyone. 

I made the mistake of judging the book by its cover and they are WAY to soft now. And even storing them right side up they have too much pre-curve 

[TheGoalNet]

8 hours ago, Urabus33 said:

I made the mistake of judging the book by its cover and they are WAY to soft now. And even storing them right side up they have too much pre-curve 

I found this to be the case with OG GNetik. They held beautifully long term and stopped getting soft once full broken in, but it was night and day from the box. I loved them for about 1 month and then started to mod them to improve the feel and seal 

I don’t know your financial position or how much you care... but Factory Mad could definitely pop them open and stiffen up the core. He’s trust worthy for that 

FLY has been good so far. 

[Urabus33]

On 5/10/2018 at 7:35 AM, TheGoalNet said:

I found this to be the case with OG GNetik. They held beautifully long term and stopped getting soft once full broken in, but it was night and day from the box. I loved them for about 1 month and then started to mod them to improve the feel and seal 

I don’t know your financial position or how much you care... but Factory Mad could definitely pop them open and stiffen up the core. He’s trust worthy for that 

FLY has been good so far. 

I’ve been considering moving back to a single break Eflex3 pad, or even to a premier 2/ SLR. 

Always wanting to try new stuff, never found that “perfect” pad yet between too stiff and not stiff enough when broken in 

[Bgums13]

Going to give an update to this, after 30 skates my pads have not settled one bit but they are noticeably softer at the boot break, I’m in a fly core they still retained their shape but now when skating since the boot softened up the pads seem pitched forward so the corners don’t hit each other anymore FYI I do not use a boot strap 

[jayluv54]

On 5/11/2018 at 5:04 PM, Urabus33 said:

I’ve been considering moving back to a single break Eflex3 pad, or even to a premier 2/ SLR. 

Always wanting to try new stuff, never found that “perfect” pad yet between too stiff and not stiff enough when broken in 

I've got a set of Varlamov's Eflex3's from this past season.  Single break with an ultra soft boot, but a stiffened up thigh rise for a solid seal.  They have the PII leg channel and strapping.  Really feels like a hybrid Eflex3/PII pad.  The only issue I have is that they are +3 thigh rise, which makes it pretty difficult to move.  Otherwise, it is very close to being my perfect pad.

[Jacob Musselman]

On 5/10/2018 at 5:35 AM, TheGoalNet said:

I found this to be the case with OG GNetik. They held beautifully long term and stopped getting soft once full broken in, but it was night and day from the box. I loved them for about 1 month and then started to mod them to improve the feel and seal 

I don’t know your financial position or how much you care... but Factory Mad could definitely pop them open and stiffen up the core. He’s trust worthy for that 

FLY has been good so far. 

As long as they don't get as soft as my GNETIK pro 2's did after 3 years, I'm ok with it. They literally now make a right angle when turned upside down.

[TheGoalNet]

On 5/17/2018 at 7:39 AM, jayluv54 said:

I've got a set of Varlamov's Eflex3's from this past season.  Single break with an ultra soft boot, but a stiffened up thigh rise for a solid seal.  They have the PII leg channel and strapping.  Really feels like a hybrid Eflex3/PII pad.  The only issue I have is that they are +3 thigh rise, which makes it pretty difficult to move.  Otherwise, it is very close to being my perfect pad.

I bet something like that is available at retail someday... 

[TheGoalNet]

9 hours ago, Jacob Musselman said:

As long as they don't get as soft as my GNETIK pro 2's did after 3 years, I'm ok with it. They literally now make a right angle when turned upside down.

FLY is good so far. 

[ULTIMA]

I just got through trying out a friend's Optik pads. And as I predicted, not for me at all. It was a "FLX" pad which seemed as soft a Vaughn Velocity 3 after 5 seasons of use. I'm exaggerating of course but that was way too soft. No intention of buying from the start but the opportunity arose to use it so I tried. A little soft is good but that was too much. I do like a flat-faced pad which is why I was welcomed to try.

Brian's really should buy the rights from CCM  to the "Extreme Flex" name and call it that. It's super flexy. If that's what you're looking for, it's the pad for you.

[Jacob Musselman]

On 6/28/2018 at 10:54 AM, TheGoalNet said:

FLY is good so far. 

Well I hope FLX is good cause that's what I ordered. Also FLX is what I demoed and felt the best in.

[TheGoalNet]

On 6/28/2018 at 3:29 PM, ULTIMA said:

I just got through trying out a friend's Optik pads. And as I predicted, not for me at all. It was a "FLX" pad which seemed as soft a Vaughn Velocity 3 after 5 seasons of use. I'm exaggerating of course but that was way too soft. No intention of buying from the start but the opportunity arose to use it so I tried. A little soft is good but that was too much. I do like a flat-faced pad which is why I was welcomed to try.

Brian's really should buy the rights from CCM  to the "Extreme Flex" name and call it that. It's super flexy. If that's what you're looking for, it's the pad for you.

You should look at a FLY. It's much different. I too think FLX is too flexible for my style and preference. I was just comparing my FLY's to P2 now that they are both broken in. They are in the same neighborhood. My guess is that FLY slots between EF and Premier. 

[Jacob Musselman]

1 minute ago, TheGoalNet said:

You should look at a FLY. It's much different. I too think FLX is too flexible for my style and preference. I was just comparing my FLY's to P2 now that they are both broken in. They are in the same neighborhood. My guess is that FLY slots between EF and Premier. 

Well hopefully Brian's hasn't gotten too far with my pad core's just yet

[TheGoalNet]

33 minutes ago, Jacob Musselman said:

Well hopefully Brian's hasn't gotten too far with my pad core's just yet

I’m confused 

What did you order and what do you want to shift to?