AdamL

I absolutely love the feel of the Vaughn XP glove on my hand, I just don't find it quite as natural to catch with. If we're just talking how comfortable is the break angle in my hand and which feels most natural to close, the XP wins, but the 2-piece was the clear winner in terms of strictly catching for me. That said, if you're a 590 user, I think you owe it to yourself to try on the V9 XP. I'm honestly not sure what I'm going to do with the toe ties. I actually don't hate the stock ones, they feel pretty natural and the clip is fairly easy to use, but they also don't have much slack between the boot and the toe of the skate to help with post integrations. I'm planning to pick up some BAHR bridges with the centered and offset holes, try some hybrid pro laces and maybe even give the old skate lace a try again.

I haven't been playing much because my left hip hasn't held up to playing every week, but I'm still subbing now and again and have probably a dozen or so games in the set. Overall it's a huge improvement over my old gear, but I thought I'd go over a few things I haven't been super pleased with. Blocker I've found the rebounds off the blocker to be remarkably inconsistent. The reason, I think, is because the pad on the back of the hand is WAY too soft. It's comfortable, but if the puck hits in the top maybe 40% of the board, the blocker will fulcrum over the top of my hand, rather than that energy being transmitted back to the puck to send the puck to the boards. I can squeeze into the palm and flex my wrist as hard as I can and still easily move the blocker board back because any force into the top part of the board compresses that pad. It leads to some shots coming off the blocker white hot if they hit in the lower half, then some others hit the top and will die just a few feet away. It's honestly a huge frustration with the piece. Maybe it's possible to have that pad replaced with something firmer? Glove I read in Cam Matwiv's VE8 review from way back when that he had trouble presenting this glove, and I have too, but I have found it's been for a different reason. I actually didn't think I had an issue with it until I looked at some photos of me playing and noticed my glove was pointed as much toward the ground as toward the puck. Cam had issue with the piece of aerospacer on the flap closest to the wrist, but I haven't found that to be a problem. I've found I'm fighting the portion of strapping that goes over the wrist itself, the piece farthest up the wrist shown here backed by gray nash. It's sewn into the glove on the right side, so no matter low loose you make the strap on that side, it's pretty tight on the wrist (shown loosened up below to give you an idea). To get around that I'm running the strap on the left side of this piece pretty loose as well, which allows for a decent amount of mobility now but, in order to get enough flexion at the wrist, it's not possible to wear the glove very tight, which I prefer to do. If both are cinched down, I can open up that flap closest to the chest pad entirely and still have trouble presenting the glove. The current solution is to cinch down the velcro on the back of my hand fairly tight and basically run all of the other straps as loose as possible. It works okay, but isn't really giving me the feel of control I want. Pads My only complaint with the pads pertains to an option I chose to change up on these and that's the professor strap. Occasionally these pads will fall down my leg and when they do, it's because the pad on the strap comes out from beneath the elastic. I think for this design to be as effective as it should be, the elastic needs to exit the padding as close to the end as possible. It's not a huge deal, I can easily access it during a break, the strap back under the elastic and pull the pad back up, but I shouldn't have to do that IMO. All in all, still a huge improvement from what I was wearing before, except I'd say blocker is a push. It's more comfortable and well-balanced than the XLT was, but I'd guess I'd prefer a newer Lefevre blocker over this. On the glove front, I have a significant desire to try the 580, because for as well as I catch with this glove, my stickhandling has gone to hell due to needing to turn my wrist another 15* to use the Turco grip. I just can't get used to it and usually end up playing the puck old-school style with the tee pointed down. When I don't it's flub city. Closure on the glove still feels weird, too, there's no getting around the 590 60* break feeling much more natural on the hand than the 45* Vaughn break, but I catch better with this glove so eh. I give an XP glove a go too if it was free, but I won't be dropping the coin on one.

I haven't skated in these yet, although I have put strapped them up with my skates and knee pads on and practiced some crease movements. Most of my impressions will be pretty surface-level so far. We had twins back in March of last year and that, combined with the pandemic, forced me to sit out the first session back that started in the fall of 2020. I'd planned to rejoin the league this spring, but every goaltender opted to return and so I didn't have a spot. I'm hoping to sub a few times during this shortened spring session before the summer league starts, but I may not have too many opportunities to skate in the next few weeks; fingers crossed. Glove I went with the 2-piece glove simply because I found it the most natural to catch with. When I went to my local store to try on a few gloves I took a lacrosse ball with me to throw off the cinderblock walls outside to see which felt most comfortable to catch with. I was flat-out stunned the way every single time the ball ended up in the pocket with the 2-piece V9 glove. The best way to describe why I think I catch well with this glove is probably to show a picture of Mrazek, who holds the glove just like I do. You can see the break of the glove is 90* with the ice, so as shots rise off the stick they naturally funnel up into the pocket. Contrast that with how Price presents his 590, which is also how I found myself holding the glove instinctively. The break actually angles down and to his left as it did with me, and so unless I was able to catch a puck cleanly in the pocket, it would hit the thumb side, roll across the palm, and pop out. My 590 is absolutely littered with black marks on the thumb side. User error? Definitely. But it's just not the glove for me. On to my actual glove. I went with the pro palm and reinforced T on both sides. It's not particularly snappy out of the box, but it's also not super stiff. Given Matt's (hockeyreviews.ca) complaints of Vaughn's gloves without pro palms being pretty thin I figured I should opt for it. My XLT is a pro palm as well and broke in nicely, I have no doubts this one will do the same. I also opted for skate lace on the outsides of the pocket and nylon in the middle, mostly to be able to track pucks through the pocket if they're coming at my face. Backhand shot. Looks like a Velocity glove. One thing I do think may cause some issue is the aerospacer portion of the cuff. It contacts my forearm some when I present the glove even without my C&A on, I do worry it might be slightly restricting, but time will tell. The pocket is absolutely huge compared to my 590. It's much deeper too, even though this picture doesn't look as dramatic as I think it does in person. Blocker I went with the full carbon face, which is an option on the customizer. Vaughn blockers aren't known for having the biggest pop, but this thing feels extremely firm on the face. I'm not expecting Bauer-like rebounds but I'm hoping they'll still find their way to the corners easily. I custom-specced a firm & rigid side board. I'm unsure exactly what material Vaughn used, but it's solid and square, unlike what I've seen in some other social media posts with the stock side board. Very happy with it so far. A comparison of the board angles. Pretty similar in feel from the back of the hand down, but the V9 is steeper above the hand. When I think about box control I believe this should add some additional coverage toward the top of the net, especially in close. Interestingly it's slightly taller than my XLT blocker despite the more aggressive angle. I was somewhat worried about the wrist mobility of the V9 blocker after trying on the offshore version in store, but I'm pleased to say the mobility in this one is excellent. The padding on the back of the hand is thick and keeps the blocker firmly connected to my hand, unlike the XLT which is pretty loose. The biggest improvement from the XLT to the V9 blocker for me, though, is the left/right balance. It's probably tough to see in this photo, but the XLT has a really thick pad between the blocker board and the thumb side running the entire length, whereas on the V9 it's only over the thumb. The weight on the inside of the XLT blocker is extremely noticeable when turning the board over as if deflecting a shot to the corner, whereas the V9 is much more balanced, with less weight on the inside. Pads I'm 5'10" and 18" ATK, and I went with 33+2. I specced: Stiff option thigh rise Stock boot stiffness SLR2 RRC strap SLR2 knee stack Layer the pad like the SLR2 with carbon in the face for the biggest rebound Vaughn offers HD foams on the landing side, including the calf stabilizer Leather strap at the bottom of the knee block Changed aerospacer on the back of the pad to nylon for durability Added 1" to the Y-strap elastic The thigh rise is indeed stiff. When I first filled out the customizer I selected "extra stiff" and was flatly told even the pros don't do the extra stiff option - they've literally never built a pad with it. I don't know what to best compare the thigh rise to, but it's at least as rigid as the EF4, if not more. Not at all your typical Velocity feel in the thigh rise. The SLR2 RRC strap - I found the stock Velocity RRC strap a bit of a pain to put on and also too tight. The elastic used is twice the width of what's used for the SLR2 strap and the pad feels 100% stuck to your leg. I'm sure some people prefer that feel, but I thought the SLR2 version gives the control and reaction you want from a professor strap while still allowing the pad to move and rotate as it should. Plus the buckle is trick. Here you can see the calf pillows Vaughn added to the V9 and the nylon instead of the aerospacer on the back. Aerospacer works fine in some places, IMO, but in an area that will see as much wear as the back of the pad will I wanted a material that should last longer. Here unfortunately we can also see where Vaughn made a mistake on my order. They used the regular V9 knee stack instead of the SLR2, and they put the knee strap in the middle of the knee stack instead of at the bottom. Turns out I'm okay with the knee stack - the pad still feels like it responds well with the stock one - but I'm shipping them back to have the knee strap moved to the bottom of the stack and have the buckle moved down as well. In its current location it cuts into the back of my knee too much if the strap is tight enough to actually aid in securing the knee block to the pad. The stiff calf stabilizer seems to make a big difference in how stable the pad feels on the landing side. Profile shot Boot underside. Not as flat as some other pads on the market today (20.1 for example), but still much flatter than what I'm used to. The boot is pretty soft but not "deep ultra soft" like the EF4. I can easily flex at the ankles in them unlike in my terrible X28s, no need for it to be any softer for me. I'll finish with one relatively significant disappointment I have in the pads (other than having to send them back to fix the knee strap), and that's the weight. I knew doing the stiff thigh rise would add some weight, I also figured doing the HD foams on the landing side would add a small amount of weight as well given HD foams simply weigh more than low density foams. Turns out, layering the pad like the SLR2 also added a small amount of weight, although Dennis said it should have been extremely small. I didn't think it should add any considering the SLR2 is the lighter of the two pads, but I digress. The pads came in at 5 pounds 5 ounces each. I didn't expect super light pads, but I was hoping they'd be about 5 even or slightly less, especially because they're little 33+2s. That said, my X28s are 5 pounds 13 ounces each, and most of that weight feels like it's in the boot. If I balance the V9s on my hand, it's quickly apparent the bulk of the weight is in the thigh rise now with that stiffer option. If you imagine trying to do anything athletic with 5 pounds strapped around your ankle or 5 pounds strapped just above your knee, it'd be much easier to move with that weight up higher, which is exactly what I feel when I put these on. No, they're not as light as I expected them to be, but the weight is distributed in a way that makes them feel noticeably lighter than my old pads when they're actually on my legs. Regardless, I'm super happy with the set overall and can't wait to get it out on the ice.

According to the Goalies Plus sizing chart the Ultrasonics actually fit a size larger than the 2X, so if you were a medium in the 2X you'd wear a large in the Ultrasonic. Who knows... https://www.goaliesplus.com/goalie-pad-sizing-guide/ I do know the size chart is correct for me as far as how I fit into V9s and the 2X at 18" ATK, though.

To be fair, I think there's more that goes into this than pad/shin height - my X28s are terrible in this regard and they're sized appropriately for me. Because of the stiff boot and steep boot angle, the boot sits way down over my skate, and so for me to get into dorsiflexion, the pad either needs to come up my leg, or the bottom of the pad needs to come away from my shin to allow for that movement in my ankle. I am constantly pulling them up so they sit on top of my skates instead of in front of them, but inevitably they fall back down and I'm again fighting them during crease movements and that bottom calf strap is pulling on my leg as I try to flex at the ankle. I could wear that bottom calf strap really loose, but then the pad just falls down my leg even more. Take your 20.1s with its FRS and super flat boot - a. the FRS keeps the pad up high in the first place, and b. the boot is so flat I wouldn't think there's really a way for the pad to fall over the skate and limit ankle mobility. I'd think even if the wearer is landing close to the bottom of the knee block that would merely lead to interference up top, not necessarily down in the ankle.

I’m basically 100% sure I would have gone with 12.2s had they been available at the same time, but I think V9s are a compelling option (obviously) with the right tweaks. Here’s hoping I’m right! The spring leagues have started around here and I didn’t want to play the entire session in my current gear. The set looks like it’ll be on my doorstep on Tuesday, more details incoming!

What can I say? I’m a tease. I’ll be doing a separate thread with lots of photos and some more detailed impressions both out of the box and once I’m able to skate with them a few times.

Agree 100%. I’d definitely err on the side of going shorter if between sizes. The benefits to mobility from going shorter outweigh the minimal increase in coverage from going bigger IMO. Having the same measurements I do, I’m not sure how seagoal fits in a 35” Vaughn, though, unless we’re talking some older stuff. The VE8s fit an inch smaller than the V9s, and even in those I fit a 34+2, definitely not a 35. I got my V9s in 33+2.

We’re the same height and have the same FTK measurement - I thought the Medium 2X was the right size for me, but from what I’ve seen the Ultrasonics run one size bigger than the 2X. I’d guess they’d be one size too big, but that’s purely a guess.

I liked the XLT blocker. Shots don’t pop off of it like they used to, but it’s a nice piece. I’ve never gotten along with the glove. It’s made well, but I don’t jive with the 590 break, and the pocket on this glove is both smaller and shallower than other gloves with a similar break. The X28 pads just stink. I’ve been fighting them for 3.5 years now and can’t wait to dump them. The tall, steep boot angle really negatively impacts my mobility, they’re heavy, slide terribly, and overall just don’t perform well for me. I’ll be sure to do a more in-depth thread once the set gets here detailing what sort of customizations I did and my impressions of everything once I get them on the ice a few times.

Thanks! I definitely plan to.

Mike was great, especially to a retail customer who probably asked for more customization than is typical. Cannot wait to get the set, it’s going to be such a better fit for me than my X28s/XLTs.

9 weeks on the nose. Thanks to Dennis at Vaughn, and Mike & Addison at Goalies Plus!

I've played around with the bootstrap quite a bit, and I've found I prefer to use it, but I run it under the arch of my foot instead of under the heel. Under the heel, even when worn loose it still puts additional strain on the ankles and that travels up through the knees and into the hips for me. Going with the Lundy loop and ditching it altogether feel exactly the same to me, but as a previous poster mentioned, depending on the how the pad is attached farther up, you can have the issue where the pad will ride up on the leg, which reduces coverage in extended situations and can result in not landing on the knee block. I find running the strap through the middle of the skate with a very small amount of slack doesn't inhibit my ankle mobility at all, but keeps the pad located on top of my skate where it belongs. I really like the Vaughn solution there, though, where they have some elastic in the boot strap so it can be worn without much slack, but still gives a little. The Velocity strap is okay, but a little tighter than the Ventus version, which I prefer.

1st - this. You may very well have some type of MCL or meniscus injury, so get it checked out. Second, there are some overarching things I can tell you that hopefully your physio will tell you as well. Unless you had a traumatic event or series of events impacting that knee, your knee problems are not actually knee problems. People don't generally suffer from a lack of "knee mobility". Problems in the knee are symptoms of problems elsewhere - in the ankle and/or in the hip. If you have patellar tendonitis, for example, it's almost always from a lack of dorsiflexion. Problems on the inside of the knee are often caused by excessive knee valgus (knees collapsing toward one another) in athletes. Goaltenders naturally have to do this, but if you can't control the degree to which you're getting into that position it's likely from a lack of glute strength, specifically those external rotators.

The V9 offers core stiffness options for both the thigh rise and scoop/boot right on the order form. Dennis was perfectly happy to do the stock boot and stiff thigh rise on my set. I made quite a few other changes to them too, and the only upcharge was for layering carbon fiber on the face of the pad like they do in the SLR2s, and it was only $95. Honestly had a great experience working with them. Can’t wait to get them!

If we swap the term influential for innovative I'd buy the arguments presented, and I think I'd put Warrior above True as well. Aside from being the first (I believe?) with custom skates I think Warrior has done more to bring new features and approaches to making goalie gear. Lefevre took a really good CCM line and made some tweaks to craft the L20.1 and now L12.2, but I don't think they're truly innovative lines, but they perform well and are obviously of first rate quality. Vaughn probably deserves to be in last place with regard to innovation, but I don't care. With what I was looking for in a pad, the V9 (with a decent amount of customization) ended up being one of probably only two options I could have reasonably picked and I expect them to be nothing short of awesome for my game and how I play. Plenty of NHLers clearly feel the same way.

That’s awesome! I’ll be truly blessed if I’m able to enjoy the game for the next 36 years until I hit my 70th birthday. Very cool to hear that you’re out there at 70 standing in front of flying rubber.

The thing I find so intriguing about BHR is if the hardware fails, there's still the option to go with a full replacement later. If you can make it to, say, 40 before getting a BHR and that lasts 20 years, then you do a traditional replacement at 60, you're more or less going to be mobile until your days are over. Hope you can make your originals last awhile longer. Seems if you play this position long enough, for many of us our bodies tell us when we're done long before we get to decide for ourselves. I don't know how some of these 50+ and 60+ dudes are out there playing goal still. There's no way I'll be able to play the position the way I want to by the time I'm that age.

Hip surgery is a crazy thing. For every story out there like Thatcher Demko's it seems there are 10 more where people don't get the results they expected from FAI surgery. I myself have torn labrums and cam impingements on both sides. No idea when the labrums were injured, but I haven't been able to do the splits in a game situation since my early 20s (10+ years ago now), and since those cam impingements are on the outside of the femurs it's likely those developed in high school and college. My right side has no symptoms, but lingering issues on my left side led me to seek out an evaluation from a physio to assess what I'm dealing with and she ended up recommending an MRI. I went through the free Butterfly program Maria Mountain put together twice and had some nice results from it, but far less the second time around. I then bought her Strategic Mobility for Goalies program and, combined with some weekly PT sessions consisting of cupping, dry needling, and now some Pilates work, through just the first 3 weeks of SMfG I'm having some really impressive results. I wouldn't say that left hip is quite at 100% but the strength and control I have in my hips compared to when I started is impressive, especially for such a short period of time. Part of me wonders if I'd get even better results if the mechanical issues were cleaned up, but then again that could just make things worse and bring on arthritis where I really don't have that now. I'm 100% confident I can do everything I want to physically - except play goal. I can play forward, I can run, I can jump, cut, squat, deadlift, etc. etc., but the unique stresses of playing between the pipes scare me still. What a crazy position we've all chosen to play.

Thanks! That's really not bad at all - this person told me Vaughn was at 16 weeks on the short end and could take as long as 24. I can handle 10-12, which should be more or less in line with most other companies.

@southpawtendy48 mind if I ask how long your order took? I was about to place an order for a full V9 set and was told the wait time might be...substantial. Thanks!

Niiiiiiice! I see the SLR2-style lower calf strap there, what other options did you go with?

I wonder if doing the 84* boot and going with a 2 in the knee instead of a 3 would keep the pad more upright and rigid through the top enough to mostly or completely eliminate that. I'm nearly 100% sure the G-Netik IVs would work great for me, it's just tough when I can't get my hands on a set in person and I know I'd be comfortable in the V9s after trying on a set of the senior versions in store. I submitted an order for a V9 set for quote through the dealer I've been working with, but when I mentioned I was deciding between the V9 and G-Netik IV, he warned me to be prepared for most of those little tweaks to cost something - he wasn't sure how much. "Typical Vaughn", I guess. He encouraged me to go with the G-Netik IV just based on that, but said he'd submit the quote to see how it comes out. Still a good chance I go with the G-IVs. Thanks for your input!

Those look fantastic.