Which Kickers for Cloud Legguards?

cloud legguards
It has come to that time of year again where i have to look at my kit and ask myself whether or not it’ll survive another season of punishment. This time round it’s my kickers that are being called into question. My trusty Cloud kickers have started disintegrating at an alarming rate after 4 seasons hard work. While they may well survive another season i will be moving up a division with my school and club so i’m not sure if that’s a risk i want to take.

cloud kickers

So this begs the question; What do i replace them with? Well the obvious answer is another set of Cloud feet friends but given my imminent change in level i think it’s time to upgrade. So my next thought was either the Hi Control or the Hi Rebound Robo models. the problem with this choice is that i play on a sand pitch and i’ve heard that the HR kickers (which i would prefer) disintegrate rapidly on this kind of  surface. And given the cost of Robo kickers i’m not sure that i can justify this. Similarly i’m not sure that i could fork out all that cash for the HC kickers if they’re not exactly what i want.

hi-r kickers

So another, more unusual, option that i have heard of is using Tk Gx 1.0 kickers with OBO legguards. Given that these cost something similar to the Cloud range they are a tempting option. they have a similar tongue system too so i think that the  loking system would still work.

compare the tongue to the Cloud Kickers

If you look closely at the Unusual Diving Syle video (below) i think that that keeper is using Gx 1.0’s with Robo legguards without any twisting.


So does anybody have any thoughts on this? I’d really appreciate some advice. if you have any experience of this or know of anyone using this system please leave a comment.

Cheers,

Cormac Deasy

OGO Kickers Review

OBO OGO Kickers

After writing a review about the leg guards, I thought I should make one about the OGO kickers as well – because (as I said with the leg guards) OGO is sadly misunderstood…

In my other review I covered four major subjects; weight, rebound, protection and drawbacks.  I’ll try to do the same with this review.

OGO Kickers
OGO Kickers

Weight:

Being one of the smallest pieces of your kit, it has always seemed to me like kicker weight makes practically no difference to a keeper’s game. Well, so far I’ve played around 15 games with these kickers and I think now I can safely say I’ve changed my mind.

Kicking is arguably the most important part of goalkeeping and I believe that, no matter what level you play, there is always room for improvement in this area.

Because of my OGOs’ light weight, I’ve noticed I’m actually growing substantially more agile on my feet, allowing more controlled foot saves and quicker, easier running.

Rebound:

Well, what can I say? I remember on my very first save with these kickers I was amazed by their great rebound, which sent the ball away from the goal with almost the same speed as it came in with.

Needless to say, good rebound is an extremely helpful aspect of foot, leg and hand saves because it means that clearing a moving ball does not require a whopping great kick/punch.

Protection:

I play under fifteens, and during a club game I have never once been hurt through the kickers. I say club, because to tell the truth I have once or twice experienced a bit of pain from the occasional shot during southern and state training. But hey, that’s part of goalkeeping. Let me know what you think about this…

With my old kickers, I would often find (usually after running) that the strap at the back would slip down underneath my foot, allowing the kicker to slip forward, and expose my ankle. I can remember numerous times when I have been hit in the ankle due to this.

Well, I don’t know why, but this has never happened with the OGOs… Whether this is because of some amazing technology, or simply because they fit me better, I can’t tell you how much more confidence this has given me in the goal.

Drawbacks:

One problem I’ve found with the kickers (which, after reading other reviews, I know other people are familiar with as well), is that after a bit of action the front strap will slip in between the kicker and my shoe, actually raising the kicker high enough to expose my toes.

I asked OBO in NZ if there was anything I could do to stop this from occurring, and they got back to me quickly with three great suggestions, one of which is working beautifully (Figure eights).

figure 8
figure 8

I love this integrated locking system, although one problem I’ve been having is that the tongue tends to digs into my foot, which can be a bit awkward and sometimes slightly painful.

One solution for this is to wear shin pads underneath your leg guards, which I like to do because it makes my leg guards in general more comfortable. Another solution involves over-bending the tongue forward, holding it forward with tape, and blowing hot air on the inside of the tongue.

-Detailed instructions on how to do this on second page of PDF. [Link]

In conclusion, I’d like to say that some people will like these kickers and some people won’t (I think most people will). Personally, because I prefer to play a more agile, attacking game, I like them.

I hope this review has changed your perspective of OGO, like one training session changed mine.

Cheers,

Ozzie

Shoulder Pads

Without any protection to the shoulder areas when using a solo body/chest pad, separate shoulder pads can be used in conjunction, to protect your joints when you hit the pitch when landing a save, or challenging on the ground. Increasing your upper body protection should be considered if you are concerned over the level and types of shots you will face.

 

Ice hockey shoulder caps

To cover the space above the chest pad and around the shoulder joint, which is not covered by the armour, some form of protection is needed for the vulnerable shoulder areas, when landing a save, risking knocks and bashes when scrambling around the goal mouth, or facing a direct shot to the top of your body. The padding often extends around the biceps (top of the arm) to take the sting out of shots.

 

Wearing ice hockey shoulder pads (worn by outfield players) on top of the body pad is a great solution to this problem of missing padding on the shoulders. You will find a number of reflex orientated goalkeepers at international wearing them in conjunction with a body pad, providing adequate protection that they need for the upper body (which the chest pad does not cover).

 

Some hockey shops will sell ice hockey shoulder caps, and Mercian have gone as far as making their own version. Some on-line shops like the Hockey Factory Shop (www.hockeyfactoryshop.co.uk) stock ice hockey player’s shoulder pads, like the CCM and Reebok ranges. Again, Ebay is an idea, and you can find suitable first or second hand padding, by doing a search for “shoulder pads” in the ‘Ice Hockey section’ in the ‘Sporting goods’ area

 

shoulder

 

Pros

  • Combine well with field hockey body pads

  • Add protection to vulnerable shoulder joints and upper body

  • Moderate, affordable costs

 

Cons

  • Harder to find – specialised stores

  • Potential to be bulky (depending on preferences/upper body strength)

  • Can limit arm protection at the shoulder cuff rotator muscle (but only slightly)

 

OBO Cloud Leg-guards Review In A Short Story

Hey Everybody,

When I read through the other reviews for the kit competition, which were all very good, I noticed that nobody had really been that creative and that I might be able to fill this gap. Either way, I hope you enjoy:

I waited anxiously on Monday morning, staring out the window till about 2 o’clock, when, suddenly, I saw a flash of light come down the road. As it came nearer and nearer, I got more and more excited, wondering what was going to happen and whether my life would change after this momentous event. Then the man walked towards me, dressed completely in red, and said “Please sign”. I could barely write as my hand was shaking so much due to the exhilaration. I managed to do so after 5 minutes, giving the red man his lovely pen back, soaking in sweat. He passed the package over to me and walked off. I did not know what to do; I was just so thrilled that it was finally here. I stayed, standing, at the front door for another 5 minutes, motionless, not knowing what to do. I then decided to rush into my bedroom alone to open the package. When I arrived in my room, I threw down the package, searching for a pair of scissors of anything sharp. There was nothing anywhere. I ended having to use my bare hands and teeth to get in. But it was worth it. When I opened the package, a huge light stared at me, almost blinding me. What was it? It was my new set of obo cloud leg-guards.

As soon as I saw them, I was in love. I knew these were my dream leg-guards. The colours, weight, durability, protection and rebound were everything I wanted. It was the most amazing thing I had ever seen in my life. I felt like going round my street and kissing anyone I saw, I was that happy. What was there not to like? Nothing. In my eyes, nothing could beat these. The yellow made me look like a bird…

I had my GCSE English Oral in 2 hours, which I had to attend. But I could not leave them. How could I bring them with me when I was going to talk about how John Steinbeck creates a feeling of sympathy for Lennie in “Of Mice and Men”? I just could not put them through it; I didn’t want to see them in pain. So, I took a bold move for the sake of my precious jewels, and chose to do my English Oral on the OBO Cloud Leg-guards. My teacher was amazed, saying she had never seen anybody so enthusiastic about a subject before. I got an A*, for which I took my leg-guards out to the local public house to celebrate.

The next day, I had my first match with them. I was in heaven. This was my paradise, forget about rehab, treat ecstasy addiction with obo leg-guards. They were so light, weighing nothing like any other pads I had ever worn. When I put them on for the first time, I was amazed by the comfort. I did not expect it from such a hard outer foam. Fortunately, OBO put a different inner foam in, and this made them unbelievably comfortable. I loved the way they hugged my legs, as if they were actually moulded on my legs. When taking shots to them, I felt no pain, even when playing against the ex-international, who had injured his goalie before the game. This was amazing, I was playing the game of my life, I was on cloud nine. When I had a one-on-one just before half time, I slid out, and my leg-guards did not twist slightly. This was due to the right leg-guard being slightly narrower than the left and also the wing hinging system, obo have in place on all leg-guards. Then after the break, I went down to log at a short corner, which the top of my left leg-guard saved, showing how useful the extra width on the left leg-guard is.

After the match, I noticed how for the first time in ages, none of my straps had come undone, unlike the opposing keeper, who was not wearing OBO, who had managed to become undone 5 times and lose one of his straps. I also realised that I had had no fear during the game of getting hit on the ankle or the knee, due to the design of these leg-guards.

A month later, it was time to wash my darlings. I made sure the water was warm for them, the way they like it, before adding a cup of borax. I then decided to do the same with fabric freshener, just to make sure that their skin was not irritated. It also made them smell great, ready to play their part in the club day the next day. Everybody commented on how good they looked, and although they did not say so, they were really chuffed.

A few years later, it was our anniversary and I was offered robo hi-control leg-guard’s. I said “Pah! No, how dare you even insinuate that! I will never leave them”. My pads had held up well over the years and there was no way I was leaving them now. Even though the inners had started to split and the outers and inners had started to come apart, these could easily be fixed with glue. And, either way, I had become attached to them, we had gone through a lot together, and I would only let them go when the time was right.

In the future, I would buy these again, and would be perfectly happy to play senior international matches with them in the future. Everything is great about them, I cannot fault anything. They are even easy to repair, even though they are very durable. I would recommend these to anyone, who wants a good set of leg-guards at a reasonable price. Although they may be more expensive than some other brands, in the end they last longer and are better.

Having told you this story, I would like to say that I would expect this from OBO, after all, “Goalkeepers are Amazing People”. You said be creative, I was creative. I hope that this included everything that is supposed to be in a review. Any questions, please ask? If I could put pictures in, I would, although maybe I should not, after all, the point of stories is to enlighten your imagination…

CLOUD Legguards Review

Well I chose to review my OBO cloud legguards

2007_obo_cloud_legguards1_200

Before I got my Cloud I was using my clubs leg guards. But I found that even on a nice slippery water base pitch you COULDN’T slide!

When I first ordered them I was regretting not getting the ROBO, as I heard rumours that cloud was useless!!

On the day they arrived I was surprised at how light they were!

I noticed that they looked the same as the ROBO hi-control but presuming with slightly softer foam and a few less perks. But still have a lot of good ideas that you won’t find on many other brands

-The left leg is wider than the right for some reason (probably for extra height when logging or something)

-The wings at the side are lower to the ground which really helps to stop balls just sliding past your foot.

-The straps are hiding so there is wear-n-tear when sliding.

-The oddly shaped buckles help to stop the straps loosening during a game or training.

-The great idea of the tongue that helps stop the leg guards from twisting!

(yes I know these are not cloud but it’s the same idea)

kl_oboroboset_big-1111

The only flaw I can see with the leg guards is that the area around the knee (highlighted)is quite more built up more than the rest of the pads so when I log there is naturally a gap between them making a lovely target for a good striker. Maybe that is only me as I have short-ish legs but, I have no idea that could help stop this without reducing protection. (yes lets laugh at the very badly drawn picture)

My funky drawing

To finish it all I would like to say that I would recommend cloud leg guards to any keeper as they have absolutely excellent protection, are light and easy to move in and have never caused me a single problem during a match.

By the way if anybody else has had the problem with the built up knee please leave me a comment! and if you dont, leave a comment anyway!!

Thanks!!

Hillmonger!

Danglers

Other than covering your neck area with a removable bib/guard, it is possible to use to increase the protection required for your neck, with the mask not follow covering this dangerous area. The dangler is attached to the helmet or mask, hanging off the chin of the helmet, to cover the open neck area and provide suitable protection against a potential shot there.

 

Hockey plates

There are field hockey specific types of danglers mass produced by a number of companies, like Grays, Obo or TK, that can be attached to the helmet, fixing on below the chin area. Made of pvc, they are strong enough to withstand the majority of shots to the neck area; offering a flat blocking shape against balls ending up between the helmet and body armour. However, they should really only be used in conjunction with helmet/cage combos, as the plastic dangler can attach to the helmet without it moving around wildly; if you tried to attach it to a mask, then it will not make efficient connection, leaving you open to shots as you move around, as it swings up.

 

dangler1

 

Ice hockey danglers

Ice hockey companies mass produce lexan danglers for their goaltenders, which attach around the mask’s chin to offer all-round protection to the throat. These can be used by us field hockey goalies to cover the open space below the mask chin; covering your voice box and neck from possible harm. The dangler is made of strong composite materials which are capable of absorbing a shot (really hard shots could crack it and will obviously need replacing!). You can get different danglers to suit the type of helmet; larger round danglers are suitable for both helmet/cage combos and masks, providing a wide rim of protection, whilst the smaller V-shaped danglers work OK with masks, offering a tighter area of coverage; the shape not interfering with the chin.

 

dangler2

 

Hockey Specific Masks

Due to the great improvement in the plastics industry, metal working, and technology in general, field hockey equipment makers have been attempting to keep up with the new alterations to the new sticks that give players greater chance to do us more damage! Similar to ice hockey masks, hockey specific masks are fully enclosed helmets, with a back strap holding the mask in place on the head. Rather than using any special materials for increased protection, they are made of high impact plastic, injection moulded for head sizes. The cages are generally made of carbon steel.

These masks make great protection for young goalkeepers’ headgear, and are at affordable prices, making them affordable and reasonable alternatives to a helmet/cage combo, if you prefer protection over vision. The masks generally come in two sizes: junior or senior (I would recommend that an older intermediate teenager would manage to fit into a senior helmet – check the given sizes first i.e. 16/17 +). They are suitable for lower to mid-club level standard (up to about regional level standard) for senior players; cages can be switched for a cat eye (for greater vision for those who dislike having to see through a grill) at an additional cost.

Common makers include Slazenger who produce club, county and international versions with obviously matching levels of protection.

hockey_mask

Pros

  • Provide better protection than helmet/cage combos; added chin protection and

  • Moderate costs makes the helmet an affordable option

  • Cage compatibility – able to switch cages produced by the same company easily

Cons

  • Reduced peripheral vision – harder to see overall side to side game

  • Harder to shout out team instructions, with the mouth area covered by the design

Review on OBO Robo Elbow Guards

This is my review on the new OBO Robo Elbow Guards. Hope you enjoy it.

robo-elbow-guard-300x1991

Hey guys, iv been part of the beta testing programme for the new OBO Robo Elbow Guards, a very recent addition to the OBO range so here it goes. So far iv played about 5 games and had roughly 10 trainings with the Elbow guards and I have to say I love them.

They have a number of features that only OBO could think of, for example their amazing adjustability. The Elbow Guard has a flexible top pad to protect the upper part of the arm and inner elbow and bicep area. This pad is also fully removable to either provide greater protection or mobility according to personal tastes. I myself wear the right elbow guard with the top pad and the left without as I prefer greater mobility with my left and more protection on my right (shown below).

dscn0286
Left elbow guard. As you can see I have removed the top plate.
dscn02851
Right elbow guard. The top plate is present.

Another feature of the elbow guard I have recently discovered is that you can adjust the amount of padding that you have on the arm.  It basically allows you to change how thick the padding is so that you can adjust how much protection you have and how heavy the elbow guard is. This is an exceptional new idea and I am very impressed with the concept.

As with all OBO products I have found that the elbow guards do not restrict movement and are extremely comfortable.  They fit easily around your arm and unlike other arm guards do not move during the game.  I have found that I have complete movement in my arm and the normal movement of the elbow joint is not compromised by any of the padding. Needless to say it does its job extremely well and has saved my arm a number of times in the few times I have used it.

In conclusion and from my experiences I believe the OBO Robo Elbow Guard is an awesome product. It provides excellent protection, is very comfortable and unconstricting, is very adjustable and looks pretty good as well. even though I have worn them only a few times I am already in love.

Ben Smith.

Slazenger Phantom Body Armour Review

Due to popular demand (well someone kinda sorta asked me) here’s my review of the Slazenger Phantom Body Armour. Enjoy

Slazenger Phantom Body Armour

Slazenger Phantom Body Armour

As any of you who have read my review on the Robo Bodi Arma will know I have been singing the praises of the Slazenger Phantom body armour. It doesn’t stack up to the Robo equivalent but it does offer decent protection at a fraction of the cost.
After a string of inadequate or ill-fitting sets of chest guards and arm protection my club invested in all-in-one body armour. I can only imagine that they chose the Slazenger phantom body armour because of its price, but who could blame them. At just over half the cost of the Obo Youth Junior Body Armour it provides protection that lies somewhere between that and the Cloud 9 model.

While using this gear I played at a middle level for both my club and school and I found the protection to be more than enough. The chest pad is made of thick spongy foam bound in mesh which, while being far bulkier than that used by obo, does it’s job of protecting you from the force of the ball admirably. One or two shots from some of the older players on my team (who play for the Irish U18 or U21 teams) have left me a little winded but I’ve never had any major injuries.

The arms are made from seven pieces of high density foam. Enclosed in a stretchy Lycra these allow for easy movement whilst still holding the protection in all the right places. This high density foam is far thinner than the chest piece allowing for manipulation of the elbows while not compromising on the protection to those delicate bones and ligaments. The Lycra stands up admirably to the wear and tear of sliding about on a sand filled pitch with only minor fraying in two places after over two seasons. To be honest those were probably caused by my manhandling of the gear after a bad match.

The problem with many of the cheaper sets of gear is that it is virtually impossible to raise your arms above your head. In an attempt to remedy this Slazenger seem to have reduced the amount of foam in the shoulder area. While this has greatly improved the mobility it is the source of one of my few complaints. As a result of their foam shedding there is a small blind spot in the space between the shoulder caps (which are a little lacking too) and the top of the arm pads. I’ve taken a knock or two here when I’ve misjudged a raised shot (which I still maintain swerved around my hand pad) or was caught out by a close range deflection. I’ve been left with a couple of nice bruises and a stiff arm the next day but I feel that for middle level keepers it wouldn’t get any worse than this.

Some of the main points

Some of the main features

The tight Lycra arms combined with the foam back panel keep these pads in place beautifully but they do cause a problem during the summer season. During a high intensity session it can get quite hot in the gear. This causes a problem in this situation but during the winter it can be a welcome layer during a quiet match.

So in short the Slazenger Phantom body armour is the perfect choice for any keeper starting out who wants good protection and mobility at budget prices. With solid chest protection and high density foam arms these pads are a perfect choice for any keeper in the early stages of his/her career who’s looking for a reasonable alternative to the more expensive other brand options.

So again if you have any questions i’ll be happy to help.

Cheers,

Cormac

‘Open window’ hockey masks

Due to the requirements of goalkeepers who prefer an open view of the game (the ability to see what is around them, and to judge how the game will develop/see through screens), but the issues over safety of helmet/cage combos, some manufacturers are currently producing masks with an open view. In this case, the masks retain the same features of field hockey specific masks – injection moulded, high resistant plastics covering the head, but have a wider window of vision, covered by a strong cage (which is screwed in place, as usual, and has a design where the bars overlap in a tight shape; to stop the ball getting through, but a spread out over the wide opening of the helmet).

 

The masks have an ‘open window’, enlarging the space available to view out of, than normally available to the goalkeeper. In essence, they provide the peripheral vision of a helmet/cage setup, and the open space to shout at your team and direct the play, with the advantage of increased protection to the head area, using ridges to direct the ball away, and a chin area, like a mask, to increase lower facial protection. The cage is also generally thicker, using larger bars, and closed cat eye (meaning better protection for younger players), fitting like a mask with the backplate. Inside the helmet there is a chin cup (to hold the helmet in place on your head), held fixed by a velcro strapping system.

 

Possible problem areas include the neck area (the chin drops are not as long as those on normal masks), and the open shape of the mask leaves gaps under the ears. Be wary of shots to the side of your head, and wear neck protection to be on the safe side. It would be a good idea to wear neck protection underneath the helmet and get a dangler (preferably an ice hockey one for all-round protection)!

 

Companies that produce these types of mask include Grays, Mazon, and TK (who also have an international version available).

 

open_helmet

 

Pros

  • Provide better protection than helmet/cage combos

  • Moderate costs – affordable

  • Enhanced peripheral vision for a goalkeeper who wants a greater view of the game, and the option to shout out instructions more clearly to their team

  

Cons

  • Cage compatibility – cages do not come separately (you may want to try contacting the company/supplier about the possibility), so you will have to buy a new replacement helmet if the cage gets significantly damaged or broken

  • Protection issues in neck area below ears (due to curved design)