PRODUCT – Page 13

Review of OBO ROBO elbow protectors and OBO Senior Knee protectors

Review of OBO ROBO elbow protectors and OBO Senior Knee protectors

by Niclas Franzén Swedish national goalkeeper and goalkeeper for Partille Sport Club

Please excuse my grammatical and spelling errors
This review consist of three parts “First impression”, “Review after testing” and “Pictures”

First impression

Elbow pads
At first look I was a bit confused with its “weird” design and at first try I thought they were the bulkiest pads I had ever tried BUT then I started to take a closer look at the elbow pads and noticed what I would like to call GENIOUS design! First I started by just adjusting the straps a bit and this made it fit nicer then I removed the “elbowpit”/forearm/bicep protection and I was in love basically all the bulk was gone and they fitted better with my SP gloves especially the right one and when I tried to remove the ground/inner protection the pad became even better!

I’m wearing them around the house for the moment to get used to the feeling (I have not used elbow protection for a long time so it’s a bit odd for me at first) without having a go with them in goal yet I really think OBO have designed a product that able to catch a really really wide audience. When using all protection it’s like a full arm guard and when removing the first pad it becomes a protective elbow protector and when taking the last part away it becomes a super flexible elbow protector (of course I understand that protection will not be as good but for me who is used to not having anything at all its still much better than nothing. I feel that the elbow bone is well protected and so is the forearm I think it will be great for PCs when going down because the most brittle parts of the arm is protected it’s just like I want it

The only slight downside with the pad is that I don’t think some of the elastics is tight enough when removing all the extra protection but it’s a easy fix with the good old sewing machine and maybe it says more about the size of my biceps than the product itself 😉

Kneepads
as for the kneepads they don’t hinder the movement to bad actually and after wearing them for a while they started to get the shape of my leg however I can’t get used to the straps at the back of my knee because of the straps but it might not be a issue when wearing long socks also I have yet to see how they fit with my girdle.

Review after testing

Elbowpads
First of all I want to say FINALLY a elbow protector that’s designed for fieldhockey instead of a ice hockey elbow protector sold as a fieldhockey one.
After testing the elbow pads for one and a half month I feel I can give the pads a fair review after breaking them in properly. I like these elbow pads a lot and I they are certainly the best I have ever tried I like the idea that it’s possible to remove/add protection to make them fit the needs of the user. One might like to have full protection for training but just wants to wear the “shell” for games, personally I’m extremely sensitive when it comes to bulk and for over two years I have played “dutch” and I can honestly say that these elbow pads are the only reason I have even considered moving back to joint protection. With all protection they act like a small version of the full arm guards (a pair of full arms that fits the sp RHP much better than the actual full arms) with just the inner protection added you get added protection against the ground and also against balls that hits the elbow bone. Lastly with just the “shell” you get a good hard shell with some soft damping on the inside which is the way I use them I feel it gives me the best mix of protection and flexibility the full lower arm is protection and the elbow bone which are the pars of the arm I feel the need to protect. I lent the elbow protectors to another goalkeeper in my club who normally are using full arm protection and he was impressed by the flexibility and he still felt just as confident as when he use his full arm protection so I really do believe they fit all goalkeepers from the ones who loves playing “dutch” to the ones who swears by their full arm protection it might also be a good way if you want to go down from full arm protection to more flexible protection as you can remove the extra protection when you feel confident to do so.
I would say no matter how you use them the protection is still great both against the ground and against balls the hard plastic panels combined with the soft inner makes a perfect combination.

Kneepads
When I was testing these knee protectors I never got hit so I can’t comment on the protection but I was actually surprised how flexible the kneepads were after breaking them in, I would say that they don’t hinder my movement a bit and they fitted well both with my old OBO girdle as well as the newer model so that was not really a problem. They also managed to stay in place fairly well but could move a little after making several saves in a row but it was an easy fix as soon as the ball left the circle. Personally I have had a hard time adjusting to the feel of having something around my joint and even if it does not hinder me it’s a mental block to me so personally I’m not a huge fan of these. However I would have loved these as a junior when I got hit more on my knees and I could see why goalies who slide a lot would like these but these are really for everyone because we all get forced to do some more or less “ugly saves” from time to time (I have even heard a rumor the these kneepads were the reason Ali McGregor could play on after getting hit on the knee during the Olympics). I also lent the knee pads to the same keeper in my club who got to try the elbow pads and as I write he still have not given them back to me he just loves them (mental note I have to buy a pair for him when he has his birthday so I can keep mine for myself).
I think some goalkeepers will absolutely love them and some would hate them me myself is somewhere between these two camps I can’t say I love them but I can’t say I hate them either because after all it’s a good product who are going to give many keepers out there a little more confidence to know that even if they give the little extra during the match they will know for sure that they will be able to go to work Monday morning because let’s face it most of us got work on the side of hockey.

Pictures and explanation

Picture these are the parts of the elbow protector
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Elbow protector with all parts

Elbow protector on arm with SP right hand protector

Elbow protector with just the “shell” no added protection

Elbow protector without any extra protection on arm with SP right hand protector

I hope people will find this review helpful and that it has given you a better idea of these great new OBO products.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

//NicfromSweden

How To Condition Your Kickers

Want to know how to get the best comfort and lifespan from your new OBO kickers?

kickers

Click below to view the presentation on how to condition your kickers.

Many thanks to Animal for his content input.

OBO ROBO Throat Protector

Here is a review made by Morley Athletic on the OBO ROBO throat protector.

OBO Face Off

Check out these limited edition custom Face Off paint jobs produced exclusively for Verbunt Hockey, Netherlands.

obo-transparant

The range of graphics are sure to give you attackers a scare on shortcorner plays. To get one of the exclusive Face Off designs click here to go to the Verbunt pages.

About the Face Off
The OBO FaceOff has been developed specifically for the short corner phase of Field Hockey and is not intended for full game usage. It is designed to reduce cuts, abrasions and bruising of defenders.

Wide and comfortable elastic strapping…easy to pop on and off. Rigid yet light polyethylene shell…unbreakable. Total shell weight is 150 grams. Anatomically shaped eye sockets designed to maximise vision while still providing excellent protection. Medium density polyethylene foam inner provides comfortand aids protection of key areas…forehead, check bones, temples and chin. High density polyethylene foam goggles reduce frontal and side impacts over key areas…the bridge of the nose, eye sockets and cheek bones.

Retro Helmets

Check out these limited edition “Retro” helmet produced exclusively for Barrington Sports, UK.

retro-helmets

Clean crisp classic looking helmets with no fuss. The OBO CK helmet offers unrivaled protection at the highest level of the game. Replacing the coveted Union Jack helmet these retro helmets will help you keep your head!

Link to page on Barrington’s website

Info on the CK
Made from Carbon, Kevlar and specially formulated flexible resins; with a gel coat for maximum protection and durability. There are many features that make this helmet a popular choice for goal keepers. The angular shaping provides strength and ball deflection while closed cell polyethylene foam lines the helmet for a soft comfortable fit. It comes with a high carbon steel wire cage which enhances visibility using large eye holes, a fully adjustable five point back plate, and it’s very own carry bag. Available in two sizes – the perfect size can be determined by two measurements (Temple to temple / Top of the head to the chin):

Medium
Width between 135mm and 150mm
Length between 225mm and 235mm

Large
Width larger than 150mm
Length greater than 240mm

Got this helmet? Give us a picture of you in your gear and we will upload it to this article.

New Science is Saving Faces

A spin-off from OBO’s new knowledge could also lead to riot police around the world wearing protective gear made in New Zealand.

A $217,000 investment from TechNZ, the business investment arm of the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology, is helping OBO understand exactly what happens to the body, particularly the face and head, when hard balls hit at high speed.

By understanding the science of high-speed, hard ball impacts, body tolerance, injury protection and materials, the company is now better able to create unique products.

“This is a bold step forward for OBO, which is building new knowledge and critical science capability, that will put it on a path to becoming a high growth company,” says TechNZ senior business manager Elisabeth Feary.

OBO already has a world-class reputation for producing field hockey goalie protective equipment, with about 65 per cent of the world’s goalies wearing OBO gear, which is sold into 61 countries.

The TechNZ funding has been used to build a laboratory and develop software to specifically measure ball speed impact and to investigate new materials.

In the lab, a ‘cannon’ fires balls at 200 kilometres an hour, with the motion and impact data providing information that has never been captured in this form anywhere else in the world.

The unique knowledge feeds into the design process, with the lab also used to test the validity of the resulting products. There are international safety standards governing the manufacture of helmets but no such standards exist for face protection so OBO is taking it upon itself to also develop these along the way.

OBO founder Simon Barnett says it was a frustrating exercise to search the world unsuccessfully for scientific information about ball-speed damage, but it also opened up opportunities for his company to identify a new niche market in designing and marketing face protection for a range of sports.

Face protection that allows excellent vision without compromising movement is vital for softball pitchers, wicket keepers and hockey players, who face unpredictable balls when running out to defend during penalty corners. Mr Barnett says faster ball speeds are creating demand for different types of player protection.

“Higher ball speed results in reduced reaction times, greater damage, higher medical and dentistry bills so the need for face protection is now greater than ever before,” he says.

“Having your face reliably protected in these situations means that the player can feel more confident, and play their game to a higher level.”

OBO is aware that it is not only the design and new materials to withstand the impact that are paramount for market success, the beauty factor is important.

“We’ve talked to players and identified their needs and then worked in the laboratory to develop materials and shapes with the necessary performance characteristics and then added the beauty factor.

“The gear has to be functional and the players have to like wearing it, so it has to look good but it also needs to look intimidating to the opposition,” says Mr Barnett.

The results of OBO’s scientific testing are likely to be on the market in about six months, giving the company a whole new product category.

The new face protection will have greater strength than existing face masks but will also take into account that gear needs to give players excellent visibility.

Understanding new materials and designing equipment that takes the impact of potentially bone-breaking activity is also likely to give OBO a foot into new markets, such as protection for police working in riot or dangerous situations where vision and mobility are essential.

“OBO’s new scientific knowledge will underpin future products and is also helping the company in its transition from a niche manufacturer to a global sports company with the ability to break into larger, more profitable markets,” says Dr Feary.

The new products have the potential to increase OBO’s turnover by as much as 600 per cent in five years.

Mr Barnett has never played a game of hockey in his life but he now gets plenty of feedback from his 13 year old daughter who plays in goal for her Palmerston North Girls’ High School hockey team.

Via www.voxy.co.nz