Leg Pad Durability

Make sure you're buying Pro level. I see you did since you had P2's, but don't sway from that. Pads will never again last 10 years, if you're using them as much as 4-5 times per week then you're lucky to get more than 2 years out of them.

You can't buy new Smith gear anymore, as he's moved on to Warrior. But he would be my first choice for durability for less money. I wore Smith pads for 10 months, a minimum of twice a week, and they still looked brand new. I can't speak for Vaughn gear as I've never worn it.

The question is what is Warrior going to do with the manufacturing process. If they go from Smith's in-house, premium materials process to Warrior's China-made process that produced the widely "unfavored" pads, then, well, there went that option, too.

That said, it's all about how you treat your pads. I've heard Simmons pads aren't the least bit durable, though I've never used them, myself. Vaughns tend to get extremely flexible after their first year of play. Reebok pads tend to keep their stiffness quite well, which is why I'm surprised to hear you say after a few years they're breaking down. My last Reebok set lasted me three years and still looked practically brand new.

If you're happy with the way your Reebok pads performed, I'd go with Reebok again and think about ways you can prolong the service time of your pads. Whether it's airing them out frequently, etc, there are ways to hopefully prolong the time you can use those pads.

Wow, I had a pair of MCM Vic's back in the day. Good times.

Call up the peeps at Planet Goalie.

thanks guys!

any ideas on what i should be doing besides airing them out? I feel like the straps and parts of the pads get all hard when they're dry.

maybe we just have rough ice

You might try rubbing them with a good leather sealant. I've never had to do that, myself, but it'd help add a layer of protection against the water and ice.

Either that, or some leather oil. Sealant seals. Oil conditions. I prefer oil because it allows REAL leather to breathe. Keep in mind, only the straps are real leather now (if that). To prolong the life of the jenpro, I use armor-all protectant and leather wipes. Not only does this keep everything supple, but it also water proofs slightly, and cleans.

One thing about leather oil is that it breaks down the leather so that it isn't as stiff. That's why you use leather oil on baseball mitts; it allows much easier closure. However, if you're talking about the durability of hockey leg pads, and particularly Reebok ones, which are stiff, then I wouldn't recommend using leather oil. Only if you want an extremely flexible pad should you use leather oil.

^^^ leather oil on straps ONLY! Armor-all on synthetic materials.

Thanks, Syn. I didn't realize that was vague, and good point.