Chest/arm gear

So on a whim today I went to one of the nearby hockey shops (www.icelevelsports.com /cheap plug) and decided to pick up a set of Vaughn Vision 9400 c/a's to replace my Reebok P2/6K c/a's. The Reeboks were rapidly deteriorating, with the belly loop tearing on the first play of the last game I played being the last straw. The Vaughn's feel a lot better, certainly a lot more snug and protective, but they may need a few games to properly break in and strap up. Anybody using this or similar Vaughn c/a gear with any issues, or would this be considered a fairly good buy? I wanted to splurge on Passau gear, but I needed something quick and didn't want to break the bank on a set.

Unfortunately after some inspection, the Reebok elbow caps aren't fully compatible with the Vaughn chesty's as the lacing system is slightly different, although with a bit of work and a few rivets I think the modifications can be made successfully. The feel of the Vaughn elbow caps is weird, as the pocked always feels off centered on my elbow even though an external touch of the cap indicates that it's on fine. I think one of the features the Vaughn elbow caps sorely misses are the loops for the tightening straps that the Reebok elbow caps have, as they keep the straps in line and the caps in roughly the proper area (i.e. not too high or low on the arm.)

Elbow caps aside, the chesty has felt pretty great through two games. Everything feels a little more snug, but in that same vein everything feels a little smaller. The lack of bulkier protection allows me to move a little easier, and so absorbing a shot is easier than before instead of blocking it with my torso. The neck guard is a little stiff and prevents looking down a bit, but that can be rectified by working in the material to soften it up. I actually had a brief problem with the shoulder wing as it was so stiff that I took a shot and completely lost the puck as it rebounded off my shoulder (which eventually ended up in the back of the net... grumblegrumblegrumble.) Those issues aside though, I am very happy with the purchase and product.