Vancouver backup Cory Schneider raised a few eyebrows and turned a few heads at the Canucks’ morning skate Thursday when he rolled out wearing a new set of customized Reebok P4 pads.

Even Detroit All-Star Jimmy Howard, who wears Vaughn equipment, popped his head out of the locker room to take a look.

Schneider also typically wears Vaughn, at least on his legs. His gloves have long been Reebok, and he recently switched to the new P4 model in games (he is wearing the older P3 version in these pictures because they are his practice set, complete with the thicker-palmed glove NHL goalies typically use to avoid stingers while facing hundreds of shots from teammates).

Schneider has always preferred stiffer gloves and softer pads, and maintained in conversations with InGoal that his “mutt” look wouldn’t change just for a sponsorship, smartly insisting he’ll always make more money stopping pucks than looking good doing so. So the switch is far from written in stone, but the fact he’s trying Reebok for the first time — and suffering some good natured heat from playing partner Roberto Luongo, a long-time Reebok goalie for doing so — says something about the customization options available in the new P4 line, including a softer boot break and a variety of inner leg channel options.

InGoal will have a complete breakdown of Reebok’s new P4 line and options in the second edition of our magazine, coming out Monday. In the meantime, enjoy these photos of Schneider’s P4 test run from the Canucks’ morning skate Thursday (and don’t forget to enter our contest, brought to you by the Hockey Shop, to win your own set of Reebok P4 equipment):

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You’ve seen them stopping pucks in the National Hockey League this season, drooled over them in the pre-release video clips after InGoal Magazine was invited to a special launch party in Las Vegas way back in October, planned color patterns for your own set, and been saving to buy it when they are released later this spring.

Now, the wait for Reebok’s new P4 line of goaltending equipment is over.

Even better: you might not need to spend that money to get a set of your own, because InGoal has teamed up with The Hockey Shop to give you a chance to win a set of the new Reebok P4 gear.

Sign up for the contest over at The Hockey Shop, and while you are there be sure to check out their customizer to design your own set, an off-ice video review of the new line, an exclusive promotional video featuring Vancouver Canucks’ standout Roberto Luongo.

Speaking of Luongo, InGoal Magazine has been working with a set of the Canucks’ No.1 pads and gloves for the last month, and will publish our own print-and-picture review in the the Second Edition of our new bi-monthly magazine later this week, with a complete off- and on-ice video review to follow.

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Christmas is already here at the InGoal Offices as the new P4 has arrived for testing. We’ve had them out for a quick test and will have more for you in the New Year.

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I have been in contact with Phil Maltese of Maltese Sports for several years since buying his first generation mask gel system many moons ago, after learning that Olaf Kolzig had it in his mask back in 2001, at which point I had to have it too.

For those unfamiliar with Maltese gel, it is a direct replacement for mask foam that claims to be safer, cleaner, and cooler.

So all the cool kids must have been using it, right? Not so much. The gel was also a lot heavier than standard mask foams, which caused many to shy away. But as technology goes, so does the goalie industry, and Maltese Sports is back with a brand new invention: The Maltese Mask Gel version 3.

Not only is the latest incarnation easier to apply to your mask, safer than standard foams, and come with antibacterial properties (no more hockey smell? Sign me up), but it is now also comparable in weight to standard mask foams. They’ve accomplished this by using a new process to impregnated the foam with air, making it lighter and more shapeable while drastically reducing the overall weight with losing its protective properties. After hearing all that, I had to give it a try again.

Maltese V3 installed in a mask

I called Phil up and he set me up with a gel combo/throat protector, and his Version 3 Mask Gel System.

All I had to do was wait for it to arrive and slap it in the old mask. Of course as always that was easier said than done.

Yes, the Maltese V3 installs easily, but the old foam was a pain to get out. Sore fingers aside, I find I have a more custom and comfortable fit with the V3 installed in my mask. I get that closer to the cage feel I like with my face – and better vision through the cage as a result – it’s a lot cooler, as there is way less of the V3 gel in the mask than there was foam, and the slight weight difference is hardly noticeable now due to the new V3 gel technology.

Shots in the mask with don’t seem to ring as bad, and I have felt fewer concussive impacts (that slapped feeling you get sometimes after getting hit square in the face). In my opinion, if you are looking to get a mask refurbished, need to replace the foam in your mask, or looking for more protection, at least give Maltese Mask Gel consideration. It is comparatively priced to other replacement foam kits, and for you chin sling lovers out there, Maltese offers a chin sling option now as well.

The author and his Maltese Throat Protector

After getting the products from Phil (His Throat/Combo is something I will never be without now after trying.) I was curious about how he got his start in hockey and how he came up with some of his ideas. I also wondered why more people weren’t using his products, and what he thought of all of the concussions and head injuries we are seeing lately, so I called him up, and he agreed to do an interview with me.

The following is our conversation. Phil warned me that he gets a little excited at times, and can be candid, but that only made me want to talk with him more:

IGM: So what is your hockey background?

PM: My background in hockey started back in the early seventies outside in front of my house in a post world war housing development. Back then I played anything I could because sitting on your ass playing video games wasn’t invented yet. But one day we got a very fuzzy picture of what appeared to be a hockey game on the TV. It was one of those UHF stations … Channel 29.  You squint at the TV most of the time trying to figure out what was happening and then you get a flash of a real image and that’s when I saw Bernie Parent with ‘that’ mask of his. That’s when I decided to learn to skate … at fourteen years old.  Goalie was the only position for me, which was good, because I didn’t know how to skate. But if you want something bad enough – translation, are willing to humiliate yourself in order to learn – you too can play this game. Fortunately for me, my school had its own rink and before you know it, I’m getting around in a very non-ambulatory way. Long story short, I’ve been a goalie for thirty-six years.

IGM: Let’s talk some history – What makes someone get started in implementing gel in to hockey equipment?

PM: “I bought one of the masks (pro players were wearing) back in the day. It was cool looking like the other guys, however, after a period of time of owning and using the mask, let’s say two years to be fair, the padding would no longer hold the shape of the mask no matter which adhesive I tried. Plus it smelled and was now hard – tough to squeeze. So I sat down and had a good think. I can’t remember now how I arrived at gel, but it had to have been a commercial for Dr. Scholl’s gel foot beds that got me to thinking. So I made a phone call to the company on the back of one of those foot bed packages. I couldn’t believe how deep within the company I was able to get. I spoke to a gentleman and told him my intended use. He confessed a gel supplier was who I really wanted to speak with. The glitch was he wasn’t allowed to tell me the name of the gel supplier. Naturally I made a disappointed sigh and just before we hung up, he said the name! From there I called the right people and before you could say “large sums of money” we were on our way to version one of the gel interior.

“When it was due to arrive it occurred to me that the previous padding (foam) was a half inch thick most places. How was something half the thickness going cause my mask to fit now? Didn’t even occur to me to think how is quarter inch padding going to protect me? Naturally, I was very excited to see if I was the proud owner of a real idea or just a hair-brained idea. I put the mask on, adjusted the back plate straps and much to my surprise, the mask felt like it fit and it felt nice – but a little heavy. Turns out version one weighed a hefty fourteen ounces. First game wearing it, I get kicked in the head full force. Both the ref and player asked if I was all right, immediately I got up, shook my mask into place and headed for my post. Amazingly, I was more than okay, I was stoked!”

IGM: What’s your take on the head injuries happening in the NHL? Players or equipment?

 PM: “In my opinion, most of those head injuries – talking goalies here – could be avoided if one simple aspect of the mask was changed and that’s the interior padding. What did you think I would say? These are my own experiences with various padding that seems to occur after the padding has gone from its supple feel to hardening. That padding is also a sponge for one’s sweat and filth and that builds with every use. Just like all the other foam padding, they were not specifically designed to attenuate impacts. That padding is in there to provide a degree of comfort and take up space. I’m starting to see a lot of complaints about customers mask padding. The latest is how foam irritates the skin.

Maltese V3 Gel Kit comes ready to install in your mask.

“The feedback from Ginny Capicchioni regarding her gel’d mask was very encouraging.  (She is the only woman to play men’s box lacrosse and she made the USA men’s box lacrosse team that recently played a tournament in the Czech republic.) Ginny is not a tall person so that puts her head right in harm’s way and she loves her gel setup. Another guy I sent a ‘loaner’ mask to reported that he took a ‘howitzer’ of a shot to the chin of the mask and even though in the past he has been concussed, he reported no side effects of any kind after that impact. I think it’s time to check with the real decision makers of hockey teams: The accountants.  There’s no denying that pro hockey players are a commodity and therefore an investment by their teams. If your star goalie gets knocked out, so to speak, of the lineup and this means you either miss the playoffs altogether or you don’t get deep, then you have to make a change to prevent that. My gel is that change.”

IGM: Why are so many head injuries occurring?

PM: “As previously stated, I think given that most masks are made of similar high grade materials – or at least they should be. The area where I believe makers ‘cheap’ out is in the padding they use.”

IGM: Do certifications make masks safer?

PM: “One of my favorite topics. I went through this process once, and my mask and gel setup passed on its first try. Testing at HECC involves an anvil drop test. This is where the head gear in question is placed or should I say strapped to a lead head form. Raised to a height of six feet and then dropped on what HECC calls an anvil, which is really a flat metal surface. That’s it. So that’s why we have mask lined with foam. The lead head form feels nothing so technically you could line any piece with concrete (there’s that reference again) and the head form wouldn’t complain. They perform another test to make sure the cage doesn’t break too easily and for butt ends to get through. That’s it! So in the end when a parent who knows very little about masks sees that ‘Good Housekeeping’ seal of approval, they’re drawing the conclusion that this mask will keep their child safe, but what they don’t know is how many tries it took to get that mask certified.”

IGM: Is it pointless to have a certification? Is it kind of a sell it to the highest bidder mentality?

PM: “I think a standard should be established, but without the antiquated set of criteria. It’s time to move toward a biofidelic head form with sensors to measure the force of impacts, decibel levels and pertinent data like that, so actually protecting the goalies head can occur.”

IGM: Would your product help? Why? Do you have proof?

PM: “My product would absolutely help because of the simple fact that my gel was specifically designed to attenuate impacts. An example would be, when I found gel it was being used in mostly medical applications. Like a cushion for an amputated leg in a prosthetic limb or a gel ring for the head of a newborn or as a bed pad to prevent bed sores. I just applied this technology to my sport, more specifically my position: goalie. As for proof, that resides in documents, which I have.”

IGM: How do you go about R&D with your products?

PM: “Ahhh, this is a closely guarded secret! I test the products myself initially. If I get the results I’m looking for then I ask for volunteers. They understand that their risk is minimal because I would never allow a quasi-effective product to go out. I have to be convinced that it’s working the way intended. If those volunteers are experiencing the same things as I or if they discovered something on their own then we make an adjustment.”

IGM: I know you a little better than the average consumer, and I know you don’t have a huge budget, are you often the guinea pig? (Is that why you agreed to talk with me?)

PM: “Absolutely, I’m the guinea pig! I wouldn’t have it any other way. Even if I had a huge budget, I would still want to be the initial tester because I don’t want anyone of my crew or customers getting hurt.”

IGM: Why do you think it is we don’t see Maltese gel in the better known mask/helmet manufacturer’s products?

PM: “Well, initially as in first version of the gel, when I shopped it around the big boys, all they mostly wanted to know was what did it weigh. After I told them, that was the end of the conversation. After it became clear to me that I was going to enjoy self-imposed gel exclusivity, I began making my own products to prove to myself that protection matters more than weight.  After all we are goalies playing a relatively stationary position with hard projectiles flying into us. …

“I have no real idea why the mask makers reject my material, but it doesn’t matter because the end user sees the value especially if they are having a negative experience with their current padding. Like skin irritations or concussions. You know, minor stuff.”

This is why thin padding is desirable, but not if that padding is junk. Quarter inch gel has served my customers for the past twelve years better than the various thicknesses other mask makers use.  I once pulled the foam out of an Itech mask that was an inch thick in the forehead.  To me any thicker than 3/8” and you’re too far away from the action.  While I’m at it, chin cups are the devils work and so is padding the entire inside of a goalie mask with foam.

IGM: If you had one opportunity to tell the world about Maltese Hockey, what would you say? Why should people use your products?

PM: “I play the position. I know what works and what doesn’t and many of the gear designs are just not thought out or designed by college boys that don’t even play hockey. When I get hurt another product is born. Simple, logical design has always worked for me. But most importantly, I care about my customer’s safety. I care that my name is on the product. I care that my customers get their money’s worth and I care that my product actually performs the way I say it will.”

As you can see, Phil is passionate about what he does, and the vibe I get from him is he truly cares. His products are born out of a need for something safer and more protective than what we have out there. Concussions have become an all too real reality in our sport and we definitely need to be better protected!

If you are interested in any of the Maltese products you can get in touch with Phil, and see his products through his website at www.MalteseSports.com.

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Chris Mason has added the Jets logo to his Brian's SubZero pads (Full photos below)

Chris Mason may not be the starting goalie in Winnipeg, but he’s about to lead the NHL in cool equipment.

Mason, who already sports a mask featuring the Iron Maiden Eddie flying a fighter plane, will soon receive a new set of Brian’s SubZero pads and gloves with the Jets’ new military-themed logo highlighted prominently – and effectively – on both.

“I am speechless, those are the sickest pads I have seen in the NHL this year,” Mason replied to the staff at Brian’s when he got a look at the first pictures. “I cannot wait to wear them! We opened up the picture in the locker room, the boys went crazy.”

Mason’s new-look pads were sent to the NHL offices in Toronto on Friday – the league’s top cop of goaltending, Kay Whitmore, must pre-approve and initial every piece of equipment before it is sent to each goalie – and Mason should have them early this week.

Mason’s idea to feature the Jets logo on his gear is a perfect way to highlight Brian’s custom graphic abilities. (This is, after all, the same company that brought us both the quintessential “Money Pads” and the ultimate “Beer League Heineken Can” pads so in addition to those beauties, be sure to check out all the other unique pads on Brian’s Goalies Only custom pad page).

The back side is all navy and the use of two different reds (techno Red Weave and Red Jenpro) along with a silver and grey allowed Brian’s to achieve the same three-dimensional “shadow” look found in the Jets logo. As you can see in pictures below, that stylized logo is also stitched into the back of the glove and inside of the blocker. But it’s not the only unique feature of Mason’s pads.

Mason is the first NHL goaltender to wear the new Sub-Zero line, which features a velcro based strapping system on that eliminates the need for all but one leather strap and metal buckle, making it the lightest pad on the market at just over four pounds. InGoal Magazine tested and reviewed the Sub-Zero in our latest digital magazine (Go to page 24), and a video review is coming soon.

In the meantime, enjoy this sneak peek at Mason’s take on one of the hottest new pads on the market:

For those with a keen eye, check out the lacing in the web of Mason’s trapper below – that’s right, he uses skate laces, which many goalies prefer for a softer feel in the pocket. It’s another custom option Brian’s makes available to anyone.

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InGoal Magazine reviews the blockers and gloves in the new Warrior Ritual line in the video below.

Continuing with a series that started with the in-depth written review of the Warrior Ritual gear in the new InGoal Digital Magazine, and continued with a video review of the leg pads, InGoal Magazine now breaks down the two different sets of blockers and trappers in the new Warrior line.

While both are top-end pro gloves and trappers, there are some differences between the Custom Pro and Custom SE models, including some unique ones on the blocker involving varying hand positions, and break and padding options in the gloves. Combine them with the pads, which really did offer fitment options to satisfy any style of stopper, and the new Warrior Ritual line designed by Pete Smith should provide something for everyone. Check out the video to see which style of the gloves fits your game:

And if somehow it has escaped your attention – you could be wearing your own custom set of Ritual gear soon – Warrior is giving away three full sets! Register for your chance to win today! and once you’ve signed up, be sure to look for opportunities for bonus entries like this one.

Entries for the Warrior Custom Goal Equipment Contest are now closed. Thank you to all who participated. The three winners will be announced at InGoalMag.com as soon as they have all been contacted successfully.

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Gear for kids designed with parents and hockey associations in mind

Did you read the December edition of the InGoal Digital Magazine? If you didn’t, you might want to check it out. We’ve selected one article to feature today and we’ll do it again in the coming weeks. Click through and have a look – and while you’re there, enjoy the rest of the magazine with feature articles from the NHL, gear reviews and more.

One of my earliest Christmas memories was walking out into the living room to see a new goalie gear waiting for me, at age 6. I can still picture it today. It won’t be long before other youngsters will be going through the same experience as they unwrap a new piece of gear or a new stick. But there’s one big difference: the gear a six-year old can wear today is more functional and more protective than the pads I wore in university…and I’m barely older than Dwayne Roloson.

Gear has come a long way and what you can buy today makes life easier on kids, parents and in the case of the Bauer Prodigy, hockey associations. We looked at the Prodigy gear, pads, gloves and chest/arm unit (there are also pants available), and found them to be a great option for young goaltenders that will serve them well today while being adjustable to fit them tomorrow. Not unlike the new Brian’s Sub-Zero for adults, they feature and easy strapping that eliminates all but one traditional leather strap and buckle. One surprising but, it turns out, extremely useful feature – the gear has instructions right on it detailing how to put it on!

See photos and the full review by reading it online in the digital magazine in the

Bauer Prodigy Review

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Two cups are better than one and when they come with a cool new diamond plate look you have yourself a great new goalie jock – or maybe something affordable to leave under the Christmas tree for the goalie in your house. InGoal shot this slightly irreverent look at Brian’s double cup while at the Let’s Play Hockey trade show in Las Vegas.

Whether it’s Diamond plate or not, adding a double cup to your equipment is well worth doing. Think two cups is overkill? Many NHL ‘keepers actually wear three! The double cup with a regular player’s cup underneath to keep everything in place.

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Entries for the Warrior Custom Goal Equipment Contest are now closed. Thank you to all who participated. The three winners will be announced at InGoalMag.com as soon as they have all been contacted successfully.

By now we hope most of you have signed up for Warrior’s Ritual Custom gear contest. You haven’t? Well, you’re missing out. There is no cost to enter and you could be one of THREE lucky winners who will be amongst the first goalies outside the NHL to wear the new Ritual Gear designed by Pete Smith. We tried it at InGoal and we loved it. We reviewed it in the Magazine and on video.

If you haven’t entered, please do. It’s fast and easy and best of all – free.

Already in? Today we present the first chance you have to gain free bonus entries. And today it’s simple. You may have already earned one in fact, you just need to let us know.

Every entrant who “Likes” both Warrior and InGoal on Facebook gets a bonus entry. Just fill out and submit the form below and you’re good to go. Make sure you fill it out accurately so your bonus entry counts if you are one of the lucky winners.

You don’t even have to go anywhere to Like us either…just hit these two buttons:

InGoal Magazine

Warrior

Now fill out this form…and you’re done!

form removed as contest has closed

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The Ritual Review is here – check out the December Edition of InGoal Magazine

The 2012 Warrior Ritual sits in the locker room before InGoal's first test session.

Working at InGoal Magazine certainly has its perks.

Talking to National Hockey League goalies about how and why they play the position certainly ranks highest on that list, even after more than a decade of doing so. But as any goaltender will tell you, nothing tops that Christmas morning feeling that comes at the sight of new equipment. And that goes double for yet-to-be-released goaltending gear that has only been worn by professional puck stoppers up to this point.

So imagine the pure joy when a large box marked “Warrior” showed up at the InGoal offices late last week.

Inside was the new Ritual line designed by Pete Smith, who we already had the pleasure of talking with in-depth during a private meeting at the recent hockey trade show in Las Vegas. To say Smith, who ran his own company after designing for Vaughn, is excited about the line is an understatement, and after taking it for a spin we understand why.

InGoal will bring you the complete results of those tests, which included puck stoppers from the rec-league to junior-hockey ranks, in the upcoming November edition of our new digital magazine, along with video breakdowns of the innovative features in Warrior’s Ritual line, and footage of it in action, on both the website and in the newsletter.

For now, however, we’ll start with some photos of the fresh new gear to whet your appetite. While fans of the 6000 line from Smith’s old company will recognize a few features, rest assured there are plenty of new ones as well:

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