Cory Schneider Testing Reebok P4 Pads

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):