Mask Painter Headstrong Grafx takes their airbrush to Warrior Ritual Pads
Today at the Professional Trainers show in Florida, Headstrong Grafx unveiled a new twist on paint jobs for goalies. They styled up a fresh all-white set of Warrior Ritual pads with this standout paint – and while not exactly R-rated artwork, let’s just say they are attention grabbing – so we added in the banner to keep the work family friendly.
A few NHL goalies in the past have unveiled daring pad designs – most recently this season when Winnipeg Jet Chris Mason started using a custom set of Brian’s Sub-Zeros with Jets logos and they were so well-received that InGoal hopes that we’ll see more graphical creativity on gear next season – but airbrushed gear? That’s taking things to a completely different level that we didn’t expect.
These could simply be showstoppers for the trade shows, designed to grab attention and get people to notice Headstrong and Warrior’s work – like the incredible Brian’s Heineken pads InGoal first reported on. But wherever there’s a bold new idea, there is sure to be a goalie who would love to take them on the ice. What do you think? Can you imagine a set of airbrushed gear in the NHL one day? If you had the chance, what would you have on your gear?
We would expect more than a few questions about wear and tear on the artwork – so we asked for you. Headstrong’s Jason Livery told InGoal, “I use a specific sealer, exclusive to Headstrong Grafx, that will protect the artwork and will last longer than the pads do. You will see some wear as your pads break in and get used but the artwork will hold up very well.”
Over to you go InGoal readers…what do you think?
Woudn’t the paint come off
A mask you can clear coat, its hard meant to take a beating. I dont see pads fairing well after a couple uses. Plus you want to be united as a team, Mask is just the right amount of personalzation.
a little much..
What’s next, tacky van painting?
Is there a gun to my head?
Not a chance!!!
How would they keep the paint from peeling? The example is tacky & cartoonish but if you had a legit design & it didn’t start peeling off half way through the season I could see it working!
not a big fan of the design, but would like to know more about how and what paint to use.
Ugliess thing ever!!!
RBK came out with their version of the “Ghetto” whoops I mean “Graffiti” 6k graphic pads about 4-5yrs. back I guess to attract boys from the hood to come out and play.
Did anyone even see any of those at any rink?
“Ghetto” / “…boys from the hood”
That’s a bit much, ain’t it? As a Black goaltender/coach, I’m going to err on the side of “knee-jerk reaction” and assume you didn’t mean anything by that.
As for your question, yes, I HAVE seen a set of those pads. 2 sets actually. Worn by a couple of suburban white kids. And one of my current goalies sold his set to another one of my students, who absolutely loves them because they’re different than what anyone else has… which, right now, is either “all white” or “all-black”.
Do you want to be laughed at behind your back at the rink? Looks like those sad Tupac and Biggie memorial shirts people get airbrushed at the swapmeet. This cheezy crap belongs on those creepy no window vans from the 80′s and 70′s. Do not support this manufacture will see it as a cheap solution to buying colored material and actually stitching it in. Paint belongs on your mask only!
Sounds like jealousy to me. . Let’s see the artwork y’all do I’m pretty sure the stick people and childish drawings from people with 0 artistic talent would be getting a call from the NHL anyday. Until any of you can paint for the Pros like we do you cant compare to us. Keep hatin we still gettin paid! Lol!
Our artistic talent are not on trial here. The question was asked if we would consider a paint job on our pads. Considering that that RBK’s attempt a few years ago blew up in their faces with the “graphite pad” I think the public has spoke. But if you want sure lets pay to detail paint Clarino that is meant to be trashed up by pucks, scared with black streaks that will get worst with time cause that make sence. Pad graphics help confuse shooters and complement a teams jersey lines and curves. The mask is the only and perfect place to display a goalies unique personality whie the art being protected by clear coats. Doing more to your pads and you would just look like some ego maniac. No need to get your feeling hurt they asked and we told them what we think. Us “haters” are also consumers and companies dont make there money off the NHLers they make it of us. Deal to the 60 NHL goalie or to the thousands of us “haters”
I think it could lead to some interesting designs where goalies would have a whole common theme design throughout their entire set of gear. The sort of elaborate mask paint jobs we see now could be further expressed on other pieces of the goalie’s equipment. We started painting our masks for a reason, to show our own personalities and daring to be different. This is just a shot at the next stage in goalie personalizing evolution. I personally would love to have a painter do both a mask and matching pads.
Brutal, I’ll stop being a goalie if this becomes a fad and take up badminton
Ceez there is a sealer on the pads to protect the artwork. Read the article.
I’ve read that “specific sealer exclusive to Headstrong”. I’ve been trying to protect pads from puck mark for years and have not found a scotch gaurd a sealer or any coating that kept puck marks off or made it easier to clean. I think we would all be curious to see the condition of the pads after months of real use. If they look good you they hit the jack pot with that specific sealer they dont want to disclose.
The sealer I use will NOT stop puck marks!! That’s the inevitable! However you will be able to clean your puck marks off without damaging the artwork. We didn’t reinvent the wheel guys we just use basic paint principles on how to prep and paint on leather gear!
Ok ok now guys chill out! Corey relax! Sorry guys that is my son stickin up for his pops. Lol
These pads are not for sale nor going to be on the market. We painted these exclusively for this expo we are at this weekend. It sole purpose is to catch the attention. However we will be painting more for Warrior with different artwork that will be on display at a few major warrior retailers. So for all you guys thinking this is something we are trying to push onto consumers, it’s not. Now for the many of you that have contacted us to customize your pads for various events like cancer awareness and other theme nights that your team might be holding, the paint will hold up and will last. We look forward to painting yours in the near future.
Painting pads isn’t for everyone and god knows people won’t want burlesque women on Thier pads too. At least you have an option to do something custom that can’t be done any other way.
Thanks for all your input and keep an eye out for the other pads we put out with warrior in the near future. I think ur gonna love what we came up with for these sets!
I love it…another great job by HSG.
Nice to see everyone get a little bent out of shape over something different. Further proving the goalie stigma of us being weird I guess. While I would not want it for my pads at this moment I am sure if the design was super cool and less in your face I might change my mind. Having your teams Logo painted on your pads could be cool if much smaller. There are all ready brand logos on pads that look pretty cool so I am sure that the idea is not as bad as everyone here is making it out to be. Have an open mind and give feed back in a positive way on what you would like to see done with the idea. If something like this became more popular maybe the price of painting a mask would go down as more designers would be interested in this business resulting in more competition and better pricing for quality work.
Won’t work. All other company’s use heat transfers etc to put the paint literally in the pad of to mix the jenpro and paint. Then you have this which is terrible, could lead to people ruining they’re pads because they won’t be able to do it. The paint is merely a cover because it’s not heated into the pad.
Again basic principles on prep and paint which many people don’t understand. This WILL work, and DOES.:)
With all the whining about colors and matching your team, etc.. You’re obviously not going to get two naked chicks on your pads. However, if you did, you could porbably do it IN YOUR TEAM COLORS. lol
I think with the right designs, and proof that the design has some staying power with durability, there’s potential in it. Very inspired. Hope it works well.
Great concept but only would be for lower levels goalies.
The art work is amazing though.
One black velvet Elvis please!
Outstanding painting job I must say and obviously open up the door to extreme customization! But to my humble opinion, I hope this doesn’t start a trend of goalies wanting to stand out with special gear !! I’ve seen too many guys showing off already with their customized stuff. ( I REALLY mean showing off !!) Humility is a great quality, especially for a goalie and I hope this will not create another monster.
But to answer the question, I must say this a GREAT display for shows and sports conventions and I have nothing against that at all !! If it is meant to display the talent of the artists involved in such great artwork!
Oh and by the way, remember Kelly Hrudey in L.A. a few years back? With the films rolls and walk of fame stars on his pads and gloves? Didn’t last long I tell ya! Even Felix ¨the Cat¨Potvin in Toronto had the claws in his gear, so… Nothing really new there. It might work again for awhile, but who knows?
Kelly Hrudey’s ‘Film Reel’ pads didn’t last…’til he was traded to San Jose, where he had the pads of the Shark breaching out of the water.
Potvin also had his signature Brian’s ‘cat pads’. If you google image search ‘Brian’s cat pads’, I’m sure a few examples will pop up.
I’m going to go out on a huge limb here. Headstrong please contact me at scotthayes11b@yahoo.com.
It’s obvious that there is a lot of questions and I’m willing to take a hit and see how this looks and give an honest no BS review.
I don’t know how well it would look 25 games in with all the puck marks but I think it’s one of those things. Should we put advertising on the boards – pretty sure it would have been shot down in a heartbeat if you asked the fans. Now it’s the norm and we don’t think twice. I think if the right goalie did it first then it would be fine, say for an outdoor game maybe or an All*Star game. It could be neat. I just don’t ever want to see advertising. I remember years back, Grant Furh signed a deal with Pepsi to put advertising on his pads but the league stepped in and said no. As a goalie and an artist – this could be interesting.
I would not wear them but then again look at the professional leagues in Europe, those goalies and players are littered with advertisement; this way it would be personal preference instead of advertisement. Either way I would not enjoy wearing pads with art or advertisement on them.
^ it’s a sticker, not paint.
you all are just rather stuborn and are the reason that all of us goalies have the shitty stigma about us. Being stuck up weirdos, think outside of the box. I think it opens many doors and as for people saying that a mask is all a goalie should be able to “make his own” is BS look at it thoughout the ages of the damn game. Goalies have been doing their own thing with every peice of equipment we wear. The colors arnt all the same shit mike vernon and chris osgood wore the same damn pads but no one could tell. So come on people get out of your little “im and goalie and thats the way it is” lifestyle.