Viper BOA Evolution pad & Venom glove set

[hroark2112]

I picked up the set from one of the last Viper Ebay auctions. Now that I've used them on ice a bunch, it's time for a review. Here's a photo of the set new:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e221/hroark2112/100_0415.jpg

and after sno-seal:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e221/hroark2112/100_0419.jpg

I'm not going to give numerical ratings, and since James has switched from direct sales to selling through retailers, I'm not going to discuss the ordering and wait time information. It's not relevant here, unless he switches back to direct marketing.

The first Ebay auction was for the gloves. The gloves are the Venom model, he had the blocker already made in buckey and had to make the glove. He sent me a photo of the glove that he had originally made for the set. I had been wanting a vintage set for some time and decided to go for it.

First, the glove:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e221/hroark2112/100_0466.jpg

I had James do the pocket in skate lace. When I got it, he had done it in a different kind of lace than I prefer (I like the thick, stretchy kind and he had used the thinner kind) so I re-laced the pocket myself. (Many thanks to goaltendah for his video, I've used that information time & time again now!) Since I got the gloves several weeks before the pads, I was able to break in the gloves while watching TV for a significant time before hitting the ice. Break in was easy, the glove was fairly flexible out of the box. There are a number of ajusting straps to allow you to get the glove to fit on your hands just how you want it.

Backhand of glove open:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e221/hroark2112/100_0469.jpg

Backhand closed:


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e221/hroark2112/100_0467.jpgThe glove is very comfortable, and it holds on to the puck well. The break angle is somewhat similar to my VK7 gloves, I'm not sure of the exact angle though. It feels like the puck will funnel well into the pocket when it hits the heel of the glove, and I haven't had pop-out issues. The tee of the glove is offset, which is different, but I can't really feel a big difference. I was concerned at first, but it has been a non-issue for me. The palm is protective, but not so thick that I don't feel the occasional shot through it. It appears to be a single piece design, which leaves no seam in the palm. I've had a stinger or two, but nothing significant at all.

Overall, I am pleased with the glove. It is excellent for stickhandling and passing, it holds the puck well when a save is made, and it dries well. Definitely an excellent glove.

Now on to the blocker:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e221/hroark2112/100_0464.jpg

Again, buckey with no graphic on the face. I like the look. The first thing I noticed when I got on the ice with this set was that my passing was WAY improved over any other set I've got. I actually got my first delay-of-game penalty for shooting the puck over the high glass, it shocked me more than anyone else!

The blocker has a well-defined curve and the sidewall of the glove is protective. The finger protection is excellent, and there is a pillow on the backhand of the glove which minimizes how much I feel any shots. It feels like it makes the puck die a bit when it hits the blocker.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e221/hroark2112/100_0463.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e221/hroark2112/100_0465.jpg



There is only one negative so far on the blocker. The glove part floats free, which is different than any other blocker I've owned. This makes it a it tough to put my hand in the glove mid-game, I would much prefer if it were sewn to the cuff instead of floating free. I may add some stitches to this, to see if it helps. It's really the only flaw I see with the gloves.

With the exception of the lacing issue, which was just a personal thing, and the blocker palm issue I feel these are excellent gloves. The improved stickhandling and excellent puck retainage makes these a big addition to my game.

Next post - the pads.

[hroark2112]

On to the pads.

New & post sno-seal photos in the post above.

James & I had several discussions about the pads. I asked for a few mods to the pads based on my personal preferences. The mods I asked for were as follows:



Quick release straps
Only 2 calf straps
Single knee strap
No strap above the knee
Single boot strap (not sure if it's a mod, but I wanted only 1)
Strap keeper on the boot strap (I think it's standard, but I wanted it!)
Thigh guards instead of knee boards
Single break below the knee, none above

All the mods requested were done. As far as sizing goes, I requested a 35" pad with a 16" ATK. James nailed the sizing perfectly. I sent James a graphic design I wanted to base the pads on and he did an excellent job on that too. I wanted simple but bold, black jenpro graphic with the buckey as the main part of the pad. I also asked for a medium flex pad. As compared to other pads I've demo'd and owned, this is how the pad was made.

Once I got the pads and adjusted the straps, I noticed one glaring problem with the pad design. On the outside of the knee landings there was a flap which served no real purpose. It's the exact same flap as I removed from my VK7 pads. When the flap was there, it inhibited pad rotation significantly, so I removed it immediately. Otherwise the pads fit perfectly and are exactly what I asked for.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e221/hroark2112/100_0458.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e221/hroark2112/100_0459.jpg

On the ice, the pads rotate very well. No under or over rotation issues, sliding is excellent (given my crappy skills) and rebound control is excellent. The pads rotate back well, they are VERY light and feel protective.

In the calf cradle, there are 'pillows' on both the inner and outer sides. They haven't been a problem, I don't really feel them during play. I guess they provide some extra padding, but to be honest I'm not sure they're needed. They do tend to close up the leg channel a bit, so if you want a more open channel, request these pads removed. Ideally, I think I might take some velcro and sew it to some nylong, remove the pads and cover the velcro in the channel and try it without the pads. I don't wear socks under my pads, but I really can't feel the calf pads.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e221/hroark2112/100_0460.jpg

These are thin profile pad, which contributes to the overall light weight of the pads. That being said, I can't feel shots through the pads and the thigh rise does not give with shots. I really do like the thinned out profile of the pads.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e221/hroark2112/100_0461.jpg

If there is any weakness on these pads, it is in the thigh guards. They definitely are very basic in construction, and don't have any side knee protection. I'm not sure if he did this intentionally, but the velcro closure on the thigh guards are reversed from the closure of the knee & straps. It makes it weird to put them on. They feel like they kind of flop around a bit on my thigh, and I have large thighs. In the end, I'll probably switch to a different style thigh & knee pad and remove these. The only other (very minor) complaint I have is the 3MM lacing used on the toe ties. I prefer skate lace for these, I'll swap it out when I get time. The 3MM lacing just doesn't stay tied well, and I've tripped over toe ties on more than one occasion.

Bottom line here is these are excellent pads. The protection, quality and build of the pads is excellent. The modifications requested were all done perfectly. The graphic is just what I wanted, and I love how they play.

I would definitely recommend this set to anyone looking for gear in their future!