Butturini using Obo hi rebound rhp

With the Junior World Cup under way at the moment, it's been interesting (well, for a kit obsessive anyway!) to observe the goalkeepers in action. And one thing that stood out in the trending switch to using the Obo hi rebound rhp for a larger blocking surface when making saves to the right, Australia's starting goalkeeper is Andrew Butturini moving away from using the new Mazon rhp over to the aforementioned Obo hi rebound rhp. Making a few standing saves with said glove on drag flicks, demonstrating the proper way to use the glove and execute said technique of covering more shooting space, was a good illustration of how it is possible to stay standing up against corners, using the time to react and block from an upright position. In terms of the switch, I'm not sure if Australia's other goalkeeping choice Eddie Chittleborough had a part to play in influencing it, seeing as he made the switch himself a while ago, akin to the Blaak/Stockmann/Jenniskens scenario for using the same glove over in Holland.

Anyhoo picographic evidence here!

http://events.fih.ch/new/match/5161#photos

Pinnegar using Mazon elbows

There aren't exactly too many English goalkeepers using them throughout the leagues and national league, so it's a little interesting (kit nerd, goalie obsessive wise anyhoo!) to see Tom Pinnegar wearing Mazon elbow pads. The England U21's goalkeeper, who is backing up Harry Gibson at the upcoming Junior World Cup, with Stubbings having fallen out of favour, has been using elbow pads for quite a while, although was in Obo ones before that. With Monarch not currently making their own elbow pads yet, it's a bespoke scenario a lot like when Brothers was sponsored by Mercian in his playing days. Popular in Australia and in Belgium as mentioned previously, it'll be interesting to see how much they catch on (or not as the case may be!) given the options for movement and flexibility that they give us goalkeepers.

Anyways, you can see him in action wearing them here, noticable from the padding around the arm and none on the inside of the elbow:

http://blog.monarchhockey.com/tom-pinnegar-england-u21/

Gucasoff switches to Obo elbow pad

Not exactly another groundbreaking (or not as the case may be!) equipment sighting, but it's noticable that Belgian goalkeeper Gucasoff has changed up his arm padding again, moving to the current Obo elbow pad design.

Gucasoff has gone from a "Dutch" approach (with no arm padding at all for maximum movement at the arms possible for those reflex glove saves etc.) playing for Brucelles, as seen here:

And played like this as he was involved in the international set-up in the build-up to the London Olympic games:

And then moved to an elbow pad on the right arm only, which he moved to in the latter point of last season, wearing a Mazon elbow pad (which seem quite popular in Belgium interestingly, though they're made by an Australian company!):

And is now wearing the Obo elbow pad, again, still just on the right, with the left unpadded for more freedom getting across uninhibited by padding, as seems to be the most popular kit style in Belgium:

The Obo pad gives more padding at the inner and outer elbow, with more padding at the elbow joint, giving more substantial protection, which is important, from protecting against shots to these areas, which could be disastrous for the goalkeeper in question.

Reading's Jukes in Mazon pads

Turns out I was wrong (as seems to be usual!), about Reading's Barry Jukes wearing Mazon leg pads and kickers whilst at the Euro Hockey League with the 1st XI squad. With Jamie Legg, Jukes, their third choice but experienced option (involved in indoor league competition behind Brothers when he was there and so on), was benching for them in the Easter weekend games. Given the blurriness of the Euro footage (well, that's my excuse anyway, and I'm sticking to it!), I had thought they were Monarch pads given Monarch are rejuvenating their kit and I saw an M! But, from pictures (nicked off FHF, thanks Broadstone, should probably have asked for permission...), it shows that the pads are actually Mazon pads. Very interesting considering Mazon is an Australian brand and other than their elbow pads being popular in Belgium (for some reason!), their foam is not used overseas, especially England. The pads themselves are unique in their colouring design, with the blue (Mazon Proforce pads are black) usually used for their club standard pads/kickes. Along with the white diagonal stripe. And you can see he is wearing a Mazon style helmet. Not sure if he's fully sponsored by them, because I don't get if/why they'd be letting him use Mercian gloves...