Playing without padded shorts!!!

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[wiggy199177]

Hey guys
I was talking to one of my fellow keepers at my club and he said that he no longer plays with padded shorts! He said it gave him added mobility and agility, and seeing as he is playing in a low league and is pushing on a bit is understandable as shots aren't particularly hard. Ive only been hit in the leg once this year and that was in training and bearing in mind I log for PC I was thinking about joining him and seeing how it goes in the summer leagues! I was wondering how many people out there are doing this and if they recommend it.
Cheers
Wiggy

[controller]

personally I wouldn't recommend it but it is down to your preferences.

I do know other keepers who thing they are now too heavy and stopping them from getting up from the ground quickly but I am positive that is their age, ability and the night before drinking session!!! 

[shepdogg]

its a valid point.

considering how many are using elbow guards simply to protect the bones, why not have something similar to protect the hip bones, with very thin padding to protect the flesh. Im considering moving down to yahoo bored shorts next season. I havnt taken a hit on the shorts for close to 3 seasons now.

However..if you play a decent level, and are pretty active around the D, i would advise against getting rid altogether. Remember that you can get your hands down quickly to protect your elbows and good posture will usually have them covered already. But your thighs may take a belter one day at close range and i know that i dont want to be on the hip replacement waiting list just yet!

[Folmer]

With the Robo girdle I use I don't feel any restrictions whatsoever. It took me about 3 training sessions and 1 match to get used to them, but now I wouldn't want anything else.
Before I've used other, lower level, pants and girdles and the protection and movability with these is significantly worse. So if you're wearing one of those and taking into account the number of times you get hit on the pants I can understand why you would consider dumping them.

My advise would be to buy a top grade girdle. For me it is worth the money.

[animal]

I haven't worn padded shorts for the last five seasons and not had any trouble. That is my decision and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. If protective gear is available and you choose not to use it then if you get hurt you are the only one responsible!

ANIMAL

[wiggy199177]

If protective gear is available and you choose not to use it then if you get hurt you are the only one responsible!

I agree with this, I dont wear any elbows and not had any problems thus far but praying that problems never occur. Our 1st team keeper told me a story about his uni days when he got a compound fracture when somebody landed on his arm and he was wearing full arms. Just goes to show that some are luckier than others.

With the Robo girdle I use I don't feel any restrictions whatsoever. It took me about 3 training sessions and 1 match to get used to them, but now I wouldn't want anything else.
Before I've used other, lower level, pants and girdles and the protection and movability with these is significantly worse. So if you're wearing one of those and taking into account the number of times you get hit on the pants I can understand why you would consider dumping them.

I downgraded from robo to cloud this year and found movement better in the clouds. Im hopefully playing league 3 next year in our 2nds who were relegated this year so shots can vary a little bit with guys coming down from 1st and people moving up.
Wiggy

[Folmer]

I downgraded from Robo to cloud this year and found movement better in the clouds. I'm hopefully playing league 3 next year in our 2nds who were relegated this year so shots can vary a little bit with guys coming down from 1st and people moving up.

Agree that movability is (slightly) better in the Clouds, but the protection is a whole lot less. I won't consider using them, especially for that price. Just a couple quid extra and you've got a top grade TK girdle. (which has less mobility, but way better padding)

[Inselaffen]

years ago when playing UWE 1st XI I took a bloody hard undercut from point blank range on the inside of my thigh. no chance to get anything else on it. Didnt have very good padded shorts back then. carried on for the rest of the match. when I took off my shorts in the changing room my leg was covered in blood. the shot had been so hard it just spilt the skin. Not nice and now there is no way I will play without decent padded shorts.

[Folmer]

Ouch!! That must have hurt.

Before I forget: one more reason to wear padded shorts is the extra option to safely stop stops. You don't need to get a glove or pad in the way (although that is usually the better option) and have got time to clear with the kickers once on the ground.

[NicfromSweden]

I have thought about it but my girdle is very flexible much more flexible than the new designs and its actually a problem for me because i dont want to replace the girdle even though its about 10 years old now and have been repaired over and over again

[sanabas]

I don't make saves with my arms, so I'm happy wearing just chestpiece + gloves for my upper body. But I do make saves with my legs reasonably often, they are far more vulnerable than my arms when sliding or logging, and I don't notice major mobility issues when wearing padded shorts, unlike when I wear armguards. So I'll stick to wearing shorts.

I don't think leaving them off would be a huge issue, I don't think I'd be likely to get anything worse than a nice bruise or possibly a corked thigh. But I get enough bruises when the ball finds gaps in my padding, no need to invite more.

[bigpez5]

Piece of my shorts fell out the week before my new ones arrived played in them in the next match and kopped a tomahawk right in the spot missing the padding, i don't think i'll be playing without them anytime soon! 

[shepdogg]

does anybody think the design of the modern girdle has plenty of room for improvement? i use the tk gx1+ and it still feels like im wearing a big nappy. Do we really need all that thick foam everywhere?! Its strange that some shorts are more padded than chest guards!

Id like a pair of thin cycling type shorts with some sort of polyethylene reinforcement, with spare pieces in case of breakage. It wouldnt soak up the rain quite as much either.

[danni]

does anybody think the design of the modern girdle has plenty of room for improvement? i use the tk gx1+ and it still feels like im wearing a big nappy. Do we really need all that thick foam everywhere?! Its strange that some shorts are more padded than chest guards!

Id like a pair of thin cycling type shorts with some sort of polyethylene reinforcement, with spare pieces in case of breakage. It wouldnt soak up the rain quite as much either.

i agree i would like it like that but withh a thin layer of plastic to protect teh polyethylene

[DoubleR]

does anybody think the design of the modern girdle has plenty of room for improvement? i use the tk gx1+ and it still feels like im wearing a big nappy. Do we really need all that thick foam everywhere?! Its strange that some shorts are more padded than chest guards!

Id like a pair of thin cycling type shorts with some sort of polyethylene reinforcement, with spare pieces in case of breakage. It wouldnt soak up the rain quite as much either.

American football player shorts??

I only play without shorts on grass/ the beach and at low levels.  I got a smack on the inner thigh a few years ago and burst some blood vessels, my whole leg was red and purple and all sorts of colours.  Wear padded shorts, if you can't move very well then either get used to it or remove the offending panels.  Its not worth the damage you could do to yourself by going without.