How to Select a Goalie Leg Pad
There are many different types of goalie leg pads to choose from and it is important to choose the one that will provide you the best experience and appropriate protection. Check out our video below to find out which leg pad best suits your needs!
Goalie Leg Pad Styles
An important factor to implement into your leg pad decision is the style of play the goaltender uses in the crease. There are two different styles: Butterfly and Hybrid.
Butterfly
This is the most common style among goaltenders and is a style heavily relied on correct positioning. The front of the pads have a flat face design and then utilize a stiffer core to re-direct rebounds with more control and away from the crease. Butterfly style leg pads obtain a better seal against the ice to maximize coverage to the five-hole.
Features:
- Flat-faced, pre-curved design with either one single outer break, or internal break for pad flexibility.
- Stiffer core to deflect rebounds quickly away from the crease and with more control
- Thicker landing pads for the knees when dropping down into the butterfly
- Leg channel is shallower to allow the pads to rotate around the leg for quicker butterfly transition
- Square boot and thigh for maximum coverage
- Butterfly leg pads are designed to have a tighter seal against the ice to take away as much of the lower net as possible
Hybrid
This style of leg pad is geared toward goalies that rely on their reflexes and mobility in the crease. The front of the leg pads have knee rolls and a softer core which absorbs the puck energy and keeps rebounds much closer to the goalie for a quick cover-up. This style of leg pad has more flexibility to cater to the mobility of this type of goalie, while still offering good butterfly coverage.
Features:
- Traditional knee rolls that are either round or flat. They add flexibility to the leg pads
- They have more knee breaks – above and below the knee for increased leg pad flex
- Thick landing pads for the knees when dropping down into the butterfly
- Deeper leg channels keep the leg pads more secure to the legs when the goalie moves around
- Square boot and thigh for maximum coverage
- Hybrid leg pads are designed for goalies who use a combination of the butterfly and stand-up styles
