Hi there, this is just a review on some pads and gloves I bought from Dean recently.
Zeus Gloves
As you can see from the photos here, the gloves have a very nice classical look with the "rolled" fingers. They are quite light, weighing in at 235g for the right glove and 198g for the left. At the top of the glove (the strap part) there is a sweatband, which can come in handy, but I could never really bring myself to use it as one! I haven't taken a hit on the glove since using them, so I can't say that the protection is amazing from experience. However, the padding on the gloves feel sturdy, so I wouldn't worry too much about getting hit. Both the right and left hand gloves have additional padding at the side of the right index finger and the left pinky. They also feel very comfy, but as I am starting to wear inners, this doesn't really matter. They are also pittard leather palmed, not that this really means anything to me. :S
This has to be the biggest bummer about the gloves so far however, as I have only used them for two net sessions and a throw down session, but the sewing on a part of the additional padding on my right glove has come loose.
Zeus Pads
These are the Zeus pads, which also have a very nice, compact look to them. They have got very good sturdy protection. I have been hit a few times on the pads and not really felt anything at all. The padding up at the very top of the pad is pretty good, protecting some of the thigh. The straps are padded, so if you get struck there, it will offer some protection as it's better for the ball to strike padding into your leg rather than plastic, if you know what I mean. The internal knee protection is very strong and sturdy, so no worries about weak knee protection, and the pads themselves are really quite comfy. There is also a very good ankle protection. The pads weigh 924g and 948g, and I checked my other set of Zeus pads and they were 914g and 928g. A little bit of inconsistency with the weight, but nothing serious to worry about. They are relatively light, but I have lighter pads, which weigh 697g and 676g. These are CA golds, but don't offer anywhere near as good protection all over, especially in the knee area, and seem quite a bit bulkier. These Zeus pads do come up quite high. If you prefer pads that don't come up quite nearly as high, the Lightnings come up about 1.5cm (I think) shorter according to Dean. These pads actually felt a tad too big for me, by about an inch, but after a net session and throw down session, these felt like they fitted really well and I didn't feel restricted at all in my movement.
However, the one complaint I do have about these pads is the stitching. The stitching is generally quite good, but the picture above makes me think that the pads are unfinished, which are clearly not the case. There is obviously threading of some of the material used, and maybe the manufacturers forgot to cut off some of the stitching ends. This is only cosmetic though, and I could quite easily cut them off myself, but just looking for a downside to balance this review really!
ConclusionThese are a very good set of quality pads/gloves. They have a very nice classical look (1st team captain even asked me where he could find gear that nice) and provide very good protection. The only real major downside was the stitching on the gloves coming loose, but I'm sure that even an idiot like myself could find a way to sew the padding back on! The best part about this is... Dean has put the offer back up for £55 for any set of Vulcan pads and gloves! You should check the Vulcan website to see which gloves and pads suit you!
Rating8.5/10
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Topic: Vulcan Zeus Pads and Gloves Review (Read 3239 times)