Methodology
The 7 scoring axes
Each pad is scored 1–5 on seven axes. Scores are integers — no half points — to keep the scale honest and avoid false precision.
Durability
How long the pad holds up under normal use. Considers core material, edge construction, and community reports of breakdown timelines.
Mobility
Weight and flex characteristics for fast movement. Lighter pads with aggressive pre-curves score higher. Flagship pads are not automatically high — some are intentionally stiff.
Rebound
Predictability and quality of pucks leaving the pad face. Stiffer cores and flatter faces score higher for controlled butterfly play.
Sliding
Slide-channel quality for push-and-glide technique. Inner edge material and pre-curve angle both matter. Vaughn QuickSlide and Brian's Primo-Slide are benchmark references.
Comfort
Knee stack and strapping quality over a full game. High scores require a well-designed knee cradle and adjustable strapping that doesn't need constant mid-game attention.
Value
Performance per dollar at the pad's target level — not absolute performance. A $400 entry pad scoring 5/5 here means it's excellent for its tier and price, not that it's as good as a $1,800 flagship.
Resale
How well the pad holds value on the used market (e.g., HockeyMonkey Exchange, SidelineSwap). Brand recognition and durability both contribute. Bauer holds resale exceptionally well; Vaughn and Warrior trail most brands.
Composite score and ranking
The ranking on the home page is driven by a single composite score:
composite = durability + mobility + rebound + sliding + comfort + value + resale
Range: 7 (minimum) to 35 (maximum). Every axis is weighted equally — one vote each. This reflects overall quality regardless of which axes a particular buyer prioritizes. If you only care about sliding, the ranking still gives you a useful starting point; you can then look at individual model pages for the sliding score specifically.
Tie breakers (applied in order when composite scores are equal): tier rank descending (flagship > top > mid > value > entry), then base price descending. All tie-breaking is deterministic — the same input always produces the same ranking.
Where data comes from
Every pad in the catalog was researched manually. Sources include:
- Community threads on Reddit (r/hockeygoalies) and goalie-specific forums
- Retailer product descriptions from GoalieMonkey, Pure Goalie, and Total Hockey
- Specialty publications and review sites (InGoal Magazine, Hockey Tutorial)
- Manufacturer spec sheets where publicly available
No pad in this catalog has been field-tested by the site author. These are scores synthesized from public data — community consensus, known construction facts, and retailer specs.
What scores_confidence: tbd means
Several 2026 flagship models were released within weeks of this catalog being built. Scores exist but are based on initial reviews and manufacturer specs only — no community long-term data. The ranking still includes tbd pads, but flags them with a quality note on the model page and in the ranking row. Treat those entries as "looks promising, but verify before buying."
Refresh cadence
The catalog is refreshed manually every 2–3 months. New model releases, discontinued models, and significant community data updates (e.g., a wave of durability reports) trigger out-of-cycle updates. Prices drift — always verify at the retailer before purchasing.
Honest disclaimer
This site is not affiliated with any brand. No affiliate links. No field testing. The scores here represent one person's synthesis of publicly available information — they are a starting point for your own research, not a final verdict. If you have firsthand experience that contradicts a score, the author genuinely wants to hear it.