36 replies to this topic

[Mapleleafs-13]

I haven't really been into hockey gear as long as you guys, to tell you the truth i only started playing outdoor shinny 3-4 years ago and it's been my first year playing with full equipment. But i've always enjoyed hockey, either watching it or playing road hockey and whatnot.

 

So now that you know that, i'm trying to figure out what the hype is about JOFA. I see brand new elbow pads go for $250 plus and other equipment go for stupid amounts. Is their stuff really that superior than bauer or ccm or so on. Is it worth so much cause they don't make the equipment with jofa logos on it cause reebok bought it?! Is it cause pros rock'd the equipment so much. what's the deal?

 

I did the wiki search and supposedly they were really good helmets when they were made. The guy that invented JOFA has passed on at 92 years of age. They also made equipment for Bandy and horseback riding. They were based out of sweeden. But after reading all that i can't figure out why the insane prices.

 

 

[IDoezIt]

hahaha @ the breif history.

 

Honestly. Im still kind of new to the whole eqp whoring but i dont get it much either.

 

Though, i have been searching for some shins but caved recently to retail 9ks for 65 bucks. 

 

Is there much difference between the new KFS RBK Shin pads vs the Old Jofas? 

[HockeySavants]

Here's the deal behind JOFA:

 

 

Their protective gear is very well made and very....protective.

 

Their helmets are suicide buckets nowadays, but it's hard to find better shin pads and elbows.

 

I love their materials and they stay in place without much effort.

 

When it comes to other brand elbows, all of them tend to less protection compared to JOFA's JDP. 

 

Mobility wise they can be a bit restrictive, and the wrist protection is non-existant (why they offer slash guards), but you will see players have had pads that they've worn since juniors.

 

On a side note, they are incredibly overpriced, Bauer's Nexus and Warrior's Projekt line is amazing and provides awesome protection even if you don't see NHLers wearing them.

[Hab4life]

It's what the majority of the pros wear that drives the prices up. People used to get the same elbows and shins for under $50 or so all the time but not now.

[Kovey10]

It's what the majority of the pros wear that drives the prices up. People used to get the same elbows and shins for under $50 or so all the time but not now.

Exactly this. Pros wear Jofa and people want it. That's why prices are through the rough on some items. There is protective equipment out there that is just as protective and more comfortable, but if pros aren't wearing it people don't want it.

Bauer, Easton, and the new CCM CLs all are 3 very good pro pads and they are all becoming more popular in the NHL now.

[- M]

Supply and demand.  Lots of guys are going towards Jofa brand protective simply because that's what the pros wear.  The rarity of a Jofa branded piece of equipment makes it more valuable than the more common Reebok branded equivalent. 
 

[thinkingjack]

For years JOFA was the only and ONLY i really mean ONLY brand that was ever allowed to print the NHL logo on its gear retail and pro because its the only approved gear by the NHL and NHLPA and recognized the most by players.  If you look at like retail hockey pants they have the screen print small nhl logo but thats nothing, JOFA is all NHL logos.  Their gear is made out of recycled russian tank material, they refuse to die.  I've seen pros use the same jofa shoulders and shins and elbow pads from like 1998 and its now 2013 because its so protective and feels so good to them.

 

I've had jofa, it wasnt my thing, they were too bulky and if i straightened my arm they came right off usually so i gave up on them.  

 

 

The price is because "see monkey do, monkey does as he sees".   After a while the prices just drove up because everyone wanted to wear the same shit the pros wear.  I bought some brand new jofa elbows recently, from a team sale, in the bag IN THE BAG.   25 shipped each pair.    At those prices they go for.  Well, its your own indiscretion but bauers defender, lightspeed, supreme, pro, lines are equally fitting and very very protective.    

 

I use Easton Synergy 700 elbows which are starting to reach those prices too and they're less restrictive and much more comfortable and very very protective.

 

Yet again i'll quote "the price is on the eye of the buyer" But usually i switch out idiot for buyer.

[- M]

"Approved" because they paid money in a licensing deal.  Pay enough money and you too can put the NHL logo on a product of your choice.  They had a pretty big endorsement for practice and referee jerseys before The Hockey Company buyout.  Grant yourself exclusive rights and hope players will stick with your gear down the road.  Reebok/CCM is currently doing this at the Junior level.

Lots of Chinese-made Jofa product had the NHL logo stamped on them too but the quality is nowhere near the Swedish made counterparts.  You might as well save yourself a few bucks and strap pieces of cardboard to your body instead.

[modny123]

its funny how the compant that makes the best shins andprotective produced helmets which basically did nothing for your head lol

[Mapleleafs-13]

Kool, so it was a quality thing then. I thought it was just cause pros wore it. Appreciate all the info.

[bakerboy]

jofa=best. period

[shoeshine boy]

it's a little bit of both, really. yes the pros wear it but back when Jofa was making all of their stuff in Sweden the quality was outstanding. in the later years only the pro stuff was made in Sweden and the retail stuff was made in China where the quality suffered. the pro stuff (made in Sweden) is more rare and thus more expensive though imo still not worth $250 for a set of elbow pads.

[Harv]

[Beer leaguer]

It may be what the pros wear, but I have taken huge hits and came out fine without a piece of jofa on. It really is because pros use it!

Bulky gear is something I hate as well.

[JoeyJ0506]

I love my Jofa shins.  Ditched the shoulders and elbows.  Were just not comfortable at all to me.  Much happier with the mix of gear I wear now.

[Monty22]

Back in the 90's the tagline for Jofa retail protective was "Jofa-Protection that works" .  It was simple and true. The shins shoulders and elbows were/are popular with the pros because they worked.

 Most of the people that complain about elbow slippage with Jofa are trying to use too large a size. The size 4 & 5 command a premium because there isn't much of it floating around. Most pros are large people who require larger sized pads. Just a few years ago, the Jofa pro stuff was basiclly available at retail. It didn't sell well due to the level of protection. Most players seemed to think "I don't need this much pad".  II'm using 8k elbows I paid $45 and 5090 shins I got for free about 15 years ago. They are still going strong. My Jofa stuff is the only protective I don't have to look at every couple of years to replace. The Jofa/RBK pro shins are also one of the few models available without the Hyper extention guard just below the knee cap. I hate wearing pads with it, so I stocked up with another pair , that at the present rate I'll need to switch to them sometime next decade.       

[thinkingjack]

"Approved" because they paid money in a licensing deal.  Pay enough money and you too can put the NHL logo on a product of your choice.  They had a pretty big endorsement for practice and referee jerseys before The Hockey Company buyout.  Grant yourself exclusive rights and hope players will stick with your gear down the road.  Reebok/CCM is currently doing this at the Junior level.

Lots of Chinese-made Jofa product had the NHL logo stamped on them too but the quality is nowhere near the Swedish made counterparts.  You might as well save yourself a few bucks and strap pieces of cardboard to your body instead.

It's hockey, its not hard to decipher that approved means buy the players, look at bauer, took to the same notion now too.

[- M]

Give the players a product they can trust in with good service and they'll use your product.  Any compensation they receive is secondary.

[Mincy]

Holy Jofa shins! Saw this in a YouTube clip of Derek Settlemyre talking about his experience as the EQM for the Flyers.

 

[Monty22]

/\ That pic reminds me of when I picked up my 5090's. Went to visit my buddy who was an AHL eqm at the time (approx 15 years ago) . Walked into the practice rink locker room and the Jofa shins were set up the same way. "16's are over there".. funny how the basic product hasn't really changed and is still the industry standard.