I have long praised the CCM/Reebok 9K girdle for the extremely snug fit and excellent range of motion compared to most hockey pants. The 9K was the standard for me for how a girdle should preform, since it offered better mobility while still offering a very high level of protection that was only matched by the better pro stock pant options (see CCM HP45, CCM UCLP). But the Reebok 9K girdle is still relatively heavy, and is even heavier than those pants listed previously.
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When I previously took a look at newer retail girdle options, including Sherwood Code V girdle and CCM Jetspeed girdle, I was impressed by the lightweight but the protection was always lacking compared to the 9K and those excellent pro stock pants. The weight savings and extra mobility of these options also didn’t vastly out perform the pro stock pants I constantly wear and recommend.
That was until I bought the the Bauer ACP Pro girdle and tested it out myself. Looking at this girdle quickly you’d think there is nowhere near enough protection and you are going to be exposed constantly with this thing… but considering there a bunch of NHLers currently wearing this girdle or the very similar previous Bauer equivalents I knew I needed to test it out and find out what was so special about it.
Watch the full review on YouTube below to see just how this girdle performs and to see if the Bauer ACP Pro girdle is finally a girdle I can recommend over pro stock hockey pants.
One of my favourite features of this girdle also exists on the newer CCM Jetspeed girdle, which is the wraparound design. This allows you to put all of your gear on before putting the girdle on, so people who have a bigger stomach or are lacking in flexibility to bend down and get at their skates… this girdle makes that process considerably easier. Unfortunately that is a solid benefit for a lot of beer leaguers and is one of the reasons I see people putting on pants after skates. With the wraparound design, the legs fully open up as well as the middle buckle and Velcro allowing you to wrap the girdle around you. The one annoying feature of this is having to then step into a shell to cover the girdle afterwards, but it is easier and less of an issue to move a shell around and away rather than a pull padded pair of pants.
Speaking of the shell, since I know this will be asked in some capacity. You don’t NEED to use a girdle or even a Bauer specific shell to go around these. I used my custom shells and my Warrior pant shells over top of the girdle and simply tightened it with the belt on the waist. It isn’t necessary to attach the shell to the hooks on the side and back of this girdle. While I used the same size pant shell over this girdle, it ended up fitting looser and slightly longer so you might want to try on different sizes to see which you prefer.
One of the interesting design aspects of the Bauer ACP Pro girdle is the use of DCT (Defense Clout Technology) foams on the hip sections for added protection. I’ve been critical in the past of Bauer moving away from the licensed (read they have to pay to use it) foam in PoronXRD, this DCT implementation here feels VERY similar to Poron. Previously equipment that has advertised DCT foams have never felt equivalent, and that was very evident in the player gloves I have looked at over and over from Bauer. But this foam on the hips is fantastic, and would be a fine replacement in their other equipment lines, but again I never noticed a foam of this specific properties in the other gear I have looked at previously.
The biggest advantage the Bauer ACP Pro girdle has over pants is the ridiculously lightweight and extremely mobile nature. When wearing this girdle, it actually feels like you forgot your pants and comparing how wide my legs and hips look with pants on compared to this… I actually had people ask if I forgot my pants. But the targeted protection on the Bauer ACP Pro girdle is solid and even better than some recent non-pro stock pants I have worn recently. This girdle fits so close to your body that your range of motion is incredible and it truly feels like there is 0 restriction when moving. While I don’t weight equipment anymore because people focus far too much on a specific number… this girdle is the first piece of gear that has felt considerably lighter while wearing compared to my constantly recommended pro stock options.
Overall the Bauer ACP Pro hockey girdle impressed me a tonne, to the point that it is one of my go to pant options. Protection is good enough, but really I wouldn’t want to block shots in it. But the mobility and lightweight make skating a breeze with basically no bulk. While I usually recommend more protective options, the Bauer ACP Pro girdle offers so much mobility that it is easy for me to recommend if your focus isn’t on protection and shot blocking.
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