Why I Needed New Pads Man
Okay, straight up, my old shoulder pads were killing me. Felt like wearing bricks. Started noticing it big time during two-a-days last week – slow getting the ball out, my shoulders dragging by the end of practice. Quarterback ain’t fun when you feel weighed down, right? Decided enough was enough, needed something way lighter.
Digging Into Options Online
Went digging around online forums, gear review sites… you know the drill. Kept seeing “Xenith” pop up again and again, especially for QBs talking lightweight. Thing is, Xenith has a bunch of models! Got kinda overwhelming. Focused my search specifically on “lightweight Xenith QB pads.” Ended up zeroing in on three everyone seemed to buzz about: the Epic+, the Velocity, and the Aero Hybrid. Gotta test ’em myself, though.
Getting My Hands Dirty Testing
Ordered all three. Yeah, my wallet groaned. Figured I needed a real-world test. Started with the Epic+. First impressions? Man, it felt solid. Strapped it on, did my usual QB warm-ups – drops, play-action fakes. Protection felt top-notch, no doubt. But… it’s definitely the heaviest of the three I had. Still lighter than my old boat anchors, for sure, but you feel it compared to the others. Knew this was probably the “tank” option.
Next day, pulled out the Velocity. Whoa. This thing disappeared on my shoulders. Like, seriously light. Jumped around, ran a few bootlegs. Felt crazy free, super mobile. Honestly, loved how it felt just moving around. My arm felt quicker, snaps felt faster. But… I tapped my collarbones gently a couple times thinking about getting popped. Made me wonder about that big hit. Is it enough? Gotta balance freedom with not getting broken.
Saved the Aero Hybrid for a full-pad practice. This one kinda split the difference. Felt lighter than the Epic+, but not as insanely light as the Velocity. Strapped in, felt pretty good moving. Definitely more mobile than the Epic+. The coolest thing? That “hybrid” padding – foam in the core spots, air cells elsewhere. Actually stopped and asked my center to give me a decent thump (not full game speed!) right on the shoulder. Felt it, but it absorbed the shock way better than I expected from something so much lighter than my old pads. Didn’t feel like a freight train hit me, which is a win.
My Takeaway After Strapping Them All On
So, after living with each one for drills and some contact? Here’s my raw QB breakdown:
- Epic+: Big protection, kinda heavy. Feels like armor. If you take monster hits constantly? Maybe. But felt sluggish for me.
- Velocity: Crazy light, amazing freedom. Barely feel it. But honestly, the protection level spooked me a little bit when I thought about that blindside hit.
- Aero Hybrid: Hit the sweet spot for me. Still very light, way better mobility than the Epic+. And that hybrid padding? Man, it actually works surprisingly well. Took those thumps without making me regret it.
Ended up sticking with the Aero Hybrid for now. Gives me enough pop protection while letting me move how I need to. The Velocity felt amazing gliding around, but I just needed more peace of mind in the pocket. Finding gear that doesn’t fight you? Huge win for a QB. Feeling quicker already.
