Brian's Optik 4 Review
|
|
Time to read 5 min
For decades, Brian’s has been a go-to name in goalie gear, known for its innovative, bold designs and commitment to premium, Canadian-made quality. Dedicated exclusively to serving goalies, Brian’s focuses on just one thing: creating the ultimate goalie equipment, crafted with precision and purpose for those who live in the crease.
Every November, goalies and fans alike anticipate the release of Brian’s latest gear, and this year’s launch of the Brian's Optik 4 series doesn’t disappoint. The Optik 4 builds upon the trusted Optik lineup, delivering performance-driven enhancements without losing the features that goalies already love.
The Evolution of the Optik Series
In 2017, Brian’s introduced the Optik series as a successor to the widely popular Subzero line, offering goalies a flat-faced, stiff pad designed for butterfly-style play. Built for maximum stability and crease control, the Optik line quickly gained popularity across all levels of hockey—from minor leagues to the NHL. Elite players like Igor Shesterkin (New York Rangers) and Karel Vejmelka (Utah Hockey Club) are just some of the many goalies who are using Brian’s Optik 4 gear to support their game this season.
What's New This Year?
- Leg Pads: New Upper Calf Strap and Inner Calf Strap Adjustments.
- Blocker: Larger Cuff on Blocker and Removal of Wrist Strap.
- Catcher: Redesigned Closure and Smart Dial Switch from BOA to ATOP.
Brian's Optik 4 Leg Pads
The Optik 4 leg pads are bindingless, flat-faced, and available in three distinct core options to provide peak performance regardless of a goalie’s playstyle. With its thin profile, and virtually non-existent outer-roll, these leg pads are designed to be light and quick, without sacrificing any of the quality Brian’s is known for.
Optik 4 Core Options
Similar to the Optik 3 leg pads, there are three core stiffness options to satisfy various goalie playstyles. Brian’s is all about building their gear with goalies in mind and pad stiffness is often a primary consideration when choosing the right pad.
MAX
The MAX stiffness core is the most rigid option for the Optik 4 pads and features an aggressive pre-curve (Z shape), helping to lock goalies into their butterfly. The core offers the structure designed to help goalies seal the ice and is optimal for your butterfly goaltending style.
FLY
The FLY core is another stiff option, albeit less than the MAX core. Featuring less of a pre-curve, this leg pad is the straightest of any core option, and offer a strong performance for goalies whose butterfly doesn’t fit the mould of the MAX core.
FLX
The FLX core is the Optik 4's hybrid style, offering more flexibility to move on your feet and on the ice. The leg pad features a pre-curve, although it’s more of an S shape, less aggressive than its MAX counterpart, and the soft flex enables the pad to react to the goalie’s movements.
New Upper Calf Strap
The redesigned professor strap on the Brian’s Optik 4 pads is a big upgrade by introducing a bungee style strap. This enables the upper calf strap to provide a more comfortable fit that remains responsive to every movement. The flexible strap is designed to improve the rotation of the leg pad while keeping it snug on a goalies leg for maximum control.
New Inner Calf Strap Adjustment
A new feature on the Optik 4 leg pads is the customizable calf strapping location, enabling goalies to relocate their strap to be positioned higher or lower on their calf. Goalies have the choice to place the strap evenly across their entire calf, or position it higher or lower depending on where they want the pad to feel most secure.
Brian's Opti-Slide Skin
Arguably the best slide-skin option in the game, Opti-slide continues to be Brian’s choice for helping goalies move on the ice quicker than ever before. Combined with the high-density foams and bindingless surface, these Optiks will slide effortlessly along the crease from start to finish.
Optik Thin Profile
Brian's Optik 4 leg pads are instantly recognizable for their thin profile and recessed outer roll. By leveraging a thin construction, the pads are not only light, but also feel more connected to the goalie when compared to bulkier options. The near-elimination of an outer roll also significantly reduces weight and increases visibility when the puck is in tight.
Brian's Optik 4 Blocker
Brian's Smart Dial
Since the launch of the Optik 3, Brian’s has switched their smart dial system from BOA to ATOP, however the functionality of the smart dial system remains the same. The smart dial system is designed to a create a more comprehensive fit adjustment while enabling micro-adjustments to lock in the perfect fit and feel.
Wrist Strap Removal
On the Optik 4 blocker, Brian’s has removed the wrist strap that originally covered the smart dial system, providing more range of motion. We saw some goalies complaining about this over the past few years and we’re glad to see Brian’s listened to their customers with this change.
Reinforced Sidewall
On the Optik 4, Brian’s placed an increased focus on securing the blocker sidewall through numerous lacing design choices to prevent flaring and ensure a consistently squared sidewall.
Beveled Blocker Board
The beveled blocker board reduced the overall weight of the blocker without sacrificing any surface area for making saves.
Wrist Cuff
The cuff on the Optik 4 blocker is larger in size to provide additional protection, however it’s low-hinged design allows for a goalies full-range of motion.
Brian's Optik 4 Catcher
Redesigned Closure
Brian’s redesigned the Optik 4 catcher internals to improve the closure and quickness of the glove. The closure feels quite different from the previous Optik 3 catcher, and is worth trying before buying. While hard to describe, the closure feels similar to a baseball mitt, softer and less structured which made it feel a bit strange right off the rack, but will likely be very comfortable once broken in further.
40-Degree Laced In Break Angle
At 40-degrees, the break angle of the Optik 4 catcher is consistent with its predecessors. By lacing in the break angle, the Optik naturally closes on this angle and keeps its closure consistent over time.
Wide Pocket Design
The Brian's Optik 4 catcher is designed to boast an ultra-wide pocket presentation while fully opened, helping to direct the puck into the pocket every time.
Wide Single-T
With the wide single T design, the Optik 4 glove is optimized to snap shut as soon as the puck enters, helping goalies eliminate pop-outs and leading to miraculous windmills.
Atop System
Same as the blocker, Brian’s has swapped BOA for ATOP, however the adjustments are still in the same place and provide the same comfortable feel that is expected of Brians gloves. With two smart dials, the glove can be adjusted more accurately for the perfect fit every time.
Hex-Air Floating Wrist Pad
Designed to optimize comfort and airflow, preventing overheating while playing and keeping the glove secured to the wearers wrist.
Final Throughs on the Brian's Optik 4
The Brians Optik 4 lineup offers clear improvements over its predecessor, the Optik 3. Most changes seem to be minor and based on goalie feedback which is always exciting to see. I’m most excited for the leg pads, as I think the strapping adjustments will make the pad feel and react better to my play. The blocker changes seem to be quite minor, although improved range of motion is certainly a welcomed improvement. As for the catcher, I think time will tell whether the redesign is a positive or a negative.
Overall, I think the Optik crowd has reason to be excited and I’m looking forward to see the wild customizations that come into the shop over the next few months.
