Brian's OPTiK Pro Trapper & Blocker Review

Being an official Brian’s dealer, we were fortunate enough to get our hands on some samples of their newest lines of equipment – most notably, the new OPT1K series.

Since the Spring of 2016, some of the most advanced, trend-setting, out-of-the-box goalie equipment has hit the market. It’s safe to say goalies alike have been spoiled with the choices we have been given – there’s something for everyone. Unsurprisingly, the new Brian’s OPT1K line raises the bar, and then some.

The new OPT1K line brings together innovation and heritage to produce, what may be, the best equipment on the market. Call me a hype guy, but I like what I see.

What is OPT1K?

I know what you may be thinking: “What about SubZero and G-NETik?” Don’t worry about SubZero or G-NETik, because this is something new. The best way to describe it is that Brian’s adds a tier to the hierarchy system; rather than a new Pro-level pad, the OPT1K is considered above Pro-level.

A great part about the OPT1K series is how much the graphic stands out. With the leg pads, blocker and trapper, an entire OPT1K set has twenty-seven color zones. TWENTY-SEVEN! The colour combinations are endless with the OPT1K line – it’s going to be exciting to see all the sets we bring in!

BOA System

The coolest feature on the new OPT1K blocker and trapper is the use of the BOA System. Simply put, the BOA system combines a dial and steel wiring to tune-fit a piece of equipment more precisely and with ease – in this case, the OPT1K blocker and trapper.

On the blocker, the wrist strap is moved down to be positioned on the heel of your palm, rather than your actual wrist. With the BOA system, this allows for better wrist mobility.

Same goes for the trapper, as the wrist strap is moved off the wrist, it is far easier to move your wrist in any direction necessary.

Brian’s is the first company to bring an alternative strapping method to gloves, at the retail level. The way the market is trending, I think this is a great idea by Brian’s and will work out well for them. It’s super easy to adjust the tightness, as well, so you can easily adjust between the whistles.

Crafted with Brian’s signature E-Foam and high-end materials, the OPT1K blocker and trapper sport an all-foam construction. Brian’s development of their E-Foam has formulated into a foam that is extremely dense and lightweight, which is a great asset for them to have in such a competitive industry.

Blocker

As you can see, the OPT1K blocker comes with a nice binding-less edge. This comes as no surprise, really, given how common a binding-less edge is these days.

What differentiates the blocker design from most is the outside edge. Brian’s brings back a design from the old DX2 blocker, where the outside edge is cut inward giving a right-angle triangle look. This design cuts some weight from the blocker and gives a cutting-edge look to the blocker.

Updated wrap-around finger protection provides obviously more protection, but a more comfortable grip on the stick. Furthermore, a removable foam pillow adds comfort and thumb protection.

Flipping the blocker over, you’ll see Brian’s has made a change to the palm. Rather than the No-Slip Grip material being applied to just the palm of the hand, it now covers the entire hand. The material, obviously, gives you a better grip on the stick, but also wears a bit better than the cream Nash.

Inside the palm of the blocker, X-Static Anti-Microbial fiber is applied to wick sweat away and keep the palm dry.

Trapper

The OPT1K trapper’s shape is inspired by Brian’s pro goaltender, Scott Darling. The ‘Darling Spec’ features the SubZero Pro 3 cuff and the G-NETik Pro 3 thumb; the cuff is angled inward for better rebound control, and the G-NETik thumb design better directs pucks into the pocket.

The glove’s dimensions are also altered in some areas – most notably, the fingers. Brian’s extends the finger length of the trapper, which I am a huge fan of. Often, I thought Brian’s trappers (mostly the SubZero trappers) didn’t look long enough, if you will…perhaps baseball plays its influence there, but maybe you get what I mean? By extending the finger length, the glove will seal entirely when closed, and the added leverage makes this the best-closing glove they’ve made yet. The OPT1K glove features a 40-degree break angle, and I was blown away at how effortless it was to close.

Another note, Brian’s increased the length of the T-bar on the glove (portion that borders the pocket) so more of it can be laced into the thumb and fingers. What this does is it improves the rigidity of the glove perimeter and the pocket’s stability.

Flipping the glove over, the OPT1K trapper has a newly re-designed “easy access” backhand, so it’s easier to access the BOA system. Like I said earlier, the BOA System is very easy to adjust, so you quickly can with your gloves on between whistles.

Much like the blocker, the internals of the trapper feature No-Slip Grip and X-Static Anti-Microbial materials. Hand in hand, these two materials allow you to have a vice-grip and full control always.

A small feature all our goal specialists like is the Hex-Air wrist pad. With the wrist strap positioned closer to the hand, and your wrist elevated on the Hex-Air pad, the overall mobility with the OPT1K trapper is second-to-none. With easy mobility and closure, your save percentage is sure to spike up.

The OPT1K blocker and trapper are the perfect ensemble of Brian’s craftsmanship and innovation. From the entirely new design, to the vast selection of custom options and materials, it’ll be hard to steer away from the entire OPT1K series!

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Brian's OPTiK Pro Trapper & Blocker Gallery