STX Surgeon RZR Gloves
The STX Surgeon RZRs have been around for nearly a year now and are still one of the most expensive gloves on the market. Having had a pair since just before release are they really worth the price tag and are they able to withstand all that the English winter can throw at them.
The RZR was a completely new look for gloves using a one piece foam padding compared to the conventional stitched padding found on most other gloves on the market. From those I have spoken to at tournaments the gloves have a bit of a marmite look, you either you love them or hate them, I personally love the way they look, they are a different approach to things and they look really futuristic. However looks aren't everything so how do they actually perform?
When I first got my hands on them i was unsure about the palm mesh, as found in the Surgeon 700 gloves. I was dubious of the strength of the mesh having had many other gloves using mesh in the palm rip very quickly, however I was proven wrong the mesh palms are going strong with no sign of fraying.
STX Surgeon RZRs after one season of use
One of the downside to this glove, is the break in time, which did take a couple of training sessions. Most modern gloves have very little break in time, however due to the gloves one piece foam padding the glove did not want to form to your hand it wanted to stay flat. I have heard from others that the thumb took much longer to break in, in comparison to the rest of the glove, I didn't really notice this but may be something to consider. This is a minor gripe though and break in times for modern gloves are nothing at all compared to the old school gloves.
My other minor issue with these gloves is that they do have very little ventilation, which is a blessing and a curse. They are great for the European seasons where most leagues play in the winter/spring, they do keep your hands a bit warmer which is nice in the harsh winter weekends. I do think that the lack of vents in the top of the glove may be a bit hot in the summer months but I am yet to test this out due to this whole global pandemic. Having used the gloves most of last season they have been one of the most protective gloves I have ever worn, they really do dampen the impacts you take to your hands. I have found these gloves to be some of the most comfortable I have used.
For those of you that are looking for a new pair of top end gloves i would highly recommend the Surgeon RZRs although they have a unique look they are one of the best gloves on the market.