Monday August 22nd 2011
The Bauer TotalOne Senior hockey gloves are a big improvement on the One95 hockey gloves in terms of the look. They have an interesting design and can come in many different colour patterns. The TotalOnes are an anatomical fitting gloves. That means that they are supposed to follow the shape of your hand. It has a closer to the hand fit as opposed to the more boxy fitting 4 rolls. When you first look at them, you notice that they look more like hockey gloves than their predecessors, the One95’s. Maybe it’s just me, but the One95 were not the best looking glove!
Most gloves try to increase the range of movement in the cuff and they usually try to achieve this by flaring out the cuff at the back of the hand or they reduce the size of the cuff. Both of these designs increase the risk of injury. The TotalOnes have increased the range of movement in the cuff by flaring it on the inside of the wrist side. I found it to be quite innovative and really comfortable.
Another design aspect that I think is smart is that Bauer has put synthetic leather in the high wear areas, such as the outside of the hand and in between the thumb and forefinger, and made the rest of the glove nylon. The nylon reduces the weight and the synthetic leather reduces the wear. Whether or not they have found the right combination remains to be seen. I will let you know after more long-term use. But for now, it seems to be a pretty good combination of nylon and synthetic leather.
The TotalOnes featuring split fingers except on the index finger that features a three-piece finger for greater control. I could feel that it was easier to grip my stick as compared to some gloves. They also have plastic inserts for added protection. The gloves also feature dual density foam in combination with Bauer’s MAX-SORB protection. The palm features a nubuck palm with a gecko nash overlay. In combination, they felt great and were not too bulky. The nubuck was quite soft feeling and that is great for the feel of the stick. If you have too thick a palm, then you will have more trouble ‘feeling’ the stick.
The thumb is also unique to Bauers designs. This is an evolutionary step from the old lobster thumb design (featured in Nike gloves) from the past. The thumb has quite a large range of motion and is quite easy to move. The TotalOne thumb is a 3 piece thumb but also features a lock thumb and that is always a good thing.
As mentioned, the range of motion in the wrist is very good. You are not restricted and it never feels uncomfortable. Bauer has also introduced memory foam pad in the back of the hand. I didn’t really feel too much difference. It definitely feels different from the regular foam that is there but I am not quite sold on the memory part of it. The anatomical shape is quite comfortable and is the right proportions for your hand. The glove mimics the shape of your hand, hence the comfort. Gripping the stick is easy and you don’t notice it. I always say that the less you notice the equipment, the better a job it is doing for you!
The Bauer TotalOne is a high performance glove. But it also carries a high performance price tag. It will run you around $199 to get a pair on your hands! But if you like the finer things in life and can afford it; I would recommend these gloves to you. They provide a close fit and do not need to be broken in. They are very much a pay and play kind of glove. If you are cost conscience, then these are probably not the glove for you. Hockey Gear Review recommends these gloves to intermediate to high performance level hockey players.
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