As you probably have heard, Lefevre has “released” four new pairs of goalie pads this year.
Technically speaking, these pads aren’t all designed and created new for 2020, but we’re just seeing these specific pads with the Lefevre logo out in front.
I’m going to review each of pair of pads, and let you know what they are good at and aren’t good at…
Lefevre goalie pads were originally created in 1967, but for a long time they have been featuring a CCM logo. This past Spring was the first time in a long time that they have the Lefevre logo on the front.
And right away at the start, it appears these pads have taken the NHL by storm. I don’t know the exact number of goalies that have switched over to Lefevre from their previous brand (most were CCM), but it’s been quite a few.
Which brings up the question…
Are these new Lefevre pads all hype?
In my humble opinion, no.
They’ve been making goalie pads for CCM for a years now… This isn’t their first time around the block.
And if you look up all of the goalies in the NHL, CCM has been the most used leg pad brand by far. And who created those pads?
Lefevre.
So there’s definitely credibility here.
Here are the new Lefevre Goalie Pads.
- L20.1
- L12.1
- L4.1
- L87
Is the number behind the “L” for Lefevre pads code for something?
Yes, the number after the “L” represents the year it was created, or designed after. (Ex. the L4.1 pads were created in 2004).
And the L87 pads are designed to model that of the Lefebvre pads released in 1987.
Lefevre Goalie Pad Reviews
All four of the Lefevre goalie pads have different purposes or areas of excellence.
The goal was to create pads that would serve everyone’s needs… Pretty neat.
I’ll be starting with the newest version of the Lefevre pads, ending with the “oldest”.
Lefevre L20.1 (Newest)
The L20.1 goalie pads are the lightest and most innovative goalie pads that Lefevre has released.
They have a stiff internal board that is designed to give you a lot of stability in the butterfly and clear rebounds easier. But these aren’t necessarily meant for the “butterfly goalie”…
They’re actually really designed for better standup movement in the crease. The L4.1 pads are the pads that a lot of butterfly goalies will favor (more on that later)…
What did they do to create a stiff, stand up pair of goalie pads??
They focused on mobility. If you’re going to moving around standing up, you have to have the ability to actually move. Which is why a lot of goalies favor soft goalie pads for C-cuts and stand up.
But in these pads, you get both mobility and stiffness. How?
The L20.1 pads sit a little higher up on the leg and the foot angle is 90 degrees. This creates space in the ankle, which then allows for better skating.
The boot is also flexible so your movements aren’t restricted.
These pads also sit closer to the leg, which creates quick responsive times.
But the biggest feature that the L20.1’s have over the other Lefevre pads is the Fast Rotation System or FRS.
It’s patent pending technology that will help you drop into the butterfly a lot faster and cleaner. Which who knows, maybe it’s better than other pads like the Warrior Ritual G5 Pros, or maybe not.
But one thing is for sure, these pads are very popular. You can check the latest price of the L.20.1’s here on PureGoalie.
Lefevre L20.1 Conclusion
These are Lefevre’s “stand up goalie”, stiff, lightweight and innovative pads. These clear rebounds and have a stabile base in the butterfly.
Lefevre L12.1 Goalie Pads
The Lefevre L12.1 goalie pads are the best pads that you can get for movement and mobility on this list. They’re a softer pad with internal breaks for increased agility and flexibility.
The rebound control on these pads sort of just sit there. They’re not like the L20.1’s that send rebounds flying into the corners or out to the blue line.
Which some goalies are a fan of soft pads because rebounds will sit in the crease so they are easier to jump on. In my opinion this just gives the opposing team a better chance to smack it into the net, but that’s just me.
The boot channel on these pads isn’t very tight, rather it’s a floating design. The thought process behind this was that it reduces restriction of the pads, again allowing for better movement.
The boot angle is 90 degrees as well…
And lastly, it’s very easy to get the right fit since there is only two internal straps on the L.12.1 pads.
Lefevre L12.1 Conclusion
The L12.1 goalie pads are for the goalies that have always favored soft pads for really good mobility and movement. These pads are very flexible and designed to go with the flow of the goalie using them. The rebounds don’t pop off very far, but that is how some goalies like it (not me). Overall, these are a solid pair of pads. You can check the price of the L12.1’s on PureGoalie here.
Lefevre L4.1 Goalie Pads
Next up are the L4.1 goalie pads…
These are another pair of stiff pads from Lefevre, but unlike the L20.1 pads, these are for the “butterfly goalie”. Which at this point in 2020, I’m not even sure if that is still considered a thing, since most goalies are a combo of both stand up and butterfly, but whatever…
Anyhow, the boot angle is set at 60 degrees and is a bit stiff.. The internal board is really stiff with really good rebound control.
Clear rebounds, clear rebounds, clear rebounds… that’s what the L4.1’s are good at.
These pads aren’t going to be as mobile as the L12.1’s, but they’re still a professional level of pads, so yes they are still mobile.
Unlike the L20.1’s, these pads do not feature the FRS technology. But, because these are “butterfly pads”, they are designed to drop into the butterfly easily.
Lefevre L4.1 Conclusion
If you are a goalie that spends a lot times on your knees, maybe these pillows are a good option for you… you can check the latest price on PureGoalie here.
Lefevre L87 Goalie Pads
Ahhh now we’re getting into the retro goalie pads from Lefevre…
I love it!
These are sort of the all around goalie pads from Lefevre. Although I don’t think that any NHLer has worn them in game yet.
What these pillows have to offer is really good flexibility and coverage. They feature knee breaks and HD foam, designed to create the optimal movement and take up the most space as possible.
Because these are a softer foam pair of pads, rebounds aren’t as likely to bounce very off, or very fast. Very similar to the L12.1 pads…
The boot angle is set at 90 degrees and is very flexible for ankle mobility.
And also, the transitions from standing to butterfly are seamless.
Since I’m pumping the tires of the pads hard, I also want to talk about the graphics! The clean little design on the knee rolls gives these pads the old school classic… Not to mention the old “Lefebvre” logo…
If you’re playing beer league or men’s league hockey, these pillows are the ultimate flex. Elite pads with the vintage look.
It doesn’t get much better than that. You can check the latest price on PureGoalie here.
Lefevre L87 Conclusion
These are the pads for the goalie that wants supreme coverage but a lot of flexibility at the same time. And also are looking for that goody good classic graphic…
Lefevre Goalie Pads Review Conclusion
If you are thinking that some new goalie pads are in the future, these four Lefevre pads are great choice to go. The price tag isn’t very cheap, but neither are the UltraSonics or the the other top pads on the market. Only time will tell how durable these pads are, but if you’ve ever worn CCM before this, you already know.
Thanks for reading!
