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Gear Review: King IV Arm Pads by Brine Lacrosse

Company: Brine Lacrosse / Product: King IV Arm Pads / Price: $69.99

If there is one piece of protective gear that I feel is worth investing in, it is arm pads.  An arm pad can make all the difference when you are throwing, it can keep your arms from looking like you just left a bar fight, not a lacrosse field, and they can either be SO annoying, always sliding down your arms, or they can fit so perfectly you forget they are even there.  That said, I couldn’t have been more excited to check out Brine’s new King IV Arm Pads.

Appearance… +1.5

Brine kept the King IV Arm Pads clean and simple, offering them in black or white.  I love the King logo.  Plain and simple, I think it’s the best looking brand on the market today.  The vents look mean and I give Brine some serious credit for keeping bulky plastic off of the King Arm Pads.  The pad is just the right size to provide optimal protection without making you look like a robot.

Not too big, not too small = a great fit.

Comfort… +2

I think one of the greatest advantages offered by the King IV Arm Pad is the size of the elbow cap.  Most arm pads have major elbow caps that prevent your arm from bending the way it wants to.  The King IV Arm Pads have a cap that keeps your elbow safe while allowing it to flex and bend the way your body intends.  The mesh liner is incredibly comfortable.  The mesh allows your arm to move without having to flex the entire pad.  As the mesh liner bends the pad adjusts so you feel as though you aren’t wearing an elbow pad at all.

Yoga ready. These things can bend.

Protection… +1

Like the Brine LoPro Superlight Shoulder Pads, the King IV comes in either an Arm Guard or an Arm Pad.  I tested out the Arm Pad, and as a midfielder the arm pad is my pad of choice.  The Arm Guard brings you a bit more protection as it extends down toward the wrist a bit more than the Arm Pad, but with every added inch of protection you tend to lose double that in flexibility.  As I mentioned, the mesh liner of the King IV Arm Pad gives the pad a bit more flexibility.  As you can see in the picture, when you bend your arm the pad stays open while the liner flexes with your arm.  While this increases your ability to turn up the heat on your shots, it leaves a weak point in the protection of the pad on your forearm.  Sometimes a player has to decide if they want protection or flexibility.  If you are a fan of the latter this pad is for you.

Durability… +1

If I were simply judging the King IV Arm Pad based on the durability of the exterior shell of the padding this thing would be a perfect 2.  That said, the mesh liner on the interior of the pad has me a little concerned.  The seem where the mesh connects to the pad seems a little weak and while the mesh provides extreme flexibility, I feel as if the all of the movement and pulling against the pad, by the liner, may cause it to wear down quick.  I’d love to put these things to the test of a season or two to see how the liner actually holds up, but from my few test runs, it seems as though the pad may have a shelf life of 1 or 2 seasons.

The mesh liner has me a little concerned.

Value… +1.5

If you are looking for a stylish pad that gives you the ultimate in flexibility then the Brine King IV Arm Pad is for you.  With a price tag that sits comfortably in the middle of the arm guard/pad pack, this pad seems as though it will give you a great band for your buck.  If the mesh liner holds up like the padding proved to, this thing may be one of Brine’s best yet.

Check mate.

Overall Score:  7/10

This pad is so flexible I almost forgot I was doing a gear review.  The King IV Arm Pad is simple yet stylish and gives you protection where it counts without making you feel like you are stuck in a sweater that is three sizes to small.  If the mesh liner can take a beating like most of Brine’s equipment I’d say this thing is just about the complete package and with a mid-range price tag for arm pads, this thing is worth a second look.