Easton’s revival of the Synergy line is one we are extremely thankful for. It’s a name with a lot of great history behind it, including the one stick which changed the game for stick production and has lead to all of the great new developments we see today.
Fortunately, it’s not just a new stick that Easton has brought back with the Synergy name. They are also releasing a new pair of gloves this summer, the Easton Synergy HSX gloves.
There has been a lot of buzz surrounding these gloves since they first made their appearance in NHL 14. Thankfully, we were fortunate enough to receive a demo pair of HSX gloves from our friends at Easton Hockey so we could review them. Check out the full review below from our time spent with the latest and greatest from Easton.
Specs: Easton Synergy HSX Gloves, Black/Red/White, Size 14″
Modifications: None
Appearance and Design:
As I mentioned before, there was a lot of buzz surrounding these gloves. Many people claimed the design looks just like some previous generation Bauer Vapor gloves, but is that a bad thing?
The Easton Synergy HSX gloves are visually appealing in my eyes. While four rolls will probably always be my favorite, this glove still managed to catch my attention. From the embroidered logos on the cuff to the pro-nylon used throughout the shell of the glove, Easton’s designers utilized great materials and construction to make this glove what it is.
The HSX gloves are made with Easton’s HyperSkin fit, which means the glove will fit close to your hand. However, they’re also designed to maximize wrist mobility with the 3 piece flare flex cuff. The fingers are also nicely broken down to provide a pretty natural and free movement. They are are not resistant to bending as I grip my stick or try to make a fist with the gloves on.
While the design and construction of the gloves is nice, one area where I think the design team let us down is in the liner. The NanoSense liner is comfortable, don’t get me wrong, but it does not seem to include any antimicrobial treatments. I was disappointed to find that after only a handful of games, these gloves were already starting to stink. I know the hockey smell is inevitable in equipment, but I’ve used other gloves in the past which have held off the stink for much longer. Easton could definitely up the ante in this department.
Fit and Feel:
The Easton Synergy HSX gloves offer a narrow fit, feeling comfortably snug around your hand. The HyperSkin fit nicely eliminates most empty space inside the hand of the glove, meaning the gloves stay snug throughout play. The down side of this was when I would take a glove off on the bench. After my hands and the gloves became sweaty, it was sometimes tough to get my hand comfortably back into the glove due to the liner. This caused me to have to take the gloves off and put them on again a few times in order to get my hand in correctly without disturbing the liner.
Perhaps another downfall to the close fit was the mild abrasion I received on the base of my thumb from using these. I played in a tournament one weekend which resulted in four games being played within about 40 hours. As the tournament went on, I noticed this small abrasion get a bit worse looking and larger following each game. I could not actually feel any uncomfortable rubbing or cutting while wearing the gloves, but the evidence was there. I can’t say that anyone else will experience the same issue, however, as I’m going to believe it has more to do with sensitive skin than something wrong with the gloves.
Fortunately, the gloves required virtually no break in time. They felt good on my hands on day one, and begged for me to try them out with some shots in my basement shooting setup. The palm provides a nice feel of the stick, allowing you to comfortably hold and control the stick, without worrying about losing any puck feel. The AX Suede is a nice material, and the two-piece setup provides a nice look.
Durability and Protection:
After about a month or so of use, I have nothing but good things to say about the durability of the Easton Synergy HSX gloves. The palms have held up to a number of games played, and some additional sticks and pucks sessions, all without much more than some minor wear. The wear, not surprisingly, is mostly on the left palm since I am a right handed shot.
The pro-nylon shell has also proven to be quite tough. I don’t know that the HSX gloves have seen too much abuse, but from a quick look you still might think they’re new.
In terms of protection, the Easton Synergy HSX gloves have held up as expected. They are fully capable of protecting your hands from the slashes and hacks you might experience throughout beer league or competitive play.
Overall Impression:
Easton has come up with a real solid glove with the Synergy HSX. They’ve designed something very visually appealing and attractive, unlike the Mako gloves, and really dialed in to a specific consumer with the HyperSkin fit. The fit is awesome if you like close fitting gloves, and they are ready to go from day one with no break in time.
Providing top end durability and protection only adds to what we like about the HSX gloves. I think this is the best glove Easton has come up with in a while, but I’m left wishing it were a bit less expensive. Coming in with a price tag of $149.99, I still think Easton should have included some odor fighting properties throughout the gloves. On the plus side, they’re still cheaper than your top end offerings from some other brands.
If you’re interested in picking up a pair of Easton Synergy HSX gloves for yourself, you can find them at your local hockey retailer in mid June for $149.99.
Be sure to share your thoughts with us in the comments below. Let us know if you’ve used the HSX gloves and if so, what you thought of them!
Gallery:
Thanks for the review. I have ordered a pair today and will come back to provide my feedbacks