Walked out onto the porch this morning to find a package from Storelli Sports. Storelli is a company that was founded in 2009 and are dedicated to “design and manufacture of innovative protective apparel for soccer.” Inside, I was greeted by two plastic bags that had been sent to us by Storelli that held two of their most impressive products.
There are pads on the shoulders and elbows that look like they will be very helpful when attempting to dive for shots and when the time comes to get a bit dirty. There is also some rib padding on the sides separated by some mesh portions that have been strategically placed on this top to prevent it from becoming too hot to wear. There is also a large mesh strip that runs down the back, and the overall look of this shirt is of a really beefed up keeper’s kit.
One of the most interesting padding zones on the 3/4 shirt is a large pad on the chest. Storelli hopes that this pad will help take some of the heat off of shots that hit you in the chest and they also say that it diminishes the rebound qualities of shots. Meaning, this pad will help with any balls that you end up taking to the chest. It is one of the pieces of technology that I would like to use out in the field and not so much between the sticks, especially when attempted to control a ball with my chest. Hopefully, I will find some use for the whole shirt while playing keeper and while playing out in the field.
The second bag that I opened contained the Bodyshield GK 3/4 Pants, which is a relatively new product released by Storelli but it still carries the same impressive nature of the other products that they have become know for. The first thing that I noticed on these is that they are not to be used as an undergarment but they are meant to actually be your game-day or practice pants.
On the pants there are pads running down the length of the thigh and also some absolutely hulking knee pads. Storelli says that they are made of “custom gradient-molded EVA thigh pad reinforced by a 3mm layer of Poron XRD polyurethane foam, coupled with a 5mm Poron XRD polyurethane knee pad.” The knee pads are hidden behind a little bit of material, so they you cannot even see them if you are standing looking at them. The thigh pads are quite thick, and I imagine they will prevent a lot of the bruises and burns that come from diving on the pitch when attempting to save low shots or take the ball away from an advancing attacker.
Once again, these pants are created for a keeper but I am very curious to see if they would perform admirably in other positions on the pitch. The pads on the thigh seem similar to what you see in a lot of the high-end slider pants that outfield players are beginning to use, and the knee pads would certainly be welcome protection as long as they do not make ball control more difficult. These are definitely some products that may intrigue any type of player or parent that are looking for as much protection as they can provide to a player while playing football.
Keep an eye out for the review in a few weeks and go ahead and go give Storelli Sports a like on Facebook and give their website a look. Big thanks to them for sending us these products to review.
About drewplaysbass
Question: Drew, are you a keeper?
Answer: I spend most of my time on the pitch coaching. But, when I do play, I spend most of my time as the most important player on the field- the keeper.
Please do not take this as a personal assault: Essentially you’re a goalkeeper 2-3 times a week tops? Have you found a keeper to write reviews for you? And by keeper I mean one who plays at a decent standard a lot. I mean to say this because I’ve had a few different slider shorts for goalkeeping including the slider shorts from Storelli, and one of the things I find really important with these kinds of products is durability. Now I’m not saying you won’t be able to assess this very aspect but having a keeper who plays regularly might be an option for you guys.
This is just my two cents. I love your site, your work and I only want to see you guys improve!
Mads,
Yes, I 100% agree with you. I’m 32 and I’ve been playing as a keeper for over 26 years. I play competitively and sometimes where I practice at the fields have glass and rocks. Storelli products are built tough and you can definitely tell the quality is excellent by the feel and touch of their products.
This just proves my belief that you aren’t as soccer savvy as you try to imply. Why in the world would a field player need a chest pad to control balls properly? That’s where learned techniques come in handy. Why would they want to wear 3/4 length pants on the field? This isn’t American football… this is soccer.
Also, living in America and calling soccer “football” just makes you sound silly. Btw, you should think about not looking so American in your photos– putting up 7 different squad scarves in your room makes you look like you don’t actually support a team. Sad.
Oh daniel…where to begin. I never thought that any of these pads would be necessary to perform any function on the field, but I am curious as to how they would affect normal play.
I am sorry that you think I sound “silly,” but I write the way that I speak in day-to-day interactions…so, football is what I call it. I also have nearly 100 “squad scarves” in my room and I actually don’t support a team. This is why I am better suited to write about the beautiful game- no bias. Thanks for keeping me in check Daniel and I hope you continue reading SoccerReviews despite my “American sillyness.”
Daniel does make some good points about the Storelli equipment. I play in the top division where I live and not once did I see a player where a chest pad. Also, I think out of 50 goalkeepers I may see one where 3/4 pants (capri pants). However, this is not to say it’s wrong to wear this sort of equipment.
Daniel certainly didn’t hold back there…….