Vaughn Ion Youth Goalie Leg Pads – Special Edition [Pre-Order]

Pre-Order for a Mid-June delivery

Vaughn Ion Youth Goalie Leg Pads – Special Edition

New for 2026 is the newest line from Vaughn called the Ion.  The Ion is a new name for Vaughn but is built off the SLR lineage. Goalies Plus will provide our customer base another Special Edition version of the Vaughn Ion line in youth sizes.  We will have five unique color patterns available.

Goalies Plus has also added a break in the vertical roll on your Ion youth leg pads. This allows for extra flexibility in the pad that most goalies need – especially young goalies.  Our Ion youth pad has the added break which will allow the pad to flex at the bottom of the knee better. This will help a goalie close their five-hole along with adding more torsional (twisting) flex to the pad when a goalie is skating and moving around the crease – giving the goalie better overall coverage and mobility.

The Vaughn Ion is called a Youth size by Vaughn; however, we feel that this pad is more of a hybrid of a youth and junior pad.  Compared to other youth goalie leg pads on the market today, the Vaughn Ion is a much higher quality.  This pad has a pre-molded s-shape which allows a goalie to maximize their butterfly coverage.  This is a true goalie leg pad, not just a piece of foam with a channel cut out for the legs. This series is built to a higher standard than many junior pads on the goalie market today.

The Youth Ion leg pads also have the Quick Slide material on the inside of the pad which is a huge upgrade compared to other traditional “youth” pads that are generally a nylon or a cheap synthetic leather.  Along with the quick slide material, the inner edge is made of a high-density foam which allows a young goalie to properly develop butterfly techniques.  Another reason we feel that this is a youth/junior goalie leg pad is the sizing.

Also new for 2026, the Vaughn Ion youth pads will come in 22+1.5, 24+1.5 and 26+1.5 sizes.  The 26+1.5 is not generally a youth size, this is generally a junior size. Also, the plus 1.5 is new for 2026.  In the past Vaughn used plus 2 on the previous SLR lines.  Many people felt this created a thigh rise that was too tall for smaller goalies so starting with the 2026 Ion series, the thigh rise has been reduced to plus 1.5.  We have no issue putting a smaller nine- or ten-year-old in the Ion youth pad versus other brands that we would never recommend their youth pad for this age.

If you have a goalie that is in between youth and junior sizing, the Vaughn Ion youth is the perfect pad.  The Vaughn Ion is also great for the parent looking for a high-end youth goalie pad as well. The Ion youth pad carries a higher price tag but also comes with a much higher quality than other youth goalie leg pads.

Goalies Plus will be offering five unique Special Edition Youth Ion colors:

• Black, Red & White
• Vintage Tan
• White & Pink
• Black, Powder Blue & White
• All White

Vaughn SLR4 Youth Special Edition Leg Pads Features:

• Model Year: 2024
• Special Edition Spec: Five unique colors schemes
• Special Edition Spec: Single break in the vertical roll
• Internal foam core optimized for younger goaltenders
• Full flat front blocking surface
• Solid outside roll with beveled profile shape
• Flat inner edge with higher density foam
• Quick slide inside edge material
• Wide knee cradle with angled adjustable strap
• Deeper inner knee side panel for added balance and coverage
• Firm front pad surface for more active puck response
• Very light weight with thin side profile
• Pre-shaped pad structure for precision fit
• Available in sizes: 22+1.5″, 24+1.5″, 26+1.5″