Magenta: Arches Blue: Arch Padding Orange: Plates
Sky: Deltoid Padding Yellow: Deltoid Caps White: Plate Straps
Types of Pads
Rawlings
Nearly all of the football pads used in Mad Max 2 (The Roadwarrior)
and Mad Max beyond Thunderdome were Rawlings brand pads. All of these
Rawlings pads appear to have belonged to an old series called the Crusader series,
which can be identified by the Plate style and the icon (a knight chess piece
with the word "Crusader" written across it) on the chest. Note: there
have also been newer models under the name "Crusader." The only 100%
accurate method of identifying the correct pads is to familiarize yourself with
their shape and characteristics.
The basis of Max's shoulder pad was most likely an ER-46 model (a very rare
model spotted once by the author). Wez and most of the Mohawkers wore FB series
pads, such as the FB-20. FB's can be identified by the extra rib padding segments,
and the "X" that the elastic straps make on the back. Bartertown's
Guards wore mostly CP-66's, which generally appear to have 2 pairs of slots
on the front of the arches (to accommodate 2 sets of straps). The CP-46, although
not used in the films, is the most common model found today, and can be a good
basis for Max's pad.
Rawlings CP-46 and Rawlings FB-20 (Wez)
Rawlings CP-66 (Bartertown Guards)
Wilson / Raider: The remainder of football pads
in Mad Max 2 (The Roadwarrior) are believed to be Raider brand. These
pads are very rare, and so there isn't much information about them. I own one
pair of Raider pads (the white pads below). And at one time I owned one pair
of Wilson brand pads (the black painted pads below). I believe the side straps
had "Wilson" woven into them. The reason I am lumping these 2 brands
together is because their uncanny similarities lend credence to the theory that
they are either made by the same outsourced manufacturer, or one is a copy of
the other. Then again, perhaps someone with a pair of Raider pads added aftermarket
Wilson straps to his pads and created all of this confusion! We may never know.
Warrior Woman and Zetta wore the same model Raider pads as each other (an even
rarer model). There is a mohawker wearing a red mohawk and swimming goggles
just before Humungus' speech, and there is a motorcyclist that rides into the
compound before it blows up- they are wearing the same model Raider pads as
pictured below.
A set of Raider pads like ones seen in Mad Max 2 (The Roadwarrior)
Pads with "Wilson" straps as worn by Karol
How to identify pads: To the untrained eye, all football
pads look the same. You will be able to tell a lot about a set of pads by looking
at the Plate style, and the way the elastic straps hook onto the chest. Rawlings
pads use a T-hook system, while Wilson-Raider pads have keyhole-shaped hooks
that attach to mushroom-shaped studs.
Picture below: Plate "a" is the style Plate Max wears. All
of the Rawlings pads in the films have this Plate style. It has subtle features,
and an oval crater. Plate "b" belongs to a series of pads that
are similar to Crusaders, but the Plate has a squared look not seen in the films.
many fans mistake this Plate as the correct Plate! Plate "c"
has the same general shape as Plate "a", but has more pronounced features
and a trapezoid crater. This is the plate style commonly used on Raider pads.
a: Rawlings Crusader b: Incorrect Rawlings c: Wilson/Raider
Where to Buy Pads
Football shoulder pads can be purchased at second-hand sports equipment
shops in the U.S., such as Play It Again Sports. It may be difficult
to find pads during the football season (September- January).
Football shoulder pads can also be found year-round online on eBay, although
old models are becoming increasingly difficult to find. Here's a tip for those
who want to search for pads on eBay: instead of doing a search on the
homepage, work your way down the categories first: Sporting Good> Team Sports>
Football> Clothing, Shoes, and Accessories> Protective Equipment. Remember,
if the pads aren't white with gray padding, they're not film-accurate. If you're
not sure, I'd be happy to take a look at them. Just e-mail
me with the auction number or with "send to a friend."
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