Overdrive engages cleanly as part of the natural foot motion.

It does this safely and without altering your present style.

Adjusting to Overdrive can take minutes, though taking full advantage of it does require a lot of practice.

Overdrive goalies move exactly the same as other goalies, though with sharper moves.

Overdrive doesn't need sharpening. It's the thinness of the steel that holds the ice. You can try sharpening it with a file or grinder if you want, but it won't make much difference. Overdrive doesn't require any maintenance; just wipe it off after a game. One size fits all models, all sizes.

Does Overdrive work? That's why it was outlawed by the NHL.

Here are two clips of me doing a 'backdoor' move. With Overdrive, all of your power can be loaded onto the pushing foot without fear of slipping out, which could be painful on this move. You'll get more reach because the foot will hold and all of your movement will be in the direction you want to go.

Slipouts occur when the side of the boot hits the ice and levers the main blade off the ice. Since plastic can't grip the ice, your foot slips.

This is not a question of style; it's in the design of goalie skates. Goalies who don't have strong moves, or who don't widen out much will not get much slipping out, but the better your moves, and the wider you play, the more you will slip out.

With Overdrive, you can hold a wider stance that is much more secure, since you can rest on all four blades. And when you have to move out of that stance, you'll have an edge to do it with.

Without Overdrive, you can hold a wide stance, but it is very hard to move out of that position, because the side of the boot will be very close to the slipout point.

With Overdrive, you can stop harder, because it allows a lower, better cutting angle on your main blade. You can also use Overdrive to stop with, so you can literally stop on a dime.

Without Overdrive, you have to stop at a weaker cutting angle. If you lower the angle, you lower the boot, putting it close to the slipout point. You don't want to slipout on a stop.

When you're down, Overdrive is often the closest blade to the ice, so you'll be able to recover quicker, either by getting back to your feet, or by making a move while down. To take advantage of Overdrive in this way, you must use the profly style, shown above.

Overdrive helps recoveries is by holding the foot in place as you get onto your main blade. Once you are on your main blade, you can then use both blades for a more stable recovery.

Overdrive allows you to recover with your legs at a lower angle, so moves while down, like butterfly slides will be easier. Merely putting Overdrive on will not give you these moves - they must be practiced.

Overdrive offers improved traction to let you face difficult situations and stay with the play. You can hold and regain your balance easier, stay on your feet longer and maintain your form.

When you first put Overdrive on, you may not notice it all that much, because your feet are programmed to avoid the side of the boot to avoid slipouts. It will take a while, possibly a few weeks before the foot reprograms to dig in and make use of the blade.

Do not move the blade too far out. Be patient and work your moves. If you move Overdrive too far out, it will then be levering you off your main blade and reducing your power. See 'About the boot' to find out why.

Just putting Overdrive on will, by eliminating slipping out, secure better movement, but the more difficult moves require practice.

For more information on Overdrive injury prevention, there is a lengthy page on the subject - 'On Goalie Injuries'

Below is a Flash piece on why goalies need Overdrive.