Strike before they react. That’s what Warrior’s Covert line is all about, and exactly what the Covert QR7 Pro hockey glove looks to bring to your game. In this review, we’ll be checking out the specs, the overall feel of the glove, and whether it delivers in those aspects. At the end, we’ll discuss the kinds of players this glove is designed for, and whether that player might be you.

Graphics

The gloves come in three main colourways: black, navy, and black/red. Similar to the Alpha LX3 Pro, the colours are mostly solid across the black and navy variations, then the colours are split midway with the black and red version. What’s cool about the graphics, too, are the accents, which are stripes running from the middle and index fingers toward the thumb, plus along the backhand protection. Rather than plain lines, though, the pattern features spikes protruding outwards, and on the backhand, it gives an almost mountain-like vibe. Colour-wise, the accents are white on the black/red model, silver on the black model, and blue on the navy model.

Since this is a top-of-the-line glove from Warrior, they’ve also included 3D-moulded Warrior logos along the cuff and thumb.

Covert Taper Fit

Warrior calls this glove a Covert Taper fit, though it feels closer to a contoured fit. But then, what’s the difference?

The Alpha line leans toward a tapered fit, with more volume around the fingers, upper hand, and cuff, but a taper around the lower hand to hold it in place. The Covert tapers too, but its taper runs throughout, contouring to wrap around your hand at every angle, from the fingers to the cuff. This gives it a closer feel, like the glove is hugging your hand, and every piece of tech in its build reflects that profile.

Key tech:

• Covert Taper fit

• AxyFlex cuff

• AxyFlex thumb

• Buttersoft feel

• Tri-Lam foam

• Pro Palm X

• AX Suede material

• War-Tech liner

Cuff and Gussets

The QR7 Pro glove features an AxyFlex cuff: a floating cuff that moves with your arm and wrist, keeping you covered at all times. If you play lacrosse, it’ll probably feel very familiar, just redesigned for hockey. It’s essentially a two-piece cuff—there’s outer cuff (right where that Warrior logo is) that protects that junction between your backhand and your wrist, and then the floating cuff, which is the smaller contoured portion underneath.

That floating cuff is built for high mobility, thanks to responsive Lycra gussets that Warrior used to attach the cuff to the rest of the glove. This material is extremely soft and smooth, so you won’t be feeling anything impeding your wrist movement—not even your smartwatch, if you wear one. This anatomical stretch backhand is stretchy enough to fit around your wrist and smartwatch, and the outer cuff stops any impacts from reaching your wrist entirely.

You can see the mobility of the glove in this video:

Fingers, Thumb, Palm, and Liner

The fingers and thumb also use the same stretchy Lycra gussets as the cuff, to give it that Buttersoft feel Warrior is always striving for. This essentially means the gloves will feel perfectly ready to wear right out of the box, with virtually no need to break them in. There are also foam mesh gussets in the AxyFlex thumb to balance protection and mobility.

Moving on to the palm, Pro Palm X continues that soft, ready-to-wear feel that the Lycra gussets brought to the glove. It’s made from AX Suede, a pro-tested material designed for both comfort and elite performance. Like many high-end gloves today, some extra reinforcement material has been applied down the centre of the palm, complete with some embossed graphics and grip to enhance durability and feel. Where reinforcements like these can sometimes make your hand feel a bit stiff or restricted, the AX Suede material here is so soft that you barely notice it at all.

Finally, along the inside is Warrior’s War-Tech liner to keep your hands feeling clean and fresh throughout the game.

Foams and Shields

The QR7 Pro uses EXO+ Tri-Lam foams throughout, which is what gives the gloves such a rigid feel over the padding itself. You might be like me between shifts, fidgeting with the foams under the plastic shields of my gloves. Many glove foams are relatively soft, but that’s not the case here. Tri-Lam almost feels like a second shield with its density.

Tri-Lam essentially means that there are three foams—including HD VN and IXPE foams—laminated on top of each other, creating a dense, protective layer between your hand and the impact. Add the plastic shields over each piece, and you can be confident that you’ll be fully protected throughout the game.

Final Thoughts - Is This Glove the Right One for You?

It’s such a small thing, but as I mentioned, this glove is great for smartwatch users, especially ones with tactile sensory issues.  I’m a very sensory-sensitive person, and as much as I love my smartwatch, there’s absolutely no way I’m wearing it under my hockey gloves. It’s partly because I know it could break mid-shift, but the bigger issue is that it can feel distracting and make it harder to move my wrist. I’ve tried pushing the watch higher on my arm and tucking it under the cuff, but neither helped that much. Unfortunately, this also means I can’t record my exercise while I play hockey. With the AxyFlex cuff and Lycra gussets, though, I didn’t feel those sensory issues at all.

On that same note, it’s important to remember that hockey gloves work best when they fit you well, so simply buying gloves with good protection doesn’t necessarily mean they will be the right gloves for you. That said, Warrior has set up their glove lines quite well in this regard. Both the Alpha and Covert families’ top-end gloves use the same protective foams, so whether you want a more contoured or tapered fit, you won’t have to worry too much about the tech being all that different between them. The only protective-focused difference between the two might be the Space Shield 2.0, which is present in the Alpha LX3 Pro and not the Covert QR7 Pro. The Alpha LX3 Pro has more volume and protection for shot-blocking, while the QR7 Pro is built for players who want elite protection for high-mobility playstyles and stickhandling.

While the Alpha line is great for players who want more volume in the upper hand area, their Covert QR7 Pro gloves are built for players who want full coverage and closer hand feel. Essentially, if you want your gloves to feel like they’re hugging your hands, this is a great glove to turn to.

The Covert QR7 Pro is an amazing hockey glove in both feel and performance, and it’s certainly a strong continuation of what the Covert line has built so far.

Check out Tape Guy Luke's review of the QR7 Pro glove!