Shoulder pad system with ribbed external stiffening arch

A method of manufacturing a shoulder pad system configured for protecting a wearer comprising:

• providing a protective outer covering with a plurality of armor members, the protective outer covering configured to support a cushioning system therein for layering the cushioning system between the layer and the protective outer covering;
• providing a first arch member of the plurality of armor members, the first arch member configured to attach to a second arch member of the plurality of armor members to cooperatively define a neck opening for the wearer, the first arch member arching from a front side to a back side of the shoulder pad system;
• and
• attaching an arch stiffener of the plurality of armor members to the first arch member, including layering the arch stiffener over the first arch member and arching the arch stiffener over the first arch member with a front edge of the arch stiffener disposed at the front side of the shoulder pad system and a back edge of the arch stiffener disposed at the back side of the shoulder pad system, the arch stiffener including a stiffening rib that projects from the arch stiffener, the stiffening rib arching along the arch stiffener between the front side and the back side.

A shoulder pad system configured for protecting a wearer comprising:

• a cushioning system;
• a protective outer covering with a plurality of armor members, the cushioning system supported within the protective outer covering and configured to be layered between the wearer and the protective outer covering;
• the plurality of armor members including a first arch member and a second arch member that cooperatively define a neck opening for the wearer and that arch from a front side to a back side of the shoulder pad system;
• the plurality of armor members including a first arch stiffener that is layered over and attached to the first arch member, the first arch stiffener being arched over the first arch member with a first front edge of the first arch stiffener disposed at the front side of the shoulder pad system and a first back edge of the first arch stiffener disposed at the back side of the shoulder pad system, the first arch stiffener including a first stiffening rib and a second stiffening rib that project from the first arch stiffener, the first stiffening rib and the second stiffening rib arching along the first arch stiffener between the front side and the back side;
• an epaulette that is moveably coupled to the first arch stiffener for movement between a first position and a second position relative to the arch stiffener;
• and
• a shoulder cap that is configured to cover an outer shoulder area of the wearer and that is attached to the first arch stiffener.