What's the deal with Tackla?

[CigarScott 132]

Here's the recent topic that has been banging around in my head:

I am a proud owner of Tackla Air 9000 NHL pants and love them. I had to order them directly from Tackla in Finland since I couldn't find anyone that had a pair in my size in North America. Thankfully, I was able to get them when they had some 22% off sale so I was still able to pay rent that month. From what I remember and have read, they were THE hockey pant for a long time in the NHL and now no one, at least overtly, wears them any longer. Did Tackla refuse to pay the NHL lisensing fee which is why nobody in the league is wearing them or did other companies catch up to them and make a comparable product that is much easier to obtain in the Western Hemisphere?

Also, I see on their site that they make gloves and other protective gear but I've never seen anyone use them or know anyone that has ever put their hands on any of their stuff. Occasionally, you see the odd pair pop up on Sideline Swap and Ebay but I've never seen a shop in the US sell any of their stuff other than on closeout. Did something happen that their distribution collapse in North America or did they just say "screw it" and let one dude up in Connecticut have the exclusive rights to sell their stuff in North America?

Thanks for reading my random thoughts...

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

That “one dude” in CT has been the distributor of Tackla in the US as long as I remember.  

NHL usage died out once Vaughn stopped distributing them in Canada/NHL.  That happened once they acquired Eagle. 

The rest of the manufacturers caught up and it became a niche brand. 

[tvuollo 21]

Even being a finnish brand, they don't have their products in any usual retail stores that sell hockey equipment. I have no idea what their business model these days is. Our beer league team did order team jerseys and socks from them though.

Back in the 90s everyone here had either Tackla, Koho or Jofa equipment. Now only those that have old or second hand equipment wear them.

https://www.tackla.com/company.html

Edited May 24, 2018 by tvuollo

[Leif 160]

Their product descriptions are very basic by today's standards. Surely the hockey pants should have UltraFoam inserts with PuckOff protection and MeshTech fabric. Obviously they are no good.  

Does anyone else laugh at the marketing nonsense employed by the big name equipment makers? I checked my top end Bauer shin pads recently. Behind the Curv composite (1) are some blocks of expanded polystyrene. No doubt they have a high tech term for it. 

(1) What Bauer don't tell you is that Curv is a fraction of the cost of carbon fibre and less strong. It's decent stuff though. 

[Cavs019 702]

It’s funny but not a new or hockey specific phenomenon.

What’s more enticing to the average consumer?- “a bubble of visible plastic under your heel” or “AirMax”.

Edited May 24, 2018 by Cavs019

[CigarScott 132]

5 hours ago, tvuollo said:

Even being a finnish brand, they don't have their products in any usual retail stores that sell hockey equipment. I have no idea what their business model these days is. Our beer league team did order team jerseys and socks from them though.

Back in the 90s everyone here had either Tackla, Koho or Jofa equipment. Now only those that have old or second hand equipment wear them.

https://www.tackla.com/company.html

Wow, that's interesting. I figured that Tackla gear would be as common as Bauer or CCM in the sporting good stores of Finland, Sweden, and the other hockey-playing countries in Europe. So outside of their two company-owned stores, you can't find their stuff in Finland? Do they sponsor any of the hockey leagues there where they are using their pants, gloves, and other equipment?

[adam14 182]

I remember using their TAC wood sticks when I was in Europe, some of the better wood sticks available at the time.

[tvuollo 21]

20 hours ago, CigarScott said:

Wow, that's interesting. I figured that Tackla gear would be as common as Bauer or CCM in the sporting good stores of Finland, Sweden, and the other hockey-playing countries in Europe. So outside of their two company-owned stores, you can't find their stuff in Finland? Do they sponsor any of the hockey leagues there where they are using their pants, gloves, and other equipment?

It's been all Bauer, CCM, Warrior etc. since around 2006 or something. I think around the time Koho and Jofa were bought out, Tackla dropped off too. So yea it's a niche, maybe even a struggling brand right now. Nobody buys new Tackla equipment anymore and it's sold only marginally. Teams in finnish national league SM Liiga are sponsored and equipped either by Bauer, CCM or Warrior.

My perception of Tackla for the last 10+ years has been that they've concentrated more on rink ball and ice bandy and those sports are dying right now. Obviously concentrating on those sports was a mistake.

[Leif 160]

21 hours ago, Cavs019 said:

It’s funny but not a new or hockey specific phenomenon.

What’s more enticing to the average consumer?- “a bubble of visible plastic under your heel” or “AirMax”.

I'm sure it's not hockey specific, long distance running has "hydration products" etc. To be honest these terms turn me off, it just makes me think they are selling snake oil. That's a shame as the new Bauer pads I have are actually rather good. What I like is the improved comfort and mobility, neither of which are mentioned in the marketing BS.  As for them staying dry, which is claimed, nope! 

[colins 246]

On 5/24/2018 at 4:20 AM, tvuollo said:

Even being a finnish brand, they don't have their products in any usual retail stores that sell hockey equipment. I have no idea what their business model these days is. Our beer league team did order team jerseys and socks from them though.

Back in the 90s everyone here had either Tackla, Koho or Jofa equipment. Now only those that have old or second hand equipment wear them.

https://www.tackla.com/company.html

 

Wow - check out that sweet girdle.

 

colins

 

[CigarScott 132]

45 minutes ago, colins said:

 

Wow - check out that sweet girdle.

 

colins

 

I did hear that this new girdle is supposed to be really nice.

[CigarScott 132]

3 hours ago, tvuollo said:

It's been all Bauer, CCM, Warrior etc. since around 2006 or something. I think around the time Koho and Jofa were bought out, Tackla dropped off too. So yea it's a niche, maybe even a struggling brand right now. Nobody buys new Tackla equipment anymore and it's sold only marginally. Teams in finnish national league SM Liiga are sponsored and equipped either by Bauer, CCM or Warrior.

My perception of Tackla for the last 10+ years has been that they've concentrated more on rink ball and ice bandy and those sports are dying right now. Obviously concentrating on those sports was a mistake.

They seem to make great stuff, it's a shame that they've become an obscure brand. It probably doesn't help that they follow the European sizing model in pants instead of just making small, medium, large, etc. It has to be expensive and a logistics nightmare to make and carry a dozen or more sizes of each model of pant in each color they offer.

At least Tackla has the market cornered for rink ball and bandy; I'm not aware of any other companies making equipment specific for those sports.

[swede 45]

Still quite common in europe BUT all European elite teams (KHL excluded) has an equipment sponsor/partner so they must cover their pants/girdles with a shell from the team sponsor... So you dont notice them as easy any more.

[swede 45]

And, since most european teams have sponsor logos all over the pants all players have shells..

[BenBreeg 488]

I have pants and a girdle.  When i bought thrm they were all i could find that offered tall sizes.  That was about 12 years ago maybe.  Their pants were definitely common and seen as good stuff when i was in high school...Which was significantly more than 12 years ago :)

[jeffg 13]

Any place in the USA to order Tackla pants?  Looking for a pair of Tackla 9000 air size 54 short

[IPv6Freely 2082]

Hockey monkey has them, so does IW. Pure probably does too.

[CigarScott 132]

The short ones you may be able to get from  ;https://www.ebay.com/str/1776freebird?_trksid=p2047675.l2568; the big box stores don't seem to have the oddball sizes.