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I have hit that point in my life that I will gladly pay the extra money for items if it makes me comfortable. 😉

Interesting to see him use them in games though. Practice, that is usual for many players, but using something new in a game is not common.

100%. It was so much easier before Reebok adopted the EDGE system in 2007. Before that it was authentic or replica and both could be found pretty much everywhere (at least around Chicagoland). Even with Reebok, there were a few places you could find 2.0 on-ice authentic jerseys and you could find them in just about every size imaginable. Since Adidas branded their retail jerseys 'authentic' it caused way too much confusion to casual fans. And finding actual on-ice jerseys became a major chore outside of gamers. Even then, finding smaller sizes (52, even 54, let alone 50) was extremely difficult. I've heard Fanatics is actually going to offer on-ice authentics for sale which will be interesting to see although I'm not a fan of Fanatics period so we'll see how that goes. Either way, collecting jerseys 20+ years ago was definitely easier than it is today

It was always the recommendation that if retail skates for you fine stick with them. My next skates will be retail since true makes retail now, and the fact Bauer and ccm are finally on board with comfort being a priority as well. The Mach skates were a huge win for Bauer in the comfort category

Skip them. I've got lots of gear. 4 different brands and 6 different models of lowers, all pro stock, pants and girdles. Tried these on once, and they just don't rate. I felt totally naked, like I'd be wearing ref or roller gear to play a game on ice. My Warrior Covert Pro pants are my favorite pants by far, so I was psyched to get these. Puh. I may not even bother to try them on again. I've been a girdle guy since the Cooperall days. I still have them and if they fit I'd wear them in a heartbeat. Even my quirky Easton Synergy pro stock girdle works pretty well. My Reebok 9k girdle is brilliant. Like having total protection while wearing nothing. These Alphas feel like just the nothing part. I bought these from Pro Stock Hockey, who say that "If The Pros Don't Wear It, We Don't Sell It. I'm tellin yuh. They aint no pros wearing these. Oh, maybe for stick and puck drill days.

I used to lust after custom Grafs. I remember people posting on here with pics of their white and gray boots, country flags, etc.

This thread just seems like someone who has enough money that they don’t really care what they spend it on, and then try to justify it after the fact (custom skates last longer), and then when that false assertion gets called out, backpedals to another money flex (I don’t need to buy new skates, I just do).