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Post a pic of of the vapor XXXs!

So the 5030 mailbox is complete! It's a bit over the top, but we are in a very rural area , and it's located in area where it's surrounded by trees. It kind of sneaks up on you when driving. There is about 2 feet in the ground set in concrete to prevent kids like me when I was 18 or so from walking off with it.

I just don't get this. This area can be punched but it takes time and care and I suspect this is the real reason why they don't want to do it. In a later post you say the sore area is just behind the pinky toe, this area isn't hard to punch especially as you only need to move the side of the boot by a mm or 2 to give you the relief you are after. Maybe call round other shops in your area and see if they will do it? Or try a rebake but this time you put a 4mm - 5mm thick pad on your foot where the sore area is so it helps to push the boot out in that area. Or try to punch it yourself at home, for the cost of a c clamp and some other basic materials you can do it yourself and take the time and care needed to do it.

I would re-bake the Jetspeeds and give them a few more skates. One ice session probably isn't enough time to have the heel padding compress and for your heel to pack in. This may fix your problem if the heel settles back a bit. It may not be that your foot is too wide for them, your foot might be a bit too far "forward".

It's also "one line missing" strikingly close to the new Meta logo....rebranding of industry leaders these days is getting a little ridiculous. I guess they have to find a way to justify all the money they are spending in the marketing departments and get all that new logo apparel out. 😛 I still love rocking my old Nike Bauer wear...and see the puzzled look from the younglings that were born after the sale.

With the new fit system, it's best to take a trip to the store. In the past going vapor to vapor was easier, but in my experience the new toe caps and volume based fits required a need to try them on...and while you're at it give every brand a try. The CCM FT4 pros are quite impressive in terms of their fit flexibility, and if I didn't get the 2X pros at the price I found them, I might have switched to those. Best to not be attached to brand and instead be attached to your comfort and performance.

And more room everywhere else too. That means a wider heel and mid foot. What happens in six months when those Wides break in and you got zero heel lock. You need to spend more time in them to know for sure. One thing to note. I know that area has a prominent bump out where the padding ends and the toe cap begins. Maybe flattening out that bump will help.

Howdy, Interesting to look back on this post from three years ago. Things have definitely changed... 🙂 Looking back at my log sheet for this year and I ended up doing almost exactly the same number of "IRS games" as I did in 2019... 115 this year to 116 the year I started. Of course, due to the virus I ended up doing those games from May to now vs. across the whole year so in actuality I was reffing a lot more often. I don't track the one-off cash games, but I would guess that I did quite a few more of those this year vs. in 2019 as well. Its pretty crazy the difference between the gross income vs. actual net income... This year I grossed ~$5700 across those 115 games, but netted less than half that at ~$2200. Mileage and tolls were by far the biggest expense at ~$2500 (not helped that I ref a lot at a rink ~45 miles away), but a skate purchase, ref seminar, jerseys/pants, etc. etc. too... It all adds up. Occasionally I talk to another ref that doesn't bother to track that stuff for whatever reason, but doing a Schedule C is pretty darned easy and keeping a log is not at all hard... Saving $1k+ or whatever tax wise is a good thing. That's all just focusing on the financial side, of course. Which certainly has an impact in why I ref, but I don't actually 'need' that money. Still, its really nice to be able to pay for my beer league hockey (and glove, jersey, and sock) addiction and get paid to exercise. But there's non-financial incentives as well... I've seen some REALLY good hockey, both with adults in beer league and kids. Its just impressive being on the ice with the A level beer league guys that used to play 'real' hockey and marvel at how they basically never have to look at the puck, fly around the ice, seem to already know where everyone is, and that any time the puck comes to withing 4' of them they control it regardless of whether its on the ice or not. And then there's the elite kids... Nothing like reffing a 10U game with the 2nd and 3rd ranked teams in the country. Its like seeing a half-sized NHL game. The less skilled stuff is often fun for other reasons... The kid stuff is great, seeing all different levels out there trying hard and having fun from ADM "cluster of kids all chasing the puck" on half ice (I don't do many of these though, since they're good games for young refs) to non-elite older players. Those kids will probably never be superstars or whatever, but they're still out there doing a good job and having fun playing a game with their team. Most of the coaches and parents, the overwhelming majority, seem to get it as well. The less skilled adult games I ref are often people I know from playing, or just from reffing a lot. Even if the hockey doesn't blow me away, its still fun to be out there skating, catching up with friends, etc. Those slower games are also a great chance to work on some edgework. 🙂 The other refs have been good to get to know as well. What a cross section of folks! All income / professional levels, people that have been involved in hockey since they were 5, people that started just a few years ago, etc. Its a little bit of a bummer that its literally all white guys, but it is what it is. At least at the reffing seminars you see some diversity and its great to see women getting publicity reffing at some higher levels so I'm sure this will improve. Still, that doesn't take away from me liking the folks I'm out there reffing with. I didn't really start this out to be the long rambling thing its become, so I'll cut it off. Reffing has been a real net positive for me. It can be easy to listen to the problems and watch the youtube videos and forget that nearly everyone in the rink is there for the right reasons. Not that its all been roses... This season I had to wash blood out of my jersey from a fight, I've been told in pretty explicit ways just how horrible I am as a ref and a person, I've made some really horrible calls / non-calls, etc. etc. That stuff happens. But its (by far) the minority. Mostly people at the hockey rink are there to have fun playing hockey. I like that. I like being part of that. Mark

14 narrow. The trues were suggested to go down a size. I ordered the 14 anyway we’ll see how it goes

When I used to heat Grafs, I would place the Achilles guard on the ground, blade perpendicular to the ground, and a little light pressure on the toe and side panel will open the throat of the skate and allow your heel to sink back deeper in the boot. This should make a noticeable difference in what you’re experiencing. a shop with a good boot press can soften the ankle padding as wel with a reheat. it’s a positive and a negative of those skates, it’ll be a bit of a process to get them broken in but there’s a reason guys still have their Grafs 10/15/20 years later.

Yes. IMO, it's an improvement on the Ultrasonic, but nothing significant has changed other than the selection of materials and some refinements.

Makes two of us. So far True has been the best skate I’ve ever had so I’m not looking back even though it’s a nice looking skate.

Been a long time... Glad to log back on and see so many still around. Miss you all! Wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Boxing Day, and Happy New Year! Looking forward to seeing most of you at WF.

$85 off sidelineswap. liners and loops were cut which I'm not thrilled about, but otherwise they're barely used and can't beat the price for pro stock franchises

It seems to be with newer players as opposed to veteran players. Most of the players I skate with have found the gear that they like and have stuck with it.

Throwback Thursday

Very excited to get these today, can’t wait to try them out on ice. I’ll be putting together a long term review of them.

Looks like a Kariya Pro on that thing.

Personally, 5030 for me. Make sure it has the Coffey curve too lol

I'd go somewhere with plenty of ODR. In my experience that would be Alberta. I was just back in St. Albert, AB for Christmas time. It's a community of ~55k people on the NW edge of Edmonton. 5 indoor NHL ice sheets with regular drop-in/shinny/scrimmage schedules 20 outdoor, 7 with heated shacks > https://stalbert.ca/rec/parks/sports/outdoor-rinks/ City of Edmonton nearby (hockey crazy city with ~50 indoor rinks, countless ODR, 16 divs of men's league, etc.) NHL Games in Edmonton/Calgary nearby Jasper/Banff somewhat nearby (3-5h drive) and offer amazing outdoor skating opportunities Great exchange right now on USD/EUR to CAD (you'll be rich) Lowest sales tax in Canada @ 5% Legal recreational cannabis Nowadays I just bring my skates in my luggage. Keep a stick, some pucks, tape, and gloves at my parents house. I just head out to the ODR generally anytime it's not absolutely freezing or snowing. Ice is so good (most have an attendant working 40h a week at each location). Great for conditioning the legs, practicing shots, and building up your creativity. Costs nothing and is so beautiful to enjoy the winter outdoors until 10:30-11:00 any night (they are all lit). (pic is Lake Louise Alberta)

To be clear, there is a big difference between taking figure skating lessons, and taking skating lessons from a figure skating instructor.

Yes. Consider this: in figure skating, crossovers and outside edgework are a fundamental. In (adult) hockey, they’re an afterthought.