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The sound of someone wearing them coming into the defensive zone when I was getting the puck always made me feel like they were right on top of me even though they were still at center ice. lol

Pros get what they want. A good number don't know what they want. And surprisingly few are picky.

Not weird at all. I've been around long enough to hear the stories of EQMs getting trucks and boats from reps for getting X amount of players in their product... But when it comes to holders, absolutely; if it makes an EQM's life easier by having everyone in the same holder, they're going to do it.

Another old find in the basement. I had no idea I still had these.

Doc retires: Not player related but the broadcasting landscape changes again. I'd rather listen to Canadian broadcasts but Doc was consistent in transmitting excitement (for better or worse haha).

Except his point has a lot of validity.

It is certainly NOT the locker room and it's high time we stopped thinking we are immune or that you wont get it. Stop acting tough, the virus doesn't give a shit. And even if you don't care if you get sick what about the other people in your life who you'd give it to. I have spoken to some travel/junior parents. I can't tell you how many times I hear: "they are your and strong - they will be fine." How f-ing stupid. And then they come to school!!!! And parties. Beyond dumb. I have played a few times in clinics and scrimmages. If I skate I wear a mask. The infection rate is very low in NY but things are starting to get a little worse and I may avoid playing for a while. We can wait. Be smart.

I liked listening to Doc, sad to see him go.

Some might recall I had three stents put in on March 2nd. Been a great recovery - lost 24 lbs and got my Ldl down to 25 - but now I am feeling some "stuff" when exercising. Weakness in left arm and chest "twinges." It might all be in my head because I am insane but after consulting with my cardiologist I am going in for another angiogram next Monday (10/26). Hoping its nothing. this time around.

Equipment managers do actually have some input on what pros use and many pros appreciate recommendations from equipment managers.

My son wanted a square toe stick and they are hard to find on prostockhockey. He is back to using P88s now until we get a replacement.

I recommend the CCM FV-1 over the Bauer's. Good clarity, no fogging. Install was a bit tougher, not a fan of the clips and I had to flip them around from how it's put on originally out of the box. But at least I don't have to dremel the brackets anymore like I did for the Bauers in the past. The CCM screws that come with it are really dinky and I could probably shear them off. The CCM J-clips are nicer and easier to dial in with how your cage sits. My U9 kid likes it on his as well.

Every time I use my CCM mask, I have to “peak” the metal nose piece so it’s not sitting flat across my nose, but it’s fine once I’m playing.

Minnesota m1s are hot

I would go down at least half a size. In my case I had to go down one full size.

Think we are getting to the point of diminishing returns. As has been pointed out, there are so many profiles and no good way to prescribe which is best for any given skater. Since all curves have to blend through an easement, I don't know what the practical effect this will have to differentiate from other profiles.

Not all runners are the same height when new. For example, most STEP steel (with the exception of the steel for the True Shift holder) is pretty tall. Bauer LS4 is another runner that's pretty tall. I believe you have CCM +4.0 holders and steel. With the +4.0 holders, CCM made the holders taller than their previous holders, but kept the steel height the same. So the CCM steel is more of a traditional height and if the sharpener compared them to say STEP or LS4 they'd definitely look shorter, but it doesn't mean they're too short to use. If you start bottoming out on tight turns (the holders hit the ice) then you'll know it's time to replace the steel, but I understand wanting to do so a little before that time. With all that said, I still think your blades look fine unless they're really low at the toe and heel (I can only see the middle in the picture). I've seen some players and refs skate on tiny slivers of steel and often ask them how they skate on those blades or flat out say I think it may be time for some new steel, but their steel is WAY lower than yours. I've never let my steel get lower than half a cm and I've never had a problem transitioning to new steel as long as I use the same size and brand of steel. If I went to taller steel like Step it might take a little more time, but for the last several years I have been using CXN holders and steel and before that I was consistently using Mission Pitch holders and steel for several years (and before that I had CCM Prolite 3 holdes and steel for a good decade).

I replaced steel last season. My old steel was very short and I went to brand new LS4. Took me about 10 minutes to adjust. Everyone is different and there are other factors such as radius. It just happens that stock Bauer steel is usually fine for me out of the box. I guess what I’m saying is maybe don’t overthink it. Looks like you have plenty of steel left and a good shapener can help you get new steel dialed in when the time is right.

Ft3 https://imgur.com/gallery/sQVoi2E

I've bought the Bauer multiple times over the years, because it was the only one available. They always start out great until one day it fogs, then you have to use a spray, and then after awhile even that stops working (I always use a microfibre cloth and use a protective bag to transport). I've recently purchased the CCM this time around (after an errant stick caused a huge scrape on my previous bubble), so far so good.

I think the FV1 promotes better airflow than the Concept 3 and seems to fit a much larger range of helmet types other than Bauer. As for which is better, I think they are both about the same. I didn't like the Concept 3 as it always fogged no matter what products I used to try and prevent such. The FV1 never fogged at all, likely due to the better air circulation.

All I can assume is they are now going to be using the ellipse in the multi radii profiles instead of basing it off circles.

People who didn't know just thought I was skating hard because of all the noise I was making:)

Reading comprehension, dawg. He said if you're not concerned to drop a G on skates then consider dropping a G on lessons, it will do more for your skating than custom skates. The guy didn't say anything about not getting the right fitting skates and redoing the custom job, just that if money isn't an issue, put it towards skating lessons. IMO very sound advice. Obviously get skates that fit well and are comfortable, and, like a few mentioned, give True another shot, but also look into lessons if you have the change to drop.

Decided to not switch out to Tuuks right now. Brand new skates so I'm not keen on drilling new holes. We made a slight adjustment to the blades to set me a little more upright feeling. I was on them for 3 hours today and they were starting to feel much better. Still a pain to get on and off but better than the first few days.

The jury is still out on whether it was an asset or a handicap for the guy wearing them. On one side you can say that everyone heard him coming a mile away. On the other hand, they were so loud that most people dropped in terror of an impending fighter plane bombing. Easy goals lol

And his tone of voice was nothing like the response portrayed, it was a helpful, and as you pointed out, valid suggestion.

I'm aware. GXs are not available under 100 bucks. Same with CXs. Maybe you can find an HTX. Probably lefty out with a crap curve or 110 flex or something. For all of this stuff you're looking at closer to 150 anyway. There are plenty of new pro stock sticks that come in cheaper than that. Also, another issue with Easton is they were the literal kings of repainting sticks, so probably half the time you buy a new old stock Easton you don't even know what stick it actually is. Like I said, I still use them and am very aware of the situation. But I have a good supplier that is knowledgeable and honest with me. For me, yeah, in a weird gear geek who grew up with Easton and that's what I like, Easton and TPS, so that's what I continue to use. For someone to just go buying GXs on SLS and eBay for her kid, bit of a waste of time and energy. Buying old Easton's on SLS is a great way to buy an RS II and end up with an SE16. Not the end of the world, no, but definitely a pain in the ass when it happens over and over and it's not the stick you want. Easier to just get an Alpha or Jetspeed from a good source and know what you're getting most of the time. You don't save much money either.

Pump the breaks. T blades worked and you never had to worry about someone giving you a bad sharpen or messing up your profile. That surgical steel was awesome, loud but still awesome. If T-blades came out with FBV or QUAD profiles I would use them today in a heart beat. Dear T-Blade: QUAD 0.5 with a 3/4 sharpen please. I use to wear a mirrored visor so take everything a say with a grain of salt.

Try the Quad 0.5 next. It is very similar to the 9.5/10.5 you are thinking of trying. Good for you for trying all these profiles out for yourself.

If you're worried about getting cut from skate blades, they make socks with kevlar over the calves and Achilles tendon for that. The soccer pads work great but will definitely give you a bowling pin look, especially if you already have large calves.

Yup. I don't use them that way, though: I actually use two sets and position them on both sides of my shins right next to the edges of the shinguards. I'm not really worried about taking a direct shot to the back of my legs, but I stand in front of the net a lot looking for deflections and garbage goals as a center and block shots from the point as a wing, so it's the unprotected sides I'm more worried about. They're very light and offer a lot more protection than those side/calf flaps that Jofa/RBK shinguards come with. I actually wear the outside ones under that Jofa calf flap, which covers a bit of my calves, but with much thinner protection. The plastic insert in those flaps really provide no protection on the side. The soccer pad covers the area in between the edge of the shinguard and the plastic flap insert that covers the calf.

8Ks have better calf protection, but you can just add a piece of padding for the calf. You can diy it or any gear repair will be able to give you a long term fix. These pads are regarded as the best because they are light and protective and also comfy. Most pros still use jofa/rbk for this reason.

Or just add a calf flap via velcro tape. I did that with my 5090's.

Apple relegating all Charlie Brown specials to their awful AppleTV+, nothing is sacred....

I've been skating with the R1 for five games and after an initial adjustment period, I'm very happy. I think there could be improvements and I'm a tiny bit concerned about long-term wear, but at this point I'd recommend the R1. FZ-0, 6.5ee. I was properly fitted (and the mounted the frame) at Coast to Coast Hockey Shop in Vancouver and was shocked to learn: A- I was previously in boots 1.5 sizes too big; B- I have a wide forefoot but a narrow heel; and C- my left foot is a full size bigger than my right. So apart from getting used to a new frame, I'm extremely very extra super happy with the boots themselves. I've been skating for over twenty years and these are the best skates have ever felt. They're almost like an extension of my body rather than silly wheeled doodads I'm strapping on my feet for an hour or two. The skating experience took a little bit of time to figure out. For context, my sprungs were severely worn down, the arms for the front two wheels especially so. Normally the tops are squared off and fit into the base snuggly but mine had worn into wedge shapes so the effect was much less "springy" and much more tick-tocky. I could lean forward and the front two wheels stayed on the ground while the back two wheels lifted off. Which felt great sometimes but also felt extremely fragile. I was a very self-aware skater on my old skates, conscious of the feeling that the sprungs could explode at any time. Which isn't great. Anyway, I was accustomed to an extreme amount of movement and even though I was on the h5-t8, " the most movement" insert, I wanted more, especially from the toe. The heel movement felt ok, definitely better than flat frames, but I couldn't really dig in with my toes the way I could on sprungs. After three games, I loosened the bushing bolt by a half turn and there was much more play in the frame. At this point the movement took a bit of getting used to and I almost lost it in the warm up but during the game, I was digging in with my toes much better and I felt much sharper in the turns. Forward to backward transitions were quick and I was particularly impressed with my backwards acceleration. Stopping, for whatever reason, didn't feel as sharp. In my sprungs I could reliably get the wheels to make the "BEEERRRRRBBBB" noise when stopping but it's not as strong with the marsblades. I have this vague idea that in the sprungs I was better able to roll my weight, so to speak, from toe to heel so when I stopped, I could better modulate weight placement over the wheels. Maybe this is nonsense, maybe I'll get used to the marsblades and figure it out there too. Overall, I felt a bit quicker than with sprungs and apart from the stopping, didn't lose anything. Also, there's something to be said for the increased confidence that my skates weren't going to blow up... these are well made pieces of kit. As a caveat, I'm not a big guy at 66kg and in terms of how body weight affects the movement and stability, I have no idea. Bigger guys may get more movement than I do. The looser bushing bolt didn't feel weak or unstable but I'm small. I've mentioned sprungs wearing out a few times so let's look at wear for the marsblades. Look at that dust! We've been playing on a covered outdoor rink with smooth concrete, maybe one grade below polished. As you can see, there's significant wear on the anodization. There's some deep scratches and wear going on but nothing too worrying. This isn't unexpected in any way, moving parts with dust and dirt will grind down (my sprungs certainly did) I've been diligent about taking apart and cleaning everything... If you're not familiar this is the base of the frame and the rocker insert goes on top of this, with the metal frame following. This is the typical amount and type of dust that I get after a game, before I clean it. If you look closely at the bolt thing, there's some rust starting to develop at the base. I've started to use an old toothbrush to scrub around it rather than letting water clear everything away but I don't like the rust. There's a bit of wear on the sides (matching where the metal part is worn but again, nothing unexpected or too concerning. The plastic insert, likewise, seems ok. This is the metal frame facing side and it's a bit rougher, as if the movement between the insert and the frame are embedding grains of dust into the insert. Wear wise, I'm a bit concerned about the bolt rusting and time will tell about the metal frame... could it wear down so much that there's noticeable side-to-side play between the metal frame and the base? I'd feel better if I could replace individual parts of the frame setup easily or if my local shop could service them in some way. I went through three sprung set ups and they each lasted me about two years skating outdoors on dusty/gritty and sometimes muddy surfaces. If I can get that out of marsblades, I'd be satisfied. I'd be happier if it was longer but we will see how that goes.

Thank god, if only he could take Pierre with him. I'm "blessed" to be able to watch the Canadian feeds down here.

I am using superfeet carbon pro yellows. I was tired of trying to get the arch supports that came with the skates to stay in place. They always came off when I took my skates off. I like the superfeet.

I got my UA mask today, and I gotta say, it's very comfortable and allows better breathing/ventilation than many masks I've worn thus far. Also very moisture/sweat resistant. Much pricier than some other options though.

This is why I haven't been anywhere close to hockey since mid-March. I'm HOPING that everyone will be proactive in trying to stay healthy and be willing to open their mouth if they get sick. And yes, that's a lot to ask for of some people so I've stayed away. I'm happy for those of you who've been back at hockey with no issues. I hope that continues.

If you still need width and volume in a Supreme EE, I'd try to find a Nexus EE as a test before starting the process with Bauer. They're discontinued, so you should be able to find one realtively cheap. I just think it would be a good way of getting a reference point for what Bauer may or may not be able to do. This way you'll have more information and not have to guess what will work and won't going into a custom order. Just my .02

I figured they would push to after December. It made no sense to start the season right at the holiday time period.

But people told me my sizing comments were wrong and they fit true to size

They’re a 2nd pair of old stock G70 Ultras. I still got the original pair in a bag somewhere

Thanks, from what I hear the manufacturers are saying it's all going to go one piece eventually. Maybe you're right though. I think I'll stick with the Bauer Supremes for now. Maybe wait til they "perfect" one piece boots if in fact it's going that way.

Were these products tested and certified by the FDA or CDC to prevent or even lower the risk of contracting or spreading Covid-19? If no, it's a cash grab. Same goes for the all fancy masks we wear on a daily basis, myself included. Once you enter the rink common sense is tossed aside. Think about it, if people were serious about preventing the spread there would be no need for splash guards on hockey helmets. Don't confuse me with an anti-masker or one of those covid is hoax whack jobs.

The masks (none of them) are designed to protect you from COVID. The point is to prevent possible spread by containing YOUR vaporized droplets.

League starts up tonight. Wish this was three months ago when I was still working out. I was in probably the best cardio shape I've ever been in and then once summer hit I got derailed. It's going to hurt tomorrow but looking forward to playing again.

Part of the problem is the Mako came out when Easton was going through a pretty steep decline in popularity. If Bauer re-released the Mako II with an Edge holder, new graphics, and called it the UltraBoomADVSonicLite with a superdynaflex tendon guard it would probably fly off the shelves at levels the Mako never came close to.