Dave

Open for review.

Pretty easy: the first number is the foot height. One foot is 30cm. The second number are inches. One inch = 2.5 cm. I am 6"2: 6x30 + 2x2.5 = 185 cm (Well, I am 184, but what the heck). Someone 5"10: 5x30 + 10x2.5 = 175 cm.

nice stick!

Despite my disappointing experience with Sande in the past (custom order never arrived), I think I will have to give the MayPro a try. On the paper it has EVERYTHING I am looking for in a glove (longer fingers, nylon, goatskin, vented gussets).

I was measured once with a Bauer/Nike gauge and the result was laughable. It sized me one size too big. I wouldn't put much trust in gauges like that.

If I remember correctly, the 8090s are the resurrection of the Mega fit.

Open for review.

Yesterday I had just looked up Ponty's pics on a different occasion: http://www.modsquadhockey.com/index.php?showtopic=4019&st=15

Product: Mission '03 M-1 pants, black XL Reviewer specs: 6-2, 220 lbs. Intro/Intangibles I got these a couple of months ago and used them maybe 20 times. Protection This pant is a tank. If protection is your main issue, these pants will take you into any battle. The back protector is a really great feature. It is huge, protects the entire lower back, yet it never get's in the way. It is constructed in a way that it stays close to the body but still flexes with every movement. All other pads are very sturdy, too. 9 out of 10 points Fit/Weight These pads fit rather loose which goes along with quite some bulk. The bulky feeling was toned down once the pants broke in. The lace-up + two belt system works well. The huge back protector never gets in the way. The massive protection comes along with a rather high weight. For the amount of protection these pants are well fitting (if you like loose fitting pants). One thing really bothered me though: The velcro-closures that fix the zippers are poorly constructed. As it is a massive two-ply nylon closure it really gets in the way while skating. On every stride the two closures rub against each other and catch up which was really disturbing. As I never open the zippers I simply cut off the velcros, cut out the zipper's heads and stiched up the zippers so they wouldn't open up. 7 out of 10 points Craftsmanship/Durability Oh well. First of, I got the '03 model on closeout for 80 bucks so my expectations were not overly high. However, I have been disappointed by the craftsmanship put into these pants. The outer nylon material is not high quality. This goes along with a lot of small details that declass this product. I mentioned the velco closures. The eyelets for the lace-up front are much thicker than the nylon fabric which causes the eyelets to fit sloppily. The list goes on. Finally, the pant died after 20 icetimes because of a ripped-out belt. The lower of the two belts is not floating around the entire body. The right end of the belt, which was less than a foot long, ripped out at its end seam. I had lost that ripped out part at the rink so I couldn't sew it back in. It was obviously worth a warranty claim, yet as I bought it in the US (living in Germany) I couldn't return it to the place of purchase. With all these downsides, especially the ripped belt after only 20 icetimes, I give it 4/10 for craftsmanship/durabiliy. Considering that this pant retails for 139 USD, which is a high-end price tag, one must really expect more from a pant. 4 out of 10 points Conclusion This sure is a highly protective pant. If you like loose-fitting pants and if you do not mind its bulkiness, give it a try. However, don't expect much in terms of overall quality. If you can find them on closeout (currently 50 bucks at hockeygiant), they are worth the money. I wouldn't pay much more for them, though. Overall 5 out of 10 points

Product: Nike V-Force Elbow Pads size L Reviewer specs: 6-2, 220 lbs., 16 inch upper arm circumference, 12.5 inch forearm circumference Intro The V-Force line is a SMU made only for the THG-shops. It is basically a V12 with different straps. I modified the upper-arm strap following a hint from Jay. This modification makes the pad much more mobile without sacrificing protection. Fit The best thing one can say about the fit of a pad is: I don't even feel like wearing one. Well, you'll never find a pad that you don't feel at all, put this pad is as close as it gets. I don't ever have to think about the pad during play like I had with other pads. And most importanly: This pad does not slip down my arm. Even if I apply force to it it won't move out of place. Sweat absorption is good, too. The only downside was that it only gets perfect once you modify it. 9 out of 10 points Protection I am a fairly big guy who likes to throw his weight around and who takes physical abuse. So these pads had enough chances to prove their protective qualities. I have never felt the slightest pain on my arms with these. Thumbs up. 10 out of 10 points Weight I didn't go out weighing elbow pads in stores, but these are significantly lighter than anything I've tried on before. 10 out of 10 points Durability After half a year of use they do not show signs of wear. Only the middle strap wore out slightly. 9 out of 10 points Conclusion In my opinion there is nothing in the market that could match all the qualities of these pads. You might find more protective pads, but you won't find another pad that is extremely light and comfy while still providing pro-grade protection. Overall 9.5 out of 10 points

Helmet: Bauer 5000 white - good helmet, looks bulky though. I'll get a black Carbster anytime soon. Cage: Jofa chrome cage - second to none in terms of weight and space-between-bars Shoulder: Bauer 5000 - VERY protective but I am looking for something less bulky and less movement-restricting so I'll get V12s Elbow: Nike V-Force (THG SMUs), unbelievable light weight and comfort, especially after Jay's modding-tutorial. Gloves: TPS Response Plus custom (14", longer fingers, black cable-knit) - those gloves rock, great mobility and the Digitech palm really gives a good grip on all sticks; on the heavy side though. Pants: Mission M-1 - well, good pant for the price, I like the protection (especially the back protector) and the inner liner; I dislike the poor workmanship, the badly constructed velcros that close the zippers (I cut off the velcros that really got in the way during each stride and stiched up the zippers so they do not open up, I don't use the zippers anyway); the amount of protection goes hand in hand with too much weight for my liking, I also prefer less bulky pants. Shins: Bauer 5000 - they get the job done, but they are bulky. I'll get V12s. Skates: Graf 705 teclites with factory-installed t'blades - Great comfort, fit is very good though the boot is too "roomy" for my flat arch. Might look for something with more ankle support. Sticks: Bauer TriFlex Gold (2x P106, 1x P88) - great stick, especially for the closeout price of 240 USD for 3; A XN10 stiff Tucker is on its way to my house, I'll see if it really is that good.

Maybe Eagle is in alliance with Sande

AFAIK anybody can order custom TPS gloves through any TPS retailer.

As he just said, Cable Knit is TPS' version of Nylon. It is some seriously rugged stuff. For more info, please refer to my old thread when I first got the gloves: http://www.modsquadhockey.com/index.php?showtopic=1481

Some more pics of my custom Response Plus gloves with Cable-Knit (click pics for larger images):