AIREAYE

What is it? Developed independently by former NHLer Tom Pederson, the Green Biscuit is an off-ice training tool aimed at helping players develop better passing and stickhandling skills. The Green Biscuit is a two-piece puck supported by three ‘posts’, which gives it a better central balance. Positives The biggest selling point on these guys definitely has to be the stability and slide. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I could send you a hard 100 ft pass on reasonably flat concrete/asphalt without it flipping or rolling over. Despite being lighter than a regulation puck (perhaps necessary to achieve its level of glide on outdoor surfaces), the friction from the ground translates into the GB mimicking very accurately the glide of a puck on ice. I have had no problems transitioning my passing motions (touch-passes, snap/slap passes, saucer passes occasionally, backhand passes etc.) onto outdoor surfaces. An interesting little behaviour quirk (not really a feature per se) that I’ve noticed is that the rebound qualities of the GB are actually very substantial. I’ve occasionally had my pass miss my target and ricochet off the brick/concrete wall of the school field I play on with almost the same velocity that it impacted with! The GB would often rebound right back to my stick like a regular pass and remain perfectly flat as well. Stickhandling is the other strong point offered by this product. Since it can remain flat and can closely approximate the glide and behaviour of a puck on ice, it is good for practising off-ice stickhandling and puck carrying. Overall, the level of glide is done well enough that one can approximate it to your average sheet of ice after a couple hours of drop-in. Before going into the negatives, I would like to stress that this product is NOT meant to be shot; it wasn’t designed to sustain such heavy impacts and will likely shatter over time as a result. That being said however, I believe that the GB is tough enough to be shot by weaker or lesser-skilled players who do not put the same velocity into their shots as others. With that, the GB can serve as very beneficial off-ice or off-season option for younger/beginner players to practise and learn basic hockey skills. Negatives After understanding that this puck isn’t meant to be shot, there aren’t a whole lot of negative aspects to it. One aspect that could bother some players would be the weight difference. I personally do not find this to be a drawback because I believe that an outdoor puck (like roller pucks) must be lighter to compensate for the greater friction of outdoor surfaces. However, if I might add one small complaint, I would say that if the GB ever starts to roll on its side, it is somewhat difficult to render it flat again, especially if there is no stick impact to help it along. Perhaps future GBs could incorporate some kind of sidewall or corner texture to prevent this. Overall Although I have mainly used this product for outdoor street hockey and fooling around (mostly on roller skates), the benefits and characteristics are all too apparent. An excellent product for anything from a light street game with friends and off-ice puck training, to teaching younger/newer players some of the basic stick skills of the game. Well worth the $15-$20.

Ahh, sorry to hear that man, I hope everything eventually works out for you! You definitely seem to have the know-how and credentials to back it up. Your manager didn't recognize a true asset when he saw one. However like you said, there will always be opportunities and sometimes you will have to look harder for them. Good luck!

Quick, SRS shaft repair! But then again, being a mid-kick stick... eh still a really cool find!

Love the protective FatPhilly, are the Projekt elbows and shoulders NHL prostock or retail?

Duncan, apparently it's true that FBV jigs can't work well with 4mm wide steel and that the 3mm ones on the One100 are fine. I asked about it today and I've been told basically the same thing as jimmy mentioned here, except for the effectiveness for goalies part. The employee should've explained that in the first place in one go though haha. Perhaps a new goalie-specific jig will widen compatibility? Don't know about the length of time needed though.

Congrats! It's the best feeling haha, enjoy Frosh Week/O-Week!

Excellent work! It looks very sharp...aesthetically

I've been honestly looking everywhere for these! Our buyer decided not to order them, which I can understand, as Easton protective seems to always be unspectacular. The Easton Synergy series of elbow pads though, seem to do it for me. Have you had a chance to compare this pair to some others? Also, what pricpoint were they at?

Did you specifically choose the scalloped? For what reason?

About time you came on MSH!

I believe some are while others are legit old stock. There aren't too many commonly noticeable differences anyhow. Best ask a manager who knows the different SKU in the computer

I believe there are still quite a few Sportcheks out there with old stock CNTs...they're not that rare over here.

The Lobster Claw!

The tension of waiting for your top choice is proportionally worse good luck!

JA, are the fingers tapered like on the S19s? As in, does it get 'thinner' thickness-wise?

Wow, absolutely great gloves it seems, thanks for the pics! Loving the index finger segmentation, the little blue segments on the outside of the index is placed smartly so that it prevents torquing of the finger roll...excellent!

5’10” 140 lbs Tackla Size 48 Background : I picked these pants up as part of an overall gear upgrade I had in August of 2011 and I now feel that I have enough experience in them (4.5 months, 1-3 times a week) for a review. I bought these guys as a replacement for my old Bauer Supreme One35s (review a few links down) which I felt was both a little short in length and lacking rear end protection. Another reason for choosing Tackla was that they definitely appear to have an excellent long-standing reputation to be perhaps the best pant manufacturer on the market; and the Made In Canada labelling was definitely a bonus. Fit/Comfort : 10/10 Tackla pants feature a ‘European’ or ‘Euro’ style fit, which is characterized by a tight waist and a wide or roomy leg/thigh. A personal preference for sure, but one that I enjoy. The size 48 was perfect length-wise for me, as the pant leg approached or sits on the upper ½ of the kneecap, eliminating any gap issues I had with the One35s. The tight waist is perhaps the greatest positive here, as the pant wraps very snugly and extremely comfortably around the body; perhaps the most comfortable pair of pants I have ever had on. It was heavenly! The low-density foams around the inner waist (kidney) of the pant are soft enough to give you that comfort level and beefy enough to be protective as well. Although the pant features both the traditional lacing system and belt system for tightness, I felt that just the lacing was enough to achieve that level of fit/tightness, rendering the belt unnecessary. This could be that it wraps around the outside of the pant rather than on the inside. The wider legs are also well fitted as they provide excellent, almost unnoticeable mobility without interfering with the top of the shin pad. The leg zipper with stretch liner backing (so while it does expand, there is no gap where your leg is exposed) was a nice feature as well. Protection : 10/10 Being a high-end (over $200 price-point iirc) pant, the 5500s feature amazing protection to be expected at that price namely multi-density layered foams with high quality moulded plastic inserts. The type and method that Tackla uses with their foam placement overlaps with the high comfort level as well. Everything from the tailbone piece to the kidney areas and hips pads contain a surface layer of soft foams that provide a nice base for the other inserts. Definitely an excellent consideration if you were to play high level hockey. Durability : 8/10 There are various places on the pant where the stitching has come loose, especially on the bottom rim of each leg. Although this is not an issue at the moment, there could come a point where it will be. The liner of the left side of the pant has also frazzled slightly. Slightly disappointing, given that domestically made gear is supposed to be ‘superior’ to Asian-made. This just goes to show that QC trumps that mindset. Weight : 8.5/10 This is definitely a pant on the bulkier side, although the level of mobility offsets that in my opinion and is a non-issue. However it is also important to consider that pants sit near your centre of gravity or your core, so a difference in weight conceivably wouldn’t be as noticeable as if it was further away, such as a stick. Intangibles : Absolutely no issues with odour or with moisture retaining. The liner on these guys appear to wick away moisture very well and the pant dry quickly as a result. One aspect however that I personally would like to see on these guys is a raised spinal guard, similar to the Tackla 951 and on countless other non-Tackla models. Another qualm that I have on these pants is the single segment on the tailbone pad inside the pant. The tailbone pad features thick low-density foams with a sturdy insert, but has a single segment on the lower third of the pad. This is supposed to offer better mobility but I’ve found that it can get stuck poking into your backside, especially if you hop over the boards and definitely not what you want if you fall directly on it (ouch!). Perhaps this would not be an issue with larger set people, but sometimes is a minor annoyance to me. Overall : 9/10 An excellent product which should be on clearance at most retailers (if they have any stock left that is). Definitely something to consider if one plays high level hockey or would simply like to give Tackla a try as I have. Quite impressed.

Winning the first game of the new intramural season, I played pretty bad though, gotta react better when that puck comes up the boards!

Plant traps, Home Alone-esque? Hope you get better dude.

We missed you dude, keep going!

That's beautiful lol, a few Gretzky and Ovechkin figurine ornaments (they actually sell those at Hallmark here) would complete it!

I guess they got sucked into the marketing...hopefully the M11 fits everyone because that's the #1 thing I don't understand about team orders; how a single helmet can fit every kid.

I'd love to grab a pair of those guys in a Medium, did you get them off ebay?

5'10" 135 lbs Size : M Background : Coming from an old pair of Hespeler GX700s (probably a mid-end pad, something I picked up for cheap when I was doing my first round of gear buying 4 years ago) with absolutely HUGE shoulder caps, I decided this summer to upgrade to something with a bit more protection and lower-profile caps. Although I’m not playing contact hockey, I decided to go for a top-end pad anyways as being a thinner dude, I’ve been winded a few times when I crashed into the boards. The shoulder caps on the Hespelers made me look somewhat disproportioned too. The U+ Pros are an evolution from CCMs old top-end Vector 10 pad, which (from what I’ve seen) saw use in the NHL; a testament to its quality and qualifications. The shoulder designs on the U+ Pro are unlike any other pad, featuring clavicle guards that cover the cap and angle down into the clavicle area. The caps themselves are also form fitted down, giving it a low-profile. There isn’t too much difference between the two, but never having tried the V10, I can’t really comment on the fit. Fit/Comfort : 9.5/10 A disclaimer I should include here is that I fit perfectly (and should technically have purchased) into a size small, but decided to go up to a medium in order to have more spinal coverage since my Tacklas lack a spinal guard and I take some abuse when I’m in front of the net. One aspect of fit that CCM changed in the Pro is the torso portion of the pad, which upon trying it on, immediately felt more anatomical as it hugs the body very well. Coverage is excellent as the shoulder caps and clavicle guard manage to cover the upper chest/armpit area without sacrificing mobility. The rib pads, removable belly guard and spine also provide excellent coverage. The plastic inserts in the bicep guards and the shoulder cap are all malleable, so it was a simple matter of bending them in a little bit to form better to my body; an added bonus in terms of comfort and protection. Overall the pad just feels RIGHT, with nearly everything conforming well to my chest and shoulders. Protection : 9/10 Simply put, this pad offers what you would expect from a top-end pad; nothing more and nothing less. The way the shoulder caps/clavicle guard for around your shoulders and the pad itself to your torso respectively is the main focus that CCM put into this product. If a pad is better formed to one’s body, the less negative space there is, and upon impact, the force will be absorbed and dispersed in the pad and not towards your body. The main feature is the use of EPP (think high end helmet) foams in the spine and sternum instead of clunky plastic inserts and with this pad on, I felt little whenever I’d take a crosscheck in the back or even fall down backwards. The only drawback I found was that the rib wrap wasn’t as protective as other pads on the market. Perhaps CCM could’ve put some high density foams in there instead of the mid that’s in now. However, the amount of coverage they provide makes up for this little flaw. As a side note, I would still say that the rib wrap is better than the X:60 or T1 Overall, for a player playing non-contact, these guys more than do the job. Mobility : 10/10 The low profile caps and the excellent way these pads fit really emphasize the mobility of these guys. The stretch materials around the sternum and spine, in addition to the bicep guards are definitely appreciated. For top end protection, the U+ Pros offer near-perfect mobility. Weight : 10/10 Weight (provided that its not excessive) should not be an issue concerning shoulder pads, as they are so close to your centre of gravity. With the EPP protection though, these pads are very light. Though perhaps not as light as the X:60 or TotalOne, they’re definitely better than the 11K or Easton offerings. Durability : 10/10 Granted, even though I have not spent a huge amount of time in these pads, there are absolutely no issues. They still look new. Intangibles : 9/10 CCM didn’t change their liner in the Pro, opting to stay with the old Vector Dry material. While I’m not going to say that it’s ineffective, comparing it to other liners out there (Silver Shield, ThermoCore+ etc.) definitely leaves something to be desired. The pads dry quickly, but retain a bit of moisture after a game, even when I wore UnderArmour. I would recommend taking these out of the bag to air dry (everything should actually). No issues regarding odor, but again, I haven’t been using these guys for a long time. While other pads have adjustable bicep guards (able to change height/length for coverage with elbow pads) often featuring Velcro straps, the U+ Pro technically does not. Instead, their bicep pads are attached to the shoulder via a stretch material, which, if fitted properly, shifts very well with the arm and can very well completely cover the gap between elbow pad and shoulder pad. With my elbow pads, I have no issues with overlap, even though I opted for a bigger size. However, the lack of the adjustment might be an issue for others. I’ve seen many NHL players use these pads this season (with mods or not, doesn’t matter) and the fact that it can compete alongside the likes of RBK/Jofa definitely makes me more satisfied with my purchase. Overall : 9.5/10 Perhaps the best shoulder pad I have ever tried on (hence the purchase), as I really appreciate the slick profile, the comfortable fit and range of mobility. However, please make sure you opt for your correct size so that it stays flush to your body where protection is at its max, especially if you play contact. I can’t wait to see what the CL pad offers; hopefully CCM continues to make its mark in protective and from what I’ve heard about the CL; they could very well ascend to the very top soon.

edit: just realized I posted this in the wrong section, as I was using this as a template.. my bad. Check out the actual review when it's posted http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index.php?/topic/59240-ccm-u-pro-shoulder-pads/ 5'10" 135 lbs Size : M Background : Coming from an old pair of Hespeler GX700s (probably a mid-end pad, something I picked up for cheap when I was doing my first round of gear buying 4 years ago) with absolutely HUGE shoulder caps, I decided this summer to upgrade to something with a bit more protection and lower-profile caps. Although I’m not playing contact hockey, I decided to go for a top-end pad anyways as being a thinner dude, I’ve been winded a few times when I crashed into the boards. The shoulder caps on the Hespelers made me look somewhat disproportioned too. The U+ Pros are an evolution from CCMs old top-end Vector 10 pad, which (from what I’ve seen) saw use in the NHL; a testament to its quality and qualifications. The shoulder designs on the U+ Pro are unlike any other pad, featuring clavicle guards that cover the cap and angle down into the clavicle area. The caps themselves are also form fitted down, giving it a low-profile. There isn’t too much difference between the two, but never having tried the V10, I can’t really comment on the fit. Fit/Comfort : 9.5/10 A disclaimer I should include here is that I fit perfectly (and should technically have purchased) into a size small, but decided to go up to a medium in order to have more spinal coverage since my Tacklas lack a spinal guard and I take some abuse when I’m in front of the net. One aspect of fit that CCM changed in the Pro is the torso portion of the pad, which upon trying it on, immediately felt more anatomical as it hugs the body very well. Coverage is excellent as the shoulder caps and clavicle guard manage to cover the upper chest/armpit area without sacrificing mobility. The rib pads, removable belly guard and spine also provide excellent coverage. The plastic inserts in the bicep guards and the shoulder cap are all malleable, so it was a simple matter of bending them in a little bit to form better to my body; an added bonus in terms of comfort and protection. Overall the pad just feels RIGHT, with nearly everything conforming well to my chest and shoulders. Protection : 9/10 Simply put, this pad offers what you would expect from a top-end pad; nothing more and nothing less. The way the shoulder caps/clavicle guard for around your shoulders and the pad itself to your torso respectively is the main focus that CCM put into this product. If a pad is better formed to one’s body, the less negative space there is, and upon impact, the force will be absorbed and dispersed in the pad and not towards your body. The main feature is the use of EPP (think high end helmet) foams in the spine and sternum instead of clunky plastic inserts and with this pad on, I felt little whenever I’d take a crosscheck in the back or even fall down backwards. The only drawback I found was that the rib wrap wasn’t as protective as other pads on the market. Perhaps CCM could’ve put some high density foams in there instead of the mid that’s in now. However, the amount of coverage they provide makes up for this little flaw. Overall, for a player playing non-contact, these guys more than do the job. Mobility : 10/10 The low profile caps and the excellent way these pads fit really emphasize the mobility of these guys. The stretch materials around the sternum and spine, in addition to the bicep guards are definitely appreciated. For top end protection, the U+ Pros offer near-perfect mobility. Weight : 10/10 Weight (provided that its not excessive) should not be an issue concerning shoulder pads, as they are so close to your centre of gravity. With the EPP protection though, these pads are very light. Though perhaps not as light as the X:60 or TotalOne, they’re definitely better than the 11K or Easton offerings. Durability : 10/10 Granted, even though I have not spent a huge amount of time in these pads, there are absolutely no issues. They still look new. Intangibles : 9/10 CCM didn’t change their liner in the Pro, opting to stay with the old Vector Dry material. While I’m not going to say that it’s ineffective, comparing it to other liners out there (Silver Shield, ThermoCore+ etc.) definitely leaves something to be desired. The pads dry quickly, but retain a bit of moisture after a game, even when I wore UnderArmour. I would recommend taking these out of the bag to air dry (everything should actually). No issues regarding odor, but again, I haven’t been using these guys for a long time. While other pads have adjustable bicep guards (able to change height/length for coverage with elbow pads) often featuring Velcro straps, the U+ Pro technically does not. Instead, their bicep pads are attached to the shoulder via a stretch material, which, if fitted properly, shifts very well with the arm and can very well completely cover the gap between elbow pad and shoulder pad. With my elbow pads, I have no issues with overlap, even though I opted for a bigger size. However, the lack of the adjustment might be an issue for others. I’ve seen many NHL players use these pads this season (with mods or not, doesn’t matter) and the fact that it can compete alongside the likes of RBK/Jofa definitely makes me more satisfied with my purchase. Overall : 9.5/10 Perhaps the best shoulder pad I have ever tried on (hence the purchase), as I really appreciate the slick profile, the comfortable fit and range of mobility. However, please make sure you opt for your correct size so that it stays flush to your body where protection is at its max, especially if you play contact. I can’t wait to see what the CL pad offers; hopefully CCM continues to make its mark in protective and from what I’ve heard about the CL; they could very well ascend to the top soon.