fatwabbit

looks like I need to somehow get a True OPS to use, I loved the 52 Cal Reloaded, and if you guys have made it better then wow. Any retailers in Australia?

Sounds like my wife.

First game in 3 years, first ever on ice (played inline since 1996). Butterflies the whole day, really excited about playing and thinking that this level is just up my alley. 2-0 win at the end of the night, with my contributions - goal line clearance, goalie says he owes me a beer for the shutout - started game with 85 flex that lasted one shift and went back to my 75 flex widow (yes, oldie but goodie). Managed to get the puck at the point, and just let one rip. Destined for the top corner but goalie managed to just tip it over. I would say that was the hardest shot I've ever hit ...ever. - loose puck top of the faceoff circle, kept shouting 'mine mine' and my line mate left it to me. Deked around one, and quick snapper that was off by plenty. Took a couple hits during the game, unintentional as I knew the other team guys were just as experienced as I am on the ice. Couple times they asked if was alright and i just replied 'no prob,just keep going!' Made a couple mistakes and slipped up a few times as I dont skate well towards my left. Overall I liked the pace of the game, feel of the ice, and the chatter during and after the game (with both my team and opposing team). Was good to just go out there and have fun with no real stress about winning/losing. LEarning as we go along, especially need to play an early pass so that we dont get caught offside, pitching in too early and getting caught out. Just need to keep it simple . OVerall, sore but satisfied... still buzzing the day after.

Following up to my previous post, I attended the C Div Trials yesterday. It was a loooong session, and I was really struggling towards the last 15 min in keeping my feet. I havent done many drills before, so it was really me trying to stay on top of things. Met a couple of good people, and prior to going I already knew that they had a couple of team 'scouts' watching, that was the whole purpose of the session. I also had butterflies in my stomach, but felt a little more relaxed when I finally stepped onto the ice. I think my saving grace moment was when I got a breakaway while the other team was doing a line change. As I got past the blueline on the right side, i saw my line mate just on my left side. I kept going straight at the goalie, and took a quick look over my shoulder... line mate was following up for rebound in case I missed. I faked a shot, deked the goalie, then dropped a pass for my line mate to score. Was fun just doing that, and I think my line mate was really surprised that I would just drop the pass. I think it will be a couple more sessions before I get my edges back, but last night was a blast.... Oh, and yes made the C Div.

She said YES!!! After three years of frustration and heartache, she finally said yes to my proposal last week! I cant wait for the first night! Cant say its my first love, but am really very excited that its getting me all flustered. Been up all these nights since then, just preparing for the big day. Getting things in place, making all the arrangements are done prior to this wonderful event! For those that are confused, I havent played hockey in almost three years due to family commitments. My wife has finally said to go ahead and sign up for the winter league that starts in a couple weeks time. I've been an inline player for many years, but about 3.5 years ago started the transition to ice and loved it. Played for a couple months of pure bliss, and she dropped the bombshell that I needed to be home to help her with the kids. Wasnt a pleasant discussion, still have scars. Anyway there are 4 divisions, and I heard that there was really no more space in A, B or C, which meant I would be starting in the D league... I dont have an issue as it would allow me to get back on the ice and find my edges again. However, a couple days ago, the guys that I met at the come-and-try session found out I was attempting a come back, and told me they had a slot on the C team. Apparently its the same bunch of guys from a couple years ago, so it should be a fun group to get back to playing with.

Looks like it. Padded strap, wide as well. Seems like a good purchase.

Does that bag only have one BIG shoulder strap? Looks like you can then select which side to clip it on?

Been looking for this for a few year. Had to pinch myself a couple times when I saw it. Seller had it flipped over with a crappy standard blade in there. Arrived today, cleaned it up, and was going to wait till weekend to remove the tenon. Could not wait, and the previous guy had cut it pretty much at the fuse point . Heated up and done in less than 2 min! Need to put an end plug in the top end, but I ain't complaining.

Had extra kids almost 4 years ago, and was told that I had to put my hockey 'career' on hold indefinitely. Finally managed to get some time at the rink lately, with the older kid agreeing to give it a try. Back on the ice, having a great time with some of the other guys who are just starting out, and this week managing to finally get some speed and control with edges. Was not too happy with the 5 on 5 scrimmage on half the rink, but at least I got to play. Was then asked to sign up for the league, most likely putting me on a third tier team which would be fun... wife now says best not to get to playing especially since the games are on thursday nights, and training is Sunday morning.

Dont worry what others think. If you feel more comfortable wearing the gear, then go ahead and do it. I dont think the rinks will prevent you from doing so, and since you already spent the money to be safe, why not. I go to the public skate with my knee braces, knee pads and helmet. I do have improvised elbows, and only just recently stopped wearing padded shorts. While I have had others ask me why I wear the gear during a public skate, I dont really care about the comments. At the end of the day, its my own safety. Best thing you could do is spend time with your kids... and having the common activity just makes it more fun. I wish my knees would allow me to play more competitive soccer and hockey. I've coached my own son in soccer/futsal since he was 4, and yesterday he played his first game for the state team, scoring in a 4-1 win.

While not completely perfect, have you tried the pencil test? http://modsquadhockey.com/forums/index.php/topic/35455-the-pencil-test/page-6?hl=%2Bpencil+%2Btest#entry985824 It doesnt work for everyone, but if you say that the pain is in the part above your arch, could it be lace bite that you are experiencing? I've had siimlar issues in the past with shallower skates (older model CCM, RBK, Eastons, and Bauer Vapors) where they felt like they were clamps on the upper part of the foot (4th or 5th eyelet from the top). After going to a deeper boot (Bauer Flexlite, Graf 709) I didnt feel as much pain anymore.

Mark, i really applaud you for writing this up... and the best part is that you and your son get to share a really big experience together. My 11 year old is also doing the come-and-try session here. Its a government funded program, so the kids and adults who want to try can sign up for free and enjoy about 4 ice sessions before really deciding whether they want to keep going. Gear is on loan from the local club. I signed up for the same sessions so that I could spend some ice time with my son. Its been a real blast, and he's enjoying it. I doubt he will want to pick up the sport seriously as he's already involved in many other sports at a much higher level, but I just wanted him to just give it a shot. Just a word about you and your skates. I went through very similar times, never really getting comfortable with the skates. They just didnt feel right, and skating would always be painful. After spending a lot of time on MSH and trying to self-diagnose the problem, I realised that I had very deep instep that needed a skate with more volume. Trial and error (local LHS is about 2000miles away), and finally got some skates that give me good support and dont feel like i've got them in a clamping vice. I did have to tweak a few things like lacing, but seem to be ok for now. I might have them punched out in a sore spot later on, but at least I can skate for more than a few minutes and not have to think about them. Just looking at your lacing pattern in your attached pic, you ever think about skipping a few eyelets at the top? Its all personal preference of course, but might be something to consider. I've always been a lace-all-the-way-up guy, and never modified my gear... until MSH, and now I skip the top two eyelets, and modifiy virtually all the pieces of gear that I've got. Thanks for sharing your experience, and it keeps getting better especially when you have someone you love share it with you.

Instead of embarrassment, I salute you for having a go at it. Nobody should chide anyone else when it comes to working at getting better.

Cannot reemphasize this point... We all age, and muscles etc get less used. Stretches in the morning and evening help with flexibility. If you can do at lunch its great as well. Not a bad incentive actually. I lost about 25lbs over a year, and the wife now tells me I have to put on more weight. No incentive other than that... no gifts, no hugs, no new hockey gear...

Guys, everyone has their opinions, and this is a venting thread. Speak your mind, and I dont really worry about the criticism, unless it becomes racist then thats a different matter altogether. And just to clarify that the sun in Australia is very harsh. My family is asian, so we dont really sunburn easily, but when you I've known so many who have had melanoma it gets you thinking. - he didnt pack the sunscreen because he's a procrastinator. He keeps saying that he'll do it, but forgot to do it even with constant and numerous reminders - he knew it was going to be a really hot day, and he was going to be playing 3 games in a venue we've never been to before. It wasnt blazing hot, but hot enough for every other family to be in the shade - we explained to the coach who was fully supportive. He said he would have done the same to his own son, otherwise discipline just goes out the window. Fast forward to this week, sunscreen is perpetually in the bag. He knows that if he forgets it again he will have to bear the consequences.

Feeling bad about the weekend, although I knew I needed to discipline the kid. He and his team were invited to play at a soccer carnival... basically 4 of the regional clubs playing their best under 10s against each other. Coach says the training before the weekend to pack 'sunscreen, hat and lots of water' as it was going to be hot. My wife and I reminded our son about it a couple times... have you packed your stuff for the game, did you put the sunscreen in the bag etc. Got to the venue, and it was already blazing hot. Told him to take his sunscreen and hat out, and he said, 'oh i forgot to pack it.'. Wife goes ballistic, and we marched him down to the coach and told my son to apologise to his coach and his team mates, but he would be missing the games. He was in tears, visibly very upset and got some consoling from the coach and his mates. Spoke to the coach and apologised for the issue, but discipline needed to be dished out. Coach said he understood, and that he would have done the exact same thing (at least we're on the same wavelength). Hopefully he learns his lesson, but knowing that he's a typical boy, he'll forget and make the same mistake next week.

I've been on sprungs for many years now, and have tried all three sizes on my size 8.5 skate boots. By far the best combo is a A7 chassis with 76mm wheels. Gives me the right balance between speed and quick turns. I went back to rigid chassis when playing with my old team when I went to visit my folks, and it just felt unresponsive.

I started cycling to and from work as I cant get any ice time and wanted to get fitter. Hate cycling, but cant really do much due to family commitments. I cycle on the pavement as its a designated cycling path as well. Stupid blonde parked her car on the pavement blocking all of the bike path just to talk on her phone, and was standing next to her car with the passenger door open. Saw me coming, didnt even move nor close the door. Was so tempted to just hit the door when i was trying to get past her. Dont mean to sound derogatory, but she did look like a working girl...

Height - 6', 185'bs Level of play: Inline A League, Ice B/C League. Have been playing inline hockey for almost 18 years at various levels including National Tournys, and did the transition to ice early this year. Inline is a decent level, but there are some ultra-commando type teams that hack/slash their way to winning the glorious plastic trophy. Ice wise, the guys I play with are mainly just starting out and most have little or no experience, however there are some A level players who play down a level and they can throw/take a few hits. Position: Prefered to play as a center or on the left wing, but in the last few years every team I play for seems to want me in D (maybe because I block lots of shots) Location: Brisbane, Australia. Other pads used: CCM 04 (2008 Model), Mission Thorax, Jofa Size of CCM CL Shoulder pads: L After considerable amount of thinking, my main wants in the shoulder pads were (in no particular order): light weight, protective, low profile Fit - 8/10 I've never really worn any shoulder pads before as I'm mainly an inline player, but I did get a chance to try out some shoulder pads from my team mates. I tried on the CCM 04 which was a couple of years old, and also a modified warrior projekt which I didnt really like. The Mission Thorax was used during my hey day as a inline warrior wannabe. The fit of the CL was obvioulsy pretty stiff, compared to the used shoulder pads that I borrowed. I needed to make a little more adjustment with the upper arm protection to ensure that it didnt snag with the CL elbow pads that I got. Once I had the three peice upper arm protection adjusted to the right length, it felt pretty good. No problems with mobility, and I was able to puck handle in the garage without any issues. The low profile shoulders were somethign I was looking for. The Jofas that I have now sitting in a box wont be used... as much as they were very very protective, I felt that they were too bulky. The CL, even though new felt like it gave me a little more mobility. Even though the shoulder pads do feel a little short, I tend to wear my One90 girdle a little higher and the two overlap maybe by half inch while I'm standing up straight. I tend to skate hunched over, so protection wise I think these are a good fit. Protection - 9/10 Similar to the CL elbows that I ordered at the same time, these shoulder pads were extremely light weight. Coming from the CCM 04 that were a few years old, these seem to be light years ahead in terms of weight and protection. The U foam is protective, yet it allows you to wrap it around your body without much hassle. They have additional plastic plates in key areas, which provides you protection to those areas. Even though the ice league here is non-contact until you get to the A levels or above, the prefered position I play means I might get hit occasionally with the puck. But the protection on these are good enough to take the shots. Weight - 10/10 Crazy Light... enough said. I'll add one point... after playing an hour long training session of drills, I would have lost about 1-2kg of water as I sweat a LOT. Holding my used CL and my buddy's unused shoulder pads ('its only drills so we dont need them') the CL was still much lighter. It did absorb some perspiration, but not much. Durability - NA Havent really used them much, so I wont comment. As time goes by I might do an update. Intangibles I felt the U foam allowed a more forgiving fit. The CL shoulder pads dried up very quickly. I tend to either wash or rinse my gear after use, and it was dry within an hour (dry windy day) but compared to my mission thorax which is a padded shirt, the thorax would still be damp in some areas. There are some of us that prefer to wear the gear directly, without any base layers. I've been wearing base layers for a few years and find it more comfortable. One point to note is that while the U foam is flexible, I think if you arent wearing a base layer it might pull some hairs out. Conclusion These shoulder pads tick all the boxes for me, light weight, low profile, and protective. Once broken in, they will feel very comfortable. I'm glad I went ahead with the purchase even though it was more expensive than what I would normally look at.

6' 185lbs Over 30 uses for both ice and inline combined Stick Experience Recently: Miken Z9 Razor, Bauer X60 & APX, Warrior Widow & Dynasty. 2011/12 Combat 52 Caliber Reloaded Round OPS, 80 Flex Graphics:10/10 The 52 Cal Reloaded is a very nice looking stick, simplistic yet modern. White Combat logo on black background, and you could see the carbon weave if you look at the stick closely going through the entire length of the stick. The red accents really stand out, and I believe its one of the best looking sticks out there. Forget the bling and silver... I think Combat hit a home run here with this graphic package Weight/balance: 9.5/10 Very very light weight, and I had it cut down 4inch as i like a shorter stick. Even with taking that much off the top, it still feels very balanced. The balance point is still around the bottom third of the stick, which feels very good in my hands. I have now included a tacki-mac at the top, and obviously the balance point has move higher up the shaft. I've had kids and other adults take the stick and puck handle, and everyone has given it two thumbs up for the balance and weight. By far one of the lightest sticks I've used, only losing out to the XN10 (but not by much). Shaft Feel: 10/10 I really like the feel of the shaft, the rounded edges really give it a comfortable feeling. I would compare it to the X60/APX, but the Combat has a better feel to it. Performance: 8.5/10 I've gone with the 80 flex, mainly as I'm trying to get my sticks to flex more. Normally I use a 85 flex, but with me cutting the shaft down I wanted something that would still flex in my hands. I normally shoot snap shots, and the occasional slap shot. Pucks (both inline and ice) seem to rocket off the blade very quickly. I managed to roof a shot with a quick flick of the wrist, and didnt expect the puck to move that quickly. The reason I gave it a lower rating was for slapshots. While wristers and snap shots were awesome, I felt that the stick torqued a little too much when I gave it a slap shot. Normally my hand positions for both snap and slap shots do not change (bottom hand does not move further down the shaft). However in order to do this review, I did try a couple of 'proper' slap shots, moving my bottom hand lower on the shaft. I felt the shaft really flex, but on a few occasions I felt the blade did torque more than what I was used to. Puck handling: 9.5/10 One of the best sticks I've used, and I rarely have to really look down to locate the puck. I'm able to have a more 'heads up' stance and can put the puck when I want it to go. The blade does not feel pingy like I experienced on some RBK sticks, nor does it feel dull. Catching passes was easy as well, comparing this to previous sticks that I've used. Durability: 10/10 After about 30 uses, I noticed a small paint chip near the heel of the blade, most likely due to an overzealous slash i received from an opponent. The other parts of the stick have held up very well, and if you excluded the paint chip the rest of the stick looks brand new. I have two of these sticks, and you couldnt tell them apart except for the paint chip. Conclusion: Excellent stick... one of my favs so far. Ive received many compliments on the stick. Too bad the players at the rink will only use Bauer, Easton or Warrior (possibly thats what is mainly stocked and sold in Australia), but Combat has made pretty good products for many years (I used Ballistik in the past as well).

Going to use a similar format to what my buddy Cosmic has used. Here's my review of the CCM CL Elbow pads (have got the shoulder pads as well, and I might add a review later on Height - 6' Weight - 185 lbs Pad size - Large Forearm (at widest point)- 11 inches Bicep (at biggest) - 14 inches Length of arm from inncer elbow to inner wrist- 12 inches Level of play: Inline A League, Ice B/C League. Have been playing inline hockey for almost 18 years at various levels including National Tournys, and did the transition to ice early this year. Inline is a decent level, but there are some ultra-commando type teams that hack/slash their way to winning the glorious plastic trophy. Ice wise, the guys I play with are mainly just starting out and most have little or no experience, however there are some A level players who play down a level and they can throw/take a few hits. Location: Brisbane, Australia. After reading quite a fair amount of information on the elbow pads, I was contemplating getting a pair of CS Elbow pads or the CL Elbow pads. I've always been a little more reserved when it can to contact sports, and usually went with the most protective set of gear I could afford. However, in the last year or so, I've been more attentive to my weight as I have bad knees and wear knee braces to protect them, and was thinking that I might consider tryign to get the lightest setup as possible. I also wanted something that didnt soak up so much sweat... I perspire heavily... so much so that even at 6am when the temp outside is almost 10deg C, I can still work up a sweat just putting my gear on. I thought that with the U foam and the claim to 'not absorb moisture' would be a good point. In the event that the CL did not offer enough protection, I could always swtich back to the Warrior Projekts that I had been using for almost a year, or the Jofa pro elbows that I've been hoarding for some time. I eventually went ahead with the CL, thinking that since I had more protective backups I could try something new....and I'm glad I did Ordered the gear from hockeymonkey and also got some CL shoulder pads and as many tacki-macs that I could get to ensure that I fully utilised the exorbitant shipping to me in Australia. The LHS does not have a good range of gear, mainly very low or entry level gear, and the 'good' LHS located in Melbourne tends to only stock Bauer, Easton and Warrior. When the box arrived I thought they must have missed out something, as the box was extremely light. The elbows delivered were the 'midnight' edition, even though I ordered the normal ones... but there was no difference except for the colorway. I would have prefered to have the red accents like the shoulder pads I ordered (fav color red) but its a small thing that I could overlook. Weight - 10/10 Right out of the box, the first thing I picked up were the elbow pads. These were extremely lightweight, by far THE lightest elbow pads I've ever had. I put them on the scale and both elbow pads together were lighter than one side of the ultra-protective Jofa pads I had. Very nice, and when I put them on, I could tell that you'll barely notice that they are there. I agree with Cosmic that they are a little shorter, but I normally wear shock doctor slash guards and a longer cuff glove so no problems with the elbow pads there. Fit - 8/10 Comfort wise, the CL were nice and snug, but not as comfortable as my warrior projekt elbows. Granted that I've been using the projekts for almost a year, but possibly the projekts just had a little more foam to add to the comfort factor. The strapping system is very similar to the projekts, and gives a solid fit over my bare elbows. I normally wear a base layer (no neoprene or antislip) under my gear, and with the base layer on the elbows were a snug fit, no movement at all even though my base layer didnt have those antislip stripes (or whatever you call them). I went with a size Large, the same sizing as all the other elbow pads I've gotten and these felt the same. I think they would open up a touch once I had them broken in, and should get more comfortable. I had both elbow pads and gloves on, and did a little puck handling in the garage. There was no restriction of movement and I was able to puck handle pretty comfortably. One point I need to add was that I did feel a little pinching in the left elbow pad, but after taking them out you could tell that the corner of the forearm guard on the left was pushed in a little more... possibly during shipment. After pushing the forearm guard out a little and readjusting, it seemed to be fine again. I did try them on with my Shock Doctor Slash Guards, and there was no obtruction from the elbows. Compared to my jofas/projekts, where I had to have the slash guards under the elbow pad forearm guard. I would think that the comfort of the elbow pads would get better as they start breaking in, but initial impressions would give it a 8/10 Protection: 8/10 The foam in the forearm guard seems to be very thin compared to all the other elbow pads I've used in the past, however it does provide decent to good protection from slashes. I tried hacking myself on the forearm a couple of times, and there is no pain whatsoever. For the level that I'm playing, I think these will work very well, and falling on them does protect your elbows. I would still consider wearing them with my slash guards, as I've had a nasty experience in the past with a puck hitting my wrist and I've been hit a few times during chippy games. The forearm guard does wrap around my arm nicely though, as compared to some others like the Nexus 1000 which I tried on and felt it just didnt form up nicely. Durability - 8/10 After playing about a dozen times, the elbow straps are still in excellent condition. No fraying of stitching, and the elbow pads seems to be broken in a little better. Other observations One session after doing drills for almost an hour, I took off my gear and realised that the elbow pads were wet to the touch, but remained extremely light weight. I wouldnt say that it was completely dry, but the materials were only superficially damp with sweat. The weight felt almost the same as when it was dry. I also had my CL shoulder pads on, and after playing with it for almost an hour, it was still lighter than my buddy's non-used Easton shoulder pads (he didnt wear it as we were 'just doing drills'). I would say that the U foam has done its work well. I take my gear out of the bag and onto a drying rack straight after I reach home, and in less than an hour both my CL shoulder pads and the elbows were completely dry. I think this is a great feature especially if you are playing travel hockey... no one I know likes to put on wet gear... Conclusion Even though these cost me more than I would normally pay, I think it was a worthwhile investment. I've never really liked using CCM, have been mainly a Bauer, Mission and Warrior person for a long time, but my first proper purchase of CCM has me thinking whether I should extend my sights to what they have to offer. In terms of skates I'll have limited choices due to my bigger instep, but I think I might consider giving other brands a shot when it comes to gear. If I'm ever in the US again, Ill sure to stop by a PROPER LHS and get fitted for gear.

I'd like to try the RK15, the lightest stick I've tried so far is still the XN10. If the stick is all its meant to be, this could change the mindset of a LOT of individuals here where I play.

Was just going to say that you should contact Krev for the T-Flex shafts...

iceman sent me a pic of it... real nice sweet car!

Scored my first ice goal! Playing on the left wing and puck was cleared out our zone and somehow I got a breakaway. Decked to backhand and roofed it... High fives all round, including guys from other team (beginners league). After the game we were all changing out of our gear, and one of my linemates had his friends watching in the stands. They asked who scored the backhand goal, and my linemate just pointed at me. Good feeling when the crowd of 4 people pat you on the back Three months of not knowing what is going to happen with my career, constant arguments at home with the wife because we didn't know whether we were going to be shipped back to home country, staying... Or even losing my job. Things were really bad, to the point that we felt that we were being leftish and dry. Took the career into my own hands and applie for another job in the same company. Got the job, and everything looks like its falling into place! And starsfan, great to hear that everything is going well.!