Hipster

I'm an American and I'm pretty sure I get it. Rural Ontario seems a lot like Up North Wisconsin. Skids, Farmers and hockey players. But I gotta say, we don't have any Bonnie McMurray's. The show is great and all the characters are likable on some level. I like how all the groups have their dust-ups with each other, but they don't hate. Like the episode where the skid gets out of rehab and gets in trouble in Toronto. Wayne Daryl , Squirelly Dan and Miss Katy don't hesitate to go back him up and throw hands. I really like the show.

Pretty sweet wheels for a little guy(or girl)! I hope they like them. If they liked the Ribcores. at least you know they will be comfortable. Good job, Dad.

Kor Shift 2's

I call those unbaked internet skates "Mail Order Brides". :D People send away for them thinking they're getting the hockey equivalent of a hot nympho chick in a thong, then when the box shows up on their doorstep, They're often stuck with a fugly, painful mismatch and don't know what to do or how to fix it. Just like a mail order bride....or so I've heard :D

I don't think I would or could ever ask my LHS owner if he would help me bake internet skates. It seems like an insult to their local investment and expertise. It would be like my fat neighbor asking to use my bathroom because he didn't want to stink up his own house.

This is why its never a bad idea to own at least one pair of backup skates. At least that's what I tell myself.

Interesting. I have a buddy who is also a very busy "zebra" who works a ton of games and he's still rocking a pair of 501's. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Onte unwritten rule should be no "cliques" which is just a two man version of puck hogging. We have these two guys who won't get on the ice unless they are both on the same team and playing forward together and THEN they will only pass to each other. I could be coming right down the slot with an open net and the guy would still pass it to his buddy behind the net for a give and go. Sheesh.

One unwritten rule I try to follow is if a guy is going full tilt to pick up a puck on the boards I will not touch him in that zone of a few stick lengths away from the boards, especially if he lacks balance or experience. In open ice, a little shove or jockeying for position is fine, but some of the worst and most tragic injuries I've seen in no-check come from just a little non-malicious push that knocks a guy off his edges or a stick tap to his skates that sends him crashing full speed into the boards.

I'm with you 100%. It takes all 5 guys to play winning hockey. If you are too tired to backcheck, get off. If you are too lazy to backcheck, play tennis. cherry picking and stretch plays are only for specific situations like powerplays and last gasp comebacks.

Here's a classic & rare pair I really loved back in the day. I don't use them except for pond hockey and alumni games, But if you love the history and tradition of great gear, they are a nice blast from the past. Dang. I meant to post the pic in the Show it off thread. Just goes to show you, these skates were so tough they lasted longer than my cerebral cortex.

What size are the skates? I might be able to help you thin the herd :D

Yeah. I wonder why they changed that feature? It gives people different options which is nice with the price of todays gear.

Something old and something new:

What is the lie on the blade on the far left hand? I want one! That is quite a few sticks. Addictive isn't it?

Some mitts:

They are the original 709 model. As you probably know, the 709's all have that rectangular leather strip that juts down the side of the ankles. Well originally, they had a functional purpose. The stiffeners slide into those Leather pockets. I like them without the stiffeners, but maybe I'll put them in down the road if I notice any breakdown. Back in the day, My Dad would take our boots to the luggage repair shop or a saddle maker and get the ankles stitched up to stiffen them, LOL. hard to believe we skated on those flapjacks. Sometime I'll post a picture of my Dad's gear. you'll flip. Kangaroo skin Canadian Cycle and Motor Works Tackaberry skates and Stall & Dean Puckmaster gloves. Ahh, Hockey is the best thing ever.

Yep. I've been wearing them without the stiffeners. They feel just right that way. My rink has the coldest ice in the state and in the past, my toes would border on frostbite, but I've noticed that with these skates (wide width)my toes don't lose circulation and the frostbite pain I experience in the lockerroom from regaining the circulation is gone. Ahhhhhh....nice. Must be a combo of the deep boot not digging into my instep, the felt tounges I'll always prefer and the wide width not pinching my forefoot.

They remind me a little of these beauties I got talked out of (Stupid Stupid Stupid) : But nothing will ever be quite the same to me as these. These wheels had soul. And the best tongues.....ever. Look at those tongues! Long, thick and comfy, something every woman appreciates and every man should aspire to.

Got some Graf's recently. :D

Those Easton's Carolina pro stocks? Yeah, the eastons are pro stock. I traded them last week for a pair of 1 yr old Graf 609's. I miss them already. But the all leather Eagles help ease the pain.

some of my gloves:

Got these Leather mitts. I've never felt anything quite like these: and I still Love these too. Nice and light and the cuffs are soooo wide.

Helmets: CCM 852 w/Jofa bubble half visor Bauer 4000 with Itech half Visor Mission Carbster with CCM FM480 chrome cage CCM skull cap Gloves: Easton Z-Air Custom Pro Louisville GLTPS cowhide Leather Custom Eagle L-29's Sticks: Salming G-10 shaft with R9 blade Easton Synergy Sakic Graf 700 shaft/ Koho blade Amonte curve TPS Tri core shaft/ Easton Shanahan blade Several Sherwood 5030's curved over a blow torch Shoulders: CCM 852 Elbows: Jofa (forget the number, the light, less protective ones) Shins: Jofa 9040 Pants: Franklin 9800 pro Skates: Graf 705 CCM Pro tacks Daoust 501 Under gear: WSI wikmax tops and bottoms Socks Salming teamwear

Salming G10 Shaft, 80 flex Reviewer: 5'6 160 Men’s league ice hockey Blade Used: Salming R9 composite blade Other: No Plug First Impression I read some of the reviews for Salming equipment on E-pinions and because I saw that the rep was a frequent contributor to MSH, I decided to give one a try. I have used several shaft/blade combos that didn’t quite feel right, so I have been reluctantly going back to my trusty (but heavy) old Sherwood woodies. When I got the Salming shaft and blade in the mail, I was excited to go play it and see if it was an improvement over my other sticks. Rating 8/10 Flex I have a TPS tri-core 75 flex that is too whippy for me and a Graf 7000KR medium flex that feels too stiff. I read that the Salming shafts run a little stiffer, so I decided to go with the 80 flex rather than 90 because I tend to shelve a stick if its too stiff. The 80 is just the right amount for me. I can wind up pretty well for my size and I felt like I got a great pop from the shaft. I was able to get some flex on my wrist shot too which I just couldn’t do with the Graf, and that made some of my shots wobble due to lack of spin. My shots flew hard and flat with the Salming. No wobblers. Rating 9/10 Feel The Salming shaft has a nice feel to it. The balance feels similar to a Synergy and the weight is about 480 grams, Plenty light. The blade has some vibration dampening properties to it and the feedback to the hands from passes was excellent for a composite stick. This helps my stickhandling without having to look down. No composite has the same soft feel as a top quality woodie in my opinion, but the feel is good compared to other similar sticks. Rating 8/10 Grip The blaze orange paint job has a nice tacky feel to it. My hands did not slip. The diameter of the shaft is noticeably smaller than my Easton Synergy. The feel in my hands was tremendous. Before I even got on the ice, I noticed the difference and kept picking up the stick and rolling my wrists. Rating 10/10 Shooting I found my shooting improved a lot in terms of feel and accuracy comared to my other composites and the velocity is certainly improved from my woodies. The 80 flex works great for me. The R9 blade is a short hosel blade, so the lower flex point on the shaft combined with the short hosel blade probably changed the feel for the better too. Slapshots had some zip to them and the shaft was very consistent from shot to shot. Wristshots felt better with the right amount of flex, so I was able to work the puck around the net without giving up velocity. Big improvement over my rock hard Graf shaft. The R9 blade is similar to a sakic curve and I liked the slightly open face for getting the puck upstairs when close to the net or picking the corners from the slot. Rating 9/10 Stickhandling The best part about this shaft, in my opinion is the slightly smaller diameter. Its not a huge difference, but "Wow" I just love rolling my wrists and working the puck with this stick! I was able to make some good moves in traffic with a lot less effort so I could focus on the move and not the stick. My wrists are now a bigger part of my stickhandling and I have better maneuverability. My wrist moves are quicker with less effort. I’m certainly not a top level wizard with the puck, but I’m already better than I was. This stick is just more sensitive to quick wrist manipulations than either my Easton Synergy or my Sherwood 7000. My Graf is just a harsh graphite plank compared to this Salming. The only thing missing is that buttery soft wood feeling and transmission of information from the blade to the hands. If anyone had a wood stick with this diameter and lightness, it'd be perfect. Rating 9.5/10 Passing Passing was fine, I didn’t notice any harsh, clanky feel. I did notice an improvement over the Tri-Core, due to the better flex properties for me, and I definitely noticed a difference from My Graf. The blade of the Salming is just as rigid as the blade on the Graf, but the internal structure of the blade makes the feel softer and far more tolerable. I practiced a lot of cross ice saucer passes before the game and I was able to get the feel and spin necessary to drop the puck flat at several different distances. Receiving passes was not as soft as a wood stick, but certainly not as harsh as my other composites. The trade off between lightness and feel is better with this stick than my other shafts. 8/10 Durability I've had this stick for a couple of months. I've played 8 men's leagues games and another 8 sessions of drop-in hockey and the stick has held up very nicely. During a game, I got the stick caught between the boards and another player and it got torqued hard enough to knock the wind out of me, but it didn't break. Its also been stepped on, skated over and had the toe caught in the door and the blade shows no signs of stress other than a cosmetic scratch that took off some of the graphics. I'm usually not hard on my sticks, so this one may last awhile. Rating 9/10 at this time. Conclusion IMO this stick was a bargain for what I paid. The biggest benefit to me was the better maneuverability of the shaft due to the thinner diameter. I love working the puck with the Salming stick. It has brought my wrists into my stickhandling a lot more. Longer slapshots shots have a nice pop and my in close shots are finding their target (For the most part) without giving up power. The 80 flex is just right for me. I would recommend that if you play an 85 flex Easton, you choose the 80 Salming flex rather than the 90. The same would apply for other flexes, just try the closest corresponding Salming flex that is not over your current one. I would recommend this Salming G10 shaft/ R9 blade combo to anyone looking for a high performance light shaft/blade combo. And if you have smaller hands or you are a wristy stickhandler, then I would highly recommend it. Overall Rating 9/10