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Product: Reebok 11k Helmet - Large Time Used: 4 months Personal Specs: 22 Years old, 5'11'', 195lbs, Hat Size: 7 3/8'' On ice ~5 hrs/week in Men`s league and Drop-in hockey Fit: 9/10 This helmet has a very good overall fit, which is further assisted by the adjustability provided by the fit clips and the occipital lock microdial. Compared to other helmets I tried, such as the Cascade M11 and Bauer 9900 the RBK 11k sat lower on my head which I felt gave a better fit. The Occiptial lock microdial helps a lot with fine tuning of the helmet, but there are two lock settings for the entire dial - a high and low, though the lock does not seem to want to stay in the lower position without first loosening the dial and putting on the helmet and then tightening it. The interior foam liner is very comfortable and in general the helmet feels like a well fitting hat. I was in between the medium and large size and was instructed to size up, which has treated me quite well. Protection: 10/10 As I said before, the helmet comes down quite a bit on the head, sitting just above the eyebrows and extending down the back of the head quite a bit giving ample protection. I have taken a few good shots including a slapshot off the top of the helmet without any issue. I removed the ear protectors as I felt they were not adding to the protection of the helmet and have not noticed any problems in doing so. Weight: 10/10 Compared with previous helmets I have used this helmet is on the lighter side, although there is enough to the helmet for me to feel sufficiently protected. Durability: 10/10 I have not had a single issue with this helmet during my time of use. Breathability: 10/10 I sweat quite a bit because of my longer hair, and this helmet keeps my head at a good temperature in any situation, from hot arenas to cold outdoor shinny games. I would say the helmet has excellent breathability. Intangibles: There are many colorway options for this helmet's inserts, which I think may help match team colors and can provide an extra bit of customization for wearers. Conclusion: This is a great helmet, it does everything that a solid hockey helmet should do, and despite the somewhat steep price tag you can't really be too careful with your brain. Final Score: 9.8/10

Bauer TotalOne Flex: 102 Curve: P92 Personal Specs: 22 Years old, 5'11'', 195lbs. On ice ~5 hrs/week in Men`s league and Drop-in hockey Use: 2.5 Months Aesthetics: 10/10 This stick looks great, I love the matte look of the blade, and the subtle but sharp graphics. The stick I got is pro stock model, which was grey graphics on a black stick and looked damn sexy. Weight and Balance: 1010 The stick is quite light, although still has enough weight to it that you can comfortably knock the puck off someone else's stick. It's great for stick checking and is heavy enough so that when hit it does not have a complete mind of its own. The balance is great, very easy to control one handed while poke checking or shielding the puck with your body. Blade: 10/10 This blade is excellent, there is incredible puck feel and flex while the checkered matte finish looked great. The blade was very consistent, which was a nice change because all passes and shots made the same way reacted the same. I did break the blade of this stick, but it was an unfortunate play where the stick was jammed into the boards head on and any stick would have broken under these circumstances. Shaft and Flex: 10/10 The mid kick of this shaft was very easy to get used to, very easy to pre-load in a shot and quite predictable. The kick is perfect for any range of shots, from a big slapshot to a simple snapshot it was easy to put the puck where you want it to go. The concave square shaft felt nice in my hands, and the non grip finish was great. Passing is very easy with this stick, even though I had a fairly stiff stick it was still easy to put a puck tape to tape. Stickhandling and Passing: 10/10 Stickhandling with this stick is a breeze, the blade provides exceptional puck feel and I find myself knowing exactly where the puck is on my stick without having to look at it. Passing is very easy with this stick, even though I had a fairly stiff stick it was still easy to put a puck tape to tape. The p92 curve is also perfect for saucer passes as it got the puck up and sat it flat in the air. Shooting: 10/10 The mid kick is perfect. This is easily the best shooting stick I have ever used, the puck explodes off the blade, and accuracy is pinpoint. Durability: 10/10 The stick is quite durable from what I have found, I do a lot of stick checking as a defense man and it held up to that test. I broke the blade after 2.5 months of use, but this was not a fault of the stick it went straight into the boards and snapped like any other stick would. Unlike other sticks, the Total One did not chip as easily as others on the blade and shaft from stick on stick contact, which was a major bonus for me as many of my other sticks have fallen due to this. Conclusion: The Bauer Total One is without a doubt the most fun I have had with a hockey stick in a long time. It was everything I expected it to be and lived up to the hype. Quite lite and perfectly balanced, it is easy to shoot pass and check with, and puck feel is incredible. It is priced competitively with other sticks of this caliber and I feel would make a great addition to any stick quiver out there. Final Rating: 10/10

Product: Graf Ultra G35 Skate - Size 9.5, Felt Tongue with Yellow Super Feet installed. Time Used: 14 months Personal Specs: 22 Years old, 5'11'', 195lbs, regular/wide forefoot, narrow heel, little to no arch. On ice ~5 hrs/week in Men`s league and Drop-in hockey Background: My skate history has been simple: CCM Tacks including 752 and 1052 . Once CCM discontinued this line, and it was time to purchase a new pair of skates I decided to give Graf a shot. I went with the top of the line, as I felt this would be a pair of skates that should last me quite some time. Fit: 9/10 After heat molding these skates, and wearing for a couple weeks I noticed that I was getting cut by side of the boot about 2'' about the talus bone (ankle bump). I had been used to my broken down Tacks with little ankle support, so the new ultra stiff boot was a big change for me. After tightening up the upper part of the boot the problem stopped. The width fits my foot quite well, and being sure that I keep from over tightening the lower half of my laces I have no foot issues with these skates at all. Protection: 7/10 On defense I take a lot of shots off the feet. The felt tongues are a huge help when taking a puck off the laces, however the sides of the skate leave a little padding to be desired. I have had quite a few bruised feet and ankles as a result of taking pucks, but this is nothing surprising. They are nowhere near as padded as the CCM Tacks, but they also weigh quite a bit less, so sacrifices had to be made. Blade/Holder: 8/10 The skates came with Graf's stock NT-Lite Ultra 5000 holder and blade system. The forward pitch was a big change for me as a defenseman, skating backwards initially felt quite strange but I had the blades re-profiled to a more neutral pitch and was quite happy with the results. The blade's steel leaves a little to be desired as I noticed they get nicked quite easily, but they do hold a good edge. Weight: 9/10 For me these skates are plenty light. Moving from CCM Tacks, the Graf boot is noticeably lighter, although not the lightest boot on the market this is most likely due to the traditional materials used in this skate. I have no issues with the weight, but compared to a other brands top end skates it is noticeable. Durability: 10/10 I have been using these skates for more than a year now and they show no real signs of use other than cuts from other skate blades. I take out the insoles and dry them after each use on the ice and this has seemed to keep up the appearances and functionality. They have retained their ultra-stiffness throughout this time as well, which is nice as you do not have to get used to a floppy boot. Performance: 10/10 This skate does everything I need it to do. I do not feel like I lose any energy in the boot, and as a stiff boot it still has enough flex when needed. Intangibles: The skates look great, a classic skate look: black with white felt tongues. I have found that if on the ice for many back to back sessions, the skate may not dry due to the materials but if you have a semi-heated dry room to store them in it should be no problem. Conclusion: As on of the top end skates on the market these skates initially disappointed me. I was expecting to step into a boot that would fit my feet perfectly, was was instead presented with something that cut my foot and was a pain to use. After correcting my lacing technique and changing the pitch of the blade I was much happier. These skates were my first experience with Graf and all things considered I am happy with them. The skates are prone to cuts, because the outer is Graf`s leather like material, but that`s just part of hockey. Final Score: 8.5/10