shoot_the_goalie

I find a good old game of tag always works. It's simple, the kids understand it, they don't use sticks as crutches, and it's motivating (I mean who doesn't want to win at tag). It's amazing how kids can just pick up skating techniques cause they want to get from point A to point B in tag. They don't think about it...they just do it.

I think the 1/2 your weight formula isn't bad for those who've never picked up a hockey stick before... you need some sort of starting point. But of course, finding optimal flex is way more nuanced than that, especially now with all the different types of sticks, release points, etc. I grew up playing with aluminums which were like 100 flex (I didn't know any better and those aluminums sure looked nice!), and I could shoot hard, but I would have to put an insane amount of effort into the shot. I now play with an 80 flex. Anything whippier, catching passes is too loosey-goosey for me and I can't deal with it; just annoys me too much. I was trying out a 70 flex for a while, and I could rip really nice wristers with minimal effort, but I hated the feel of catching a hard pass or taking a one timer, just too much flex. So 80 is where I land for the "feel" I want. With that said, the only time I change my flex is if I play forward (I'll drop to a 75 flex), or I'm playing against higher level players who are better with their sticks/puck battles, where I might bump my flex up to 85. But typically, I stick with 80. Over time you figure what works for you. That's really the only way to do it. And yes, you'll have to spend money on lots of sticks to try out, but then again, this is MSH, where everyone owns like 50 sticks anyway...lol.

Trying using a stick with a lower flex than you're used to but with a stiffer blade. It won't completely get rid of the "wet noodle" feel, but it might help a bit.

Yes. Use a rubber stone followed by a piece of leather and that should take care of it. However, unless the steel is DLC coated (not just cosmetically coated), there's really no harm in using a regular stone except marring the finish. It doesn't really affect the skate's performance. And while we all personally like to keep our equipment in tip top shape on MSH, in reality, most people at the rink are not looking at our steel and judging us by its appearance. (except fellow MSHers...lol) My kid's skate has CCM Black and I just stone hone it, since the coating isn't really doing anything for performance. And the kids' don't care that their runners are gleaming. Steel that is truly coated, like Step Black, etc. if you scrape the finish off, then yes, the blade will suffer; subsequent sharpening won't sharpen as clean as before.

IMHO, if cost is no object, obviously go with the better steel. If cost is a factor; if you pay to have them sharpened, get the better steel cause it will allow you go longer between sharpening (provided you don't suffer any steel trauma). If you sharpen yourself, get the cheaper steel.

I though the toe clip was a gimmick as well. However, you absolutely needed it with that skate. I finally retired (trashed) my pair after 15 years cause the toe clip broke, and once it does that you essentially lost the first few lower eyelets of the skate. Wasn't the toe clip called something like the "power clip"? I had the Micron 10-90. Was a great skate, gimmick or no gimmick.

Hey all. Moving to the peninsula and looking for good facilities with good hockey programs (both for my son (he currently plays travel and house) and myself (beer league)). I know Sharks Ice in SJ is a good place to start. Anywhere else? Thanks!

I second these. Fox River sock liners are great and surprisingly very durable considering how thin they are.

If it was just a simple punch for a hotspot of something, I would say you could DIY. But stretching a skate (unless it's an old school boot made of leather, tech mesh, or nylon, etc), is a tricky proposition if 1) you don't have the proper equipment to do it, and 2) you aren't familiar with the process. Also, lengthening a boot is MUCH more difficult than widening a composite boot. I've heard of some people purchasing those wooded shoe stretchers, but those are meant for leather shoes and just don't have the forming/molding power that a professional skate boot stretcher has. I would take it to a shop if it were me.

Interesting article in the Athletic today about Lefevre and True, post CCM concerning goalie pads/gear.

Yep. Personal preference. When I'm playing roller with my 01s, I set it to minimal rocker. When I'm just practicing I set the rocker to about 1/2 to 3/4 max to get the benefit of the rocking action. I find the more rocker you set it to, the tighter you can make turns, but you do lose some stability.

Not sure if this question has ever been asked, but don't feel like sifting through hundred of pages to find it. How are the latest True customs compared to the 1st gen True customs? I mean in terms of feel, comfort, performance...not cosmetics or new features (like tendon guard and shift holder)

Damn. Sorry guys. I wouldn't have posted that video if I knew it was going to create a new firestorm. I posted it just to give more info on the incident. IMHO, that video is not one sided, and information should not be cherry picked out of it to support one's argument. If anything, that entire video says, it's great if we can improve helmet safety, but we can't protect everyone from everything, and that there is an assumed risk in playing sports like hockey.

https://youtu.be/79gc9y4Ffjg

Sounds like what the ski boot companies do. Half size mondo boot shells "technically" don't exist, as the boot liner is just thicker in the half size than in the even size.

Ideally, they would focus on everything, but I have no problem with the companies focusing primarily on concussions, since it's a much bigger and common problem. Problem is that, let's be honest, helmets aren't going to really protect from serious concussions any way; just lessen the severity maybe. Unfortunately, it was announced that the player has passed away from his injuries. So unfortunate.

Yeah. Kinda a freak accident. Don't think a cage or a more sturdy helmet would have helped at all. (unless is was like those new MLB helmets that no one wears) IMHO, these things happen, but the chances of it are still pretty rare. It's like when Pronger's heart skipped a beat when he got hit in the chest with the puck, or when Malarchuk got his throat cut. Possible, but considering how much hockey is played, very very rare occurrences. Concussions are still the bigger problem with helmet protection...by a large margin.

Stable 26 socks with the neoprene inserts may work.

I personally think they should provide a different option (in terms and/or price) if you don't want the SHIFT holder mounted. But I also understand why they wouldn't really want to offer that option. You know people who don't mount SHIFT holders are going to resell them, and a flood of SHIFT holders being sold on 2nd hand sites will hurt their reputation, and in turn the brand, regardless of the actual quality of the SHIFT. With that said, I like True skates so much, that if I were to ask them to not mount holders, I ultimately wouldn't care if I got the SHIFT holders and steel with them. I would prefer to get them, but it wouldn't be a dealbreaker, which I'm sure True understands within their customer retention metrics. Finally, I just got to see the CCM XS holder up close, and I really like them. I'm sure this has been discussed before (but this thread is huge)... I assume the XS holders do not line up with the SHIFT holder holes.

If I recall correctly, it was $1195 USD? Although from time to time, it was on sale for $995 USD. Mine came with the X01 machine, the Tri-Lie holder, one Mini FBV ring of your choice, and a calibration block.

If I'm getting this straight, if you don't have the Shift holder mounted to the boot, all they will send you is the un-drilled boots w/o the holders and steel? To me, who has a favorable view of True and their CS dept., this does sound like a bit of a harsh penalty for not wanting to use their holders. But as someone previously said, I would assume other skate companies might do the same thing or not even give you the option, since it does hurt their brand.

Or for those rapidly slowing down aged players who were way faster and shooting harder in their youth. Heh. I still use a mid-kick P88.

This is only my opinion so take it for what it is. If you can shoot the puck hard, bar down or if you can rip a clapper, low from the point, you should be able to do it with any stick as long as the flex/lie/length is correct. When you have the proper shooting technique down, the other attributes of the stick is more about personal preference. Changing from a mid-kick to a low-kick to a variable kick is not going to dramatically change your shot...how your mechanics change is going to alter the shot much more. Personally, I think curves don't alter shots as much as people think (unless it's an illegal curve). Look at Sidney Crosby's stick. He has a very flat blade, but he can roof the puck, hit corners, etc cause he has incredible technique. Focus on proper flex, lie, length, and technique. Then from there, just find what you like in terms of kick point, curve, weight, etc. My 2 cents.

Hey all. Looking for new skates for my son who is a 5.5D. He has a narrow heel, but needs pretty high volume as the front of his foot raises fairly high. Initially I thought Nexus, but seems like the Nexus line has been discontinued. I know he won't fit into Supremes or Jetspeeds as he's tried those on. Tacks were ok, but not spot on. Any suggestions on what to try on next? I noticed the Vapor and Supreme Fit3 series online (higher volume), but local LHS doesn't have them to try on. Thanks.

They are, but mostly used pro stocks on second hand sites. Very hard to find new RBZ stuff, except for the skates (which I don't recommend...probably a reason why you can find them). And yes, the QLT was somewhat a disappointment coming off the RBZ line. QLT gear is super light and moisture resistant, but made of stiff foams that don't contour that well to the body. The FT1 line was a good correction to the QLT though.