krisdrum

100%. My bantam son has been a P90TM convert since Squirt Major. We've gone through 3 flexes since he started (40, 50, 55). Any time I see one at a reasonable price (new or used) I try to pick it up as I have found them to be very hard to come by. I've even DMed Gepetto at Pro asking him to add that blade spec as a stock offering in Intermediate flexes. I guess there just aren't enough of us. The big 2/3 curves get the vast majority of shelf space. In most stores finding a P90TM is like spotting a rare bird or worse.

Yes, noticed some available from other brands besides CCM last night while doing research for a new stick for my kid. But still seems very limited options and almost all only available on top end models, sticks that are $300+ USD. His Trigger 8 Pro was one of the first times he's used a top tier stick. We usually get him 2nd tier sticks in hopes that the durability is a bit better, but I'm hearing the regular Trigger 8 is having blade durability issues as well.

My 1st year bantam cracked his Trigger 8 Pro (bought in mid September) blade right in the middle of the curve on the bottom edge. The crack has quickly expanded and the stick is now trash. Shortest blade lifespan we've had since he started playing. Very disappointing, especially since he likes the P90TM curve, which can be very difficult to find. I knew I should have bought him a 5 stick pack from Pro at the beginning of the season. I have a feeling I'll be spending around the same amount for far fewer sticks this season when it is all said and done.

Boot size should be the same new vs. old. Since Fit 3 is their widest fit, many manufacturers are opting to put a longer runner on wider skates under the assumption that it will help with stability. Going down to a 272 will increase agility (turning radius, etc.) but reduce stability and top line speed (less steel on the ice).

@caseyjones obviously just suggest you keep an eye on those spider web cracks. Just had to replace my kid's True Cat9s because the heels cracked. Started as spider web fine line cracks, but progressed to the point where I can pretty easily push my thumb in a few areas and get the shell to flex and buckle. Luckily True replaced them under warranty.

Our team manager travels with his. He usually drives, so not apples to apples of what you are asking. This is for a Bantam AAA team that this year will travel as far west as Detroit, as far south as Florida and as far north as Massachusetts.

The Warroad socks look nice, have been thinking of getting a pair for my kid to try.

Bumping up to the top to see if the OP has any updates on durability of the patches over the last 2 months? @penguinpeltshow are the Gear Aid Tenacious Tape patches holding up? Still going strong or did you move on to something different? I've used them to fix some rips on jackets and they are great for that, but they don't take the wear and tear in that role that they would on a glove palm.

My kid prefers the basic "donut". Thinner/lighter the material, the better. He is NOT a big fan of wearing one, but we have waffled back and forth on how much we've forced the issue. He also has some sensory issues with his skin, so any discomfort is likely magnified for him. I think with this latest tragedy, we might have turned the corner on that inconsistency. Looking through much of what is available on the market, I will say the Aycane "wrap" design looks more preferable to the velcro closure you see on my integrated designs. The Warroad collar looks thinner than the ones I've seen from Bauer, which is probably a good thing from a comfort perspective as well. We also have the Skate Armor "bib", which comes up very high compared to the others on the market and isn't stiff, but does seem to be a bit unwieldy due to its added height.

They certainly look it and feel it, but to your point, a small variance could create an engagement issue. The SS blades seem to allow me to pull the blade away from the holder, where the stock and DLC blades do not. I know the True holders have little "pads" down in the channel the blade sits in. I've noticed a few of those pads have fallen out. Wondering if that small change could magnify a tolerance issue with the SS blades enough to get the wiggle I am experiencing.

I just rechecked it and I am going to reach out to Bladetech, since the looseness is only happening with this 1 set. I put the original Shift Max steel in and nice and tight. DLC Bladetech - nice and tight. SS Bladetech - not so much. So I am going to start with the blade manufacturer.

Back in the spring bought my kid a new pair of True Cat 9s. He has been on the Bladetech blades for awhile, so bought 2 pair of blades, 1 DLC (I was curious if they are that much more durable) and 1 standard stainless. The season is now in full swing and I went to replace the DLCs with the SS, and the SS are super loose in the holder. Blue retaining clip is all the way in the locked position. I can still easily move the blade fore/aft by hand by at least 3-5mm. Blades have the Shift Max "horn" behind the retention arm. What am I missing? Don't recall this being an issue in the spring. DLC blades are nice and tight and those have spent the most time in the holders. When I line up the top line of all blades, they match up perfectly. I'm stumped. Any help would be appreciated.

No. I'm already cutting a significant chunk of shaft off to get my length (I'm short), so cutting the stick even more and replacing it with something that isn't involved in the flex doesn't sound all that appealing.

Ditto, although I am getting used to it. Wouldn't really be my preference. I come from a tennis background, so enjoy feeling a more distinct edge/bevel to know where the blade is. If I was to drop the money on a custom stick from them, I'd be going for a shaft with a squarer profile.

I wouldn't look at anything that isn't adjustable in thigh length. I'm on the opposite side of the spectrum (short and not so skinny). I have the Jetspeed and SuperTack and like both very much. The Jetspeed is definitely a bit lighter duty, but plenty effective for my purposes. I got the SuperTacks in a larger size and the adjustability is key.

Similar experience. I picked up 2 of this Yellow lines in 70 flex. Don't like the shaft shape as much as something more square, but that is my ONLY complaint about those sticks. I would do custom 70 flexes with the round square low kick, but I'm a crappy beer leaguer and the price isn't worth it to me. Bought my kid a single custom Red Line prior to last season (PeeWee Major AAA). Played every single game and practice (on ice 3-5 times a week) from August through March with that stick. The stick was too short for him by the end of the season and the toe was starting to give up the ghost, but otherwise that thing was a beast for him. In hindsight should have gone low kick instead of mid, but otherwise entirely worth the cost and wait. Tried to convince the wife to do a full custom order for my kid this season, but that didn't fly and Gep doesn't stock his curve as an intermediate build. So we are back to CCM for the moment. We'll see how they hold up.

I love the very different perspectives from Fischler and the Ranger's broadcast team (check out the video). Three sides to every story. Always enjoyed watching Patty. As others have voiced... I'm not sure I see how this helmet lessens the likelihood of your brain sloshing around in your skull any less than the stuff that is available now and the existing questions on the criteria VT uses in their tests being entirely valid for the most common circumstances found in your average hockey game. Outside of some aesthetic choices (someone would have to provide some valid functional shape impact absorption data to convince me otherwise), don't see a huge different between these and the latest generation of Warrior helmets with the BOA/wheel adjustment system. I guess time will tell if they'll be able to show real data to back up their claims (reduced # of concussions for the same number of "concussion-maker" plays for folks wearing Valor vs other brands). But I doubt anyone will be tracking that.

I know they had major delays late last year into this year due to the holidays, volume of orders, planned closure due to Chinese New Year and unplanned closure due to COVID regulations. Depending on where you were at in queue, those could still be in play. Not sure.

Saw a message yesterday that Valor has announced a partnership with AAHA (Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association), basically the Atlantic District in the US = NJ, PA, DE, MD. So at least in this instance they are targeting the governing bodies as a way to influence parents.

So the question remains - what are you trying to solve for? His skating not getting choppy as the season progresses? Better balance? Better agility? Something he is struggling with?

OP - what do you mean by the phrase I bolded? Why is the profile being worn down? Or do you mean the sharpening / ROH? If you mean the profile - how often are you sharpening? And how? You shouldn't be seeing that much of a change on a profile. My son when he was a bit younger than yours was on a 15 or 16 ft single, he was falling a lot and having balance issues. To the other response questions - what are you trying to solve for?

Agree. I was a 5 in Grafs (the older ones tend to run a bit short), 4.5 in CCMs and currently in TF9 size 4. If I were to get a pair of Cats, I'd be looking at 4.5.

Another old guy here who started just a few years ago. To echo @noupf skate, fall down, get up try again. The better you can skate, the easier it is to get to the puck or to a place where a teammate can get you the puck. I've mostly focused on forwards and turning, and am seeing the short-sightedness of that focus now that I am playing actual hockey. Once you get comfortable with forward, stops and basic turns, I would focus on backwards and then transitions (forward to back and back to forward). Having some agility makes things way easier.

Are you able to easily get on your outside edge? Given where you are getting the pressure (outside of foot and ankle), wondering if you are not balanced over the blade and putting undue pressure on the outside of your foot. A 10 year break could certainly change your biomechanics and muscle strength from a skating perspective.

There is a solution to your request... put your money towards someone like Gepetto (prostockhockeysticks) instead of the retail giants. Hit them in the pocket.