VegasHockey

FT5 Pro had a slightly softer blade with dampening. The new FT6 Pro is very stiff and responsive, no dampening. It feels much better IMO.

The holder with the larger dial is actually marginally different from the one with the smaller dial. If you measure the size of the hole in the holder to accommodate the larger dial, you will see that the new holder has a bigger hole to fit the dial. The larger dial was previously available only to pros and customers that ordered custom skates. I find it to be significantly better than the smaller dial. It's easier to grip when removing/replacing steel, but also the holder itself seems slightly stiffer too. I imagine since the hole is actually bigger, they reinforced that section a little more.

I'll try that next time. This coating of Gorilla Max Strength Construction Adhesive Clear that I put on lightly with a foam sponge did amazing. I may have added too much grip, lol. We will see if it holds or if it pulls away from the nash/clarino material one it gets wet.

Ended up adding some Gorilla Max Strength Construction Adhesive Clear to the palms, lightly brushed on. That seems to have done the trick. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gorilla-9-oz-Max-Strength-Construction-Adhesive-Clear-8212302/308772268

Yeah, these are ultra plush. If you want the Cadillac of insoles, these are them.

I am demoing a new pair of gloves to be released in 2024 and while they are amazing, the palm itself doesn't have very much grip. All the current sticks I am using are grip (FT6 Pro, Catalyst 9X3, etc) and I really hate doing a candy cane tape job. What do you all use for grip spray coating? I previously could source the same grip spray they use for hockey sticks, basically a type of furniture lacquer, but the person I bought it from apparently can no longer source it. I tried using a tape beater, inside out hockey tape rubbed on the shaft to add grip, but it still didn't provide enough grip and also doesn't last very long. A friend suggested a light dusting of Flex Seal spray to the glove palms. Not sure how I feel about that idea..... I am open to suggestions or products. Thanks!

They look similar to the Howies socks. https://howieshockeytape.com/collections/skate-socks-1 These looks very nice. I am going to order a pair. Love the fact they are unconditionally guaranteed for life

I have used Currex and SuperFeet Comfort and Carbon, but have not tested Aline insoles. IMO; Dislike Currex and SuperFeet Comfort, as they provide too much comfort and degrade the feeling of the blade on the ice. SuperFeet Carbon provide good fit, performance, and feedback. However, The alignment of the arch tends to hurt my feet over time. Huge fan of the Bauer SpeedPlate, they mold to your feet and give significant feeling of the blade on the ice. The downside is there is very little padding, so some people complain that they hurt their feet. One thing I cannot understand is why with hockey insoles, companies put in so much padding that it decrease the feel between the boot/blade and ice? Hockey is not like running, so I don't think you need such a significant amount of foams. The Aline product looks interesting, assuming they are not too thick for a hockey skate boot. If they offered a money-back guarantee, I would try them. Their return policy doesn't explain though if you can return them if used, and you dislike them or if they hurt. https://alineinsoles.com/policies/refund-policy

If someone wants to test the plastic doing the following and write a white paper, I would read it: Tensile Testing:** Tensile testing is the most common method for determining the strength of plastic materials. In this test, a sample of the plastic is subjected to an increasing load (tensile force) until it reaches its breaking point. The key parameters measured include tensile strength (maximum load the plastic can bear), yield strength (point at which the plastic begins to deform), and elongation at break (how much the plastic stretches before breaking). Flexural Testing:** Flexural testing, also known as bending testing, assesses a plastic's resistance to bending forces. A sample is subjected to a three-point or four-point bending load, and parameters like flexural strength and flexural modulus are measured. This test is useful for assessing a plastic's performance in applications involving bending or flexing. Impact Testing:** Impact testing evaluates a plastic's ability to withstand sudden impact or shock loads. The most common method is the Izod or Charpy test, where a notched sample is struck by a pendulum, and the energy absorbed during fracture is measured. This provides insight into the plastic's toughness and impact resistance. Compression Testing:** Compression tests involve applying a compressive load to a plastic sample to determine its compressive strength and modulus. This is useful for assessing a plastic's behavior under compressive loads, such as in applications involving stacking or crushing. Hardness Testing:** Hardness tests measure a plastic's resistance to indentation or scratching. Common hardness tests for plastics include Rockwell, Shore, and Vickers tests. Hardness can provide an indication of a plastic's resistance to wear and deformation. Shear Testing:** Shear testing assesses a plastic's resistance to forces that cause sliding or internal deformation. Shear strength and shear modulus are important parameters in applications where plastic parts experience sliding or shearing forces. Creep Testing:** Creep testing evaluates a plastic's behavior under constant load over an extended period. It helps determine how much the plastic deforms over time when subjected to a constant stress, which is crucial for applications where long-term stability is significant. Fatigue Testing:** Fatigue testing involves subjecting a plastic sample to cyclic loading to assess its durability and resistance to repeated stress cycles. This is significant for applications where plastic components experience cyclic loading over time.

Sea Drops are amazing.

Yes. Same method.

Agreed.

Weight wise, the 720 is lighter than the 910, which is lighter than the Tacks X. For me, comfort and protection are the priority, and the Tacks X beats everything else and fits me perfectly. The weight isn't significant enough that it bothers me. The new Hyperlite2 was recently released too, It's still a piece of junk just like the first generation.

It's closer to the Benn than a P90TM. I have a few custom demo sticks arriving this week, so I will snap some pics comparing the CCM P90TM vs TRUE T90T vs Bauer P90TM. I think the closest retail to the Benn is the TRUE P90T currently.

Yes, they do.

I think the European model is stiffer and the build is close to an AS-V Pro, thus the exposed carbon.

Thats the new CCM coming out.

Because most of the stores did a terrible job with booking orders....

Every stick I have ever owned, regardless of brand or model, has had the blade go soft within 8–10 weeks. I skate 5–7 times weekly, so this seems totally acceptable to me.

I haven't had issues with TRUE stick durability since the A and X series of sticks. Overall, though, I don't break a lot of sticks. They just tend to whip out over time, or the blade gets too soft for my liking.

Catch and release on the stick is nice. Good power with very little effort to load:

The metal screws they put in the Mach elbow pads is a poor judgement call IMO. Using steel in an item that will be constantly exposed to sweat is a horrible idea. They did this with the Mach shins too. I also didn't like the way they fit me, too bulky and didn't stay locked in place. The last Bauer elbow that I liked was the 2S Pro.

Took them both out last night. Both are amazing sticks! Catalyst 9X3 weighs about 9 grams lighter, which is impressive since the FT6 Pro is already very light. Balance in both sticks is very good. I can't comment on durability since I have only used it once. Feedback from first use is that the Catalyst 9X3 is effortless to load, and pucks come off with power. The new kick point modifications they made and changes to the blade are both very good. FT6 Pro is an incredible stick, but you need to put in a little more effort to load. The shot power output on the FT6 Pro is better than the Catalyst 9X3, but the release actually seems slightly slower. FT6 Pro has been a beast when it comes to durability. This was just first impressions, so I will update after I get in a few more ice times this weekend. Overall, both are impressive sticks.

FT4 Pro and FT6 pro are the only pads that fit me and offer good protection. Everything else doesn't stay locked in place. The MACH looks to have good protection, but the poor fit and overall design were dealbreakers for me.