puckpilot

It's not about like or dislike. It's more about pros and cons. Superfeet tend to get promoted as this universally great thing, but there is no free lunch. The are pros and cons that have to be weighed against each other for each individual. Superfeet get sold to people like myself who really don't need them, so without needing the pros, I'm left with only receiving the cons. Superfeet are great for those who's feet need them, but for those that don't, for the most part, they're better of not using them at all. It's like wearing a knee brace when there's nothing wrong with your knee.

The front is a 13’ radius and the back is 26’ 😛

I got new skates about 3 years ago. Here's the story of my trials and tribulations with insoles and profiling. Maybe it'll help you out. When I got my new skates, I got talked into buying superfeet carbon. They worked well enough and the soles of my feet were comfortable, so I kept them. As I got used to my new skates, I noticed, I was on the tips of my toes too much and my general stability was off. These are issues I've had in the past because I'm a 175lb dude with small feet, and figured, because I moved down half a size from a 5 to 4.5 skate, and thus was using an even smaller runner, I'd just need to do some work to get things re-calibrated. So, I worked and worked and worked on get it all sorted out by working my skating more. Well, after about 6 months with little to no progress, I decided to look at other options. I did my research and decided to get a flatter profile. Went to a 12' profile with a +1 pitch. Instant positive results. As time went on, I moved to a 13' profile and then to a neutral pitch. Things got progressively better with each change, but there were times where I'd get on my toes still. So I did some more research and re-familiarized myself on what pitching actually does. Pitching your skate with a forward lean involves moving the balance point of the skate along with the profile edge back towards the heel. This makes it easier to get onto your toes. Good for some, not good for me, so I went and got a negative pitch to my skate, which moved the balance point and profile edge forward towards my toes more, which put me on my heels more. Some things you read will say this is not recommended, but for me, it was another positive step. Unfortunately, moving the profile edge forward lessened the stability in my heels, which wasn't terrible, but I wanted to get things perfect. On that same day that I took the negative pitched profile runners out for their first test, I was taking my insoles out after and realized the superfeet carbon had a raised heel, which would put me up on my toes more. The next time I was on the ice for stick and puck, I went to the stock insoles, which I'd never used in these skates and noticed an immediate change for the better. Not only did the superfeet pitch me forward, which wasn't right for me, it also deadened the feel for my edges. Using superfeet for me was like putting mittens on and trying to type. The stock insoles weren't as comfortable, but they didn't hurt my feet either, so I stuck with them. During that stick and puck session, I swapped between a 13' neutral pitched steel and my 13' negative pitched steel to get a feel for what i liked. I thought I'd be going back to a neutral pitch, but as it turns out, I still liked the negative pitch more. But there was still the issue with stability in the heel area. So I went to the shop and asked if they could maybe give me a 14' or 15' profile. Well, they couldn't because they didn't have the profiling template. Nobody asks for something so out of the box. As fortune would have it I'd seen a video on Elias Petterson talking about tweaking his profile at that time. He was using a Detroit II profile, which is a 13'/26' dual profile that some goalies use. So, with nothing left to try and nothing to lose, I gave it a go, a Detroit II profile with a -1 pitch, and after one stick and puck session and one game with it, I can definitely say it was another right step for me. Probably some room to tweak some more, but definitely not going back. In addition, going to the flatter profiles made it so I felt comfortable enough to practice with completely loose laces during stick and puck and skate with looser laces during games, preventing me from getting lacebite, which is another long story in itself, so Ill leave that be. Maybe there's something useful in here for you in this very loooong post. Maybe not.

Check out Hockey Supremacy website. They’re always having a 10-20% off sale going on at any one time. As long as it’s not elite CCM or Bauer, you’ll get the discount, even if the stick just came out like the Warrior DX. They also have a clearance section you can check out a loyalty points program.

I'm on 3/4. I've used as deep as 3/8. For me, I find I get more glide, but going to a shallower hollow coincided with going to a flatter radius. I'm on a 13' radius. But I find I like the shallower hollow more, and skating feels--I don't want to say effortless, because it isn't, but things feel more smooth.

Not exactly what you're looking for, but closest I've ever found. 3cm Lacrosse tape that's pre-cut so it tears of in 1 and 2 cm strips. https://m.dickssportinggoods.com/p/stringking-lacrosse-tape-2-pack-16sgkusklcrsstp2plxa/16sgkusklcrsstp2plxa https://www.lacrossemonkey.com/catalog/product/view/id/292133?gclid=CjwKCAjw4ZTqBRBZEiwAHHxpfrxLiErWUeLUkLvr0CC-FG0cny7My7RfhND3mfjqQm7c8vBTycAxNBoCe_sQAvD_BwE

Thanks to you both. Much appreciated.

Where did you get the eyelets/grommet for these, and what type are they? Finding the equipment to punch the holes and set the eyelets seems to be simple enough, but finding eyelets that don't look like they'll rip apart after one stride seems to be more of a challenge for my googling skills.

You can use one of these. They're replacements for the old CCM lace lock system, but I put them on the third eyelet down, and it raises the laces just like those eyelet extenders do. https://www.ebay.ca/itm/CCM-Helmet-Hockey-Skate-Lock-Replacement-Eyelet-Repair-Fix-Hardware-Inline-Ice/262744209403?hash=item3d2cc677fb:g:FREAAOSwxp9W8ya6 https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Reebok-Hockey-Skate-Lock-Replacement-Eyelet-Repair-Fix-Hardware-Inline-Ice/262975040573?hash=item3d3a88ac3d:g:Fp8AAOSwONBZESg1

They feel similar to rollerblade straps. I've actually ordered some rollerblade ratchet straps to see how they work. The velcro straps, though effective, are starting to stretch after about 8 months. They look like they'll hold for a good while longer, but they'll need to be replaced eventually. As for chirping. I've never had anyone on another team say one thing to me. I've had teammates ask about them with curiosity. I've only had one ever make a snide remark, but he's the type that has that "Real Men Don't" attitude. I simply told him it helps my lace bite and acted like I didn't give a shit, because I didn't, and he STFU, because with his stride, he's the last person who should comment on another person's skates and/or skating. For me, I'm at that age now, that if it saves me discomfort and pain and as a consequence, lets me skate better, I'll wear high heels, a too-too, and carry around a fairy wand if I have to. 😛

I had/have similar issues, but for me it only shows up when I'm spending a prolonged period doing drills that put pressure on that area. Durning games, it rarely pops up unless I'm playing 2-3 games in a night. I found changing to Option B skate straps helped. Another option I've used in the past was to add the old CCM/Reebok lace locks on the eyelets around that area. It elevated the laces in that area and releaved the pressure. They're a little tricky to find now that skates don't use them any more, but you can pick them up on eBay.

It sucks that you're not seeing much results with the stretching. For me, I could feel things getting better fairly quickly. Personally, I use a rather large step knob made from tape. When I look at it from the top, the long side measures 1.75 inches. I make the knob by wrapping 1.5 inch wide tape around the butt end ten times. Then I wrap 1 inch wide tape around the butt around 20 times, and finally, I split the 1 inch wide tape in half and go around the butt approx 30 times until the knob is 1.75 inches wide. It looks like a step pyramid. I grip the stick with my my first three fingers and my pinky hanging over the top. I find the knob gives my tiny hands more leverage when I shoot, so I can give a harder tug on the stick with my top hand.

I've had bouts with tendinitis in my top hand over the years. It first started with too much mouse usage from gaming and work. And later it would show up after long shooting sessions. One time it was bugging me for around six months, where I could barely grip my hockey stick. For me, I got under control by doing some simple stretching and strengthening exercises for my wrist. I'm not a doctor, but when my forearm muscles get tight from prolonged usage, I'm guessing it pulls the wrist tendon taught and they begin rubbing against something like the wrist bones when I move. That irritates the tendons and makes them inflamed. If I don't loosen the muscles, the tendons keep rubbing. By stretching, it loosens the muscles up and stops the the rubbing. No rubbing, the inflammation goes away. Since I started doing the stretches and exercises, I haven't had a bout of tendinitis, and I haven't changed any of my mouse and/or shooting habits. There were times were I could feel it coming on, like after a couple hours of shooting, but like I said, some stretching and exercise and I was good. I'm about the same vintage as you, and over the years, as I've gotten older, I've learned that I need to be stretching and doing maintenance work all the time, on my shoulder, on my hips, and my wrists. Etc. It's not the case where I do stretches, the tendinitis goes away, and never have to worry about it again. I have to keep doing the stretches and exercises on a regular basis, usually after exercise, to stop it from coming back. Maybe that's something for you to consider. Here's a video of some of the wrist stretches and exercises i do. Hope it helps.

Doesn't seem like they have that much more than what you'd find in retail right now for Intermediates and juniors. Was hoping they'd have the option of a p28 in a lie 6. Nope. Hopefully more options to come once things have been running for a bit.

Just popping in to agree with the p30 as the curve closest to what the OP described.

For me, getting new gear isn't all that exiting. I'm more exited about finding stuff that matches what I like. Once I find it, I'm exited about having it. I try to keep up with what's coming out because I realized that doing that is much simpler than doing rushed and sometimes panicked research when I need to replace something. It also allows me to spot good deals when I see them.

Glad things worked out for your kid. Sad that that "coach" doesn't get hoisted up on his petard. That's a silly way to run a team at that level.

I could be totally off base, but to me it sounds like you feel like you're giving everything you got to get the win, sacrificing the body, showing up to every game even when you may not feel up to it, but it doesn't sound like the rest of the team is as committed. It sounds like you're the guy, or one of the few guys, pulling the cart, while the rest are taking a free ride and waving to the pretty girls on the sidelines and getting the smiles. Do any of your teammates come up to you during or after the game and say thanks for bailing them out or thanks for keeping us in it? Cause it sucks to be underappreciated. I've been on teams where I work my ass off forechecking, backchecking, lift sticks to save goals, spring guys left and right by threading passes through multiple defenders, but nobody says a damn thing unless I'm on the score sheet. (I'll leave the gripes about missed assists for another time) While the guys who are seagulling all night, taking 2.5 minute shifts, and are like minus 4, get the nice game because they scored a couple. Stuff like that makes me not want to play, or at the very least it makes me not want to care. On the other hand, I've been on teams were everyone works their butts off, win or lose, and we may lose a lot, but there's a we'll-get-them-next-time type of attitude. It never feels like you're the only one that gives a crap and that makes it still fun to go to the rink. My 2 cents

I wear 7.5-8 shoes and size 4.5 skates. When I got my current skates, I came down from a size 5. Took me a little while to notice that I was more unstable and my foot was sliding out from under me with my underpush in my cross overs. Blamed it on user error. So spent 6 months working to correct the issue with little improvement. Then last April, I tried changing my profile to a 12' +1, and it made the world of difference. I'm in a 13' +1 profile now, and after 6 months, barely notice any loss of agility. Only notice the positives now.

Shooting a golfball is not the same as shooting a puck. If you try to develop your mechanics this way, there's a good chance you are going to develop some bad habits. It's a lot easier to get under a golfball and lift it than it is a puck. If you want to take your shooting pad somewhere, just take it to a park with a flat surface and a chain link fence and fire pucks at that. Tennis courts are nice. And if you're ambitious, you can even bring a net.

I encourage you to stick to your guns. The good news is you know it isn't just you or your kid. And at least your kid knows you got his back, and you know he still loves hockey. Don't know what's going to happen as you move up the food chain, but the nuclear option is probably being really frank about the coach with the higher ups, and if that falls on deaf ears, tell them either you kid gets moved or your kid sits out. Because sending a kid into a crappy situation like that is not a healthy option. Also, I know this is going to sound sneaky, but I'd start recording phone conversations if possible, just so you don't get into a he-said-she-said situation.

Ummmm wtf is with that coach? To give a different view of things, my nephew is a couple years ahead of your kid, and he's on the rep A team, with paid coaches, which I believe is about as high as you can go. All last year I took him to practice at least once a week--he has three a week on top of games--and I saw kids mess up drills all the time, and I've never seen or heard of the coach yell at a kid for doing so. If a kid keeps messing up the drill, the coach stops and explains it to the kid. If they still don't get it, the coach has them sit out and watch those who do understand run through a few times. That usually fixes things. Usually at the end of practice, the coach has a mini game drill as a treat for the kids to keep things fun. Though, I've heard my nephew talk about bag skates after games in which they didn't listen to the coach and didn't do well. But my nephew hasn't ever complained about having to going to the rink, so I'm sure bag skate doesn't mean what it typically means. After games, the coach has a private talk with the team before parents are allowed in. Regardless of win or lose, I've never gone into the dressing room and felt that the kids were beat down. They're always laughing, even if they blew a 4 goal lead in the third. I don't know what your options are, but if you can shift your kid to another team, that might be a good thing. When my nephew was your son's age, the focus was more on skills development so everyone got to play different positions. There weren't any systems. Now this isn't to say, I didn't see other teams play systems, but I didn't see the point. Any way, my 2 cents. It's worth what you paid. And best of luck to you and your kid.

FYI, there are 55 flex intermediates. Also, how tall are you? I'm 5'5 and I use 52" junior sticks. Some of them I add plugs to. Some are just perfect uncut. Just recently with True and with Bauer's 2N pro, the 50 flex junior sticks are made long. True's sticks are 54" and the new 2N pro is 53". Generally intermediate sticks are around 57" uncut. In addition with the 2N, the blade size and shaft dimensions are the same as an intermediate stick. As far as I know, this is the only junior stick that's like this. The rest have smaller shaft dimensions. Some significantly smaller, others, like CCM only slightly.

It's all personal preference. But there's always give and takes. A lower lie may help you keep your blade flatter, but it may make it more difficult to get your weight over the stick to take a shot. Etc. With that said, there's a simple solution to getting all of your blade on the ice without changing your lie or the length of your stick. Simply rotate your wrist and close the blade face. When you catch a pass, you really don't want your blade to be completely vertical. You want to close the blade and cup it. My 2 cents.

Was at stick and puck today and saw some guys wearing VH skates. One of them had their laces wrapped around the ankles, strangling the outside of the boot. I wanted to cry. :(