puckpilot
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Posts posted by puckpilot
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It could be a lot of things. It could be a little from column A and a little from column B. If you're able, I'd recommend using your phone to take some video of yourself shooting on and off ice. Sometimes what you think you're doing isn't what you're doing if you know what I mean.
Also.regardless of how it feels it could be that the flex is too stiff for you. Feel can trick you sometimes, because you get used to a certain feel and think it's working for you even when it isn't. It doesn't matter what your height or weight is. It's simply about if you have the strength and technique to flex the stick properly and the hands to make it do what you want it to do. The proof is in the pudding. For reference, Matthews is 6'3 223lbs and uses an 80 flex. Ovi is 6'3 235lb and uses an 85 flex. I've read Ovi has used even lower flexes in the past. I'd wager you're not as strong as either of them and you're using a flex in the range of what they're using.
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3 hours ago, Westside said:Obviously the CCM is all about the hybrid kickpoint, but because it’s a mix of mid and low, I thought the two sticks might still have a similar release.
Different kick point is always going to mean different feel and release. You'll have to get used to the change.
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No skate on the market has the right combination of length, width, volume for me. Struggled with this for years, and here are the solutions I found that work best for me. First, is Option-B skate straps to replace some or all the laces. Because the straps go over the top of the skate, it gives you more volume. Second, eyelet extenders, same concept as the straps, except you keep your laces. Here's a thread that shows you how to make them. There's also a place that sells them, but I can never find the website.
Third, loosen your laces. Over the years, I've found that you don't really need to tie skates all that tight. In fact, a lot of people I've noticed tie them too tight, leading to issues like lace bite. If the skate fit is perfect with length and with, I found I just have to have the laces taught for games. I don't need the laces to pull the boot in. During stick and puck, I tend to leave the laces saggy without issue.
Like I said, these are my solutions. Maybe one of them with work for you.
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On 1/15/2022 at 7:15 AM, Wing51 said:I know that Bauer and CCM have changed their 50 flex junior sticks to have a normal sized blade (instead of the small junior ones), does anyone know if Warrior has done the same?
Also, if anyone has experience using one of any brand, do you find anything detrimental about it?
As far as I know, nope. I've actually written Warrior, telling them it's something I want. In terms of junior sticks, there are actually roughly 3 blade sizes, with Bauer 50 flex sticks having the largest blade. CCM comes in at second, and Warrior and True have the smallest blades. The shaft dimensions follow the same pattern.
In terms of brand, as long as it's one of the major companies, quality is going to be about the same. Not to say there won't be issues. It's just that one year a stick line may have issues, then the next year that same line will be fine. That's what the 30 day warranty is for. I've used sticks from all the major companies over the last few years, and that's been my experience. If you're looking for a stick, just find one that fits you, and don't worry too much about the other stuff.
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12 hours ago, LauraPalmer said:1) Stick curves - I played most of my life (kid, high school and club college) using a heel curve, Easton Drury. I picked up a Bauer stick in P28 and am struggling to adjust. What's the reason behind the huge migration towards toe curves? Finding my shots frequently sail and it's difficult to elevate on the backhand. Are toe curves objectively better in some way?
If there's a curve further away from a heel curve, it's probably the p28. 😛 To my understanding, the reason there's a migration towards the toe curve is because it's geared towards the snapshot, which is the most widely used shot in the show days.
I had similar issues when switching over to the p28 from the p29. The reason is, if you're use to having the puck on the heel when you start your shot, you're basically using a flat blade. Then if you're trying to use the curve part of blade, which is nearer the toe, it's basically a slingshot. It grabs the puck and if you're not use to it, it's up into the rafters.
Unfortunately, over the years, the selection of curves has dwindle. Other curves are available if you're willing to look, but there are really only three curves that you can count on a store having, the p88, the p29, and the p28. BUT, if you're willing to go through the process, custom sticks are now available from companies like Bauer for about the same price as a retail stick. Last time I checked, there was a 2 stick minimum. Unfortunately, with supply chains and stuff like that, there might be a long wait period.
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For me, scanner results are just starting points. There's always a margin for error. Whether that's the machine's fault or the operator's, who knows. For me when I was scanned, the result was a half size too large and in a fit style that was too wide. IMHO, right now, really be finicky and take mental notes. Don't proceed blindly. If you really pay attention to things and feel out what works for you and what doesn't in a new skate, you'll be able to apply this experience down the road to the next pair of skates.
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7 hours ago, kicksave said:Ok so I went and got scanned and they say I’m a size 9 in a fit 3. I have very wide feet. They only had the highest supremes in my size (999.00) I only skate 2-3 times a weak and can’t really justify that skate. So I asked how my fit translates to ccm and the fit guy basically said don’t bother they won’t fit me right? Is this correct or was he just pushing the high end skate cause that’s the only one that they had in my fit. (they did fit amazing) tho
It never hurts--no pun intended--to try something on just to get a feel. You never know for sure until you get them on your feet. For years, I was in CCMs. Though that's what I should be sticking with when I needed new skates. Wasn't even considering Bauer. Tried on some Bauers. Left with the Bauers, and they're probably the best feeling skate's I've ever had.
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On 12/24/2021 at 12:56 PM, duhfool said:I tried on a pair of Bauer Vapor 3X Pro 10.5 and it feels good after lacing it up.
No tightness around the ball joint. Toe does not feather, but doesn't feel too loose either.
Definitely a little looser around the top part of the ankle than I'm used to, but then again, I feel like I'm comparing it against a boot that is definitely too small for me, so of course it would feel roomy.It's definitely feeling better than the CCM Ribcor 90K 10 (unbaked).
I read that the Bauer Supreme has thicker padding, so if anyone who has tried the two, how loose did the Vapor feel compared to the Supreme
How long did you have the skates on, and did you walk around in them, take a skating stance, and/or do skating like movements? IMHO, you have to get a feel for what they're like once the foams are warmed up and you're moving around. Because foams compress when warmed up, and they shape to your foot more, so a cold, snug skate can turn floppy after a few minutes of skating. And moving around will reveal possible pressure points and/or possible slippage.
IMHO, the thicker padding shouldn't matter in the long run, because as the skate ages, the foams will compress, making the skate around 1/4 size larger. When feeling out a skate, take into consideration what happens to the skate as it ages, not just how it feels right now.
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I have a Pacific Rink bag. I love it. Lots of storage/pockets. I'm a pack rat. And I can carry it like a backpack or regular bag. Cheap $50 bags usually last me 1-2 years, and they're falling apart after the first year. The Pacific Rink bag has lasted me 5, and it's still in great shape. It's probably going to last another 5 years. Is it pricey? Yes. But I got it on sale, and IMHO, that was the sweet spot. Worth every cent. For me, the other bags just don't have enough storage.
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4 hours ago, duhfool said:I went to my LHS and I had a similar depth issue with the Bauer Vapor 3X Pro 10 FIT 3, only I would say it was a little deeper.
Salesperson said thee 10.5 should address the depth issue, but they didn't have the 10.5 FIT 3 in any model for me to try on.IMHO, going up in size in an attempt to address a depth issue is not a good idea. It's trading one issue for possibly another issue that's an even worse issue to deal with, skates that are too big for you. Often, skates that are too big will cause the wearer to crank down on the laces in an attempt to stabilize the foot in the boot, which will cause similar issues (lace bite) as one could get from skates without enough depth.
From my experience, here's something to consider. I have extremely small feet for my size. 5'5 adult with size 4.5 skates. No retail skate on the market has the right depth for me. For me, the best thing other than customs was to get the skate that had the right dimensions for everything else except depth, and then figure out what to do about the depth. And over the years, I figured out how to prevent lace bite for myself. First up is I use Option B skate straps/eyelet extenders. This adds depth to the skate and distributes the presser more evenly across the foot. Second, I learned to skate with loose/looser laces. The latter, for me personally, is the universal solution that will carry across all skates I buy from now on. Also, it has had the added benefit of making me a better skater overall. It just took a little time, a little patience, and a little work.
Don't know if this is the right thing for you, but it's just something to consider.
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If you have access to video of him playing, maybe watch some of that to see if you can figure out what exactly he's doing to the steel to accumulate the nicks. I know you're dismissing this as a possibility, but it could very well be he's just accidentally scrapping them against the bench support posts etc. I'm careful and I still do it from time to time.
Also, you described him as the princess and the pea. Could it also be some of this sensitivity is in his head? I know this could be construed as mean, but have you tried swapping one set of roughed up steel for another set of roughed up steel and see if he really does notice?
And finally, one other option you could do is to move him to a shallower hollow. It can slow the accumulation of nicks, but even then, if he's stomping steel on steel, nothing is going to stop the nick from happening.
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First, don't use shoe size to determine skate size. Use a brannock made specifically for sizing skates. Your local hockey shop should have those. People wear different sized shoes for different reasons. For walk around shoes, I wear a half size or so up, because they're generally more comfortable. If I'm looking for shoes for sports, I want more form fitting. My shoe size is 2.5 to 3 sizes larger than my skate size.
Second, once you have your foot measured out by a brannock made for skates, you have a start point. After that, it's about trying on skate after skate, comparing, contrasting, until you find one that's comfortable and formfitting. This is where you spend most of your time. Don't just put on the skate for a few seconds, you need to leave them on for a bit and get a feel for what the skate feels like after the liner has warmed up. Generally, you want to err on the side of a bit smaller vs a bit larger. You can always punch and stretch skates to finetune fit. You can't do the reverse and shrink skates. For big skates, things will only get worse as the liner wears and compresses, making the skates even more roomie
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5 hours ago, ProfessorBarDownski said:I’m gonna go for it. The thing is last time I needed something like this done I had to leave my skates on the widening machine overnight at the LHS, they bake them and open them up. Didn’t have time to take them today, but I have a game tomorrow night and I’m wondering if I get them done early in the morning, will they be okay to skate in around 7pm?
another thing I’m wondering about, it’s inevitable for us hockey players to loose insane amounts of weight when we start skating regularly again, I just hope by the time this happens, the skates won’t be too wide.
With new skates, after a bake, I've heard the recommendation not to skate on them for 24hrs. Don't know how true that is. I've never had the situation come up where I needed to make the choice.
In terms of weight. I can tell you the formula is simple. Burn more calories than you take in. Please don't take this as me trying to be a smart-ass. I've struggled with my weight for years. I'd yo-yo between 5-10lbs, but no matter how much hockey I played, I could never keep the weight off. And what finally clicked for me over Covid was not necessarily to eat less, but to take in less calories, I actually ended up losing 20lbs over Covid, because I simply substituted low calorie options for my snacks. For example, Instead of chips I ate popcorn. I can eat a whole bag of light popcorn, filling myself, and not even come close to the calories in a couple handfuls of chips.
Any ways, good luck. Hope everything turns out for the best.
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9 hours ago, ProfessorBarDownski said:Big time !! Lol but I don’t think that changes the feet ?
I'd say this is the culprit. As someone else mentioned, more weight overall means you're feet could be spreading out like how a rubber tire bulges when you load up a truck/car. Another thing to add to that is the fact you're probably not use to carrying around that weight when you're skating. Add that to the time off because of the apocalypse, and you may feel a bit more unstable on the ice. This may lead you to over tighten your skates to compensate, which will squeeze the sides of the skate in more. It doesn't take much. A few millimetres can make all the difference.between a comfortable skate and one that's crushing your foot.
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On 11/6/2021 at 9:39 AM, tvguy said:The reason for trying the profile was to get a bit more three step speed. That was what we were "sold". He has always had great edges and fast flat out spead, but he's a bit of an upright skater and with that effortless "floating" kind of stride. Not sure this change has accomplished what we had hoped to see. He says it almost feels like he's pushing on half a blade if that makes sense.
From this description, it does sound like his weight has been shifted forward. To get more of that three step speed, you have to be able to get on to your toes faster, which is what the profile is helping with. The trade off is it's maybe too easy to get onto his toes. Think about it. If his weight is centered over the toes more and he pushes off, the stride will be starting more towards the toe, meaning he's using less of the blade.
This is one of the issues I've had to deal with over the years for different reasons, but it was extremely detrimental to my skating. After experimenting with lots of profiles, I had to go in the complete opposite direction of what people tend to recommend. I went to a extremely flat profile 13/26 and a negative pitch, to help me get more centered over my blade and get a full, proper stride.
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As others have said, if it's not working, go back to what you had before. When you change your profile, it's usually with a specific goal in mind, more stability, more agility, etc. BUT.... and I always say this. There's no free lunch. You're always trading a little of this for more of that. The hope is what's being gained out weighs what's being giving up relative to the player. It's not a one size fits all situation. It's about getting things dialed in to compliment, enhance, and aid.
With that said, here's my guess on what may be happening. It's worth what you paid for it. A quad .5 goes 8-10-12-14. The smaller radius at the toe maybe encouraging your son to shift their weight forward a bit more when they're doing things. It doesn't have to be much. With skating millimetres matter. You get the most bite on the blade when you have your weight over the balance point of the blade, which is in the middle of the blade, roughly around the arch.
If your son is starting their stride, or doing anything for that matter, slightly ahead of that balance point, when before they were right over it, he's going to loose bite.
So, it's possible that your son can re-calibrate and be fine, but IMHO, if it wasn't broken before, what are you trying to fix?
my2cents
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At first blush, to me, it sounds like a fit issue, with maybe your foot slipping forward, but if you say the skates fit properly, then maybe try these silicon toe protectors. i use one on a pinky toe because it rubs a little.
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On 9/12/2021 at 11:00 PM, Ric_Flair said:Do you have any experience of switching down a size in blade length?
Not sure how much this will apply to you, but last time I bough new skates, I dropped down half a size from 5 to 4.5. And yes, I'm an adult. For me, I found that the shorter runner exasperated some of flaws in my skating. From my understanding, as the blade transitions from your profile up to the toe of the skate, with the shorter runner, that transition is more aggressive. An exaggerated way to illustrate this is think of a a hill that takes you up vertically 10ft over a distance of 1 block vs. a hill that does the same over the distance of 1/2 a block. The incline is steeper, so with a skate blade, as I rocked forward, the drop off was quicker, making it easier, for me at least, to get up onto my toes too much, shortening my stride, in addition to also exasperated stability issues.
To a certain degree, some of the issues could be address by simply working on my technique more, which I did. But overall, I ended up having to go to a very flat profile to help address my needs, which was fine. Overall, it helped me become a way better skater. For a long while--I've been skating for around 40 years--I'd plateaued with my skating and didn't think I'd be getting much better. But the tighter skate fit allowed me to loosen my laces a lot more, without loss of control, which gave me more ankle mobility, forward and back and side to size, which let me get a more aggressive angle on my inside and outside edge push offs. This also gave me a better feel for my edges. Though, all this didn't just come overnight. I had to work for it, but it was some short term pain for some long term gain.
Don't know how much this applies to you, but that's my experience.
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2 hours ago, Steve_v3 said:I'm definitely tight on volume. I didn't have the problem for the first year I had them. I'm not in a position for new skates. So hoping to solve the issue some other way. I've seen a custom mod where they move the top three eyelets towards the middle of the skate.
If what you're talking about is what I'm thinking of, that'll only help if you're getting lace bite, but not so sure it'll do anything if the eyelets are rubbing against your foot. Because the old eyelets are still there. Here's something I've used to solve similar issues in the past. I went to the dollar store and got a pair of felt insoles. I cut them up into felt patches a little larger than the size of my ankle. I then used sock tape to attach them to my foot.before slipping on my skates. I found I needed to use a taping pattern similar to the yellow straps in the picture below to secure the felt patches in place else they tended to move when I skated. Also when the patches aged, I found I needed to double up on them. I found they work better than the gel pads because they're thicker and are more firm, and when taped in place right, they wouldn't move.
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Can't be sure from this angle, but from the looks of it and from you stating the tongue isn't wide enough, it kind of looks like your skates don't have enough volume. Do you pass the pencil test? If not, there's your problem.
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1 hour ago, Peter Pin said:do you all agree that the quad 0.5 is the best starting point to enter the « quad world »?
IMHO, the first thing to think about is what do you want out of the change in profile? That's why it's important to do a little homework and understand what certain changes will do. I always say this, but there's no free lunch here. You're always going to be trading off a bit of this for more of that. But depending on what your game/skill/preferences are, certain trade-offs will be worth it to you. For me, I use a very flat profile, because I find I have agility to spare, and I'm exchanging some of that for more stability and glide.But because this trade off allowed me to make significant strides in improving my skating, the overall impact on my agility as time has gone on has become less, but it's still there.
IMHO, If you're just throwing a Hail-Mary just to see what it'll do, one starting point is as good as the next, because either it's a touchdown or you'll need to tweak and try again. And though Hail-Marys do work on occasion, it's not exactly a high percentage play.
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Everything is about figuring out what works for you. So you don't necessarily have to change your hollow right away. Remember, you're changing variables in your set up right now. IMHO, the more variables you change at the same time, the trickier it'll be to figure out what's working for you, what isn't, and what you need to do to take yourself in the right direction. Maybe, you'll like even more bite. Maybe you won't. But if you make these changes all at the same time, how do you know what you're liking? Are you liking the shallower hollow or are you liking the new profile more? Maybe it's a combination of both. The flip side is true too, what don't you like, the new hollow, the new profile, or a combination of both.
When I was experimenting my way to what worked for me, I did lots of incremental changes, slowly working my way through various profiles and hollows. IMHO, there isn't a correlation between weight and what hollow one should use. I've been 180lbs and use hollows between 3/8 and 1". I'm 162 right now, and I'm looking to maybe get something even flatter. What works is what works.
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You're going to have to get the steel re-profiled with the change in pitch.You can't just change the pitch alone.
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It sits between the p92 and p28; more aggressive than the p92 and not as aggressive as the p28. For me, after using it for a bit, I prefer the p28. The p28 grips the puck better when shooting off the toe and doing drags.
low-kick vs mid-kick sticks
in Ice Hockey Equipment
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From my experience, I haven't been able to figure out a way to mimic the ice for shooting. I've tried all the regular stuff that gets recommended, but the simple fact is the extra friction is always going to make it easier to load the stick. Now that doesn't mean shooting off-ice is useless. IMHO, If you're doing the reps and executing technique properly then it should translate as long as you're getting reps on the ice too.
For me personally, for a long while I struggled with my shot. And I've found while experimented that whenever something isn't working, it narrows down to two things flex and technique. After the covid pause, I was having a lot of issues with my shot, and after working on my technique, switching out kickpoints and curves, I realized it was because I'd recently lost a significant amount of weight and along with that weight a bit of muscle. So I went down in flex and suddenly all the issues went away.