psulion22

I have a FT3 Pro and a Nexus ADV (which should be the same as the Geo). Both 70 flex. They have similar flex profiles, in that they're "mid" kicks with flex points above and below the hands. They do feel about the same in that regard. The difference, and why I would see the Jetspeed being more "variable", is that the FT3 provides a more consistent release no matter where your bottom hand is or what your balance and input may be into the shot. The stick does seem to adjust the flex point more than the ADV does.

I found a set of Mediums on SLS and got them today. They fit well. I'm right in the middle of the waist adjustment velcro tab and belt, and just a little inside the maximum thigh length as xstart said I might be. I might be able to go a little tighter there too. I'll see how much interference there is once I get them on the ice. If you're in a Medium 9K, these would probably fit the same or a little bigger. They're definitely smaller than my Large 9K. As for protection, these things aren't near the 9K. They're very much a retail level pad. The most notable differences are the side/back of the thigh (9K is molded PE, ST is foam), tailbone (9K is much thicker plastic and foam), and the step in portion of the 9K that has additional padding for the hips and groin is not included on the ST. The ST seems better in the kidney and back area. With that being said, the missing protection also comes with a significant weight savings. I don't know that I need the pro level protection the 9K gives to play beer league. I guess I'll see how much I feel things or get hit over time. But I know I will welcome the lighter Super Tacks from the minute I step on the ice. Worst case is I can either go back to the 9K or make up a Frankenstein girdle of the two.

As far as liner crossovers, the main emphasis is on using the outside edge to push and generate speed from a shorter stride. Of course, forward strides are always going to be the most important for straight aheaad speed. But a lot of shorter line or fast acceleration skating now is being done using short crossover strides, maximizing the outside edge push. The thinking is that you can get more strides in a shorter space by doing this. It's more efficient, and faster. McDavid and MacKinnon might be the best in the NHL at doing this right now. They use their outside edges to generate tremendous power and acceleration. I recently saw a video showing how McDavid will often go a direction away from where he wants to go before receiving a pass or picking up a loose puck, so that he can do a few linear crossovers to generate speed going where he wants when he gets it. I wish I could find it again. I'll give you an example that I think many can relate with. When most of us were growing up and learning to skate, we were taught that to accelerate most quickly from a stop you pulled your heels in, got up on your toes, and took 3 or 4 short, choppy strides. You'd start with your shoulders, hips, and feet facing the direction you wanted to go. But that's not how it's being taught anymore. Now, you start with your body facing sideways. You inside edge push and throw your back foot as hard as you can crossing over the front foot, then dig as hard as you can on the outside edge of the front foot. Then one more hard drive off the inside edge of the first foot and you're in your normal stride. It's the same 3 short strides, but you're generating much more power because you're using those strides to full extension and have better balance/momentum in the process (forwards, not up). It's also preferred because it's now the same motion to use to accelerate coming out of a stop to change directions. As far as the profile, It's a happy medium. Too short, and you can't generate enough force when pushing. Too long and there's too much steel on the ice slowing you down. It's probably why CAG One profiles are still seemingly popular with pros. They're getting a shorter profile to reduce the amount of steel on the ice and therefore drag, but have that flat spot to generate power from.

No worries. That’s good enough to make me wait to see what comes out. Thanks

Sorry to take a tangent, but do you know if Bauer is releasing a new line of goalie cups also? I was just about to pull the trigger on a Supreme to replace my many years old "Pro", but if they're going to bring redesigned models (maybe with Curv in them?), I can definitely wait.

I'm willing to bet there are more people that don't know what hollow they're using than ones that care about the steel on their skates. They buy the skates, have someone sharpen them with the "regular" sharpening, and don't even think about the steel again until the person sharpening them says they need new steel. But that's why Bauer and CCM care. I'm guessing there's a high profit margin in replacement steel, especially the mid range stuff (it's made from cheaper materials with less processing and larger tolerances but not discounted as much as the cost savings). When that person who doesn't know anything about their steel has to buy new runners, and the guy in the pro shop says he has this other brand that's the same price as the cheaper Bauer steel but is better quality and will need less sharpenings, the clueless person buys it. "I don't have to have them sharpened as often? Great, I'll take it!" But when you try to sell them on the Pulse Ti with the coatings and the benefits, their eyes glaze over and they just want the "regular stuff". So it doesn't really make sense for Bauer to buy Step or Tydan or improve their own steel to that point. Most people don't want to pay for it. People are buying $300 skates, they don't want to pay for $130 runners or an extra $25 to improve what the cheap skates come with. More people just want the cheaper stuff and get sold on other brands without knowing it.

I've used almost all of them and IMO, the Bauer Vapor 1X is the best knee pad on the market (thanks to @Hills for the recommendation). Passau stays up the best, is the most stable, and is pretty protective, but they're huge and heavy and have very little padding in the landing area. With the Maltese insert to fix that they are even heavier and bulkier. Warriors have the most padding in the landing area and are pretty light. But all that padding is soft and leads to instability in the butterfly and the protection isn't great, especially in the "SR" version that comes with the pads. Plus, I found them impossible to keep from sliding down without both taping and wearing socks over. Maltese KTPs were pretty much terrible in every way, except possibly the comfort in landing. I'm not a fan of the design of Brian's knees (which are similar to the Supremes). They're too rigid and enclosed around the knee. The 1X's are the lightest (thanks to the Aerolite foam and Curv knee plate) and probably the second most protective behind the Passau (again thanks Curv). They stay up on their own pretty well but come with a garter that really holds them up without noticing it. They're pretty cushioned and comfortable while also being stable in the butterfly (inbewteen the Passau and Warrios on both those spectrums). And they aren't bulky or restrictive feeling at all.

If Flare gets ordered to stop selling Edge steel, I'll have to switch to CCM holders on my Bauer skates.

Hockey Monkey has it listed on the 3S Pro, but you are correct, Bauer only lists Curv. So that is a step down. But the ankle padding, comfort edge, tongue, and steel are all still big upgrades from the 2S.

The 3S pro has a full composite outsole, but a TPU midsole. 1S, 2S Pro, and Ultrasonic have full composite outsole and midsole. However, the 3s Pro has Carbon Curve quarters, Aerolite foam ankles, the comfort wrap ankles, 52 oz tongue, and the new Pulse runners. It's a significant step up from the 2S in pretty much every way, and is also an improvement over the 1S in the quarter material, ankle foams, and steel, though a downgrade in the midsole. As you said, the 2S Pro was a huge difference from the 1S. That was because of those improvements I mentioned that the 3S Pro has but 1S and 2S don't.

I had to wear my old Stealth for one game because I wore a Buddy the Elf costume to a charity skate around Xmas and my 9Ks wouldn't fit under the pants. I honestly couldn't believe that I had been wearing them. There was literally nothing in the back, on the back of the hips, butt, or tailbone. My 9K is a huge improvment in that area, so the ST will be good. I have thought about that. It's what I'll do if I decide not to get a ST. Thanks for the suggestion. I'm at the point now where I'm feeling the weight of the 9K, particularly with the way it's hanging off of me. Being able to get something that is lighter, but probably just as protective is really appealing. Like the Marines say, pounds equal pain. Playing 4-5 times a week in my 40's is not easy to recover from, and any reduction in weight would hopefully help. My biggest thing with the M vs L sizing in the Super Tacks is that with it being discontinued, it's hard to find. But I see a lot more size M come up on SLS and eBay than larger sizes. So if I want one, a Medium may have to be what I get.

Thanks. The thighs on my Large 9Ks don’t fit like a girdle at all. They’re loose and fit more like a regular pant, and that’s with pulling them as tight as it will go. It’s fine, I haven’t noticed it at all to be honest. But a little more snugness might be better. All in all, I got the Latge 9K on the recommendations that they run small and you should size up. After a few years of use, it’s really too big for me. The waist is too big, the thighs are too wide, and the legs are as high as they’ll get and constantly stick out of the bottom of the shell. I’m probably just better off getting the medium. At the state my large is in now, it’s really just pants. There’s no reason to get a girdle if it’s going to fit this way. I’m a step in guy too, so a little snugness may be ok. I had an Easton Stealh before this and there just wasn’t enough protection, especially on the back side. It was also tighter in the legs. Hopefully the Super Tacks will be a more protective version of that.

Did you get what the size chart says or did you size up?

After some use, has the Super Tacks stretched out a bit? My 9K is wearing out, especially the thigh pads. There is little elasticity left in the straps, and the mesh around the attachment tabs on the girdle is all torn up. Plus, it’s soooo heavy. I’m thinking of replacing it with a Super Tacks, but not sure on the size. I’m almost exactly the same size as you 5’9”, 160, 32” waist and my Large 9Ks, that were snug when I got them, have stretched out to the point of being pretty loose. I have to pull the belt almost as tight as it will go to keep them up. So I don’t know if I should go with the Medium ST, hoping it will stretch to give a little more room, or stick with the Large.

The 3S Pro is the second tier skate, but it's a significant step up from the 2S. It's nearly identical to the 2S Pro at a 25% discount. Honestly, it's almost identical to the Ultrasonic, with the exception of the unibody construction. Because of that new construction, I think Bauer is putting the Ultrasonic in a new flagship category above the previous "Pro" label. So, 3S replaces 2S, 3S Pro replaces 2S Pro, and US sits above them. Now you're getting the previous top tier skate at a lower price to reflect the lack of premium technology.

Honestly, I find them to be a little wider. As mentioned earlier, I went from an EE width in the MX3 to a D width in the 2S Pro. And my 8.5D Ultrasonic goalie skates are a touch wider than my 8.5D 2S Pro player skates. I’d have to try on sizes to see, but I’m wondering if I could even get into an 8.5 Fit 1 Ultrasonic player skate, when a previous Supreme D should be a new Fit 2.

Keep in mind that Bauer only has one curve option at retail on its composite sticks, P31 mid curve. CCM only offers two, both heel curves. Honestly, I don't know how many goalies shop for a curve. There isn't too much variation with them. I think with goalie sticks people are shopping a price point and paddle length and taking whatever curve it is. Goalies that are good enough puck handlers that they shop for a curve based on that are so rare that stocking inventory for them doesn't make sense. That all being said, I have to go pro stock and get Bauer P34s because they have a lower lie, and I prefer the paddle shape of the Bauer Supreme sticks.

Yep, P92L5 is actually higher than P88 (listed as lie 6). That probably has to do with the rocker of the blade. In terms of lie, from low to high P88 ->/= P90TM -> P28 -> P10-> P92L5 -> P29 -> P92.

I coach adults in a learn to play clinic. Sometimes I have to play in the scrimmage at the end because there aren't enough guys there to fill out the benches. It's frickin' terrifying. I do throw on shins and a cage, but no pants, elbows, or shoulders. I'm constantly worried that one of them is going to be out of control and take me out. Skating in a league that level would be even worse because you'd have guys skating badly a lot harder with more motivation to make body or stick contact. I wouldn't be worried about me. I'd be worried about everyone else.

20 really bows it by committing to the loose puck on the chip, but not skating hard to get it. I don't know if he thought the LD was going to completely stop the forward's progress, or he was afraid to crash into the boards or ref. But 20 takes 3 strides to get to the loose puck and then glides the rest of the way letting the forward get there first. If he's going to commit then he has to get the puck.

I don't think it's interference. The defender didn't change his lane, he was playing the rub on the boards the whole time. He went stick on puck, the puck got chipped by, so he just kept skating. It's a good defensive angle. If he would have leaned on you or pinned you, then sure. But all he did was rub and then kept his feet moving. There's definitely a slash coming over the blue line. May have gotten the hands or stick, but it definitely got the shins, and then it looked like he turned the blade over and tried to hook/trip the legs. Right before the shot, it's a hook more than a slash as it was more of a reach than a chop. But it's still a minor either way. I don't think it's a penalty shot as you weren't really in the clear and it looked like you did get a scoring chance off.

Oates is doing skills coaching now. He does a lot with kids and junior players at my home rink. But he has had some NHL'ers and NCAA guys down here too.

If you want to stay with the P88 but get some more ability to elevate the puck, especially in close, then CCM's P90TM is your answer. As a P88 user that has tried P28, P92, P29, and P10 trying to get some more performance out of my shot and stick handling, I can tell you that P90TM is the most natural transition from P88 and did improve my shooting, stick handling, and passing.

Except it isn’t. The toe cap changed enough from the MX3 to the 2S Pro that I was able to switch to a D width from an EE. I needed the EE in every skate going back to the One90 only to fit my foot right at the base of the toe cap. The D width 2S Pro doesn’t have that problem. Sooo…

There were changes to the last because of the aforementioned footbed change and the toe cap design. That was confirmed to me by a product design and fit expert at Bauer. The last is 1/8"-1/4" shorter and the toe cap is more anatomically shaped, wider at the back, more narrow at the front.