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flip12

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Posts posted by flip12

  1. Posted · Report reply

    I tried a chrome cage once and it was a major nuisance, though not because of the color but because of the glare. It reflected so much light it felt like 30 constantly moving tiny flashlights pointed at my face. I usually wear a black cage and don't really notice it. It's not like I ever forget I have it on, but I also never feel like it's interfering with my vision of the play or the puck. That blame usually lies with something not quite right with my stick setup.

  4. Posted · Report reply

    1 hour ago, Nicholas G said:

    I don't think top of the line Bauer or CCM skates are nearly as durable as they should be for their price point. IMO, the new Vapor skates look  kind of cheap compared to the FT2. That's ugly bright yellow and such really devalues the look of the skate. 

    Ketchup, mustard, and bratwurst is the theme of this generation of Vapor sticks and skates, so at least it’s consistent if not really coherent.

  8. Posted · Edited by flip12 · Report reply

    11 hours ago, Kgbeast said:

    The Graf insistence on 2-piece goes beyond fit. Actually fit would not be a problem in all plastic boot as that can be molded to whatever shape with modern methods. Graf's thing is also about that different parts of the boot need to have different stiffness and flex, which is not possible if the whole thing is made of one material. Bauer not into monocoque stuff either. Seems like CCM does it to be competitive with Bauer under assumption that it has something  more cutting edge. Not sure if they themselves believe into monocoque thing. I have not really heard any convincing argument for monocoque construction, just some waffle about the energy transfer which is rather questionable. But hey, heart wants what heart wants.

    I wouldn’t change that either. That’s another thing I think Graf gets more than the other skate brands...though I suppose it’s impossiblebto refute the simple counter-argument that other brands only make their skates stiffer than stiff across the entire boot because that’s what the customer wants; on the other hand Bauer and CCM have begun to walk back their overzealous boot stiffening of late.

    Again, look at Viking speed skates: they’re not nearly as stiff as competitors’ boots, but they’re still popular and skaters wearing them still figure in the medal count. They’ve meshed the integrated outsole-quarter piece and managed to maintain their optimal feel of stiff down low and softer on top.

    The marketing of the one piece boot is often a bit wishy washy, but I definitely notice a difference in high speed turning stability and more immediate response wearing my MLX compared to Graf. There are still things, previously mentioned, that I still prefer from my Grafs. But when I swap them out for MLXs mid-session, I feel the performance boost instantly. I’m starting to wonder if this has less to do with there being less material or fewer parts in the boot-holder junction and more to do with the boot better resisting torsion.

    I’ll add some visual materials to show where that thinking comes from in a little bit. I think I’ll have to dig around to find some images and also probably sketch some others. I just want to finish this monster post, “Sorry,” with this: whatever the cause, I definitely do believe in the benefit of the one piece boot...not that I think it has to be one chunk of a shell, but that the effect of those skates is very real, and I’d bet the future of hockey skates 10-years down the line.

  9. Posted · Report reply

    11 hours ago, AnimalFear said:

    I understand that, but they say that the two-piece quarter package/heel part is the reason why they fit so well, so going to a more traditional one-piece construction would require losing their calling card in terms of being such comfortable fitting skates.  Then again, Graf is basically just barely surviving at this point because of a perceived lack of desire to innovate, so perhaps you are right and they should offer a new line that has the one-piece construction.  

    Right. I’d try integrating the parts quarter A - outsole - quarter B into a butterflylike unit, leaving the heel part to be stitched up the same way they’ve been doing for decades.

    Viking’s heel cup is similar, but I picture the approach I’d try changing less about Graf’s assembly process.

  10. Posted · Report reply

    22 minutes ago, AnimalFear said:

    They are very adamant about the two-piece construction being a big factor for why they fit so well, so i doubt they would stray from that.

    I wouldn’t change the various Graf fits at all, just update the boots’ materials and construction.

  12. Posted · Report reply

    On 6/17/2019 at 2:02 AM, Sniper9 said:

    True skates are built from the last inside out, starting with the liners placed on the last itself and then built all the way out to the trim. 

     From the videos Ive seen for CCM, Even for total custom CCM skates, they use high pressure moulding of a pre made quarter package onto the individual's last, which imo, is just like heat moulding but on steroids. 

    Also, CCM saying their boots are "one piece" is kind of false advertising imo, as you can clearly see the crease/ line on the heel area, similar to the joint on the old "one piece" fused sticks. 

    Just wanted to refresh this line of this thread because I unsurfaced this while digging through Sport Maska (CCM) patents on Google Patents:

    imgf0009.png

    Here's the patent, Skate and method of manufacture, from 2014: https://patents.google.com/patent/EP2932864B1

    That's the closest I've found to an inside look at what could be an indication of how CCM's OPBs are made. It's the same mold form I was envisioning creating that seam trace you can see along the middle of the shell.

    • Like 2

  13. Posted · Report reply

    On 7/29/2019 at 9:45 PM, AnimalFear said:

    Tackla has always, in my opinion, made the best pants and girdles.  They have a couple of models available on different sites: 

    The classic 4500 girdle (I used one for years and liked it much better than my Bauer girdle): https://www.icewarehouse.com/Tackla_Ice_Hockey_Girdles/catpage-TACKLAGIRDL.html

    The new Breezer girdle (which I've heard is incredible): https://www.hockeymonkey.com/tackla-hockey-girdle-breezer-sr.html

    Good luck!

    IceWarehouse has the 4500 weighed in at 775g for a medium, compared to 975 for the True XC9, 1043 for the Bauer 2S, 1308 for the Bauer S190, 1459 for the CCM 7092, and 1577 for the CCM Super Tacks. I know weight isn’t the be all, end all, but that’s a huge savings. How does it compare protection-wise?

    *The heavier ones include shells. So maybe the difference isn’t so great after all. The Tackla’s still lighter than the next lightest by 200g, though.

  14. Posted · Report reply

    1 hour ago, IPv6Freely said:

    Maltese is dead 🙂 You'd be looking at ECOproFOAM which like Maltese I don't think is available in sheets. That said, there are plenty of other HD airgel products out there. PAW sells some here: http://www.protectiveathleticwear.com/materials.htm

    Personally I'd be looking at a synthetic suede (like nash) or something (same link as above) if you don't want the mesh. That's what's used on the inside of the Passau goalie knee pads:

    I think a thin Airgel layer with a layer of low density foam for comfort, wrapped in either spacer mesh or nash depending on your preferences. You've got me thinking now... I have Mako shins that I loved the fit of but the padding flattened out. Was going to toss/donate them but maybe I could come up with a new liner... 

    Thanks for the updated info and the link, I didn't even know about Maltese's end.

    Definitely keep us informed if you go for it yourself. It'd be cool to compare notes 🙂

  15. Posted · Edited by flip12 · Report reply

    The fabric store I know of here didn’t have any hd foams, just squishy options for stuffing teddies and decorative pillows.

    I just remembered there’s also somewhat of an ingredients list on product tags too, and I usually neglect to remove those. I don’t have access to my equipment at the moment, but I could read from a tag on some Jofa elbows on eBay that they contain polyurethane foam. The density rating is just the weight of the sheet at a certain standard size, if I’m not mistaken, so it would just take some math to figure out the density of my stock liners.

    @IPv6Freely thanks for the suggestion of spacer mesh. I was considering something gummier like EVA or Maltese Gel as a thin outer layer, for a bit more suctioned lock feeling against the leg, but I’m thinking the spacer mesh could have enough cushioning to make that spongier layer for the leg contact side unnecessary. My main problem with the stock liners is that they just feel so alien against the leg, but I love the fit of the shells.

  19. Posted · Report reply

    6 minutes ago, Giltis said:

    I like that the business part of the mechanism is recessed, I don't like the fact that it requires a tool, but it seems like the regular Bauer one needed a tool sometimes to release the blade anyway.

    The barb does in fact look quite long, but I trust that it's for a reason.

    It might seem like a let down that the release isn’t finger operable, but it looks like quite a firm lock and the tool head’s smaller diameter prioritizes the spatial compactness of the mechanism over tool less handiness. That’s the right order of priorities IMO. Also, it looks like a nice pocket size so an amateur coach can have  one for making quick swaps on the bench during games or practice.

    Can the skater do a swap on their own skates while wearing them?

  20. Posted · Report reply

    9 hours ago, Nicholas G said:

    To each their own. I prefer short cuffs, almost no cuff at all. 

    Indeed. I’m partial to not getting slashed on a naked wrist and smart designs that offer both fit and function. I have long arms, though. My XL 20K elbows stop a couple of inches short of my cuffs.

    • Like 1

  22. Posted · Report reply

    34 minutes ago, stick9 said:

    Yes, but those other brands are readily available at your LHS and have a bit of brand recognition. And its not like Base comes at a discounted price, $189 for a stick, $69 for a blade. Yikes!

    Brand recognition is a surcharge that doesn't necessarily translate to material quality. People on this board are interested in more than just the obvious floating on the surface of the pond. Base is somewhat hidden, but I've heard good things and the one blade of theirs I've tried has piqued my interest. $189 is relatively fair given the price of an original Synergy updated to reflect 20 years of inflation. $189 is also far from the most expensive stick on the market. Whether or not it qualifies as a "discounted price" is more complicated than I have the experience or materials to assess.

  24. Posted · Report reply

    2 hours ago, stick9 said:

    Hence the name Synergy - the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.

    I think I'd grab a halfway decent tapered shaft and a few different blades to start. But it sounds like we're past that point. The Sakic you remember is not the Sakic you see mentioned today (P92). It's deeper than the original and way more open. A real Sakic from back in the day is actually closer to a P88 than a P92, which most call it's clone.

    Base say they offer the original Sakic, though.

  25. Posted · Report reply

    The Synergy was one piece in that you picked the stick off the rack with a set flex and pattern and you could take it out to play. Under the finishing paint it was just a tapered shaft (T-Flex?) with a blade fused in at the factory. The two parts, the shaft and the blade, were molded individually and assembled at the factory. Synergys weren’t molded as true one piece sticks, like the Innovative True-1 was.

    Another company to consider is Base. They offer the original composite Easton curves, so they may have the proper Sakic pattern, if you’re picky about it. That pattern has been reinterpreted by the other companies’ offerings.

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