stick9

Retail level. The ones I have talked to said it was mostly due to the 90 day guarantee.

It was a little of both. Look like it was a good call on their part. I see way more players in CCM now than I did 3-5 years ago. That makes zero sense. You don't buy custom skates to "try" them and it's not like they can reuse/resell a custom skate.

As I understand it, yes. Each pair is covered under the 90 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're buying multiple pairs. You may want to double check the wording of the guarantee to be safe. Also, I believe only the initial purchase is covered. If you exchange them the newer pair is NOT covered.

Yup yup. 64" sticks are not their own beast. It's a standard length shaft with a 4" extension added.

Wow, impressive. Thanks for posting Ben.

Try some "Bone Conduction" Bluetooth headphones. They don't block off the ear canal like earbuds do. If you keep the volume reasonable you should still be able to hear what's going on around you. They may or may not work with your helmet/mask.

@Monty22 Like this... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B3XJVSRD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Cant say whether or not that specific adhesive would work on a skate. I'm sure there are similar products with a higher strength adhesive.

Yup, 100%. Charlie and the crew at 5ivehole were excellent to work with. I highly recommend them. I've also used TSR's team sales group. They do unis and swag for a lot of local HS and college teams. The other place I dealt with was homegrownsportinggoods.com. They were reasonably priced and had a decent variety of options. One downer there was they have minium order quantity of 10. Which is kind of a pain if you want or need to replace a jersey or two. Overall, 5ivehole is the way to go.

Does dropping down a model really give you a more flexible boot while still maintaining lateral support and offer premium features? The real answer is No it won't.

You aren't the only one. As I said, you and I are roughly the same size and there are plenty of other members here in the same boat. Anyway, I wouldn't get too caught up in what a stick might be or a specific number. Focus more on how it feels when you play. It might take a few tries to find the right stick.

@AnimalFear CCM offers 70 flex senior sticks at retail. We're similar in size and I much prefer the 70 flex senior stick to a 75 or even 67 flex intermediates. I'm pretty sure Bauer offers a 70 flex too. But that might only be available through the MyBauer program.

That's exactly what he's doing. For whatever the reason he likes old ratty ass gloves. Also, I don't know if you noticed but one glove is a covert the other is an Alpha. Relicing is taking something new and making it look old. This is more like Eddie's Frankenstein guitar.

Do you guys really think CCM put out baking instructions without checking the time and temps?? Come on guys, that basic engineering. They know better than that. Looks to me like a textbook example of overbaking or pulling way to hard on the laces when warm.

Yes, my current skates are intermediates.

TSR 10,000% They're one of only a handful of shops that know what they're doing.

Pretty normal. I wear a size 9 shoe and fit comfortably in a size 6 skate. I can drop to a 5.5 but it's a little tight.

Have you tried the non Pro Trigger? Might be a nice middle point for you. I have both. The Trigger 5 feels a touch lighter or better balanced then the FT3's. Still prefer the jetspeed.

LOL, you have no idea. I've bought and sold more sticks than some shops I've been to. What I've learned is it's way more important to find something that suites ones own skills. I don't think a stick will make you a better player. I do however believe the wrong stick (pattern, lie, flex) can negatively impact your game. Funky pro player patterns are fun to fool around with but they hardly ever work and in the off chance they do, now you are stuck combing the earth for John Smiths sticks. And, no matter how many you have, you always feel compelled to buy more.

Whos to say what works for McKinnon will work for you... What works for you may not work for me... There is more to it than just curve of the blade.

oaf, that stinks. I was thinking about trying one now that they offer a P90TM (Benn Pro). Not after reading this.

Do yourself a favor and try some modern pants on and see what you like the best. FWIW, pro-stock pants aren't always the best option. Nor is a girdle.

I totally get it. Personally, I think it's better to be prepared in case something does happen. I never understood the love for those old foams. Newer helmets are so much more comfortable and the look side of it is silly. The only time you see your helmet is when I put it on. But it's hockey. Guys NEED to wear the same stuff they wore when they were 12.

Good lord, that can of worms again. You don't need to hit your head to get concussed. It's happened to me. No helmet on the planet can slow the brains movement within the skull.

For me, lacing the top eyelet is the mobility issue. Some skates I can lace all the way up, some I can't. My 100k pros feel the best when I skip the one down from the top. Sounds odd, but its the perfect amount of lateral support and forward flexion.

Yup, 100%. I have a buddy who replaced his old LS2 with LS4 and couldn't stand how the steel felt. I sent him all kinds of info about profiling and even offered to take them to a reputable shop for him. He ended up exchanging the LS4 for LS2, said he couldn't be bothered to relearn how to skate on new steel. I'm fairly certain he would have paid someone to grind the LS4 down had I not said something to him. Honestly, the same goes for new skates. No matter how many times I caution people about the stiffness and height of the boot I still hear people complain about not being able to skate in the new ski boot skates. Dude, just drop and eyelet and get a decent profile....