MLSman
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Posts posted by MLSman
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Speaking of navy, here's take two:Very nice...simple. I like the look of a single color on the Franchise. Tempted to do a pair of all black Hossa's with the CHI red replaced with MSH yellow...all tufftek with the carbon pinky.
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Eventhough McPhee adamantly denies the deal....
Volchenkov would be a welcomed addition to the Caps to solidify the D. They need D men that actually know how to play D. This will be an interesting off season starting July 1 for defensemen.
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Should've put the Sugar Bear on the thumb or something.Can't get enough of that Golden Crisp!
Aw yeah...."it's got the crunch with punch"
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This thread makes me want a custom pair of Eagles.Me too homes...those warriors look fantastic but to have a pair of CP92 Eagles in the 13 +1 fingers short cuff in classic MTLs....curses Eagle for killing the CP92!
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i was getting a little worried that i was the only nerd here. glad to hear my fellow hockey nerds are gear whores like me.p.s you guys "gearwhores" when it comes to tech stuff?
Uh....yeah. Ask JR...it ain't pretty. 3 Macbook pros, a Quad core 8GB server running Windows 2008 R2, and a NetApp SAN at home. I got issues...but since that is my profession, that spending can be justified. My gear habit however....
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I'm thinking about picking up a pair of X60 skates off of the internet. I don't have a local shop near me to try the skates on for size. Would much rather deal with a LHS but logistics make that tuff. I'm currently wearing a 7.5 DA in CCM U+. Would a pair of Bauer X60s size 7.5 DA fit me. Or how different would the fit be. Thanks for any input.No. The CCM U+ runs 1/2" smaller and at least a size wider than the X60. You would need the 8EA x60.
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Anyone is the DC/VA area doing FBV yet?
Kettler? Ashburn?
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Nothing too earth shattering...only thing catching my eye are the CLs in the Islanders colors. I want somma dose.
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Sorry buddy, but the analogy is like comparing apples to oranges, so most people are correct. This IS my industry, so yes we can be a bit corrective when inaccuracies are used as comparisons.
You are comparing an enterprise OEM license agreement with a Dell company per se...that will receive 75-80% discounts because they are licensing in the hundreds of thousands for a line of laptops...to your individual purchase of a retail OS. That's not even close. Enterprise license agreements absorb a significant amount of the R&D cost of the OS strictly due to the overwhelming volume that large hardware manufacturer's agree to purchase.
This comparison would hold (somewhat) true in the hockey industry if the entire NHL were to enter into enterprise level contracts vs team contracts with equipment manufacturers. Much more of the R&D cost would be absorbed by that volume.
All that said...the individual is absorbing the TOTAL cost of R&D as well as markup cost from the reseller when purchasing a skate at retail for a new item, much like the individual does when procuring Windows 7 at retail. When buying a laptop, you are the beneficiary of an enterprise OEM license agreement with the manufacturer of the system. There are very few comparisons, other than team contracts, that compare...but again there is nothing even remotely close to the sheer volume in the IT industry vs the hockey industry.
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At the MSH skate, both the EQ5 skates and the ST stick caught my eye. I damn near had the EQ5 in my hand for almost a half-hour. Looks like an interesting skate. Still not thrilled about the inability to do customs...that really is a major factor in considering a pair of skates with my long ass, high arch, narrow heel foot.
The ST stick however will be in the budget plan for 2010. It had a really balanced feel, was nice and light, and had the matte finish that I really like in high end sticks. I am so glad I don't have to whip out the black matte spray paint anymore.
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My closest hockey store is 1 hour and 45 minutes away, I'm not in there a whole lot but i had ordered lots of gear there, they know me well and if the right guy is working they almost always give me a pretty decent discount without asking.+1 for me too. Now that S&S is gone in Utica, the closest to me is McKie's in Syracuse, and that is almost 1.5 hours away. They keep consistent hours and have a very good selection, but I am at the point that retail stuff other than the odds and ends are just not up to snuff with pro stock gear I can get at the same price or less online...and I just can't deal with people that have no clue about equipment. Benji is really good there and their skate guy is good too, so I only go to them.
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UPDATE:
Three months later, I am still using the original CL from the first review. It is still retaining its stiffness, and feels the same as when I first used it. There are a few war wounds but no overwhelming chipping or cracking. The more I use it...the less I even try to use anything else. I plan to pick a few more up...especially when the Isles colors are released, since I use the Tavares curve.
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Product: CCM U+ Pro 2009 (Reloaded)
Height: 6' 2"
Weight: 160
Foot Size: 13 sneaker, 12 shoe
Level and use: 2-3 times a week, high level pickup play
Previous Skates: Vapor XXXX custom, One95, Vapor X:60
Background: I was debating on the skate I wanted for some time. After to speaking with the zen master of fittings and looking at different skates in the market, the decision was made to do a pure custom U+ boot to my requirements. So, a L8.5, R8.25 C/AA with pro stiff package, extra ankle padding, a 5/8" pro felt tongue, and no pre-drilled holes/holders were on the order. To my surprise, after a snafu on the stiffness, the second set came with a micro-nash liner. It compares to a single layer nash palm you would see on a pair of pro stock gloves.
Fit: Um...custom. :) After baking, there wasn't a hint of negative space in the boot. Almost everything I have ever worn in the past had some space in the width of the midfoot and the toecap. In this case...none. This does take a while to get used to, as your foot now has a "sock like" feel, so I could feel more of the boot than I ever did before. It takes about 3-4 skates in the boot for it to truly form after the baking, and leads to an amazing responsiveness. The only way I can describe it is that my feet now do what my brain tells them to do. 10/10
Blade/holder: I am not a big fan of the E-pro...just personal preference, not anything against the holder. I have worn LS2s since they come with most skates in the Bauer lines, but was always more of a fan of the TUUK Custom+. Since I have switched to defense as my primary position, I really like the -1/32 position the holder puts me in. Because I had two sets brand new, the zen master agreed on this decision and was honored to pop those on for me. Great move on our part. I will not give a rating here...just a recommendation that when it comes to building your very own custom skate...except no alternatives and use what you like.
Weight/protection: I did not get a chance to "weigh" these with the extra stiffness and padding in the ankles, but the difference in the retail skate in the same size is completely unnoticeable. Needless to say, these are by far the lightest skates I have ever owned. Playing defense, I have taken at least two shots right on the inside arch...and never felt a thing. The Surlyn exterior in combination with the pro stiffness certainly lends itself to an amazingly protective quarter. 10/10
Durability: After about 15 uses on one pair, and about 3 uses on the second...there are no signs of wear. With the nash liner, I was expecting it to wear faster than the traditional liner, but to my surprise I see no signs of any fraying or ripping. This boot is very well made. I do take extreme care of my equipment, so I hang and dry everything to prevent rust and mold. Both skates look brand new. 10/10
Intangibles: This isn't your everyday retail off the shelf skate. The attention to detail in the craftsmanship shows from the perfect spacing of the toecap to the quarters, the outsole, glue, stitching, eyelets, and the tongues. I want to personally thank whoever made these skates for me...they truly take pride in their work. These skates could last me about 2-3 years with heavy use. The zen master and I were in awe of the "pro spread" I had with the fit...the perfect lace spacing like you see in the big show. We got a kick out of that. 10/10
Conclusion: CCM made a convert out of me. Special thanks to JR, Cory from CCM, and everyone that made these skates worth the wait. This experience proves that although you might think you know what's best for you...you should listen to experienced people and be willing to take advice. I am glad I did.
Overall: 10/10
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David...we are all pretty happy to find out how it felt looking up at the scoreboard watching YOUR goal on the rafters....that had to feel...
Amazing
Streit's ankles must be killing him right now.
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I have a theory that 1 out of every 8 guys over the age of 18 who wear a full cage or full face shield at hockey have had some horrible injury to the face. I figure only about 12% of the population has the foresight to prevent the horrible injury. Everyone in a visor just hasn't had it happen yet.Not true.
Many of us that wear visors wear it because we just can't get used to the cage, and full shields were too hard to prevent from fogging. I wore an Itech II full through high school and in college during the season, and switched to the half shield in the summer at that time. I could never get used to the cage.
I have taken many a stick and puck to the chin. I bear the scars from my decision, but choose to live with the consequences.
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Bang!
Cracks the scoresheet.... 1 goal and 1 helper after 2....looks great today.
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I can't speak for others, but I know it makes it easier for me to hit the rectal g spot when I break my foot off in your ass.Leave it to Drew to quiet the crowd....but beware....JR and I will be bringing the 100 pack of Salada to tea bag the weak in December....
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CCM U+ CL
Flex: 87
Curve: Tavares Left
Height: 6' 2"
Weight: 150
Postition: D/LW
Time-frame of use: Since July
Aesthetics: Well put together. The matte sand grip surface is really good for holding on to the stick with little effort. I like the blue and black graphics...simple and tasteful.
10/10
Weight and Balance: Um....this is what the CL is all about. "Crazy light" might sound gimmicky, but this stick seriously feels like it should be weighed in micrograms. For such a light stick, it is very well balanced. An argument could be made that the stick is a little too light...but not from me.
10/10
Blade: The original U+ had a durability issue with the heel of the blade. The composite bridge material would chip away quickly, and would expose the hollow blade. This doesn't seem to be an issue in the CL. The blade is holding up very well.
10/10
Shaft/Flex: Shaft is well balanced and has maintained its flex with about 5 or 6 heavy uses. It feels like a spot on 85....almost reminds me of the feather-lite Easton shaft.
10/10
Stickhandling and Passing: Stickhandling has been a ton of fun with the stick, as the weight really makes it easy to dangle with the puck. Passing has been great...real crisp release and simple to float passes. The energy dampening system does make the feel of the puck consistent regardless of the velocity of a pass.
10/10
Shooting: Wow.
This is where this stick is like no other. My slappers and one timers have been insane. I have had issues with other tapered shafts, as the low kickpoint affected the speed and accuracy. I traditionally prefer traditional middle kickpoint shafts for shooting consistency. This is the first tapered shaft that has exceeded my expectations. I attribute a significant amount of this to the increase in swing speed from the weight. This is the one area where light really does matter.
10/10
Durability: No loss of stiffness, no chipping, no cracking...the stick still looks new. The sand grip finish is holding up really well. This isn't like the original U+.
10/10
Conclusion: I have been very critical of CCM with the original U+. When I first had the chance to see this stick at the Modsquad skate last year, CCM was very adamant about how different the stick was. In fact, the rep said "this is the best stick CCM has ever made". That's a bold statement for a company with their history, but he made a strong enough argument to have my attention.
After using it for two months I have to say the CL is the best stick I have ever used. Right now, it's got my vote for product of the year by a landslide...that is until I get my skates! :P
10/10
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While I agree with the theme of your post and the point you're making, NDA's are notoriously hard to enforce.True...if you are the small guy trying to enforce an NDA with the big boys. But take a look a the suit between Lockheed, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman right now. It's all over an NDA, and the agreement is being enforced by the courts.
NDAs are more enforceable than teaming agreements...those aren't worth the paper they're written on.
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Here's the thing - if you think you have a picture of something new, PM me first. I am willing to bet that I already have high-resolution pics, specs, release date and an agreement with the manufacturer's product manager as to when we're going to make the information public. That is what relationships get you.That being said, that day is coming really soon.
I think some people out in this forum forget that there are these thing called laws and lawyers...and in many cases companies have no issues exercising their option to use them to their advantage. In many cases people are bound by an NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement) which states that I will tell you some of my secrets and give you some pictures....but I will sue the crap out of you if you don't keep your mouth shut.
We usually don't mean to be assholes about things like that, but we also don't want to go broke because of idiots that don't use common sense about these things. Any information about a product before it's general release is ALWAYS under a form of an NDA. So those that have those agreements in place will most likely not break them....especially in a public forum....LIKE THIS ONE! When someone asks to stop posting pictures of pre-release items...it's not because he or she doesn't want you to know.
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I want me some of those Sabres pants too...great colors...so glad they went back to the old colors and got rid of the black and red.
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The Vapor 60 is NOT in the same mold as the XXX!Same profile maybe, but these skates are deeper it seems than the XXXX
I would guess a lot of people would have been a 1/2 size smaller in the XXXX than the XXX.
Very true. The 60 is not like the mold of the XXX. The XXX was not as deep as this boot, and generally the XXX was about a 1/2 size smaller than the XXXX ( I wore 9.5 in XXX and 9 in XXXX).
MLSMan has a prYepper!
Will post pics tomorrow...
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Wow...those Grabby Warriors are a work of art. I think the MTL colors are my favorite warrior color combo. You lucky dog!
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I don't get how the NHL doesn't think he's marketable. This guy can dazzle with the puck and that's all the kids like to do nowadays.Curious...why do you think that?
Have you seen the "NHL believes the game is in great hands" commercial? Freaking kid has ridiculous hands. I always watch Blues games on Center Ice, and they show that commercial all the time. Yes, I know it's not on versus or anything, but it's obvious that someone sees his marketing value for his unbelievable hand skills within the ST Louis organ"eye"zation. Lately, the only national commercials I have seen are the all star game spot, and the Colburn one...which I still think is good. All of the "is this the year" spots seem to have dwindled away.
Speaking of hands, that pass he made yesterday for the primary asst on the first goal...highlights his hand speed and timing. This kid is good. Give him another year or two and I can't wait to see where he will be then.
Blackstone Flat-Bottom V Thread
in Ice Hockey Equipment
Posted · Report reply
Hey bud...you might actually want to do the opposite. As your skills increase, the goal is not to go to a deeper hollow...it would make more sense to go to a shallower hollow. Shallow increases glide. The key is to find balance with the ability to turn and cut with increased glide. The challenge is to graduate from a 90/75 to a 90/50.