halfmoonyote

MLS... Can you tell me any more about what you thought of the ST? I'm about to pull the trigger on another S17 or an ST. I know looks mean nothing, but I think the new ST is a really nice looking stick. You mentioned it feels light, bur I saw it listed at 510grams on TotalHockey. Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Because I couldn't find an 'official' Blues thread to post this question in...does anyone know what pattern Cam Janssen uses? Is it just a simple mid curve with a squared toe? Thanks in advance...

I love Warrior stuff. Their sticks seem to be pretty popular in this area of PA, but surprisingly more with mens league, adult players than younger players. JMO I'm getting ready to try the Kronik next week. I was a huge fan of the Mac Daddy, durability notwithstanding.

2 new pair of Mission L7's... Made for Marcel Hossa during his brief stint with the Yotes. This is a ridiculously nice glove. Digital gussets and contoured palm...makes for an insanely flexible and functional glove...just a real beaut...the thumb on these is also a lot slimmer than the picture shows. I love gloves with a slim and shallow thumb. Radim Vrbata L7. Mesh gussets, contoured palm. I'm cutting off the oval pad because it serves no purpose. The size is listed as 15, but the hand width and depth doesn't feel any bigger, it's all in the length. Another really nice glove...

Maybe some of you guys that have followed the Flyers pretty closely can answer this for me... I always thought of Gagne as a highly skilled, sort of underrated, superstar. I have to tell you, since spending some time out in this part of the country, I think Gagne might be one of the most OVERRATED players in the entire league. All I ever see him do is float. I get that he had injury problems, etc., but he seems absolutely terrified of any contact, and has marginal hands. He plays a really sound defensive game, but I don't think his offense is anything special. When I look at Gagne, I see an average player. Am I way off?

New twig for me....Warrior Teppo Numminen HD Spyne. Basically just like his Montreal Euro curve, deep mid, very slightly open, squareish toe... I only got to use this for the first time today, and I love it.

My new Kotalik. Thanks Automorph. :) I don't know if anyone remembers some of my older Kotaliks, but I love the blade size. Sure, the curve is a radical departure from the extreme heel curves I typically like, but the Kotalik's blades are a little shorter - length and height - than most blades and it translates to unbelievable puck control. Side by side with a retail Sakic, the Sakic looks like a boat oar!

You have really nice taste in gloves Auto. Classy collection you have there. The Eagles are killer. I'm not a huge fan of RBK gloves, but the RBK Wild are just beautiful.

The game Carcillo played in London, ONT was disgraceful. He hasn't changed one bit since leaving the Yotes. Running around on his own personal agenda instead of doing what's best for the team.

Shane Doan pro stock U+. The curve is tough to explain, and the pic doesn't really show how it really is. It's sort of a heel wedge with a bit of toe. Pretty much matches other pro stock Doaner sticks I have, but the toe is definitely different and the lie is lower. Mission Titanium Tremblay pro stock. The finish of the stick and curve (Sakic) aren't anything particularly special, but I'm positively blown away by the performance and feel of the stick. Seriously, it's ridiculous, and one of the nicest sticks I've used.

Nice work Joey. Those Mission are beauts.

Speaking from experience, the SE has always been hit or miss for me. I'm not particularly abusive to sticks, and I've had SE's last me 3 months, and I've also had them last 3 weeks. The blades do typically have a tendency of softening up. As for the 'new' ST...has anyone used it, and can comment on their exprience? I'd like to buy one. I notice a few pros are using an ST dressed up like an S17 (Ryder, Letang, C. Long, etc), and I am very interested to hear if anyone here has used one. Thanks.

Special thank you to MSH Member hockeysc23 for this hookup... Another Kozlov to add to the quiver. This one has an interesting designation on the sticker inside the shaft. Evidently, this was from his first batch of Warrior sticks dated 11.1.08. The shaft shape isn't quite the same as a 'typical' Dolo either, but still amazing nonetheless. The blade is pretty much a spot on match to the Easton and RBK. Doesn't exceed 2.5 inches anywhere. It translates to ridiculous puck control....I read an interesting piece on Kozlov and his sticks, that he's a freak about his blade length and height. The toe isn't totally squared either, it curves on the bottom, so toe drags are still pretty easy. Isn't she lovely?

Yeah, she is hideously beautiful! To answer your question, I'm average height - 5'10 - but I love the way a higher/tighter lie plays for my style of skating and overall style of play. (like Hockeyman mentioned) I like playing with the puck closer to my body, and I can also get more efficient shots off. Ironically, it also allows me to control the puck more. Not that it would be an ideal setup for everyone, but it's one thing I've found that really works for me and my style of play.

It was Easton pro stock time at Halfmoon's den the last couple of days... This is the apple of my eye...Viktor Kozlov's curve is my favorite pro curve - bar none. Extreme heel curve, square toe with a 7 lie. The height of the blade doesn't exceed 2.5 inches anywhere, with a length of 9.5, so it's perfect for maximum puck control. It also has a pretty flat bottom, which makes it even more perfect. For me, that is. :) I can't begin to express how stoked I am to have this. Another member here is hooking me up with a Kozy Dolo... Kozlov S17 - Got this from a friend inside the Yotes organ-I-zation... Z Michalek SE16. It's a nice stick, but I'm not quite as stoked on this as I am the Kozzy...

Contoured palm compared with standard palm... Contoured: Standard:

Thanks for the compliments. As for the contoured palm vs standard palm...if you look at the bottom of the palm in the first glove - it comes straight across at the bottom, with a standard sized underside cuff. Compare that with the second glove, at the bottom it 'contours' down with a shortened underside cuff. It promotes and affords additional wrist mobility. I can take a better side by side shot to contrast the two. The gold material you ask about is a type of vinyl, for lack of a better word. It's not portofino, and it's not tufftek. Adam at Eagle recommended using it only as accents on a glove. Because I wanted the gold color, that's the only material he had in a gold. Jarkko Ruutu used the same material as accents on his Eagle gloves when he was with the Pens. Thanks! Yeah, it's making me want to start on another pair! :D

I had both of these made this past summer... First pair is a CP94 that fits like a CP95, just without the 5th roll. Used Eric Brewer's old CP95 as a model. Phoenix Tufftek, Goat Palm, goat gussets, straight backrolls, split finger, number stitched to cuff. I didn't like the limited wrist mobility of these, and I would never recommend anyone get Goat gussets - they are ridiculously hot inside... So I had these made next with a few minor tweaks... ...another CP94 style glove, but I went with a contoured palm with a shortened underside cuff. (compare the two. the first one had a standard palm) The wrist mobility in these is insane without sacrificing ANY protection. Phoenix Tufftek, contoured MSH2 Palm, mesh gussets, angled backrolls, split fingers, number stitched to cuffs, and "Savard" fingers. (shortened/widened) These are my main killers...

Hey Rust - it's stamped as 300, which I think is 80ish. The lie is about 5.5. I lined it up to a TPS Afino (5), and it's just a hair steeper, but not quite a 6. Are you righty or lefty? I saw a Hartnell (lefty, heel) Dolo Spyne for sale at the Flyers SkateZone about a week ago.

No, there is a spyne on the back of the blade. If you've never seen one up close, it's not as pronounced as youd think. I have retaped it since that first pic...But here is a pic of the back of the blade.

Just got some gloves and sticks from the Coyotes, and I'm particularly fond of this... Warrior Dolo Spyne Kyle Turris pro stock. He had it all gummed up with stick um, and I cleaned it up.

Yeah, the stick itself is one of Randy Jones sticks, but 59 yesterday was Garrett Klotz. Perhaps he's using some of Jones's quiver.

Mission Pure L7 Skate Other Skates Used: Mission S500, Easton Z Air, Kor Shift, Mission 120XP Height: 5'11 (and change) Weight: 210-215 lbs Size: 10 EE (wide foot) Usage: Average 3 times week over course of 12 months for this review – 2 hour sessions Prologue One thing to consider before reading this is my affinity for the ‘little guys’. For the companies with indie aesthetic and values, making products for core players. Some may call that a purist, elitist and BS attitude, but it’s just the way I roll. I will always go out of my way to support the little guys making killer products rather than the giants just making hype. Make sense? Mission isn’t the biggest guy on the block, and they don’t have the most marketing ‘firepower’ but they are doing their best to make products for you and I to enjoy and progress our individual games by. And a damn fine job they are doing…. Fit Prior to coming to the L7, I was in the S500, what is known as a Supple Fit skate also made by Mission. What I sacrificed for mobility in the S500 was the ankle support. The S500 is a lower cut boot that offers a ton of ankle freedom and mobility. Having snapped both ankles over the years from bmx, motocross and skateboarding, ankle support is a big deal for me. The L7 is a higher cut ‘stiff’ boot that offers considerable ankle support while not being overly restrictive. The forward flex on these isn’t the greatest the first few times you are out, but eventually break in a bit. They are heat moldable including moldable tongue, and conform beautifully to your foot with no hot spots after baking. Get ‘em baked once and they are fully ready to rip. The one drawback, for me anyway, about the fit is that there is just a bit of dead space around my left ankle, but I think it's due to the odd shapes of my ankles from previous damage. 9/10 Blade/Holder Not much else can be said about Pitch that hasn’t already been said. I will put the steel up against anyone’s in the business for longevity of holding an edge. Kor skates also feature Pitch holders/steel on their boots, and I’ve noticed that some pros around the NHL, including Scott Hartnell of the Flyers, use Pitch on a different manu’s boot. I use my Pitch on the +1 setting, but it’s all personal preference. +1 puts you in a little more aggressive stance, allowing you to get more out of your stride and promoting a good (and natural) knee bend. 10/10 Weight With the advancements of hockey skates in the last few years, I don’t think the L7 is the lightest boot you are going to find. Having said that, when you are my size, (that is to say, built like a man) the weight differential is hardly noticeable. If you are a player that needs the lightest skate on your feet, the L7 may not be for you, but it's certainly no slouch. But if you’re that hung up on counting grams, stick with Weight Watchers. 8/10 Protection Adequate protection. There are some thin spots around the boot that you don’t want to take a shot off of, but I guess the same could be said for any skate. The worst spot, for me, was taking a puck off the inside of the base of my big toe, where your forefoot bulges out. It didn’t feel too good. 8/10 Durability Because of my love and affinity for the L7, I bought up what I could buy up on closeout. I have the pair I’m currently using, and another few pair on backup. The pair I am currently in, I have been using for the last 12 months and they are still golden. One thing to consider, I take insanely good care of my gear. They come out of my bag as soon as I get home – it’s the first thing I do – and the insoles come out immediately to dry. The boot has not broken down one bit. I will say the forward flex is a little better now then when they were brand new, but 12 months will do that. Durability is one of the L7’s strongest attributes, and all told, probably one of the best value aspects of the skate. 10/10 Other As much as I love the L7’s functionality, I absolutely abhor the aesthetic of the skate out of the box. The ‘gradient color’ design is flat out nasty. As you can see by the pic, I like to customize my L7’s to look more traditional. I simply use some hockey tape to mask off the laces and logos, and hit the sides with rustoleum black. It works. But get your own ideas. Don’t bite my steez. Conclusion If you are looking for an affordable top of the line skate, the Mission L7 fits the bill. One of the most durable and performance driven skates you can still get. Obviously, they’re out of production, but you can still find them at various hockey retailers on closeout or the dreaded ebay. If you find something that works for you and you really believe in, make sure you buy some extra. There is a reason certain pros still use certain things made years ago. You know when something is perfect for you and your style of play. The Mission L7 skate is that product for me. People throw around ratings, that quite honestly, might not be the same for another user. I give the L7 a solid 9/10, but that is based on what the skates do for me, personally, and what is important to me in a skate. I hope I have given accurate accounts and descriptions on the actual functionality of the L7 skates without using typical buzzwords, cliches and hyperbole. Hopefully, someone can apply this to their own applications.

Not at all...the final price was a very reasonable $125usd, but the $35 shipping stung a bit. It's all relative. I had an opportunity to use the stick again last night and I can't say enough good things about it. I've never given much thought to shorter blade lengths, as they relate to control, before now.

Yet another pro stock TPS Response Lite for the quiver - Ales Kotalik game readied stick. I bought this off NHL Auctions, and I couldn't give a shit about the autograph, I obviously wanted it to use because it's a TPS and I've always liked Kotalik's pattern. I changed all the tape before using it. Kotalik blacked out only one side of the bottom half, and it was the 'outside'. What I didn't expect though, was just how nice the blade pattern really is. It's a moderate mid/toe with a nice open flair at the end. But the blade itself is shorter in length than a typical blade, and the bottom is pretty flat, no rocker, and it all combines for unbelievable puck control. I love this stick.