qmechanic

I mentioned this in the other BASE hockey thread -- it would be great to have the option of getting senior sized blades on junior pro shafts. I just bought a couple junior pro sticks from BASE and the size of the shaft was the same as my Warrior intermediate sticks. So it seems like this could be done, though of course, I don't know the details of running a stick factory. When I look at my junior pro BASE hockey sticks, the "intermediate" sized shaft narrows dramatically in width to accommodate the junior sized blade.

Do the Mako II skates come in EE for all junior sizes? I'm wondering because I have small feet and I can only find EE for size 4.0 and up.

I'd be interested in a few popular senior sized curves being available for the junior and junior pro shafts (for example, Bauer P88/P92/P09). I like a senior sized blade, but being a small woman, I'm forced to use intermediate sticks which aren't quite right for me. They are usually too stiff and too long ( have to cut 6 inches off an intermediate).

I'm small, so I wear junior gloves. I ordered a pair of MX3 gloves to try out because my TotalOne gloves are wearing out. The cuff seems similar in mobility. The one big difference is the MX3 is huge. I had to go down 1 inch in size so that the MX3 cuff didn't interfere with my elbow pads. And whatever outer protection they have on the MX3 makes the glove look gigantic compared to the old TotalOne. Finally, I feel like the palm is slightly bigger on the MX3 (even after going down 1 inch in size) compared to the TotalOne. My fingers are spread a little wider in the MX3. Overall, the MX3 seems like a nice glove, but to really compare to the TotalOne, I would need to play in it for a while and break it in. I also tried the CCM 28K gloves (no 30K in junior size) and they seemed very nice, too. I would say they fit better for me than the MX3, but this is with no break-in. I'm not a glove expert or stickhandling wizard, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. But hope this helps.

I think it's best to go with a cut-resistant sock, to avoid a gruesome skate cut injury. I've tried both Bauer and Swiftwick and they were both good. There are a few other choices as well (though I haven't tried those). Easton socks are very thin, if you want a thin sock.

That's why I still wear my Reebok 7k shoulder pads. Why does everyone make the caps so big now??

For a more extreme data point, I weigh 120 pounds. I am a good but not amazing skater. In Massachusetts, I skate on a 1/2" hollow and 95/75 FBV. In California, I might opt for a sharper hollow.

Is the Supreme 190 pants the same as last year's Supreme One.8 pants?

Updated Skates: Nike Bauer XXV (new) Protective: Jofa 9400 shin pads Tackla 9000 Air pants CCM Tacks 452 elbow pads Nike Bauer Supreme 70 gloves (new) Louisville TPS 808 shoulder pads Nike Bauer 8500 helmet with FX-50 combo Mission Deluxe Ultimate long sleeved compression shirt UL 600 (new) Itech Jill short Gladiator Pro custom mouth guard (new) Sticks: CCM Vector V10.0 Catapult junior flex, Recchi pattern (new) Bauer Vapor XXX Lite junior flex, P88 pattern

Undergarments: Underarmour Heat Gear t-shirt and Itech Jill short Skates: Graf Supra 502 with Bauer waxed laces and Superfeet grey Skate socks: Ultimax Liner socks Shinpads: Jofa 9040 Pants: Tackla 9000 Air Elbowpads: CCM Tacks 452 Gloves: Eagle X40 gloves Shoulder pads: Louisville TPS 808 Helmet: Nike Bauer 8500 helmet with Itech FX-50 combo Mouthguard: Shock Doctor Gel Max strapless mouthguard Sticks: TPS XN10 Tkachuk junior flex stick, Easton SL grip Forsberg junior flex stick, Bauer XXX Lite P88 junior flex stick, (just ordered) TPS R8 Nash whip flex junior stick

Reviewer Stats: 5'2", 130 lbs Player level: Intermediate, play on women's team Usage Before Review: 1 year Installed on: Bauer 8500 medium helmet Previous Gear: Bauer 4000 with black Bauer cage, Bauer 4500 helmet with Itech 920 Combo cage Product reviewed: Itech FX50 combo, standard size Fit Fit will probably vary a lot depending on what helmet and what size helmet you have. The FX50 comes in two sizes (standard and small) and I got the adult size (standard), which fits perfectly on my Bauer 8500 medium sized helmet. The width of the FX50 matches the width of the Bauer helmet exactly and the forehead to chin length of the FX50 is also just right for my head (i.e. if the length were too long, the chin cup wouldn't hit my chin). My only complaint is that I installed the J-hooks on my helmet and sometimes the alignment of the FX50 gets screwed up so that I can't get the edges of the cage to fit into the J-hooks very well. I have to bend the plastic J-hooks a bit. The FX50 was easy to install on my Bauer 8500 helmet. All the hardware for installing the FX50 was included in the package. The only thing I had to supply was a screwdriver. I did have to play with the plastic hinge and the plastic J-hooks a little to get the combo aligned with my helmet. I know when the combo is aligned when the edges of the cage go smoothly into the J-hooks on the helmet. 9/10 Protection I play in a women's league during the regular hockey season and in a co-ed recreational league during the summer, so I never have to deal with any high-flying shots. There might be the occasional high stick, but the FX50 hasn't been really "tested" in my recreational play, so you should take my rating with a few caveats. 10/10 Weight Any combo/shield will definitely be heavier than a cage. That is probably the one thing I don't like about combos/shields. I like to be able to lift up the cage/shield/combo and have it stay in place while I take a drink of water or wipe down my face. However, the FX50 wasn't any heavier than the other shield I used, the Itech 920 Combo. 5/10 Durability I've been playing with it for a year now and have had no problems. I got one scruff mark on it when I fell down on the ice and someone knocked their stick blade on the shield part of the combo. I'm still using the shield as the scruff mark is relatively minor. I rarely have any problems with fogging. And when I do (which might happen every 10 hours of ice time), I just apply some anti-fog with an Itech anti-fog wipe and I'm good to go. I don't have any problems with scratches, either. I just make sure to put my helmet in a bag after I finish playing. 8/10 Intangibles The main reason I got the FX50 was because I noticed that many of the advanced players seemed to use shields/combos as opposed to cages. The vision was outstanding, crystal clear. I don't feel like I'm looking out of a shield at all. I tried the Itech 920 Combo right before getting the FX50 and the vision I get from the FX50 is much better in comparison. The shield makes my head look like a bubble. It's not very attractive, but then again, I use it for the clarity of vision, not looks. Conclusion I'm very pleased with the FX50 and highly recommend it. It gives me great vision while still providing adequate protection. 9/10

Hey godiogo. Actually, I'm wearing an Itech FX50 combo. I really like it. As long as I remember to apply some anti-fog to the shield every couple of games, the FX50 never fogs up on me. The vision is outstanding. I've scruffed my shield a little bit, but it's still usable. I really like the fact that you can pop the shield off and replace it without any tools. The only potential problem you might have is the size. I've read complaints that the FX50 does not fit large heads. Unfortunately, the FX50 only comes in one adult size: standard.

I picked up some professionally shot photos from a tournament ("Stick it to Brain Tumors" in Schenectedy, NY). I was ripped off, oh well. Here are some pictures: