wildebeest

I finally got every single piece of my old, smelly, play-it-again-special stuff replaced... yay for my car not smelling like the locker room at Oceanside Ice!! Helmet: Black CCM 692 with an itech shield (the $30 one, whatever it's called) Shoulders: RBK 9K. snug, light, protects my flimsy right shoulder, got it for super cheap. Elbows: TPS FLEXOR!! They fit good and they sound like they'd be a cool name for a robot. Gloves: Easton Air something-or-others, I don't remember the model. They're black, the back looks kinda square-ish and they have the little Wrist Wrap II thing that comes all the way out to the bottom of my elbow pads. Pants: Hespeler GX Vintage -- padding where it counts, they fit like no other and they look super old-school. Gretzky wore 'em, 'nuff said. Shins: Itech Techlite 255. The only pair of shinguards I've ever seen that actually fit all the way around my calves. I took the little removable pad out of the shin area and they feel sooooo gooooood. Skates: CCM Tacks 492 for serious playing -- They feel good enough to sleep in. And some old Bauer Chargers for just putzing around because they weigh absolutely nothing and I can skate super low in them. I use nothing but Sher-Wood woodies with the John LeClair pattern. I usually buy 2 or 3 at a time whenever I see them because I don't think they're being made anymore. :(

I second the Silvertide mention, along with Lucero (from Tennessee, not Mexico), Farside, Hot Water Music and call me old.... Pearl Jam.