eric42434224

Both the gloves and skates were from individuals.

Best part about them both is how much I paid for them. $60 shipped for the TPS (like my work with the Sharpie, huh?) $85 shpped for the Eastons both brand new. and $400 shipped for my custom s15's! Gotta love Eay. I have been working some good deals this month. Now whats next.....hmmmm.

The TPS feel a bit looser, but not by much. The Eastons feel a bit tighter and feel more protective and a bit stiffer. The palms are different with the TPS having a bit more supple feel. The gloves are actually quite similar, but I would give th edge to the TPS by a hair.

My gloves:

Cool. Are these a kind of "stock" custom? What I mean is, is this a pre-determined "package" of custom options that can be ordered? Also, I didnt notice much difference in the tounges, and actually, I think the stock tounge might give me more depth as it is thinner (not sure if it works that way or not. Anyway, how long have you had them? If you have had them for a while, have you noticed anything regarding durability? What about the weight and stiffness......did they affect you in any way? Thanks!

Absolutely. I asked specifically if the were custom fitted, or if they were the same 8.5 R as retail. He confirmed they were the same fit as retail, and said I could send them back if they werent. I tried them on and they fit just like my retail s15s did, with the exception of a bit more weight, and much more stiff.

New Skates. Custom s15's

Dude....you got shafted. Easton is spelled backwards! LOL.

TPS R8 Pro Lite (Black/Nylon) 14" (Not a lot of experience with gloves, so read review with that in mind) Fit - I changed to a 14" after my CCM Por stock 15" leather gloves. These felt better with a more snug fit, more mobile wrist (likely due to glove size and lighter material of cuff). I like this tighter fit, but I think they arent as tight as some, but certainly not as loose as others. Seems a nice middle of the road. 9.5/10 Weight - They seem very light, and I noticed this during a game. Coming from gloves in my youth (23 yrs ago), these seem like feathers. 9.5/10 Mobility - They seem very mobile to me, with a ton of wrist mobility, and with the segmented fingers it feels like I am wearing nothing at all. 9.5/10 Break-in - Non-existent break-in. Super soft palm, and super-flexible glove out of the box. 10/10 Protection - Have only taken light slash, run-ins, boards, etc, and have felt nothing. I am sure they arent the most protective, but easily protective enough for adult league. 9/10 Durability - Just got them, so I dont have much info along the lines of durability....we will see. 9/10 Intangibles - Very light, semi tight fit, very loose mobile cuff, very light. Super soft palm with digitech overlay....very tactile and responsive...no slip, and relatively cool (temp) glove. Also like the more traditional, plain black look. Got them for $50 plus ship so it was a good deal, but after using them, I would pay full price for them. Good glove. Conclusion - Affordable, good looking, light, no break in.....not much negative to say except that durability is not known. Final Score: 9.5/10

But if someone made the trip to see you, you will still do it?

How can you do a custom fitting without being there? If you can, let me know, and we will talk about making it worth your while.

To be honest, I dont have much to compare them to. I am new to hockey after 20 yrs, so I am new to OPS as well. I was given the 2 silver, 1 blue, and one yellow Synergys from my team captain. They were pro used, and they are amazing. The two red and one blue I bought. They seem to be very tough and durable, which is what I like. Get a good shot off them as well.

Foot spec - Wide forefoot, avg heel, avg arch Last skate worn - Bauer Supreme 50 6'-0", 210 lb, Defense I wore the Supreme 50 for 2 months upon my retrn to hockey after a 20 yr hiatus. I knew the name, and they were reasonably priced on clearance. Unfortunately, the seam where the toecap meets the skate dug into my toe causing serious pain and damage. it was too painful to finish barely one hour, so I knew I had to switch. Tried on all Bauers, including the one90, and they all got me right in the toe area. CCM's didnt seem wide enough either. No RBKs to try on. So I tried Easton....specifically the S15....and it fit like a glove. Here is my review after 2 months: Fit - These skates felt like they were made for my feet out of the box. No pressure points at all, and no seams at the toebox....as it is a full composite boot, there are really no seams at all. It felt like heaven to have a skate fit like this. I skated on them the first day, without baking, and they felt great. Got them baked the next day, but really didnt notice any difference in fit. They still fit great to this day, and I skate with no pain whatsoever. I think they may not be deep enough for me though, but it hasnt seemed to affect me in any way. The tounge was wierd for me at first, but I havent noticed any ill effects like lace bite. 9/10 (-1 for depth) Blade/Holder - The Razors with the cut out steel are lighter than the tuuk's on the 50's I had, and I was concerned at first about them. The guy at the LHS said the tuuks were better, but just to use the Razor until they failed, and swap the tuuks from my bauers. So far they havent been a problem. The razors feel lighter, and sound different when digging in on a turn, but aside from that, there seems to be no problems with them at all. Just like the look of the tuuk better. 9/10 Weight- Super light, as you all probably know. Took about 15 minutes just to get used to them. Seems that the other brands (bauer 0ne95, rbk 9k, ccm u+) are all light now too, so it isnt such a unique feature. still, they are very light. 10/10 Protection - Very protective. I am a defensman, and I block shots regularly. I have taken many shots off the skate from differing angles. None have cause any pain at all, and some I can hardly feel. Only cosmetic scrapes to the composite shell. Tounge not as much....some shots off the tounge did hurt. Did do some damage to the leather, and will address that under durability. All in all, for protection for your feet, they really do a great job. 9/10 Durability - Here is the skates achilles heel. The glue has started to fail, and the leather is coming off from the composite. This seemed cosmetic at first, but it is clear that it can and will become structural. The single stitching is coming undone as well. This will eventually cause the failure of the areas where the liner and leather are attached to the composite (ie - lace area), and can cause the failure of the structural integrity of parts of the boot. Easton seems to have realized this, and I have seen the second generation s15, which is said to have improved glue, and double stitching. Easton said they will replace mine with the new, and hopefully it will clear upmthe durability issue......only time will tell 5/10 Conclusion - Very comfortable skate. Very protective skate. Very light skate. Performs and feels great. I prefer a more traditional looking skate, but these days, that is hard to find. Durability seems to be the issue here, and hopefully Easton can address it. Overall - 8.5/10 UPDATE: After 3 months, I am sending them back to Easton. I tried to keep the leather from seperating too much by keeping the skates extra dry, using a fan after each skate, and using super glue. Even with all those efforts, the leather has come completely off on some areas, exposing the joints in the composite, and allowing moisture into the skate. Not good. Also, the screws on the holder keep coming loose. I have also cancelled my replacement pair, as I am not confident that more stitching or new glue will be a permanent solution to attaching the leather to the composite. I think I will be opting for another skate. New assesment: FIT - 9/10 HOLDER - 8/10 WEIGHT - 10/10 PROTECTION - 9/10 DURABILITY - 3/10 OVERALL - 7.5/10 UPDATE: 12/9/08 I got the Custom Pro S-15's back in August, and have had them for about 4 months right now. The difference between these skates and the retail versions (especially the 1st gen) are huge. FIT - The skates seem to be not only the same fit as the retail, but they seem to be made from the actual retail boot. The fit is exactly the same. That is where the similarity ends. Same 9/10 HOLDER - Same Razor Blade II holder, but this version comes with the solid steel runner. Obviously heavier than the retail parabolic runner, but they are much stronger and more stable....and seem to hold an edge longer....perhaps a different grade of steel. Upgrade 9/10 WEIGHT - Here is the downside to the Pro Custom model. They add an extra layer of the Carbon Fiber, as well as add rubber/synthetic leather type pieces right were the old ones would seperate from the boot. The shell is glued, riveted, and stitched on. The leather covers more area and is reinforced with extra stitching. The tounge is thick felt. They are also much stiffer. All this adds weight. Not overly heavy, but a noticeable difference. Downgrade 8/10 PROTECTION - Insane protection. The protection on the retails was great due to the hard composite outer shell.....but with two layers? Absolute TANKS. Upgrade 10/10 DURABILITY - All durability issues have been addressed. I have had these for 4 months and there is zero seperation of the leather from the composite. The new rubber toe covering is almost completely intact. They almost still seem new. Still as stiff as when I took them out of the box. Incredible. Never thought I would say it, but I think my S15s will last 2 years? At 3 months, my retail s15s were literally falling apart. Upgrade - 10/10 CONCLUSION. - If the s15 is the skate you want for fit, protection & performance.....do not buy the retail versions. We all know the durability issues. If you can handle the increased weight, these skates are for you. I have seen them being sold on Ebay all the time. I got mine for $400 shipped....woth every penny. TOTAL - Upgrade to 9/10

Helmet - Bauer 4500 and cage (black with grey cage) Gloves - CCM Pro Leather (all black) Pants - Bauer Vapor XV Lite Shoulder and Elbow - Bauer Classics Jock - RBK 3k shorts Shin - CCM Vector 4.0 Skates - Easton s15 Sticks - 4 Easton Synergy Pro Stock (Hill), 2 Easton Synergy ST (Heatly)

I was in the restaurant business for a good 15 years. Cooking, Bartending, and waiting tables. With that knowledge and experience, knowing how hard a job it is, I will NEVER tip less than 20% if the service is adequate. If a server is exceptional, I will tip 25%. 15% for an idiot.....maybe. Seriously, if you cant tip 20%, then fix your own dinner and eat at home. Tipping isnt mandatory..... if you are a cheapskate loser. I have never worked at an establishment where you are paid minimum base wage. And none had health insurance or any other benefits. These servers work very hard, and many times dont even have a steady income (bad weather, out of busy season, and BAD TIPPERS). Just be a good person and tip 20%. On a $100 dinner, the difference between a 15% tip and 20% is a measly $5. Not much to you, but it means a lot to a waiter or waitress. You can talk about the pet peeves of these people coming in and asking for discounts, or rude customers.....but that is exactly what I felt about bad tippers. If you cant tip 20%, just stay home. Or go to Taco Bell. You dont have to tip there. Frankly, I dont see the difference in someone being cheap and asking for a 20% discount on $12 elbow pads, and someone being cheap and tipping $7.50 (15%) on $50 instead of $10 (20%). The cost of the meal includes service, and you should take that into consideration......if you cant, enjoy the burrito!

Just started playing after a 20+ year hiatus, so I ahvd to buy all new equipment. Skates - Easton Stealth S15 Helmet - Bauer 4500 with full cage Shoulder - Bauer Classic Elbow - Bauer Classic Pants - Bauer Supreme 50 Shin - CCM Vector 4 Gloves - CCM Leather pro stock Sticks - Easton Synergy pro stock (Hill)