Drop In, No Pads?

[Neo5370 132]

Is it bad etiquett to play w/o full or even half gear?

I mean I know it's fine to wear everything but shoulder pads.

But sometimes I don't even feel like putting breezers on so I just go, shins/elbows, sweatpants and a jersey.

I mean obviously the rink manager isn't going going to kick me off the ice (the rinks where I play either don't have or don't enforce a full equipment policy).

[Chadd 916]

Only if you act pissy when you get hooked, slashed or hit by a shot.

[Neo5370 132]

Well yeah. I figure if I get hurt I kinda deserve but not much goes awry too often.

I figure most of us used to or still do play street hockey w/ no pads.

And roller players don't always wear girdles and practically never shoulder protection.

[kovalchuk71 212]

And roller players don't always wear girdles and practically never shoulder protection.

Your talking about 2 totally different games there....

[Neo5370 132]

I was thinkin' about that but at drop in, no one hits and raising the puck and slappers are virtual no no's.

The only difference may be a bit of speed (depending on who's playing) and a harder puck.

But given the laid back nature of pickup/drop in, I feel pretty safe. Of course I am aware that accidents and the superstar pickup player can happen.

[Chadd 916]

I was thinkin' about that but at drop in, no one hits and raising the puck and slappers are virtual no no's.

The only difference may be a bit of speed (depending on who's playing) and a harder puck.

But given the laid back nature of pickup/drop in, I feel pretty safe. Of course I am aware that accidents and the superstar pickup player can happen.

What's wrong with raising the puck or taking a slapper? I bounce it off the glass on my outlet passes all the time and goalies have all that padding for a reason. Keep in mind all of my slappers come from the blue line and not the hash marks.

[Fletch 219]

I wear full gear at pick-up. Sometimes I'm tempted to take my cage and shoulder pads off, but I know that the second I do that I'm gonna pay for it. So I just leave 'em on.:)

[jrhky36 1]

the group i skate with hit and take slapppers. we play the game hard.

one time i took my visior off and promptly got a puck in the eye. only damage was a small cut to the uppper part of my eye lid, 3 stiches. now i wear a cage.

one time we had some guy show up and he wore only gloves and a helmet. well his morning didn't last too long. he was being a real ass from the get go. tyring to fight everyone including his teamates. i'm a the point and have a clear lane to shoot. so i rip off a slapper, guess who comes out to block the shot. asshole. he got the puck right in the shin. he dropped and started whinning, and then he wanted to fight me. so i just tapped my stick on his shin and down he goes again. needless to he tell his teamates this to rough for him and he's leaving. we have never seen him since.

moral to the story wear your gear even if there is no rule saying you have to.

[mickz 107]

I've seen some people play with only elbow pads, shin pads, skates, gloves and sometimes a helmet. I've got some friends that go with everything except the shoulder pads. But really, what's leaving out one piece of equipment going to do? I'd just wear full gear.

[Neo5370 132]

I was thinkin' about that but at drop in, no one hits and raising the puck and slappers are virtual no no's.

The only difference may be a bit of speed (depending on who's playing) and a harder puck.

But given the laid back nature of pickup/drop in, I feel pretty safe.  Of course I am aware that accidents and the superstar pickup player can happen.

What's wrong with raising the puck or taking a slapper? I bounce it off the glass on my outlet passes all the time and goalies have all that padding for a reason. Keep in mind all of my slappers come from the blue line and not the hash marks.

I just always heard it was like an unwritten rule that you don't lift the puck to high during drop in or take full on slappers w/ a crowd in front of the goalie.

Perhaps another reason for the no slappers unless it's 1 on 0 is cuz (where I've been at least) they allow all ages and skill levels on the ice at the same sessions. So on any given day you could have a college kid or former pro and a 7 yr old or a 70 yr old on your line.

[Fletch 219]

one time we had some guy show up and he wore only gloves and a helmet. well his morning didn't last too long. he was being a real ass from the get go. tyring to fight everyone including his teamates. i'm a the point and have a clear lane to shoot. so i rip off a slapper, guess who comes out to block the shot. asshole. he got the puck right in the shin. he dropped and started whinning, and then he wanted to fight me. so i just tapped my stick on his shin and down he goes again. needless to he tell his teamates this to rough for him and he's leaving. we have never seen him since.

LOL....nice.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I'd say its a no no. Shinny is 95% fun around here, but part of the fun is being able to race for pucks and such, if you're not wearing full equipmnent, 90% of the guys will let up on you.

[Jason Harris 31]

I find it depends on the drop-in whether there are slapshots. One of my drop-ins has slapshots at any time; another drop-in I can just kind of tell that slapshots are only okay if no one is in front of the goalie.

That said, I'd wear all my pads anyway because you can easily catch an edge and go slamming into the boards -- at least, I'm skilled like that.... :D

[Fletch 219]

In CA, I have never once played pick up and had guys get yelled at for taking slap shots. Or maybe the're just too scared of me to say anything. I'm intimidating like that. ;)

[GeeZa32 0]

I wear full gear at pick-up. Sometimes I'm tempted to take my cage and shoulder pads off, but I know that the second I do that I'm gonna pay for it. So I just leave 'em on.:)

Got one of my chiclets knocked out the other day at drop-in. I split time 50/50 between full cage and my pro wave visor....this was one of my visor days...

[freq019 0]

I remember one time at pick-up a college kid was bragging about not wearing a cup on the bench, then later in the game he went into the corner and speared himself in the nuts. Dropped lack a sack a potatoes. :lol: Karma I guess. There's always some incidental contact at pick-up so its kind of like play at your own risk, also there could be some newbie's there who can't skate or more importantly can't stop and sh!t happens, if you're willing to bear the consequences than have at it.

[chippa13 1844]

Unwritten pick up rules: You don't blast slappers with crowds in front. You don't play like there are scouts in the seats. If you're playing against a sketchy goalie, don't shoot from everywhere.

[Jim A 4]

I think you are just taking things into your own hands if you play without gear..

even on ice..i wear shoulders when i play pickup..too many wannabe's and never will be's trying to prove their worth..never mind the people who will go into a corner wrong and all of a sudden..bam....but then i again my shoulders are along lines of the old Cooper SP88's etc..

I just find it odd that people are willing to put faith into people they share the ice with for 90 minutes once in a while..and well the people i know the best..we battle the worst...

[2-Keys 1]

i always wear full gear for drop in. you could easily catch an edge and get hrut or someones stick could come up on accsident. its just not worth the risk

[Jim A 4]

2-Keys, like the Lexington, KY bar???

[hockechamp14 0]

Unwritten pick up rules: You don't blast slappers with crowds in front. You don't play like there are scouts in the seats. If you're playing against a sketchy goalie, don't shoot from everywhere.

So that means you're not allowed to try to score?

[Neo5370 132]

Unwritten pick up rules:  You don't blast slappers with crowds in front.  You don't play like there are scouts in the seats.  If you're playing against a sketchy goalie, don't shoot from everywhere.

So that means you're not allowed to try to score?

Would you crank a one timer w/ a 9 yr old kid in the slot?

Or even worse, what if the goalie is just a kid?

Age aside, there are people of all skill levels and there's no need to pull a michigan on someone learning the game. That kinda stuff discourages some people.

[Neo5370 132]

i always wear full gear for drop in. you could easily catch an edge and get hrut or someones stick could come up on accsident. its just not worth the risk

I feel that way about helmets now. Long time ago, I was at pick up but there were only 'bout 4 people so it esentially became sticks n' pucks.

I went to turn very quickly near the boards, lost my edge and went head first into said boards.

I gave myself a huge gash above my right eye and almost got a concussion.

[chippa13 1844]

Unwritten pick up rules:  You don't blast slappers with crowds in front.  You don't play like there are scouts in the seats.  If you're playing against a sketchy goalie, don't shoot from everywhere.

So that means you're not allowed to try to score?

Sure you're trying to score, but if you get the puck at the point with a crowd in front, send a wrister to be deflected or try to hit a guy at the post with a pass. If the goalie sucks, don't try to shell him, be happy he's there. Try to make plays instead.

The goal of pick up is to get a decent skate in, sweat a little, and have fun. There's no scoreboard, no trophy, and no contracts.

[2-Keys 1]

2-Keys, like the Lexington, KY bar???

haha no :lol: its short for my last name