Hockey Gear.. Traditional or High Tech?

[BK 0]

I just finished looking at JR's pictures of the new ONE90s and the new NikeBauer gloves and I am having mixed feelings about it. For me, hockey has been about tradition and keeping things basic. Everything from gear to the game experience itself has stayed fairly static over the span of hockey's lifetime. Hockey gear still looks (more or less) the same as it did 20 years ago. This is a huge feat.. Dont believe me, just look at a picture of you 20 years ago. A lot of things have changed but somehow, hockey managed to stay pretty much the same. I am wondering about the future of hockey and its traditional roots when I look at the new NikeBauer gear. It looks like some companies are trying to push the envelope of hockey's "fashion" and the way the gear we wear should look. I mean, I look at the ONE90 and it looks like something out of a sci-fi movie.. not an ice skate. Along the same lines, I have always looked at gloves and enjoyed their simplicity. 4 rolls, leather or nylon, a little designwork and a soft palm make up what is the "traditional" hockey glove. There are not many frills and for most people, the simplicity of a glove is its selling point. If you look at a glove from eagle, dispite some of their trends (proglow etc), their gloves are fairly simple. When I look at the new offerings from Nike, I enjoy the new look, but wonder why all the frills, new ridges, complex designs and cool dodads.

I would like to hear your opinions on this (not just the new NikeBauer lineup), what you think about new gear in general. Traditional VS High Tech. Please keep it clean and respect others opinions on the matter.. no flaming please :)

[hurricane 0]

I just came back to hockey after a 3 year layoff. My last skates were bauer 5000 comps and a hybrid aluminum composate stick. So I was shocked when I wondered into my local pro shop, 500 dollar skates, 200 dollar sticks , 100 dollar helmets!!!! I was shocked but I learned real fast that alot of the new technology was for the best. Yes at first I was mad...I wanted my old leather skates and aluminum stick. but after buying and using some of this new equipment I noticed that it was alot better than the stuff I had. Mostly more comfortable and lighter. this new wicking material that is on the inside of the bauer protective 8000 line is so comfortable and the vapor XXX forward flex technology is awesome. lighter and stronger sticks. I have to say Yes $$$$$$$$ (big Bucks) but its worth it. I just want the Vapors to last longer and OPS not to break so easy....But it sounds the companys are already working on that. And one more thing, I have noticed that it has become very confusing..........That why i use this websight.

[jimmy 194]

Careful with your comments there or you'll be labeled "anti-Bauer"!

BTW, I agree with you, hook, line and sinker!

[Bruin88 0]

i am pro-bauer(that means i like bauer right?)

and those new one90 skates look like new oldschool skates ,they have a classic look but they also look high tech somehow.

[Vapor 0]

you say aluminum stick like it is traditional. I use an uncurved wooden stick. Why stick to tradition when we can use equiptment that fits, feels, and helps us "play better". Would you still use the same shoulder pads and shin gaurds from 1970? With technology comes better protection and preformance

[hurricane 0]

you say aluminum stick like it is traditional. I use an uncurved wooden stick. Why stick to tradition when we can use equiptment that fits, feels, and helps us "play better". Would you still use the same shoulder pads and shin gaurds from 1970? With technology comes better protection and preformance

I love all the new technology---That was just my first impression!

[Vapor 0]

i know, i just wanted to get my wooden uncurved stick line in

[JR Boucicaut 3805]

Just the natural evolution of hockey equipment. It is great to see companies not rest on their laurels and try to push the envelope. Mission started it years ago and has become a major player in the market because of that. The new NBH line really excites me on a gearhead standpoint.

[BK 0]

ADDED:

dont get me wrong, I am not any companie's fanboy. I am in no way trying to put down NikeBauer or any other company, but used their new lineup as an example because the new gear at first glance, looks rather extreme IMO.

Good posts so far! I am glad that Hurricane posted because I know he seen firsthand some of the changes.

Continue :)

[beaucoup_fish 0]

If there's a sport where the equipment has stayed the same over the years, it's baseball. Still using wood bats, still using some lovely leather gloves. I wish hockey would implement a wood sticks only rule...

[the iceman 132]

If there's a sport where the equipment has stayed the same over the years, it's baseball. Still using wood bats, still using some lovely leather gloves. I wish hockey would implement a wood sticks only rule...

True. The equipment stays the same but the drugs continue to 'evolve'.

[jimmy 194]

If there's a sport where the equipment has stayed the same over the years, it's baseball.  Still using wood bats, still using some lovely leather gloves.  I wish hockey would implement a wood sticks only rule...

True. The equipment stays the same but the drugs continue to 'evolve'.

tou chey! (sp)

[#28 0]

I really like all of the new technology but I still really like the traditional or simple look. I really like the simple look of the Graf 700 series. I also prefer a traditional looking glove such as my Mission M-1 gloves or the new L-7 gloves.

I wish hockey would implement a wood sticks only rule...

I do not like the idea of a wood sticks only rule. For me, composite shafts and OPSs last much longer than wooden sticks. Also, I prefer the overall feel, balance, and performance of a composite stick.

[beaucoup_fish 0]

tou chey! (sp)

Touché. Dunno how to jam an accent aigu on the "e." Wooohooo, I've retained something from nine years of French! :P

EDIT: copying and pasting the accent works!

[jimmy 194]

I really like all of the new technology but I still really like the traditional or simple look.

You are like so many others. KISS method works. The neon lights and dancing girls do othing for the equipment's performance.

[asdfa 0]

i think pushing the envelope and developing new technology is the only way to go. all the technology in equipment that's protecting players has enabled the game to be played faster and harder. also, much of the newest stuff that IS flashy usually finds a way into more traditional styled equipment. the perfect example would be transitioning from the vapor XX and v12 into the 8090 skate, or easton going from the synergy gloves to the synergy 900's.

[Andoy 5]

i'm with you all the way asfa!

because us players evolve then our equipment must also!

[DarkStar50 679]

I like the traditional look and feel of equipment but at the same time as a buyer for a shop for over 25 years I like watching the evolution of equipment. In some cases, the improvements in equipment were so obvious that I wondered what took so long for the vendors to do these things. Give credit where credit is due: JR is right: the 3 ex Bauer guys who started Mission gave the industry the wake-up call to improve gear. And that did not happen until 1995 and they did it to roller hockey. I agree that the looks of gloves has gotten unusual. I love old gloves from the late 50s, 60s, and early 70s. I have collected over 75 pair and just can't get enough of real leather gloves with long cuffs. Just imagine if Tuuk never came along and we still skated on tubular steel! As for OPS, I am addicted. The light weight and added strength to my lousy shot I will take any day. But there is still nothing like the feel of a 5030 in your hands on the ice. As Paul Kariya said "There will be a whole generation of hockey players who never use a wood stick." This is the first generation. Finally, as a buyer for the shop, I always think that just because I may not like a certain piece of gear, that doesn't mean I shouldn't offer it. I have to keep an open mind because everyone likes different gear no matter how outrageous it is!

[jimmy 194]

I have to keep an open mind because everyone likes different gear no matter how outrageous it is!

Curious, how many of the Trilage's did you sell? You've been in the business long enough to know there is a limit to outrageous design, and what hockey players will accept. We'll just have to see what takes off and hope we don't stock too much of what doesn't. Crapshoot for sure. Now if the manufacturers want to stand by their products and guaranty buyback, then.....

[mojo122 541]

But there is still nothing like the feel of a 5030 in your hands on the ice.

But even SherWood didn’t just stop with the 5030. They also made technological advances to the wooden stick over the years with the introduction to fiberglass and carbon overlays when they manufactured the 7000, 7030, 9030, and 9950 sticks.

[DarkStar50 679]

I have to keep an open mind because everyone likes different gear no matter how outrageous it is!

Curious, how many of the Trilage's did you sell? You've been in the business long enough to know there is a limit to outrageous design, and what hockey players will accept. We'll just have to see what takes off and hope we don't stock too much of what doesn't. Crapshoot for sure. Now if the manufacturers want to stand by their products and guaranty buyback, then.....

Well, sometimes I know a dog when I see one! That product I never ordered. What was the other stupid stick idea where the blade had some bend in the hozzle(spelling!)? Gene Ubriaco was behind that bow-wow. The first CCM secondary line of skates about 8 years ago. Not Tacks but another name. They were losers from the get go. The E line or something? As for Sher-Wood, the evolution of adding fibreglass to the shaft was started by the old Canadien stick factory in 1974 or so. I have an old 6001 with Cournoyer on the shaft. That was a retail stick. The 1987 Canada Cup video I was watching last week had CCCP using Torspro sticks, another blast from the past. I did have Sam Schneider(Matthew's dad) in my old shop(O'Shea Athletic Outfitters) con me into buying some Martinsville sticks back in the mid 80s. They were good sticks that nobody would buy. The list goes on and on........Can I interest you in some Ultra-wheels??!!!

[Project_2501 0]

May I ask why the Trilage never cought on? It seems to be quite the stick on paper...

[jimmy 194]

May I ask why the Trilage never cought on? It seems to be quite the stick on paper...

Exactly! Not a bad idea, tech improvement, but too far fetched for the average hockey player. I had those Hespeler Gretzky bend blades that Darkstar referred to as well. They were based on golf club design. Made perfect technological sense, but were also to far away from mainstream hockey. That's the point I'm trying to make. Innovate, but don't exaggerate! If you stay mainstream you appeal to all players, not just the ones that want pink laces.

[Project_2501 0]

Yeah, my LHS has some of those bent up blades. I know exactly what you mean. I don't know the purpose, so i look at it say "wtf" to myself, and walk on down the line to stuff I know, Z-Carbs, Vector's, and TPS blades...

Edit: How do the blades feel on the Trilage sticks? Are they comperable to Easton for feel or...?

I might be interested.

Edit, on second though, for $170, I can get an SL, and I know it will be what I want... Bleh.

[QandA 0]

Hockey tried to get advanced with the cooperalls. Hockey rejected them.

BTW Alt 1-3-0 get's you the accent aigu (é).