Hockey Gear.. Traditional or High Tech?

[Langenbrunner15 0]

My neighbor has a pair of the old gloves iweth he LONG cuffs, love em....

[DarkStar50 679]

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

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

Not exactly. The girdle is still around. The long pants were worn in the NHL by the Flyers and Whalers for a few years until the NHL made the long pant unacceptable. During that time, the mid 80s, all 3 major junior leagues in Canada had teams outfitted with Cooperall long pants.

[JR Boucicaut 3805]

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?

Edge 4.3

[Petey21 1]

I prefer traditional stuff all the way. Sure, some hi-tech stuff looks cool at first sight for a while, but after a while it just gets too funky and weird. There's probably a reason why almost all players use traditional gear despite all the new hi-tech stuff released over the years.

Look at the Nike Quest and Mission Carbster helmets, both were considered space-age hi-tech helmets but how many players out there really use them anymore? Or those three-finger gloves from Mission (I think it was Mission anyway, but not sure)? I'm sure those new funky looking NikeBauer gloves will eventually face the same destiny. A few players will use them at first, but in a few years from now hardly anyone will use them, they will switch back to more traditional gloves.

[Project_2501 0]

The Nike Quest helmet is fugly though. That has something to do with what people buy.

It was Mission with the Bionic (I think) gloves.

And compared to Graf's, wouldn't you think that Vectors and Vapors are spacey looking?

I think that depending on initial response, the One90 gloves have a fighting chance. Bringing lacrosse ideas to hockey. The vents might make them huge in roller hockey, and if there's some amount of supreme mobility without sacraficing protection, well, that's what we all want, no?

[Keith 0]

My priorities for protective in order are mobility, weight, protection. Looks are well down the line to be honest with you. I'd wear some truly ugly crap if I felt good in it.

[NuggyBuggy 0]

For me, hockey has been about tradition and keeping things basic...Hockey gear still looks (more or less) the same as it did 20 years ago. ...It looks like some companies are trying to push the envelope of hockey's "fashion" and the way the gear we wear should look.

This sentiment seems oddly misplaced on a site where people are mooning over the next guy's custom gloves or skates, people analyze the graphics on some pro's stick on a picture from gettyimages, and guys get excited about a pink stick hitting the market.

Grumbling about how things are changing for the worst and traditions are being lost is the sure sign that we are turning old. What constitutes tradition is relative. People have made the same complaints for decades, only when goalies started wearing face masks (not helmets), when guys started using aluminum sticks, now that players are starting to wear visors, etc.

Of all the team sports I can think of off-hand, hockey is probably the one that has evolved the most, at least in as much as gear is concerned, because the gear is so much more numerous, prominent, and, perhaps, important, than in baseball/football/soccer/volleyball/basketball. I can't think of another sport where people care so much about what gear the pros are wearing except, maybe, for footwear.

[Chadd 916]

Comfort is first and foremost for me, everything else is secondary.

[#44wannabe 4]

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'm 16 so therefore wasnt even born in the 70's but i use shoulder pads from that era simply because i prefer the fit and feel. The modern ones are too bulky. Once they can make seriously low profile yet protective shoulder pads then ill switch but for now im happy wearing my 1970's 'non-existent feeling and looking' shoulder pads. Countless refs have asked me if im even wearing any! B)

[DarkStar50 679]

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'm 16 so therefore wasnt even born in the 70's but i use shoulder pads from that era simply because i prefer the fit and feel. The modern ones are too bulky. Once they can make seriously low profile yet protective shoulder pads then ill switch but for now im happy wearing my 1970's 'non-existent feeling and looking' shoulder pads. Countless refs have asked me if im even wearing any! B)

Be careful that your first serious shoulder stinger is due to lack of protection from the old school shoulder pads. The old school pads are great for beer leaguers but dangerous for high contact hockey.

[ambro 0]

Of all the team sports I can think of off-hand, hockey is probably the one that has evolved the most, at least in as much as gear is concerned, because the gear is so much more numerous, prominent, and, perhaps, important, than in baseball/football/soccer/volleyball/basketball.  I can't think of another sport where people care so much about what gear the pros are wearing except, maybe, for footwear.

I dunno, tennis is pretty close in both aspects. Just like hockey, which started out with wood sticks, tennis started with wood racquets. Then, just as hockey sticks did, tennis racquets changed to graphite. Tennis equipment has evolved just as much as hockey equipment, if not more.

And people care more about what pros are using when it comes to tennis than hockey, trust me. There is a forum just like this on tennis (except much, much bigger) and there are people having 5-page discussions on who's using what under their paintjobs of the racquets every day. It gets ridiculous to be honest.

Edit - After reading your post again, I realized you said TEAM sports. But still, you get the point.

[thejackal 46]

Of all the team sports I can think of off-hand, hockey is probably the one that has evolved the most, at least in as much as gear is concerned, because the gear is so much more numerous, prominent, and, perhaps, important, than in baseball/football/soccer/volleyball/basketball.  I can't think of another sport where people care so much about what gear the pros are wearing except, maybe, for footwear.

I dunno, tennis is pretty close in both aspects. Just like hockey, which started out with wood sticks, tennis started with wood racquets. Then, just as hockey sticks did, tennis racquets changed to graphite. Tennis equipment has evolved just as much as hockey equipment, if not more.

And people care more about what pros are using when it comes to tennis than hockey, trust me. There is a forum just like this on tennis (except much, much bigger) and there are people having 5-page discussions on who's using what under their paintjobs of the racquets every day. It gets ridiculous to be honest.

Edit - After reading your post again, I realized you said TEAM sports. But still, you get the point.

Ambro, what does Fed REALLY use? :lol:

[Chadd 916]

Baseball has gone crazy with bat prices, it's actually not too far off from hockey

[DarkStar50 679]

Baseball has gone crazy with bat prices, it's actually not too far off from hockey

And what is the name of the leading bat maker?

[PH_Hockey2 4]

Easton

[M-Cohen 0]

Mizuno :D

[joshy207 15]

I'm a big fan of traditional-looking equipment. I don't need bright orange or shiny silver or "anatomical hand rolls" or any other fancy stuff.

Also, I wonder how much of this "new technology" really, truly helps performance. I know plenty of people who use OPS whose game would actually be better if they stuck with wood sticks... or at least a shaft and wood blade. Some of these lighter-weight skates fall apart in under a year... what good is that? I had a pair of Bauer 3000s that I bought in 1992, used them for 4 years (playing year-round), gave them to a buddy who used them for 4 years, then he gave them to his brother who used them for another 2 years. Try doing that with Vector Pros or Vapor XXs (not picking on CCM or Bauer). I'm all for innovation in areas that will truly help, such as protection (although I have yet to wear an EPP helmet), health/hygiene (moisture-wicking materials and equipment cleaning services), or using stronger, more durable materials, but I'm not sold on $500 throwaway skates, $200 sticks that don't hold up any better than $30 sticks, or especially the pretty paint jobs that some of our equipment gets.

I'm also sick and tired of seeing mismounted holders on skates! That's like buying a Lamborghini and putting 4 donut tires on, and not balancing them correctly. You can't skate any better in top-end skates that don't have straight blades! Talk about ruining performance...

[Fonya 0]

I think I am somewhere in the middle. I like all the new technology that comes out ( I used an OPS, Bauer 8000 etc.) but Im not crazy about the wild designs and colours with all the neon greens etc. *Cough*Easton*Cough*. I prefer the traditional designs like my eagles. But I wouldn't sacrifice performance and new technology to keep the traditional look.

[NuggyBuggy 0]

Edit - After reading your post again, I realized you said TEAM sports.  But still, you get the point.

Yeah, if we consider non-team sports, I am sure golf would take the cake as far as preoccupation with gear, design and styling, and what the pros are using.

[sdh 0]

I'm a beer leaguer, so my perspective is not based on high-end protection or performance, but my personal preference and as long as the gear doesn't look gimmicky or ugly I welcome any technical advancements.

I really like the new one piece sticks. The lighter the better as long as they remain durable. My shot is definitely harder and the feel is better. I've always thought hockey sticks could benefit a lot from tech used in golf clubs. I feel sorry for goalies cause these new sticks are just getting better and better.

Shoulder pads can look like whatever the hell since they are covered by a jersey. Since I'm not playing full contact anymore, I prefer light and low profile for maximum mobility.

Pants seem basically the same as ever. Maybe the new NHL rules will get rid of those giant spine protectors on some pants.

The new tight jerseys and low drag fabrics are kinda silly IMHO. This gets into the territory of gimmick since the same company (NBH) that makes low drag pants and jerseys makes gloves that couldn't possibly be low drag.

Gloves are the one piece of equipment that seems to be getting uglier and uglier. I always thought of gloves as medieval gauntlets and now they are starting to just look ridiculous. It's like some companies are trying to one-up eachother with how outrageous and different they can make the design and call it the latest "revolution" in performance. BS, it's just marketing. Split fingers and lighter materials are the only significant improvements I see. Notice they can't seem to make a palm that lasts!

I'm still wearing my old bauer 6k which show no signs of decay, but I'd love to upgrade to skates that were lighter, lighter, lighter. Those One90s look interesting. I've read lots of people say the new skates coming out don't last as long which sounds like "technology" designed to force people to buy new skates more often. No thanks.

The best advancement any manufacturer can make is the option for the average player to customize. I hope this becomes a standard.

[Langenbrunner15 0]

THe only this easton is big in is the bat selection. EVery thing else for gloves is Ralwings and mizuno for cleats and batting gloves.....

[JBP 18]

It must be said that Golf technology changes as fast or faster than any other sport on the planet. We can see it's material influences in some of the OPS sticks we use(Mission).

[Petey21 1]

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'm 16 so therefore wasnt even born in the 70's but i use shoulder pads from that era simply because i prefer the fit and feel. The modern ones are too bulky. Once they can make seriously low profile yet protective shoulder pads then ill switch but for now im happy wearing my 1970's 'non-existent feeling and looking' shoulder pads. Countless refs have asked me if im even wearing any! B)

Be careful that your first serious shoulder stinger is due to lack of protection from the old school shoulder pads. The old school pads are great for beer leaguers but dangerous for high contact hockey.

I guess Brendan Shanahan and some other guys must be beer leaguers then. ;)

I found an interesting site about this stuff, from a beer leaguer's point of view but still interesting.

http://www.beerleaguehockey.com/content/view/205/76/

[jere26 5]

As a consumer, I'm always happier when I have a choice. Be it cars, watches, or you-name-it. Manufacturers need to put new trends in fashion or technology to the test in the marketplace in order to survive and grow. A new product might fit or function perfectly, but buyers will reject it if they don't like the looks. So every product sales failure really teaches a company more about its customers and what they want to spend their money on. Yes, sometimes our favorite products go the way of the dinosaur and it takes a while before a satisfactory replacement comes down the pike. I admit to buying extra pairs of a running shoe I liked when I found out it was being re-styled. But eventually a better looking and performing product always showed up...and I bought it.

That being said, I also don't understand why some people so strongly want to carry the flag for traditional looking products to the point that they are saying that new designs are somehow ruining the sport. Come on! I like the sharing of opinions, but I'm very skeptical when any brand or new product technology is trashed without cause. Simply vote with your wallet and you will get more of what you like.

By the way, I like traditional looking products. But I also appreciate technological innovation. Companies hit their "home runs" when they make products that innovate with a style that makes an emotional connection with current customers AND new ones.

[Chadd 916]

Most revolutionary products fail at retail because people aren't ready for them. It's the products that advance in smaller increments that seem to be the best sellers.