company bias?

[pmr149 0]

I was just curious if any of you guys sometimes feel bias towards a company and vise versa. Like you won't buy a certain product because its TPS or any company. Also do you try to have all the same company's stuff.

[blueliner27 12]

I never buy jofa but I have bauer and easton for head to toe (except my ccm 652 sholder pads).

[G60 0]

i will buy anything BUT Bauer. :P

[gtoddh 0]

(except my ccm 652 sholder pads).

Which are probably an old Jofa design :)

I've got no bias against any hockey company. I buy products that fit and have a good combination of protection, weight, and comfort.

I would think the only area where people have a tendency to stick with one company would be skates. I know for me, I've always had Bauer skates, and don't see any reason to switch. I tried CCMs once and they didn't work for me. I can't see myself straying from Bauer ever again.

Other than, buy what works for you!

[chilaxin12 2]

I used to have a sort of bias against mission, I thought their products were cheap roller hockey products, but being a gear whore like the rest of us I gave them a chance and I now wear a pair of prostock HE750 nylons and I've used M1's and other products and if I needed a new helmet the Intake would definately be the one I would get.

[Hockeydog 8]

I used to be a traditionalist and only wanted Bauer or CCM. Had Bauer everything but CCM Supra pants. Then tried Graf. Now have Jofa shoulder pads, RBK 5K skates, Louisville gloves Takla pants,Bauer lid, RBK shin pads, and Koho elbow pads. I think you should get what is made well and works. The Great One had some pretty funky looking skates for his time. If it's made well and works for you and your budget, go for it!

[warrior37 0]

ill only buy jofa/rbk protective, anything else i dont really care

[TheProfessor 2]

I tend to buy mostly Mission products these days. I've gone through a fair bit of gear over the years, and Mission seems to deliver a quality product that fits well 90% of the time. Currently I'm sporting Mission skates, helmet, gloves, elbows and stick. I used to tend towards CCM since they've been around so long and used by the pros, but everything ive bought just never felt right (helmet, skates, gloves). Now I tend to stay away from them. I am sold on jofa/reebok shins though. My 6ks fit great and seem to protect my knees well. I also have a bias against bauer, but i cant remember why :).

[srv2miker 0]

I've tried lots, but I've settled into buying mostly CCM gear, with the exception being Mission M-2 pants (which were too good a deal to pass up) and I've only ever really liked Easton sticks. I just find that I really like what CCM offers.

[blueliner27 12]

My List

RBK: nothing but helmet and sticks (I'll get Sickick)

JOFA: absolutly nothing

CCM: some protectives (I love the tacks but they will be gone :( )

EASTON: sticks and blades

MISSON: sticks but no blades (I had hex1 grip shaft and LOVED it!)

NBH: protectives, skates, sticks, and blades

WARRIOR: no gloves but sticks

[Doctor Hook 0]

Being a traditionalist, I bought almost all CCM stuff, but have since switched to Easton for shoulders and elbows, Mission for gloves, Bauer for shafts. I went cheap on pants (Itech HP1000) and shins (Koho 3360) since it's just beer league. I still like my CCM 652 skates and HT500 helmet/FM480 cage though.

[zinNergy 0]

I have never liked CCM, I've always felt that their equipment isn't made with a quality perspective for comfort and appeal, whats funny, is that I will openly buy RBK (get that...). I like NBH because of the quality. Easton also, but not so much as I used to, for the run ins with the infamos SL breakages, I used to think easton was a 'quality' producer, although thier protective is fairly good, I'm just skeptical about their sticks now. I believe that the SL just hurt their reputation to an extreme degree.

[KingPest19 0]

I'm guilty of it. I wont buy anything Easton thats stick related. Stciks , blades or shafts. Over the years I've just seen way too many that were brand new or nearly new break. I thk what did it to me for the shafts was seeing 4 z-bubble shafts in a 2 week period just grenade. Also watching teammates play with brand new synergys and the blades or shafts fold on a pass. Outside of that I'll use pretty much any companys gears as long as it fits right and feels good.

[TBLfan 25]

I'm all about ccm except with gloves and sticks. I actually just bought my first ccm stick, just because it was a good deal.

[sabre09923 0]

Nike/Bauer: Skates+Protective

Tackla: Pants

Easton: BOYCOTTED!

Mission: Helmet (Intake)

Everybody else: Nothing really, whatever fits.

[EBondo 242]

I'm getting more into NBH equipment (stick shoulders helmet soon to be gloves). After my Easton shinpads and stick, I will never use their stuff again. I used to be a Mission guy until I used the Hex-1, which made me get away from Mission sticks

[hockeymom 2]

I quite honestly look at, research and consider every manufacturer. Equipment is a passionate interest, and there are bits and pieces of most manufacturers in the bag.

If I looked at emotion influencing the purchase, I guess the top of the list would be a warm and fuzzy for Mission because they have been consistant innovators within the category and I like to reward that when possible (and benefit from it). I've loved their marketing too.

Other emotional factors: TPS is Canadian; I like to support Canadian made products when it is the right product. And NBH has blown me away with the one90; I think it is a breakthrough skate. Their marketing this year is impressive.

[Roach 0]

I wear only Jofa/RBK elbows and shins. Everything else I'm flexible with.

[David13 0]

I never really thought much of Reebok until I got a pair of pants and loved them. The only thing I really stay away from is Easton I just have never cared for any gear I bought from them and I have never bought a stick from them I see more Eastons get broken than any other stick so I'm a little scared to try one.

[nummer55 10]

As a roller guy I prefer Mission, since they're still the only true roller company. Never used their sticks, because I simply couldn't buy them (their availability in Europe is the only weakness - makes it kind of exclusive on the other hand). Now I am in California I can finally take some blades home.

[martywest 0]

Everything I own is CCM.

852 Super Tacks skates

552 Tacks skates

652 helmet

692 pants

892 gloves

Vector 8 shins

Vector 8 elbows

Vector 4 shoulders

852 wheeled bag

Sticks are all Sher-wood for now

Focus 90 OPS

Momentum XD shaft

A couple 5030's

I did however just pick up some close out Jofa protective because the price was too cheap to pass up.

I would probably buy products from any company except for Bauer. Nothing against them, I just do not like them for some reason.

[G.M. 0]

Mission has been "consistant innovators?" With what? Just curious.

Very few of TPS products are made in Canada. I believe it is down to the pro goal equipment and possibly one model of OPS.

I quite honestly look at, research and consider every manufacturer. Equipment is a passionate interest, and there are bits and pieces of most manufacturers in the bag.

If I looked at emotion influencing the purchase, I guess the top of the list would be a warm and fuzzy for Mission because they have been consistant innovators within the category and I like to reward that when possible (and benefit from it). I've loved their marketing too.

Other emotional factors: TPS is Canadian; I like to support Canadian made products when it is the right product. And NBH has blown me away with the one90; I think it is a breakthrough skate. Their marketing this year is impressive.

[hockeymom 2]

Mission has been "consistant innovators?" With what? Just curious.

Very few of TPS products are made in Canada. I believe it is down to the pro goal equipment and possibly one model of OPS.

I quite honestly look at, research and consider every manufacturer. Equipment is a passionate interest, and there are bits and pieces of most manufacturers in the bag.

If I looked at emotion influencing the purchase, I guess the top of the list would be a warm and fuzzy for Mission because they have been consistant innovators within the category and I like to reward that when possible (and benefit from it). I've loved their marketing too.

Other emotional factors: TPS is Canadian; I like to support Canadian made products when it is the right product. And NBH has blown me away with the one90; I think it is a breakthrough skate. Their marketing this year is impressive.

Y'know G.M., after I posted that, I thought, yeah, not sure what TPS products are still made in Canada... everything is going off-shore... but didn't bother to change it up. So thanks for updating me.

With Mission... sticks, supple-fit and their women's line immediately come to mind. Although I still cringe at a product actually named "the Betty", I do give them credit for being one of the few to look at the market segment.

[MLSman 22]

I start with Canadian made equipment....sorry, but I will not support and buy offshore products. It is destroying US and Canadian manufacturing jobs.

Most of what I wear is NBH....but it again comes to quality. If I like the way something fits, but is made offshore, I will look to see if it is made in Canada as a pro stock item. Most of the pro stock from NBH (with the only exception of gloves from what I have seen) is made in North America. I don't wear CCM gear, but I am a big fan of the company producing product in Canada...hope they do not follow the Nike trend. I love the old Nike fit for shoulder, elbow and shin pads but all the product is made in China.

[G.M. 0]

It's a shame that TPS never got their due with the female segment of the business. Kelly Dyer brought beginnings of the female products to us to see back in 1995-96ish, which is when they started testing the product. It took another 3-4 years after that for TPS to come out with the product.

Funny how Mission gets the credit for female products when TPS was absolutely the first with female pants, shoulder pads and gloves, and CCM had "female" fit skates before they did.

Y'know G.M., after I posted that, I thought, yeah, not sure what TPS products are still made in Canada... everything is going off-shore... but didn't bother to change it up. So thanks for updating me.

With Mission... sticks, supple-fit and their women's line immediately come to mind. Although I still cringe at a product actually named "the Betty", I do give them credit for being one of the few to look at the market segment.

Just curious on what gear you use.

I start with Canadian made equipment....sorry, but I will not support and buy offshore products. It is destroying US and Canadian manufacturing jobs.

Most of what I wear is NBH....but it again comes to quality. If I like the way something fits, but is made offshore, I will look to see if it is made in Canada as a pro stock item. Most of the pro stock from NBH (with the only exception of gloves from what I have seen) is made in North America. I don't wear CCM gear, but I am a big fan of the company producing product in Canada...hope they do not follow the Nike trend. I love the old Nike fit for shoulder, elbow and shin pads but all the product is made in China.