Are you an equipment peeker when you play?

[Doctor Hook 0]

I'm usually concentrating on playing or the task at hand, but maybe at a random stoppage of play while I'm on the bench, I'll just take a scan of various sticks people are using. Obviously when I play, I see people in their equipment, but I'm not like, "Oh hey, those are the new Eagle gloves..." as I face a one-on-one.

One thing that does stand out to me at least is when people use really old or obscure gear. For example, I've seen a pair of Rawlings pants. Never knew they made hockey gear. And of course we got those dudes rocking the same cats eye cages from high school when love was free and bird flu didn't exist.

After a game, I can recall helmets and cages/visors, but I never pay attention to skates. And I usually can't tell you what pads the opposing goalie uses. Gloves I also ignore.

[Patrick67 1]

If it's a very skilled player useing low-end equipment, or a very bad player useing high-end equipment, alas I notice it right away...

Otherwise it just blends in.

[top 0]

I usually remeber all hockey players by there hockey skates, sticks, and helmets (nice and ugly ones), ill remeber a guy like this:

-Hey you know that kid with the bauer vapor XXX skates

-no?

-Ya ya the kid with the Stealth stick

-no?

-the kid with the old ccm x-ray bucket

-ohh yah yah him

Something like that, and remeber we gotta love those x-ray buckets from ccm.

[Jarick 5]

Only if it's a really nice piece of gear. Like a nice pair of Grafs or a top end OPS. I think I've only seen one Stealth, one ST, and one One90.

Yeah the guy with the One90 could barely skate or pass. That was interesting. And of course the best guys I've played against use the $50 bargain bin OPS and ratty gloves and pants.

[Doctor Hook 0]

Getting dangled by a Typhoon!

[jjalb29 0]

or scored on by an Octane. Pisses me off every time

[Doctor Hook 0]

or Simon'd by a Northland.

[BK 0]

I haven't payed attention to other player's gear since highschool..

About the only time I notice gear is occasionally when a teammate gets something new... and even then, its usually a few games/practices after.

I DO notice the stupid looking shit that people wear though. Like a dark blue visor, xray helm's, stupid-ass-looking sweaters and pink/orange gloves..

[Jarick 5]

or scored on by an Octane. Pisses me off every time

There's a couple good guys with Octanes around here. Yeah that's embarassing.

Although there's a tool with a smoked mirrored visor and Ovechkin jersey who loves to slash across the wrists as well.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

There is a guy that plays in our Virginia/Maryland pickup games, wears old CCM 652 tacks, one black runner, one white, easton gloves that look busted, the collar round the wrist is opened up and does not close, and an old bauer 1000 helmet.

Best non professional player I have ever seen.

Thankfully he plays for VA with us. Scored the game winning goal with about 10 seconds to go in our last game.

Commonwealth still undefeated by Maryland.

Next game we are playing at the caps facility at ballston, nice.

I won't buy high end gear until my ability can justify it.

I refuse to be the guy flopping all over the ice with the XXXlite and One90's.

Happy to flop about with my Easton Ultra Carbon and Supreme 30's for now :)

[Sven 1]

Haha, yeah im a equipment peeker on the ice but in the stands as well. I remember when i went to the german play-off finals with Bauer_freAK (from MSH) and we talked about the players skates and other stuff.. Priceless.

[DamnLocust 0]

I peek all the damn time, especially when someone's got something new. I'll usually notice things when I'm on the bench though, or setting up for a faceoff. Like top, I identify players on other teams by their equipment "Watch out for the guy with the vapor gloves, he's quick" or, "That jerkoff with the Synregy 350 is a dirty SOB" Everyone usually looks at me funny and has no clue what I'm talking about.

I remember before a game once, a teammate turned to me and said "Man, these guys suck." referring to the other team. When i asked him why he thought that he replied, "just look at their equipment, it's old and low end." We lost that game =/

[BK 0]

... I will admit. I DO peak when I go watch a game. I don't know why and it wont affect my purchasing decisions but I look.

[djinferno 2]

i notice skates or a stick i never seen before...

I know every guy by the skates they wear, I know all nhl players by skates and i notice if a guy changed imediately...

[wallin2199 0]

We all look, style points are important. I give more respect to a guy that looks the part rather some anklebender in CCM Rapides.

We all look, style points are important. I give more respect to a guy that looks the part rather some anklebender in CCM Rapides.

[nni 0]

i'll occasionally check out sticks. before i switched to a warrior i saw a guy on the other team with one, so i asked him a couple questions after the game.

[hockeymom 2]

I notice equipment all the time... MissD doesn't. But she picks up on colours and anything looking unusual. I just learned that the reason she hasn't been wearing the waxed blue laces (which I drove all across town to get because she HAD to have them) is because she doesn't want to be noticed/targeted "go get the kid with the blue laces"

[technophile 0]

I never notice gear when I'm playing (except to differentiate particular players I need to be aware of, for example "the big dude with the blue helmet), but when we're standing around waiting for the zam I'll check out gloves/skates/sticks.

(Though, to be honest, I'm not sure I'd notice something like "waxed blue laces". ;) Usually it's more helmet color, colorful gloves, or in leagues that don't use team jerseys, special/colorful jerseys.)

Although there's a tool with a smoked mirrored visor and Ovechkin jersey who loves to slash across the wrists as well.

There's a guy in my local league with a smoked mirrored visor. Whatever, man, it's a C-level rec league; get over yourself.

Didn't USAH add a rule to the books this year that you're allowed to slash anyone wearing a mirrored visor without drawing a penalty?

No? Dang. :P

I won't buy high end gear until my ability can justify it.

I refuse to be the guy flopping all over the ice with the XXXlite and One90's.

Happy to flop about with my Easton Ultra Carbon and Supreme 30's for now :)

Yeah, the highest-end stuff I have is my shin guards (Jofa 7500s), but I play D and block a lot of shots, so that was just self-defense (and it's not like anyone sees shin guards). Aside from that I have a Nike Quest Apollo I picked up for $40 a while ago, some inexpensive Bauer skates, Stealth S3 gloves I got on clearance, etc.

That way it's a heck of a lot easier to replace stuff as it wears out/breaks.

[halfmoonyote 0]

I won't buy high end gear until my ability can justify it.

I refuse to be the guy flopping all over the ice with the XXXlite and One90's.

Happy to flop about with my Easton Ultra Carbon and Supreme 30's for now :)

I hear what you're saying but there are two schools of thought here:

I work very hard for my income. With that, I love hockey. Am I a 'good' hockey player? No, not in the grand scheme of things. But my job affords me the opportunity to buy nice, quality gear - and I won't apologize to you or to anyone for that fact.

I see the same things in snowboarding and surfing. Two things I've done for 15 years. If a kid buys the most expensive gear and comes up on the mountain to pose - he's going to get vibed all day long. If the same kid has all the latest gear, but is getting wrecked and really trying to learn, that's a whole different story.

If you are truly genuine about trying to progress in your ability, there is nothing wrong with having nice stuff.

Anyone who tells you otherwise is just jealous, broke, or both.

[Havok19 0]

Amen.

I always been in the top 5 scorer of every league i played.I seen it all from greatplayer with shity equipment and the other way around.The equipment dont mean jack.

If you can afford it and you like having the latest stuff (like i do) just do it (sound like a nike commercial here) and have fun in the greatest sport ever!

Havok19

[Jarick 5]

Didn't USAH add a rule to the books this year that you're allowed to slash anyone wearing a mirrored visor without drawing a penalty?

No? Dang. :P

I swear to God, if the guys in the AHA league are as chippy as the other C-level guys I've been playing against lately, I'm going to be kicked out of the league as soon as I get in. You get a step on someone and it's all wrists and ankles out there! I don't care about your visor, just move your damn feet instead of your stick.

I won't buy high end gear until my ability can justify it.

I refuse to be the guy flopping all over the ice with the XXXlite and One90's.

Happy to flop about with my Easton Ultra Carbon and Supreme 30's for now :)

Yeah I kinda see where you're coming from. But I do also agree that if you've got the income, go for it. What would bug me is seeing a young kid with a $200 stick who can't use it and didn't earn it, but who am I to raise a stink?

I splurged on my skates (Vapor XIX's) even though I've only been playing regularly since November. I broked my old Vapor VI's after two months because I'd play twice a week and hit the ice another few times for practice. Also got an Intake because it was the only thing that fit my head, and I'm not gonna skimp on a helmet.

I figure if someone wants to get bent out of shape over my gear, let them. I may not be great out on the ice, but I've jumped from beginner to C-level in six months off of pure hustle and practice. So yeah I'll treat myself if I have a little extra cash :P

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Thats a good perspective from the other side of where I am coming from. And I assure you, one day, I will get what I damn well please, and make no bones about it.

I have for the past few months been putting $20 a paycheck a week into a jar for my hockey gearwhore-ery. So by the time the Caps equipment sale comes round, I should have a few hundred to spend.

But also, I am thinking by the time this low end stuff is ready to be replaced, I will have the confidence in my game to where who sees me in what does not matter. At the minute, I would say I am a weak link, but an improving weak link. I feel somewhat self conscious as it is, without being the weak link in the one90's.

But, within the next year or so, I should be expecting to replace skates, and at that stage, I will buy what I like, and will be toward the higher end then.

For now, content to pick up things here from other MSHer's or on clearance at my LHS, until I go for the big shopping spree!!!

[Lfntn10 0]

haha I wear my high-ends when I play juniors, however when I play a game of shinny, that's when i'm a 'sleeper', and wear my old gear from like 5 years ago, with the execption of my sticks and skates.

[sc37 0]

I notice...probably a little too much. Teammates know that I'm the resident gear whore...at least we picked up a few other guys now that are like that too so I don't feel so stupid mentioning things, lol. I personally buy decent stuff, just not at full price...I'm a big bargain hunter and don't pay much for my stuff. I always wait and wait till there's a sale or some sorta closeout...so in reality I'm not blowing as much money as some think.

I'll agree so far with lotta good players and old gear, one guy I played against in drop in had ancient Tacks, like kangaroo leather with steel holders, a Gretzky Jofa helmet, and the works, and yeah, he was pretty good.

People that I see that like the really top end stuff is foreign guys and guys who like to talk about the new stick they bought when on the bench, -showoffs. Then the proceed to lean on their sticks and bend them when we're back in the locker room to show it off more. No issues with people spending their money, I just don't feel the need to hear bout how great it is or how great they are 24/7.

[Doctor Hook 0]

I think it's a worldwide phenomena that dudes who have the oldest (not necessarily cheapest or crappiest) gear are more times than not the best players.