"Pro Return"

[jds 20]

I'm constantly seeing things in the LHS billed as "Pro Return" and have heard the phrase thrown around here as well. Just what exactly does this mean? Would a pro return piece of equipment be any better than the retail version? What is the deal?

[stock07 1]

Pro return can actully mean a couple diffrent things....

1. A piece of equipment made for a specific team or player that has been returned because it didnt meet the players need or the equipment wasent used and left over.

2. A piece of equipment that was used by a player but didnt like it, this is most commonly termed game used equipment or pro return.

3. Equipment made with materials that are not on the retail version or made diffrently from the retail version.

ie. pro return sticks-say Modano curve, a true pro return Modano curve is actully very diffrent from the retail version of the Modano cuve.

A pro return piece of equipment may or may not be better than the retail version...Pro returns tend to be made a little better than some retails. But know that 99.9% of pro return equipment does not come with a warrenty, so you buy a stick and breaks on the first shot, your out the money you spent for it.

The best advice would be do some research on the certain piece of pro return equipment your looking at so you know what your getting before you buy it and dont like it. Also beware some places advertise "pro return equipment" that is actully a retail version of whatever just in a certain pro teams color scheme....Hope this helps

[SolarWind 23]

What I find interesting is that normally for prostock skates there's usually double stitching used, reinforced eyelets, maybe stiffer boot (in case of S15 even an extra layer of carbon fiber), possibly better glue etc

But in case of prostock One95s I came across I couldn't find ANY difference with the retail model - is this because One95 is already at the level decent enough NOT to add anything?

[Rustpot 1]

What I find interesting is that normally for prostock skates there's usually double stitching used, reinforced eyelets, maybe stiffer boot (in case of S15 even an extra layer of carbon fiber), possibly better glue etc

But in case of prostock One95s I came across I couldn't find ANY difference with the retail model - is this because One95 is already at the level decent enough NOT to add anything?

The pro most likely didn't ask for anything different. Not all pro return skates are made to higher specs, they're most likely just custom sizing. The pro stock XXXX I have have a different liner, stiffness, tongue, stitching and holders, but no extra layers or other boot mods that I can see.

True pro return means it was made for whoever's name is on it, and for whatever reason they didn't keep it. In the case of the Adam Bates TPS stick I have, the blade was formed wrong. In other cases it may be something was slightly off, the pro switched brands, over run, changed pattern, etc etc.

A lot of pros will use retail specs for things like pants, then pro return is just the person's waist and hem with the pro logos you can't get at retail.

[SolarWind 23]

Not all pro return skates are made to higher specs, they're most likely just custom sizing.

not trying to generalize as there're always exceptions (retail fit, nice 'features'), but it is often the most important reason NOT to get prostocks especially in case of skates - they aren't necessarily "better", but just custom fitted skates (different from retail) that might not fit anybody else properly other then the person the skates were originally built for...

[Rustpot 1]

Not all pro return skates are made to higher specs, they're most likely just custom sizing.

not trying to generalize as there're always exceptions (retail fit, nice 'features'), but it is often the most important reason NOT to get prostocks especially in case of skates - they aren't necessarily "better", but just custom fitted skates (different from retail) that might not fit anybody else properly other then the person the skates were originally built for...

Yeah, true. The skates I got were 11.5 and 11.25, luckily my right foot is 1/4 to 1/2 size shorter or they would have never worked. Some of them could differ by entire sizes or more.