Equipment Storage

[Clark12 0]

I posted this on here a while back, but he is my solution...

Basically its an old single bed with a metal frame that I turned onto its end and screwed to the wall for stability.

As you can see I use the legs for hanging up my pants and inline girdle, the headboard for setting my skates and helmet on and then the rest of the gear hangs across the beams. There is also space behind for hanging up jerseys from the headboard.

It's probably not the most practical idea unless you've an old bed lying around but its worked alright for me so far. My only problem is that its located in my garage which is very cold in the winter and therefore my gear usually doesn't dry out particularly well in the humid air. Would a fan help with this??

[kredmore 2]

Just renovated my basement, and had an extra room....so we made it into a play/locker room with a heater/exhaust fan on a timer. All is dry by morning after a night game and a couple hours running the fan.

[Jason Harris 31]

I hit up a department store that was going out of business and picked up a couple display racks. It's similar to this. Mine is a bit heavier but functionally the same. With all of the stores having financial problems I would keep an ear out for store closings.

You're right. I bought a 5-drawer file on Sunday that was listed on Craigslist. They sell for $800 to $1000+ when new, but I happily paid $150. The guy said he had recently begun bidding on delinquent storage units, and these latest two had come from a retail store. He had a bunch of gridwall, display cases, mannequins, etc.

[number21 3]

all the linens and things are going out of business, so they are selling all their racks.

[SolarWind 23]

plus the fact that warm air isn't really a good thing in this case.

hm... does it mean that a cold garage is a better place to hang equipment then a warm closet (I have both furnace & water tank in there so it gets pretty warm - way over 20 degrees celsius)? The equipment dries pretty quick comparing with my cold garage (where it gets 10 degrees or sometimes below)?

also why are skates supposed to be hanged upside down (doesn't make much sense)?

[Chadd 916]

plus the fact that warm air isn't really a good thing in this case.

hm... does it mean that a cold garage is a better place to hang equipment then a warm closet (I have both furnace & water tank in there so it gets pretty warm - way over 20 degrees celsius)? The equipment dries pretty quick comparing with my cold garage (where it gets 10 degrees or sometimes below)?

also why are skates supposed to be hanged upside down (doesn't make much sense)?

Normal room temperature air is fine, warmer air will promote the growth of bacteria.

[noodle3872 40]

I just a Hockey Tree to dry my gear.

http://www.discounthockey.com/hotreqdrra.html

To keep bacteria and smell at bay, I use the Shutout Athletic Spray.

http://www.shutoutsolutions.com/

Together they work like a charm and my gear doesn't stink and is hygenic.

[iceholes19 0]

This is my equip. tree that I made out of some old, broken twigs.

[sarmalidu 1]

Bacteria can grow just fine at room temperature. The ideal temperature for bacteria growth depends on the bacteria type. That said, "ideal" temps for most bacteria that would cause a problem with hockey gear are in the roughly 75 - 110 degree farenheit range. So, temperatures that feel "warm".

However, what's really most critical is not the temperature but moisture. Bacteria may grow a lot faster at 80 degrees than 60, but it will still grow at 60 if there is water available. No bacteria can live without water, so if you quickly dry your gear out with warm air that can actually be ideal. What you don't want is a warm environment where moisture is trapped. This can grow critters within just a day or so.

During the winter I put my gear over the radiators in my house and it dries very rapidly. This provides no opportunity for the bacteria to grow even though the temperature on the radiator is probably somewhere in the high 90s or so.

hm... does it mean that a cold garage is a better place to hang equipment then a warm closet (I have both furnace & water tank in there so it gets pretty warm - way over 20 degrees celsius)? The equipment dries pretty quick comparing with my cold garage (where it gets 10 degrees or sometimes below)?

also why are skates supposed to be hanged upside down (doesn't make much sense)?

Normal room temperature air is fine, warmer air will promote the growth of bacteria.

[HockeyPho85 0]

does anyone hang their stuff outside in the backyard? I was wondering if it was safe?.. its in a open air patio on an equipment tree?

[Chadd 916]

does anyone hang their stuff outside in the backyard? I was wondering if it was safe?.. its in a open air patio on an equipment tree?

In the summer I spread mine on my deck to dry in the sun. It works well and I have never had a problem.

[jumtao 0]

I let my stuff dry in the sun during the summer months. The UV rays from the sun helps to kill the bacteria too.

[Hoffer 0]

During the summer I also always lay my stuff out on the back porch.

[HockeyPho85 0]

Thanks. haha I didnt want like fungus growing on it

[cptjeff 0]

Bacteria can grow just fine at room temperature. The ideal temperature for bacteria growth depends on the bacteria type. That said, "ideal" temps for most bacteria that would cause a problem with hockey gear are in the roughly 75 - 110 degree farenheit range. So, temperatures that feel "warm".

However, what's really most critical is not the temperature but moisture. Bacteria may grow a lot faster at 80 degrees than 60, but it will still grow at 60 if there is water available. No bacteria can live without water, so if you quickly dry your gear out with warm air that can actually be ideal. What you don't want is a warm environment where moisture is trapped. This can grow critters within just a day or so.

During the winter I put my gear over the radiators in my house and it dries very rapidly. This provides no opportunity for the bacteria to grow even though the temperature on the radiator is probably somewhere in the high 90s or so.

Yeah, the heat in that various dryers out there helps the gear dry faster, which is the critical part. Ozone a la shockdoctor is a nice finishing touch, but the moving, heated air carrying away moisture the equipment is what you want. A box fan will do the same thing, but it'll take longer.

Though another way to kill bacteria people might be interested in is sticking your gear in the freezer for a day or so. The cold will kill most of the bacteria that will build up in gear. It won't make them nice and dry for comfortable wear, but it'll kill the nasty stuff.

[wetwilly17 6]

i sweat A LOT. we have plenty of humid days in dallas. sometimes my gear won't dry completely for several days. a few years ago i played in vegas. the dry air completely dried my gear in just a few hours. i've been considering building a small portable closet that i can mount a de-humidifier in. with a simple timer to control the de-humidifier, i could set it to power on for a few hours and not worry about turning it off. but then again i'm lazy so i have never got around to it. but it would be easy to do.

[Steve_v3 289]

My wife works at Barnes & Noble & they were going to throw away this old case logic rack. It works great. I have tons of extra hooks & can arrange them anywhere. I added a large dowel to the top for my helmet.

[shotty 7]

also why are skates supposed to be hanged upside down (doesn't make much sense)?

gravity.

the bacteria and sweat will pool at the bottom of the skate if they're not hung upside down.

[puckhoggy 0]

It's been a while since a post was made here, but I thought id throw out a friendly suggestion.

I purchased a few hockey trees/equipment racks at a recycling centre near my town, and I have to say I never actually knew what the retail prices were on these items until recently when I searched them up online. Nevertheless, each one costed $3 for me, while the exact same ones brand new at www.hockeymonkey.com costs over $50. (link http://www.hockeymonkey.com/wet-gear-all-sport-rack.html ). I did get these hockey trees on all seperate visits though.

So i thought i could suggest those who are driving distance to a recycling centre should definately check it out. not only for a hockey tree, but for other items that you can get literally for 50 cents compared to $15.

afterall I have 2 sets of fish tanks from these places!

[furlanitalia 1]

This is my equip. tree that I made out of some old, broken twigs.

Wow, I couldn't figure out why the blades were pointed up on the bottom until I looked at how you hung your gear. That's really smart, I may have to steal that idea.

I let my stuff dry in the sun during the summer months. The UV rays from the sun helps to kill the bacteria too.

I do this as well. Leaves my gear very "fresh", but definitely dries out the palms of my gloves.

[Jarick 5]

This is what I'm using now:

$20 at Home Depot or Target...probably lots of other places too.

Gloves and elbows on the top rack, shins in the middle, pants on the bottom, shoulders hanging off one corner. Spray it all down with Febreze sport or rubbing alcohol, then lean skates against the shelves to dry. This is all in my second bathroom, so I turn the fan on and shut the door.

Will be laying the stuff out on my balcony in the sun (faces West) this summer, but I did the end-of-season cleaning where I filled the bathtub with water and 2 caps of Arm & Hammer with Oxyclean detergent, soak, then do a couple rinse soaks. Everything smells nice now.

Oh yeah, jerseys and socks get tossed over the shower curtain rod to dry, usually washed 2-3 times per year.

[puckhoggy 0]

Oh yeah, jerseys and socks get tossed over the shower curtain rod to dry, usually washed 2-3 times per year.

Just reading that sentence sounded sooo wrong on so many different levels lol.

[mug25 2]

Trunk of my car works fine.

Haha. In all seriousness. I've always worn underarmour so that really helps in reducing moisture to begin with. For this reason my gear, aside from my helmet, has yet to develop that unique odor. Oh.. I know its coming..

I have a decent garage so I air things out there on hooks if I need it. I have had a problem with crickets jumping in my bag. Team mates get sort of curious.

Same here. I sweat like a pig and by the time I'm done playing I'm drenched but the gear generally stays "dry" due to me wearing a Bauer base layer shirt, Nike Dryfit compression shorts and usually a water wicking sock. The helmet and gloves get pretty sweaty though so they need to air out but otherwise my stuff stays much more dry than it would without the base layers.

[NYK93 0]

i've got a full sized, 6' tall locker from Pro Hockey Life in Vaughn

very good buy for 99 bucks

has a lift up seat

4 hooks and a stick rack and more hooks on the side panels

holes in compartment for ventilation

very well designed and works very well

just thought i'd throw that in there

[furlanitalia 1]

Any pics?