The Things LHS Do

[vf-x 0]

Brand new to the sport probably means parents brand new to the sport too, haha.

Not really. I've been playing for 18 years, and a fan of the game for much longer. The trick for me was to stay out of the manager's way as he did he went through the process of looking for and fitting appropriate pieces of equipment. I don't think he needed a, "Let's try on a pair of X:60, X7.0, TotalONE, APX, <throw in whatever high-end equipment name here>"... lol.

He knew what he was doing, and I knew I needed to keep my own gear whoring out of the way. The manager understood the level of play, and the type of equipment that was suitable.

[wrangler 157]

Fortunately, you had the experience and knowledge to be able to tell that he knew what he was doing.

[AIREAYE 248]

Question for the employees:

Have you guys ever refused to sell a product to an insistent customer on the basis of them rejecting your fitting? Specifically for skates and helmets?

I know that personally, on the grounds of moral responsibility, that I will refuse to sell a poorly fitting or non-fitting helmet to someone. For skates, I would (and have on a few occasions) remind and clarify to that customer that they are purchasing against my recommendation (going to a much higher size for example is the most common) and that I will write on the receipt as such; to prevent the blame game and any returns due to a 'poor' fitting, but ultimately 'allow' the sale.

Any experiences or tips on how to handle these situations any better?

[Chadd 916]

No. You do your best to do the right thing, but in the end it's your job to sell them what they want. I used to put "no warranty" on the receipt the few times I had issues.

[AIREAYE 248]

I've never had an issue with people rejecting helmet fittings thankfully, in which I credit partially on a heightened awareness of concussions by players and parents.

Thanks for the insight Chadd.

[EvilPepe 24]

I do the same - note in a comment box on the receipt that the skates/helmet were not the recommended size. In practice it doesn't do much except make the conversation shorter if they happen to come back and throw the skates at me

[icewalker_bg 126]

well, here in Montreal, i argued with some 15 years olds working at random hockey stores that apx/x60 girldes do exist. Their agrument what that girdles are made only for ringuette and bauer does not make hockey girdles.

Its really getting harder and harder to get good service with these young punks in about every major hockey retailer, were talking about basic hockey gear knowledge, let alone proper fit and sizing. Some of you might wonder why most of my gear in bought online and not in store, heres why.

[Sliwka 0]

Question for the employees:

Have you guys ever refused to sell a product to an insistent customer on the basis of them rejecting your fitting? Specifically for skates and helmets?

I know that personally, on the grounds of moral responsibility, that I will refuse to sell a poorly fitting or non-fitting helmet to someone. For skates, I would (and have on a few occasions) remind and clarify to that customer that they are purchasing against my recommendation (going to a much higher size for example is the most common) and that I will write on the receipt as such; to prevent the blame game and any returns due to a 'poor' fitting, but ultimately 'allow' the sale.

Any experiences or tips on how to handle these situations any better?

I'd add that letting them know what a poor fit does to performance, the skate, and your foot is a good place to convince most people (expecially parents wanting to buy skates a size or 1.5 sizes too big).

[AIREAYE 248]

I'd add that letting them know what a poor fit does to performance, the skate, and your foot is a good place to convince most people (expecially parents wanting to buy skates a size or 1.5 sizes too big).

That goes without saying lol, some people still won't understand.

[Chadd 916]

well, here in Montreal, i argued with some 15 years olds working at random hockey stores that apx/x60 girldes do exist. Their agrument what that girdles are made only for ringuette and bauer does not make hockey girdles.

Its really getting harder and harder to get good service with these young punks in about every major hockey retailer, were talking about basic hockey gear knowledge, let alone proper fit and sizing. Some of you might wonder why most of my gear in bought online and not in store, heres why.

Around here most of those "experts" try and tell everyone to wear a girdle, because "all the pros do". Very few kids want to help customers find what they want anymore, they want to tell people what to do to look cool.

[IPv6Freely 2087]

Around here most of those "experts" try and tell everyone to wear a girdle, because "all the pros do". Very few kids want to help customers find what they want anymore, they want to tell people what to do to look cool.

These are the same kids who have grown up spending all their practice time doing "the crosby trick" and "cellying" by jumping into the glass.

[2panther 2]

I've been having a tough time with finding a really good pair of skates. After many years of not playing I got back into the game and wanted to upgrade my old school Tacks. I ended up getting a cheaper pair of Vapor XXII's. They fit good enough for me to see if I really wanted to get back into the game. Loved playing again and after skating for a season on the Vapors I went wanted to upgrade so I ended up in a pair of Flexlites 4.0's. I liked them and in the off season my brother wanted a pair of skates and he tried them on and bought them from me for a few hundo. New season and I needed skates AGAIN, and after trying on so damn many pairs at a different LHS I tried on a pair of Easton S12's, they felt great and I walked out with them. I've skated a few times this year and have had awful feet pain in them, I've tried multiple lacing techniques and skipping eyelets to see if anything helped and nothing did the trick.

Yesterday I wanted to stop by a local rink with a pro shop inside to see what they had for skates. I tried on Supremes in multiple levels, Vapors in multiple levels and then I said what about the Nexus 600's? He grabbed my size and they pinched my ankles like crazy, to the point of it hurting to get them off. After the employee stepped back and started reviewing how each skate felt on me he pulled out a some Flexlite 4.0's in my size. Heaven. Very comfortable for my foot and I said bought them on the spot. He said he wasn't going to bother baking them as it isn't really needed with the Flexlites (i have no idea if that's true) I once again have a great pair of skates for ME and the only brand I didn't try on was Graf but I know even less about them than the Bauers, Reeboks etc.

This kid was good, he really took the time to analyze what I liked and didn't like about each brand and then the light came on and he grabbed the flexlites from the back and I'm back in business. I am looking for new shins now too after getting a pair of super cheap CCM's for xmas from a family member and after wiping out I felt pain in my knee when I hit the ice in them, they need to go. I feel very confident in going back to this kid and having him help me out. Great experience.

[Chadd 916]

This kid was good, he really took the time to analyze what I liked and didn't like about each brand and then the light came on and he grabbed the flexlites from the back and I'm back in business. I am looking for new shins now too after getting a pair of super cheap CCM's for xmas from a family member and after wiping out I felt pain in my knee when I hit the ice in them, they need to go. I feel very confident in going back to this kid and having him help me out. Great experience.

That's great to hear, that should be the norm and not the exception to the rule.

[hyster110 3]

love when you go to a skate shop and they give you the stink eye and grunt that they have to dress their stone to something other than their "house grind"

i take my skates at 5/8s and i took them to a local st albert shop to get sharpened (st albert near edmonton) as my usual place was closed. asked for 5/8s and he took them and sharpened. skated once and swear they have to have been at least 3/8 cause wow were they ever biting. i also was told from a friend they have a very deep house grind. so i took them back and asked him to re do them, and he argued with me for about 10 minutes that he did them at 5/8s. never going back there again

[raganblink 82]

That's not right.

Even if he did them at 5/8ths, just redo them. What's 5 minutes of your time to keep a customer coming back? If you piss them off (as he did in your case), he just lost a customer for probably life. When I hear these stories about how terrible some shops are, I just can't help but wonder what in the heck they are doing! Its not hard guys, take care of customer, they'll keep coming back and take care of you.

[Chadd 916]

love when you go to a skate shop and they give you the stink eye and grunt that they have to dress their stone to something other than their "house grind"

I only did that to the guys that would tell me they had to have something like 17/32" or 15/32".

[raganblink 82]

Ahhh yes, the standard 15/32"! For When 1/2" isn't deep enough and 7/16"s is too much!

[jimmy 194]

I only did that to the guys that would tell me they had to have something like 17/32" or 15/32".

If someone wants 15/32 or 17/32, please tell us why you wouldn't do that for them? Or why you would be upset that's what they want? There are tons of skaters who feels 1/2 isn't sharp enough and 7/16 is too sharp. It is no big deal for a sharpener to dress at any setting a customer wants.

[superhakan 2]

If someone wants 15/32 or 17/32, please tell us why you wouldn't do that for them? Or why you would be upset that's what they want? There are tons of skaters who feels 1/2 isn't sharp enough and 7/16 is too sharp. It is no big deal for a sharpener to dress at any setting a customer wants.

Because there is being picky for the sake of being picky. Most skaters can't tell the difference between 1/2 and 5/8ths never mind 7/16 and 15/32. If I went into a restaurant and asked for exactly 32 french fries you'd give me a look too.

[AIREAYE 248]

IMHO, at that precision, you'll notice other outside factors more than the difference in hollows. Ice conditions, quality of steel, fatigue level, temperatures, the 'feel' factor etc. Absolutely unneccesary to get down to that level. The perceived differences are just that; perceived. Placebo. Most is to divide it into sixteenths imo and even then, there will be those who argue the necessity of that.

[watchgreat 4]

I dont know about most but to me there is a huge difference between 1/2" and 5/8". I am still playing at a decent level but I can't imagine it being much different for anyone else.

[AIREAYE 248]

I'm saying that dividing into sixteenths is the most. It does without saying that people will notice the difference b/w 1/2 and 5/8.

[Chadd 916]

If someone wants 15/32 or 17/32, please tell us why you wouldn't do that for them? Or why you would be upset that's what they want? There are tons of skaters who feels 1/2 isn't sharp enough and 7/16 is too sharp. It is no big deal for a sharpener to dress at any setting a customer wants.

Because in virtually every case, it was someone that just wanted to be different. The ice conditions will result in a bigger difference in feel on a day to day basis at most rinks than a change of 1/32". I've also had people ask for /64ths and /128ths just to trump their buddies.

[jsykes 35]

I dont even think you can adjust the diamonds that precisely even if you wanted to. The tolerances between the adjustment of the diamond, wear of the diamond, play in the swingarm and all the rest of the bits thrown in there are just not precise enough I dont believe for accurate adjustments in the 1/32 range.

[forbs02 20]

I dont even think you can adjust the diamonds that precisely even if you wanted to. The tolerances between the adjustment of the diamond, wear of the diamond, play in the swingarm and all the rest of the bits thrown in there are just not precise enough I dont believe for accurate adjustments in the 1/32 range.

I actually came in to post this. Nicely written.