Shorter Shins?

[IPv6Freely 2097]

So I'd like to start wearing my tongues out (mostly so it's not virtually impossible to re-tie my skates on the bench), but it's very clear that I won't be able to with my current 14" shins:

I'm 5'9 and my shins obviously cover a lot of my skates. While this is great for protection, it makes it impossible to wear my tongues out. Should I be looking at 13" shins? They seem relatively uncommon for adults.

I'm thinking Warrior Projekt (because I love the liner they use in the projekt elbows) or RBK 7k shins.

PS - Yes, I'm going back to my RBK skates. The Grafs just don't seem to fit right, and I have the same issue I had with my Eastons where my right big toe rubbed on the inside of the toe cap seam and gave me pretty bad sores. I may have volume issues w/ my RBKs but at least they don't hurt to skate in!

[strosedefence34 178]

i'm roughly 5'10" and I have been wearing my tongues out forever I wear 13" shins, because when I had 14" they pushed down too much on my tongues and would slide out of place. They come up to roughly just above my top of my tongues. Bauer makes a senior 13" the only problem I have is the bottom strap doesn't stayed velcroed.

[AIREAYE 248]

Find a shin pad that comes down enough so that it sits 2 finger widths above your inside ankle bone. The older Warrior Projekts had the liner extend about 1/3" past the shell, so buyer beware.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Yes, generally if you put it behind the tongue, you'll have to drop one size.

[IPv6Freely 2097]

Thanks guys!

Hmm, Pro Series (http://www.hockeymonkey.com/bauer-hockey-shin-guards-pro-series.html) or X:60 (http://www.hockeymonkey.com/bauer-hockey-shin-guards-vapor-x60-sr.html)? Anyone used both and can compare?

[Zombies #77 10]

A simple solution could be buying a good pair of waxed laces. I use elite waxed laces and never feel the need to re-tie my skates.

[wrangler 157]

Same here, since I moved to the Elite oval. But even before that, my shin guards never got in the way of retying the laces. I've never had them so tight I couldn't slide them up a little for the operation.

[chippa13 1844]

Worth noting, I'm 5'10" and have worn my tongues out forever. I usually wore 15" shin pads but when I got my pair of closeout 9K's a couple of years ago I had to shorten to 14" shins because the boot was cut just that little bit higher than most of what I'd worn in the past.

[Morten 2]

How is the length of a 14" one60 compared to the 14" 7K, is the 7K smaller?

[Apes44 7]

i do the tongues out and wear 13's and i'm 5'11", the bad thing is theres that spot that the puck always seems to find between fgood protection on the skate and shin guard!

[IPv6Freely 2097]

A simple solution could be buying a good pair of waxed laces. I use elite waxed laces and never feel the need to re-tie my skates.

Has nothing to do with the laces. I need to re-tie them because sometimes I've tied them too tightly or too loose. And at this point, I'm stuck with dealing with the pain for the entire game.

Same here, since I moved to the Elite oval. But even before that, my shin guards never got in the way of retying the laces. I've never had them so tight I couldn't slide them up a little for the operation.

Hmm. Mine are on far too tightly for it to be possible. Combine the straps on the pads with the tape over my socks, and they aren't going anywhere.

Worth noting, I'm 5'10" and have worn my tongues out forever. I usually wore 15" shin pads but when I got my pair of closeout 9K's a couple of years ago I had to shorten to 14" shins because the boot was cut just that little bit higher than most of what I'd worn in the past.

I've noticed that also, the RBK boots are definitely higher than the Eastons or Grafs I've had.

[wrangler 157]

I don't tape over my socks. I just strap 'em on. They aren't locked in place, but I've never found them moving enough to be a problem. As a matter of fact, I don't remember ever noticing them move, and they're always in the right place when I fall on them.

[IPv6Freely 2097]

Ah, well even still... with how far down they go (see photo above), there's not much of an option for retying my skates. I'd have to pull my socks down, take off my shinpad, re-tie, shinpad back on, drop my pants, reattach my socks to my jock shorts, and pull my pants back up. Oh, and I wear my shoudlers over my suspenders so I'd have to take those off, too.

Then again, once I start wearing my RBK skates again, I probably won't have a problem. I've never been able to figure out how to get my Grafs tied just right so they don't hurt when I skate. Usually too tight is better than too loose because my feet eventually just go numb.

[LoneStar77 25]

I've just pulled my shin pads up a bit, socks & all when I've needed to re-tie my skates on the bench. Then I just shift it back down over my tongue when I'm finished with the laces. Of course I don't always tape & when I do its just one strip below the knee.

[theflash0000 0]

Dremel tool FTW :)

[Shayno 1]

5'10"......and wearing 13" shins? Wow!......I guess protection went out the window eh?.... Im 5'10" and my 15 inch Jofa's feel small?

[Axxion89 32]

5'10"......and wearing 13" shins? Wow!......I guess protection went out the window eh?.... Im 5'10" and my 15 inch Jofa's feel small?

You know overall height has nothing to really do with shin length right? People's torso, legs, and shins length vary in size to make up overall height of the individual. Just because you are 5 10 and use 15" shins does not mean all people 5 10 will wear 15" shins...

[IPv6Freely 2097]

Dremel tool FTW :)

I actually considered it, except that I don't like my shins anyway - the easton knee cap is really "pointy"... lots of roll when im trying to get up after a fall. Want something more rounded like RBK or even Bauer.

[Alexst 0]

I wear 14 shins and I'm 5'11" - small shins!

[SirJW 207]

If you are having trouble w/ your skates, don't go w. the tongue out. It's just gonna push down on your ankle and create more issues.

If I need to re-tie i just push my shin up. Granted I have always put my shins on b4 my pants and my skates. You might want to try the same thing before you go out and buy another size.

[IPv6Freely 2097]

I always go skates > shins > pants (yay zippered pant legs!)

I've never really been able to push my shins up to re-tie because I tape my shins over my socks. Though last game I had them way too tight and just HAD to do something, so i ripped off all the tape and yanked my shins up. I managed to get them up high enough to re-tie my skates, but it was tough.

I tried the bauer 13" i was able to find in the LHS, and don't like them. So I'm thinking of taking a dremel to my current shins. I don't need to take a lot off, maybe just 1/2 to 3/4". I'd just prefer to have my tongues out, and I just can't do it with how long my shins are now. As it is, if I go tongues out, the kneecap of my shins sits up too high.

Its worth a try. If its no good, then I wanted new shins anyway, and I'll just get 14" shins that I like and deal with having to wear them over the tongues.

[x-axis 44]

A little word of advice from a product design student when using a dremel for shins:

Make sure you create a template first either with blue tape on top of 1/8" chipboard directly on the shins so the sets are symmetrical or whatever you happen to have available then use a scribe to mark out your cut line. When you are done cutting, follow it up with a deburring tool for plastic or plasti-cut file. Good luck and would love to see the final product!

[bekster 0]

just use metal shears they cut throuch the plastic like butter and wont produce any plastic dust. And to fine-tune the hight you can move the inner shinguard liner up and down a bit (if its removeable like in jofas/reeboks).

And on top of it you could make the shell a little more tapered towards the buttom by heating the area up with a heatgun and shape it. (cause if you cut it, the new bottom of the shell will be a bit wider than the original)