Which shooting target?

[Mikej411 2]

Looking to get shooting targets for stick time sessions when no goalies show up. Does anyone have any experience with them? I found three from expensive to cheap foam ones. Don't know which I should go with...

http://www.xhockeyproducts.com/X_Targets_Hockey_Shooting_Targets_p/x-targets.htm

http://www.hockeyshot.com/Top-Shelf-Targets-p/target-tarp-017.htm

http://www.hockeymonkey.com/winwell-hockey-accessories-foam-shooting-targets-4pk.html

[goblue9280 33]

Since the 2nd and 3rd sets are OOS/unavailable, I'd go with the first set.

[mnpucker 33]

I made what I think to be a very good shooting target. Specifically, I wanted a target that ran from under the cross bar to just off the ice. The target was meant to draw my players eyes to the scoring areas of the net when the goalie was in net during practice but also was used when our goalie was absent and just needed a target. Now my kids use it on our backyard rink. It has lasted years.

Materials for 1 target rope: 1 caribiner, 1 skate lace, 1 Foam Swimming Noodle, 3 tennis balls, 1 oversized washer. Cut the Noodle into 4 - 10" pieces, Tie the Caribiner to the lace at one end. Cut holes through the tennis balls so you can string the lace through them. String a tennis ball on the lace and place it so it is roughly 6" below the Caribiner, tie a knot under it so it doesn't slide down. Next slide 2 pieces of the swim noodle on followed by a tennis ball tie another knot under the ball, repeat one more time adding the washer between the last ball and knot and you are done. The rope from top to bottom is Caribiner, ball, noodles, ball, noodles, ball.

Leave enough room between each ball and foam so the rope collapses easily for carrying if you coach and need to carry with you.

Connect the shooting rope to the net in the corner under the crossbar via the caribiner and shoot away. I make 2 of these one for each side of the net.

The rope gives you various levels of targets and is extremely durable. When you hit it, it just jumps and settles to hang straight again.

[hunterphfr 12]

The foam ones seem like a good idea, my neighbor used to have a set when we were kids. They weren't bad for screwing around in the basement. Not a great design for a team practice. Everytime one gets hit the foam pops out and has to be put back in. Would slow down a practice and decrease the tempo/constant flow expected at practice these days.

I made a set for my son out of a set of 4 different colored 8.5X11ish thin flexible carving pads my wife got me for Xmas. They came from William Sonoma. Since the stack of wood cutting boards we already owned seemed plenty adequate, I decided to convert thes into a set of targets for my sons net when the plexiglass I originally used cracked. I drilled holes and used heavy duty zip ties to fasten them to the net, velcro could be used to make them easily removable.

[shooter27 117]

If you're talking about using them on ice, I would think pucks would tear the foam ones after one hit

[Mikej411 2]

Yeah this is for ice. I'm leaning toward the X-Targets

[mnpucker 33]

I made mine when my kid was a mite 6 years ago. They are as good as the day I made them and they have taken 10's of thousand's of shots. When our backyard rink melts the net and targets come inside. It gets shot at everyday and not just by my 2 boys as I shot at it with them. I am not sure how or why it has lasted this long, it sits outside all winter and has yet to wear. I think the foam stays in tact because the target gives with each shot. good luck

[Martis 0]

I would go with the foam ones. There is also a more "simple" version that you probably can build yourself -> http://www.hockeyshot.com/Bobby-Hull-JR-Sniper-Training-Targets-p/target-tarp-001.htm ... Some cord, rags, and, a bit of stiching ... looks like 5 min work ...

An other advise I can give you, since I am often using a more complex target for shooting that takes some time to mount it correctly (something like shooter tutor). Take an easy and fast to mount version!

You dont want to mount and adjust your targets for ~ 3-5min when everyone already wants to play.