Off ice training equipment

[Amazinmets73 69]

I'm seeking advice on the best off ice training tools. I have a limited budget (any training tool over 100 is prohibitively expensive)

What I have on my "to buy" list:

Green biscuit pucks

Pair of inline skates

Weighted pucks

Home depot methane board

Any advice for additional tools?

[Vet88 674]

Been there and done this. The first 2 items on your list along with either 1: a hockey wraparound so you can use your own stick outside or 2: an old shaft with an abs blade put in it.

I assume you are going to skate outside on concrete / road so get the hardest durometer wheels you can find for your skates. If you skate everyday and use abs blades and 86a wheels you will chew through a blade every month or so, a green biscuit lasts about 3 months and wheels last around 6 weeks. this is dependant on the surface you skate on, I was on a tar sealed car park. An old tyre is great to bounce the biscuit off and practice passing, accuracy, receiving etc.

When you are not skating, the board and green biscuit are good along with a golf ball, squash ball, Smart Hockey Stick Handling Off Ice TRAINING BALL and really anything else that is small and round to build hand speed and feel. Plastic water pipes attached together in 1 foot segments using T joiners creates a great tool to puck handle around and under.

To shoot you want the board, around 20 pucks and a tarp or garden netting to fire the pucks at.

With the board, pledge or silicone spray or some other lubricant is helpful if you are using ice or roller pucks so they slide easily over the board.

[Amazinmets73 69]

Which is preferable, street hockey stick or a wrap around?

[mickz 107]

I'd rather get a stick with an ABS blade for use outdoors. If you're shooting off a board then there's no need for the hockey wraparound either.

[Vet88 674]

Which is preferable, street hockey stick or a wrap around?

I've used both and there are pluses and minus either way. Overall my suggestion these days is to use an abs blade. It's different to your normal ice stick so it will give you a different feel and a new set of skills. You don't need to tape it up, just go for it with the understanding it will wear away and eventually need replacing in a month or so. Also you can try different curves without it costing you a lot. This assumes you have a shaft that you can put an abs blade into. If you are looking at buying another stick just for the street then I'd get a hockey wraparound as I've never been a fan of the plastic bladed street sticks.

[TPRO 1]

For the training ball, if you like wood, head to a craft store such as Hobby Lobby. Get a bag of 4 for $3.99 vs $5 each at the LHS.

The Swedish Hockey Balls are cheaper this way. Typically 2".

[Amazinmets73 69]

How can you tell if your stick is compatible with an ABS blade?

[Labrat198 7]

How can you tell if your stick is compatible with an ABS blade?

ABS is the material it is made of so a one piece stick either has it or not. If its a two piece stick you should be able to find an ABS blade for it. If you brought it to a LHS they should be able to set you up with a Tapered or Non-tapered blade depending. Switching blades on a two piece can be a pain, so I would recommend getting a second stick. I picked up a cheap wooden stick with a strip of ABS on the bottom for off ice.

[Amazinmets73 69]

My sticks:

Easton V7

Graf G55

Eagle Talon 60

STX stallion 300

Will any of those work?

[Vet88 674]

You may not yet be in the lucky situation of having dozens of broken twigs lying around. I use a ops (one piece stick) which has a broken blade to turn it into a shaft, Eastons are good for this but I have never tried it on the V series. If you don't have a broken stick ask at your rink, they may have many lying around as they often go into the bin when broken during games / practices. If I lived in the states I'd send you one, you might get help from other members here if you can't find one or ask on the buy section of the forum.

There are various threads on turning an ops into a shaft that will then take a blade

http://modsquadhockey.com/forums/index.php/topic/7494-cutting-ops-at-fuse-point/

or use google and search for "turning a broken ops into a shaft"

The tools you will need to do this are : hacksaw, hammer, small chisel, screw driver, heat gun. A vice is optional and helps but I have done many without a vice.

[hawkeyfan 36]

I cannot tell you how many of the weighted training balls I ahve purchased for my boy...He keeps losing them (me thinks he finding ways not to practice :-(

Anyways I would look at the plastic street hockey balls as a tool. They are light, but you can bounce them off the garage door or side of a building and they last and are cheap.

Next the wood craft balls is a great idea. They handle different, but in a good way.

We have used the street pucks with the big wide white pads and they are good, but have just stuck with the weighted balls. Problem is the weighted balls can damage things and DO NOT feel good when getting hit by them.

Buy an ABS blade and find a broken one peice stick, flip it around and glue it into the butt end of the broken stick.

[Amazinmets73 69]

I have 3 eagle Talon sticks and have no problem sacrificing one to make it street suitable

[NiCnoK 61]

Also the board you're looking for is melamine (not methane)

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded-Melamine-White-Panel-Common-3-4-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-Actual-750-in-x-49-in-x-97-in-461877/100070209