Gear You Wanted to Love...but Didn't!

[Jbear 113]

Since we can't dry land train all day...I'm taking a break, and asking (anyone else who's bored)...what piece of gear were you dying to get your hands on that ended up being disappointment.  Not to say that it wasn't any good...it just wasn't any good for you!

Me...I grew up with the game in the 70's on Long Island.  Naturally, I was an Islander fan, and when I was about 14, I moved to defense and I absolutely idolized Denny Potvin!  I've played D and worn #5 for my entire (now five decade) career.  I wanted a Lange helmet (became Northland) sooooo bad because Denny wore one.  Well...I saved my pennies, and went into the pro shop at Twin Rinks (my home rink), and boom...I got me one!  I have never worn anything so heavy and uncomfortable on my head in my life!  Maybe it didn't fit right, or maybe I had the wrong head shape, but getting ready for practice...I would dread putting this thing on!  It was so heavy that when I turned my head fast, it felt like it was going to tear it right off my neck.  Anyway...about three miserable weeks later...CCM Pro Standard and never looked back.  Still wearing the descendants of that helmet. Hey...it worked for Bossy and Trottier...and they weren't too bad😉

Whatchoogot?

Edited April 10, 2020 by Jbear

[Burning Bear 76]

I'm kind of in the same boat as you. I always loved the classic styling and low-profile look of the Bauer 4500. It and its predecessors are right up there with the CCM HT2 in terms of iconic status. I wore a nearly-identical Nike 4 back in high school, but my head turned into an oversized potato at some point during my twenties. I ended up switching to the rather bulbous Bauer 7500 and found a home there for a while, but I hated the comfort foams, which had a nasty habit of both flattening to the thickness of an envelope and falling out. When the RE-AKT 95 came out, I finally found a compromise between fit, comfort, quality, and style. Still kinda wish my head fit in the 4500, though.

I was also kind of heartbroken when my hands didn't fit properly into the rather sharp-looking 1X Lite gloves. Way too cramped, especially compared to the XXXX and APX, the latter of which I used for the better part of a decade. Ironically, my hands fit better in the Supreme line now.

Honorable mention to the Easton 800 Pro gloves from 2015, which looked really cool with the huge "E in the oval" logo on the cuff, but even the 13" fit like a 18" pair. It had enough room to fit both of my hands inside and probably keep some Werther's Originals in the fingertips.

[Tucker16 37]

For me it was the super tacks shin pads. I liked the protection and up until they cracked (only part of one season) I just couldn’t make them work. Can’t try my new pair yet. 
 

same with my quicklite shoulder pads. I wanted lighter weight ones but they weren’t protective at all. Went back to my 11ks and haven’t looked back. 

[Coldclay 53]

Hands down, True Dynamic 9 helmet... so disappointed with the level of protection.

[caveman27 208]

I started off goaltending in the 80s. I had a Cooper SK 600, which was comfortable. The Cooper SK 2000 was more popular so I later on bought that helmet and used the HM-50 mask. It was actually a heavy-duty helmet, but it pressed behind one of my ear lobes. It "looked" good, but it wasn't totally comfortable. If you were super cool enough for your parents to buy two helmets of different colors, you would have the front piece in the team's primary color and the back piece in the team's secondary color.

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

So mine was a little different because it went from a WTF to a LOVE these!

I had custom Bauer skates made for me - fitted and sized and all that great stuff.  The fitter - @JR Boucicaut - is a master at what he does.  I waited my 8 weeks or so and couldn't wait for them to arrive.  I expected the PERFECT fit......  well they got to me and HOLY MOTHER OF GOD did they hurt!!  Now mind you, there was nothing really wrong other than my own stupid expectations.  It took time to break them in and we had to punch out and work on some spots and now I totally love them but I have to say it was a really painful experience for a while. 

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

*did

/retired

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

4 hours ago, JR Boucicaut said:

*did

/retired

😞

 

[IPv6Freely 2092]

Brian’s Optik series. Was so excited when they were released and then tried them and... meh. 

[VegasHockey 1280]

I have a lengthy list but these are ones at the top: 

First generation one-piece Super Tacks skates. I wanted to love them but they were too stiff and had terrible forward flexion. I felt like I was wearing ski boots.

TRUE XC9 Gloves with the replaceable palm. The idea made sense but the implementation was horrible. Some of the worst gloves ever made. 

CCM FL500 helmet. My God, what a mess. I wanted something that would provide great protection but that thing was like wearing an insulated bowling ball on your head. So hot, heavy and uncomfortable. 

Super Tacks Gen I stick. Awesome stick but they had way too many issues with the blade durability. I never had one that lasted more than a few games. 

 

 

[start_today 770]

- 4 roll gloves in general. I love the way these look, but they are always too loose  

- Low kick sticks. Probably due more to my self taught mediocre shooting motion, but I can’t get low kicks to consistently flex/shoot the way I want. 

- Bauer Vapor XXX bag. SIIIIIIIICK looking bag (as far as bag aesthetics go). Awesome gray/black/red colors. Love the pocket design and location of everything. Bought one online when they came out and it’s GINORMOUS. I don’t remember if they had size options at that time, but I can fit two sets of player equipment in it. It lives in my basement and holds old equipment that we keep because hoarding. 

[colins 246]

11 hours ago, SkateWorksPNW said:

I have a lengthy list but these are ones at the top: 

First generation one-piece Super Tacks skates. I wanted to love them but they were too stiff and had terrible forward flexion. I felt like I was wearing ski boots.

TRUE XC9 Gloves with the replaceable palm. The idea made sense but the implementation was horrible. Some of the worst gloves ever made. 

CCM FL500 helmet. My God, what a mess. I wanted something that would provide great protection but that thing was like wearing an insulated bowling ball on your head. So hot, heavy and uncomfortable. 

Super Tacks Gen I stick. Awesome stick but they had way too many issues with the blade durability. I never had one that lasted more than a few games. 

 

 

 

Super Tacks gen 1 was indeed a disaster!

Just thinking... has there been a worse successor to a near perfect stick line (the original Tacks and the Ultra Tacks being in that category - they were solid, reliable, overall great sticks used by so many)?

CCM blew it with the Super Tacks. My kids were big fans before that release - but went back to Bauer and the Nexus when the Super Tacks flopped and everyone's blades were falling apart in record time.

 

colins

 

 

[shoot_the_goalie 281]

1 hour ago, colins said:

 

Super Tacks gen 1 was indeed a disaster!

Just thinking... has there been a worse successor to a near perfect stick line (the original Tacks and the Ultra Tacks being in that category - they were solid, reliable, overall great sticks used by so many)?

CCM blew it with the Super Tacks. My kids were big fans before that release - but went back to Bauer and the Nexus when the Super Tacks flopped and everyone's blades were falling apart in record time.

 

colins

 

 

AS1 & AS2 lines pretty good, but ST was indeed such a mess.  Ultra Tacks was my all time favorite.  Next gen, they should just re-release the old Ultra Tacks w/ new graphics.  Call it like the Super Ultra Tacks...lol.

Edited April 11, 2020 by shoot_the_goalie

[CaptainCharisma 25]

CCM RBZ revolution.  The faceplate tech made for a harder shot (supposedly), but also created heavier blade, along with a bad puck feel.  My shot wasn't noticeably harder, but I could definitely notice the heavy blade.  

The next generation FT1 kept the faceplate tech and made it less blade-heavy.  Haven't tried it out as the Revolution turned me off the RBZ line entirely.    

 

 

Edited April 11, 2020 by CaptainCharisma

[Cavs019 708]

The RBZ pants (HP45) and shoulder pads. After all the hype and hunting around the internet trying to find them, they were super meh.

Obviously both pieces are incredibly light - but they didn’t feel like they moved well at all or had good ergonomics/break in compared to my very old Vapor stuff.

Edited April 11, 2020 by Cavs019

[shoot_the_goalie 281]

2 hours ago, Cavs019 said:

The RBZ pants (HP45) and shoulder pads. After all the hype and hunting around the internet trying to find them, they were super meh.

Obviously both pieces are incredibly light - but they didn’t feel like they moved well at all or had good ergonomics/break in compared to my very old Vapor stuff.

Hmm.  I really liked the CCM RBZ pants.  Super light, protective, and fit really well on the waist and hips for me...but then again fit is subjective.  Sadly the stitching came apart on mine after only a month, so I got it replaced under warranty, but since the RBZs were no longer being sold, I got QTL in exchange. (which are good, but not as good as the RBZs imho)

[Jbear 113]

I really dig my HP45 pants.  I am trying a Super Tacks girdle...when it arrives. Hope it doesn't join this list🤣

[Buzz_LightBeer 969]

Where do I even begin?

Bauer Tri-Flex; the most awesomely ugly graphics ever. But too stiff to be used by mortal humans. 

Bauer 3003 stick; never lasted more than two ice sessions

TPS Adrenaline; loved the XN10 but this was a huge miss

Warrior 6” Tapered Plugs; every one broke right at the tenon

 

[Jbear 113]

Buzz...your Triflex comment reminded me...I used Koko 221 Custom Pro sticks from 1975 through college ('82).  That was "my twig," but they stopped making them.  Then around 1995 or so I saw one...it was an updated version.  Of course I bought it. That sucker had so much fibre de verre, I could laid two of them across a creek and driven my car to the other side! Also great for doing curls.

Edited April 11, 2020 by Jbear

[mickz 107]

21 minutes ago, Buzz_LightBeer said:

Where do I even begin?

Bauer Tri-Flex; the most awesomely ugly graphics ever. But too stiff to be used by mortal humans. 

Bauer 3003 stick; never lasted more than two ice sessions

TPS Adrenaline; loved the XN10 but this was a huge miss

Warrior 6” Tapered Plugs; every one broke right at the tenon

 

The red/silver Tri-flex was the first OPS I owned.  Paint chipped like crazy and the blade was SUPER thick. 

[MyBoxersSayJoe 133]

Oakley Mace gloves.

[Beflar 53]

75 flex sticks.  I wanted to be like Kessel:(

[xstartxtodayx 343]

On 4/11/2020 at 11:06 AM, start_today said:

- 4 roll gloves in general. I love the way these look, but they are always too loose  

- Low kick sticks. Probably due more to my self taught mediocre shooting motion, but I can’t get low kicks to consistently flex/shoot the way I want. 

- Bauer Vapor XXX bag. SIIIIIIIICK looking bag (as far as bag aesthetics go). Awesome gray/black/red colors. Love the pocket design and location of everything. Bought one online when they came out and it’s GINORMOUS. I don’t remember if they had size options at that time, but I can fit two sets of player equipment in it. It lives in my basement and holds old equipment that we keep because hoarding. 

I had/have the XXXX wheeled bag (it was a gift from the Mrs. way back when).... it looks awesome but I quickly realized it was way too big and heavy (it's HUGE), it now holds both of my kids gear plus my skates/gloves/helmet for coaching. 

[xstartxtodayx 343]

For me, back in the 90's I wanted a pair of Easton gloves soooo bad.  A couple of friends had them, the 9500's, all leather with the super grippy palm and air inside that you had to force your hand to squeeze into.  I loved the look and wanted them so bad until one friend let me use his one time, his were "broken in" since he had them for a while but were the stiffest most uncomfortable things I ever wore, I was so bummed because I wanted a pair for so long, I ended up getting a pair of all leather Sher-Woods instead, the ones with the vertical backrolls, and loved them.

[the_game 452]

1 hour ago, xstartxtodayx said:

For me, back in the 90's I wanted a pair of Easton gloves soooo bad.  A couple of friends had them, the 9500's, all leather with the super grippy palm and air inside that you had to force your hand to squeeze into.  I loved the look and wanted them so bad until one friend let me use his one time, his were "broken in" since he had them for a while but were the stiffest most uncomfortable things I ever wore, I was so bummed because I wanted a pair for so long, I ended up getting a pair of all leather Sher-Woods instead, the ones with the vertical backrolls, and loved them.

bite your tongue, loved my Easton GX1350...as far as I'm concerned thems fighting words I challenge you to a duel at dawn