Emergency backup steel - opinions

[rh71el2 3]

How important is it to swap in matching pair of steel?  I think the most important factor is that the profile is the same, but does any height difference really matter (perceivable) if you only swap in 1 steel to finish a weekend tournament?  I know people can be really anal about their gear, but is it really a big deal in the grand scheme?  Anyone actually go through this?

[xstartxtodayx 343]

My 2 sets of steel are not identical.  They have the same profile and hollow but since I had experimented with different profiles they're noticeably different to the eye (one seems pitched more fwd when I look side by side).  With that being said, when I swap from one set to another I don't notice it after the first few strides (maybe one lap at most), after that it feels fine since it's pretty minor.  I definitely wouldn't mix and match the 2 sets though, prob best to keep a set the same and swap both left/right if one needs to be swapped out.

[218hockey 50]

swap in one steel? What does that mean? When you switch you're switching out the pair, right?

[psulion22 402]

If there's a perceivable difference in height, I'd say it's best not to mix runners from different pairs.  If you can see it, you're going to be able to feel it.

But if the options are mixing a set or not playing because you don't have any other usable steel, then play with what you got.

[stick9 890]

2 hours ago, 218hockey said:

swap in one steel? What does that mean? When you switch you're switching out the pair, right?

I've swapped out only one runner once. It was mid game and the other was a PIA to get out, so I left it in. Funny thing is. My two sets of steel don't match in height or profile. It wasn't as bad as you would think. 

To the OP's point. It all comes down to, do you want to rotate two sets of steel or do you want to have a spare set on hand just in case? If it's the former, then keep them as close as possible so you don't notice going from one to the other. If it's the latter, I'd say get em profiled but don't worry about much else. They're only there in case something happens.

[Jbear 113]

I've got a bunch of runners...I never perceive a difference when I swap.

I've skated on two different skates before (an AS3Pro and a 2xPro...also an AS3Pro and an 80k).  It was easy...took two strides and I didn't even notice after that. 

[VegasHockey 1280]

I would recommend to only swap sets, not single runners. 

[puckpilot 312]

Mixing and matching steel, even if the profile is the same, is probably not a good idea. Millimetres matter. You might not feel any difference, especially if you're not being pushed to your limits and you remain in your comfort zone, but once you get put under presser, that's when the significance of the differences can manifest.

Your body/mind is going to rely on instinct/muscle memory to react and do things and if that reaction is based on feedback from one blade, with instinct expecting the other blade to be the same relative height, that can throw you ever so slightly off. It might not be much, but it can be enough to lose and edge on a hard turn or pivot, or to lose balance during a challenging board battle. 

It's like cutting a quarter inch off your stick. During warm-up you might not even notice. But when shooting under pressure, you might whiff on a shot instead of driving it hard. Or when stickhandling in traffic, you might fumble it for half a second, enough time for the dman to step up and check you. 

 

[stick9 890]

3 hours ago, puckpilot said:

Mixing and matching steel, even if the profile is the same, is probably not a good idea. Millimetres matter. You might not feel any difference, especially if you're not being pushed to your limits and you remain in your comfort zone, but once you get put under presser, that's when the significance of the differences can manifest.

Your body/mind is going to rely on instinct/muscle memory to react and do things and if that reaction is based on feedback from one blade, with instinct expecting the other blade to be the same relative height, that can throw you ever so slightly off. It might not be much, but it can be enough to lose and edge on a hard turn or pivot, or to lose balance during a challenging board battle. 

It's like cutting a quarter inch off your stick. During warm-up you might not even notice. But when shooting under pressure, you might whiff on a shot instead of driving it hard. Or when stickhandling in traffic, you might fumble it for half a second, enough time for the dman to step up and check you. 

 

I find it to be the opposite. When you're taking it easy or just goofing around your mind focuses on little things. When you're in the zone you just react and do.

By no means am I advocating for players to swap out a single runner or mix and match two different sets of steel. Just pointing out that it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. 

Edited August 31, 2022 by stick9