people that diss you for having good gear

[phantoms19 0]

If you're a good skater/shooter/stickhandler  you'd be as good a skater in a pair of 652 tacks as you would be in pro tacks, and as good a shooter/stickhandler with a 5030 sherwood as you would be with a stealth.

Amen...couldn't have been said any better

[Gongshow11 1]

i find that younger kids that spend over $1000 on their equipment arent good at all.

As levels go up and get better hockey, i understand people using the best equipment

[DrMolotov 0]

Isn't this an age old debate w/ no real answer???

We've all seen great players using "crappy gear" and crappy players using the latest and greatest.

Can't we all just agree to disagree and concede that a person's disposable income is his or her own business?

Especially on a board such as this where just about everyone's vice is hockey.

How owning such things might make a person act is a different story. But unless someone is a complete douche bag, leave'em alone.

All great points....

Who cares what people think, because when you boil it all down most people are so completely self absorbed anyway that they really only think about themselves anyway. If you worry about what people think than maybe its a self-esteem problem.

Its your money, get what you want

[canhockey7 0]

I'm always getting comments from teammates about my equipment. Most of it is top of the line stuff, and they all think i'm just spoiled and rich when really i buy most of it myself. Having expensive protective equipment doesn't mean i'm spoiled, it also could mean that i'm looking for stuff with protection and that's why i buy it or my parents buy it. My parents do offer to buy me sticks, but will not buy me a one piece which i think is reasonable so i buy most of my sticks myself, as well as gloves, skates and bag

[Chupacabraz214 0]

My boy is 8 and I bought him a Vector Pro skates.

Most kids that age around here have a hard time breaking them in.

my brother is 4 and he's about to get new ones

[this guy 0]

I have a cousin that grew up in Alaska playing hockey- but his family didn't have alot of money so they would buy all his equipment used. Turns out he was one of the top high school players (made the alaskan all-stars team) and went on to play juniors then 4 years of DI. If the NHL would have started the season, he would be playing with the buffaloe sabres.

[#28tz 0]

Yh i all ways have to think about what people will think of you before i buy new kit.

Its always because their jealous though :)

[iceholes 0]

you should never worry about your equipment you have...you get what you want and play the best you can. Its all about the game.

I buy to the level of protection I need. I buy sticks that are the most comfortable to me...and that includes feel/weight(how and where its weighted...lighter sticks are not always "lighter")/curve

[blues_91 0]

I guess I'm lucky that noone on my team knows anything about equipment. They all think that the Vapour XXX, Synergy skates, eagle gloves, stealth/xn10/synergy, are the abosolute best pieces of equipment. I can buy top of the line equipment that isn't as flashy (i.e supreme 8090, and Inno 1100 shaft) and not be made fun of, although people still call me rich because I was the first to buy an 8000 helmet <_<

[Sniper407 0]

I think what a lot of people that give other players crap about having good gear don't understand is that, like myself, I spend all my money on hockey because I don't have anything else I want to spend it on besides the game I love to play. I say if you want to spend your money on hockey geear go for it. There's nothing wrong with it. It's like asking why do people buy nice cars? It's not going to get you to work any faster driving like you usually do... A guy with a Civic and a guy with a Ferrari get to the same place at the same time going the same speed.

[troybruins89 0]

I think what a lot of people that give other players crap about having good gear don't understand is that, like myself, I spend all my money on hockey because I don't have anything else I want to spend it on besides the game I love to play. I say if you want to spend your money on hockey geear go for it. There's nothing wrong with it. It's like asking why do people buy nice cars? It's not going to get you to work any faster driving like you usually do... A guy with a Civic and a guy with a Ferrari get to the same place at the same time going the same speed.

exactly how i feel..people spend there money on different things and they shouldnt be looked at different because of what they spend their money on.

i dont think that the latest and newest gear is gonna make anyone a better hockey player BUT having equipment that fits correctly and is comfortable is definatly worth the money in my opinion and if its a pair of vapor XXXs or if its a pair of ccm 52 tacks it doesnt matter as long as they fit and the user is happy with them.

[Cavs019 710]

People usually don't say anything because everyone around here has nice stuff. However, if you roll up with a stealth and some XXX's and you're a complete duster your bound to hear it.

[jimmy 194]

Funny thing is if you took the name and label off every piece of equipment, taking the "status" factor away, skaters would end up with totally diferent equipment. I guaranty it, if I took a pair of Sherwood skates, and relabeled them Vapor XXXX, they would sell like hotcakes!

[hockey_puck 0]

Ha its funny but the truth

[bulletproof_funk 0]

Whether you're an elite competitive player or a weekend hack, you might as well feel comfortable while playing the game you love. There's no fun in wearing skates that don't fit, using a stick that's the wrong flex, or a helmet that causes headaches. Bottom line is, spend what you think you need to to get the gear that doesn't hold you back, and enjoy. B)

[forsberg91 0]

Funny thing is if you took the name and label off every piece of equipment, taking the "status" factor away, skaters would end up with totally diferent equipment. I guaranty it, if I took a pair of Sherwood skates, and relabeled them Vapor XXXX, they would sell like hotcakes!

That is true. LOL :P

[sn1per 0]

i have so many kids come into my shop asking for the latest and greatest gear and I ask them why and they really don't have a good response other than because it's new or it's 5grams lighter blah blah blah.... Honestly, if the gear fits great, then get it if you can afford it. If you love the game, then play it. Stop complaining about not having the best gear. When you're out on the ice during game play, do you honestly concentrate on other people's gear? Or do you play the game and follow the play? It's nice to have good gear, but it's true, a lot of us get our gear at discount prices. I got a ton of my gear for dirt cheap and a lot of sticks were just given to me for free. So judge not as you should be judged first.

[mmhky_11 0]

I have top of the line equipment in just about every category, but most people do not realize that all the gear I have is bought with my own money from working a part time job. My parents will not buy me any new gear. So pretty much most of my money from work is towards hockey stuff. I buy stuff that fits me proerly and suits my style of game.

[LkptTiger 1]

Funny thing is if you took the name and label off every piece of equipment, taking the "status" factor away, skaters would end up with totally diferent equipment. 

...That may be true for some of the younger kids, or some of the older guys playing house or beer league, but once you reach the older, more elite levels (Bantam and Midget AAA, Juniors, etc...) you see alot more of your opponents (and teammates, as well) wearing skates that look like they're on their 8th or 9th year of use (even though what looks like 8 or 9 years of wear is usually 1.5-2) and gloves that have probably been repalmed four or five times, minimum. That doesn't mean you don't still see the guys who are wearing well over $1000 worth of stuff (not counting the sticks they carry out to the bench) - most of them are - but the guys who can play the game usually go with what WORKS best for them, not what LOOKS best on them...

[opus22 0]

If you're a good skater/shooter/stickhandler you'd be as good a skater in a pair of 652 tacks as you would be in pro tacks, and as good a shooter/stickhandler with a 5030 sherwood as you would be with a stealth.

what he said.

you can tailor your equipment to tweak aspects....if you're good in the first place. if a wood stick is too heavy for you to play well - time to hit the steak and potatoes. i will give once you've reached a certain point in development - better skates from your old ratty play it again beginner purchase can help. most of my issues with this goes toward the sticks - its just crazy.

[echi24 1]

i dont really find those issues evident on my team, the majority of the team is very well off and do have very nice equipment, but there is no bragging or put downs to those with average equipment. i could count about 12 si core grips, a few pairs of vapor XXXs and about 3 stealths as far as top of the line equipment goes. i actually find those with the nicer gear to be humble and try not to attract any attention to their equipment. something i found really cool is that some of the kids that broke their si core blades were perfectly willing to give the shaft to another kid who wanted to make use of it. i dont find those problems much around here

[asdfa 0]

i dont think that the latest and newest gear is gonna make anyone a better hockey player BUT having equipment that fits correctly and is comfortable is definatly worth the money in my opinion and if its a pair of vapor XXXs or if its a pair of ccm 52 tacks it doesnt matter as long as they fit and the user is happy with them.

i think you've hit the nail on the head, for me at least. i've seen people move from easton air elbows to ratty old school ones and play better. conversely, i've seen people , including myself, go from really crappy (not meaning not top of the line but actually terrible) skates to spending money on nice skates and improving their game, becuase it works better for them. whatever type of equipment is justified if it is physically beneficial to the user.

[Chadd 916]

More often than not I see players dogging the guys who don't have expensive gear.

[troybruins89 0]

More often than not I see players dogging the guys who don't have expensive gear.

thats not the case in the town im playing in....but at the same time its not really a big program (which is part of the reason im going to another team) and most of the kids dont have that good of equipment so im constantly hearing crap about my "rich kid" gear that i paid for myself...

[Ogie Oglethorpe 14]

More often than not I see players dogging the guys who don't have expensive gear.

As have I. However, I think it just boils down to locker room ettiquette is that you pretty much rag on each other on whatever you can. If it's not equipment, it's the slappers you sailed into the cheap seats, or your shirt, or your car, or your girlfriend, or the check you missed or......