Brand loyalty

[seagoal]

Just now, motowngoalie said:

Not totally confirmed, but a Warrior employee did tell me that masks are debuting in 2020. Also with them being owned by New Balance (and the category being a pretty big money maker), you have to wonder if skates are coming at some point.

I have to admit it's exciting, but seriously, how in the world are they going to make skates and masks out of nothing but velcro?

[motowngoalie]

3 minutes ago, seagoal said:

I have to admit it's exciting, but seriously, how in the world are they going to make skates and masks out of nothing but velcro?

C'mon now, it's the future! Nobody knows how to hand-stuff pads or cut tribal graphics from hides anymore 

[#16]

I wear everything Bauer except for my shorts, CCM Premier Pros, and knee guards, which are Warrior Ritual X2's, because I've never liked Bauer knee guards. I am kinda a Bauer fanboy, but not excessively, most of my purchases were driven either by price got an NME8 helmet when they went on sale, my CCM shorts off SLS for about $60 shipped, brand new, my Bauer Supreme S190 skates (right after they came out so it was the only cowlingless option anyway) off SLS for $120 shipped in decent condition, my 1X pads I got cheap off SLS, my NXG stick for cheap off SLS, got my Bauer jock on sale, or else comfort/familiarity, I got a Reactor c/a for cheap off SLS, and when it came time for a new one I wanted a similiar feel and found a reactor 9000 for 50% so I got that, or else feel, got my 2X gloves because I loved the feel of them.

[loki1416]

When I bought my first set, the pro shop gave me a great deal on Vaughn so I went with that. When I upgraded, I knew I liked the feel of the gear, just not the level they were designed for. So still being inexperienced, I went with mid to high level vaughn and loved them. Because I'm one of those people who likes to have two of everything, when VE8 released, bought a set of those.

 Hated the vaughn C/A so got a CCM. Just bought my 2nd CCM C/A a few weeks ago.

Went with the Bauer skates because I have their player skates and love the easy blade changes (that was my biggest selling point).

Had a bauer helmet, but it always felt so big on my head and if the puck even looked at my helmet on the way by, f&*k was it loud! Bought a vaughn helmet because it matched my gear and it's the best thing I've ever had on my head (out of two helmets lol).

So for me, it's more about finding what I like to use than it is about loyalty. That being said, when warrior released those special edition black/red sticks, that was my first taste of composite sticks and I'll never look back. I think warrior has a lifelong stick buyer in me.

[HP29]

12 hours ago, SaveByRichter35 said:

I was always a part of the camp that doesn't care if everything is the same brand/graphics as long as the colors match.  

This.

I've always liked being matchy-matchy with my colourways, but I don't care if it's two or three different brands between pads and mitts.

[Naz]

I have never been all matchey matchey Brand wise at the same time, although colour wise I have been.  However, I have had a major visible piece each from a variety of manufacturers, just never all at the same time.

Trappers, I have had:  Cooper GM21, CCM Pro (back in 83), Jofa, Brown, Vaughn, Brian's, Miller (briefly), Heaton.
Blocker:  Wilson, Cooper, Vaughn, Brown, Miller, Brian's, Heaton
Pads, D&R, Cooper, Vaughn, Miller, Brown, Heaton
Pants- Cooper, Brown, Vaughn, Tackla

[keeperton]

Really interesting thread that I've thought a lot about. Instead of quoting people, I'm going to spill some of my thoughts and experiences and try to format it nicely if possible!

@seagoal To talk about something you mentioned earlier, I definitely favor goalies that wear brands I already liked a little more. I probably wouldn't think of Halak as highly as I do if I wasn't a Brian's guy, though the guy is a monster. I definitely still prioritize great play over brand though, shoutouts to John Gibson.

I think I used to be what is being called a #2, and I don't know that I'm not anymore. One of the biggest things for me is that I really enjoy being proven wrong about gear brands. I am very aware that I am heavily biased in favor and against certain companies, but I still give all of their products a shot to see where they're at since plenty can change every couple of years. To break those biases down, albeit in a capitalistic way, does feel nice. I will preface this by saying one of the most defining factors on what I purchase is where it is manufactured, so here are some examples of my biases:

• Previously Negative
  • How great I think Bauer's current offerings are after not liking their stuff since the original Vapor xXx lines.
    • Thus, my opinions of Bauer are now positive.
  • How much I still can't seem to even remotely like a single CCM piece.
    • Still in the negative here. I wanted to like the FT1 skate, but it felt terrible on my foot, personally.
  • Related to the two above, I don't want to own either company's products because of where they choose to manufacture them.
• Previously Positive
  • I'm more-or-less nearly mindless to Brian's products. I've never tried nor owned something by them and found I dislike it. Even when I've found problems, I either rationalize it, mod it, or attribute it to my preferences and not the quality of the product.
    • My current and previous externally visible sets are entirely Brian's.
    • I have had a piece of Brian's gear in my ensemble since I was 8.
    • My opinions of Brian's are definitely still positive.
  • Vaughn is really the brand I was brought up in due to my brother's brand loyalty, he absolutely refused to be anything other than head-to-toe Vaughn, except skates since they did not offer them at the time. I have typically never had a complaint about anything from them, but never felt it was necessarily something I wanted for me. I should say the finish on everything from them I've used has been fantastic, but will agree with the poster that said something about Vaughn feeling heavy; however, the I really liked the SLR2 set that I demoed and think Vaughn makes the best blocker in the game right now.
    • Overall positive here. I've never felt like any issue I've had with Vaughn was due to its quality, but preference.
• Previously Neutral
  • Warrior was what I tended towards when I played lacrosse purely due to functionality. Every piece of Warrior gear I've demoed has felt and performed fantastically. I think it's almost borderline criminal that they have no representation in the NHL aside from their sticks. If I was less of a hard-head on matching my external gear, I would probably be using a Warrior Ritual G4 glove.
    • My opinions here are incredibly positive except for where their manufacturing is. I have had a couple of finish issues (stitching and fraying) with my Warrior C/A (Ritual G2 Classic Pro), none of which have made me want to change it out nor have they really impacted performance, the thing is a tank that fits amazingly. The Warrior R\CR1 sticks I've gotten my hands on have become my favorite sticks, they're gorgeous and feel great.

[Scythe]

My stuff is all over the map currently with Fusion (mask), Bauer (neck bib, blocker, cup, skates), CCM (c/a),  GDI (glove), Itech (pants, pads) and Northstar (stick)

I had a fondness for Itech gear and still do for Bauer stuff

[sachilles]

I come into this as a 45 year old guy, who has a 10 yo budding goaltender. I can tell you, my kid is all about what brand is the best.

Growing up and playing youth hockey, we borrowed stuff from the organization, so we didn't have much of a choice.

When I had worked enough hours at the pizza shop, and delivered enough newspapers, and had money to buy stuff, Vaughn was the go to maker. Sure enough I bought their leg pads, and had a glove from them.

A few years down the road, Brian's was the new hotness. Still have their glove and blocker, and they are over 20 abused years old. Glove needs some serious help, but functions fine. Blocker is in pretty good shape.

At that time is more about supporting goalie equipment specialists. It wasn't cool to sport cooper/CCM or any of the then main stream brands.

Looking at stuff now, for my son and the other goalie on his team, I feel like the prices are relatively low....I'm not saying cheap, but lower than when I was his age. I think that is making it a little easier to be brand loyal as people can buy as a set. When I was younger, your choices were pretty limited, and you never bought it all at once.

It's funny to see warrior as a goalie provider now. I remember when they started producing Lacrosse stuff in the 90's, they've come a long way. I still have a pair of their lax gloves, and they look near new. Use them for coaching hockey, and they've remained in good shape.

I do think it's a long con for the manufacturers. Making stuff appealing to the kids, is more likely to make them loyal long term customers, and it's probably where the money is. An adult buys a good set of gear and it lasts them forever. Buy a set for a 10 year old, and they've outgrown it a year later, and you are looking for the next size up.

In the 90's for me it was

Vaughn for leg pads and under garmets/under padding.

Brians for anything on the hands, their leg pads were nice but heavier.

Tackla for pants as they seems to be the only ones with goalie specific pants then.

[goalieThreeOne]

I'm all Bauer, head-to-toe except for my Otny masks and various brand of undergarments (Nike, Shock Doctor, Maltese).

Since I'm not anywhere close to a hockey store, I rarely get a chance to try the latest pro level stuff on or see it in person. But, because I've been wearing Bauer for about three years now (including 4 different full sets) I've gotten used to their construction methods and materials. So all I have to do is read TGN and other reviews to see all the minor small differences. I also know their sizing very well, so it's easy to feel confident that something will fit when I order it. It's herd to step out of the little Bauer comfort zone I've put myself in considering every time I've tried I end up sending it back. I loved the Gen4 glove so much, but between me and Rance, we couldn't figure out the pad sizing remotely so I ended up back in Vapors. Their customer service has also been really good to me and I don't really mind the lead times. I loved all of my previous Vaughn CA's so I could be tempted to switch back there and I would be open to switching to someone like Warwick for my mask if it was custom. 

[ULTIMA]

I was happy to get so many responses and different perspectives on this subject.

I think I figured out why I personally would strongly prefer to stick to one brand and it goes back to when I was the biggest Koho junkie on the planet. Because before I was old enough to make money and buy my own gear, I totally looked like one of those yard sale goalies.Blue McMartin catcher, black Cooper pads, black and orange Sherwood stick, red, blue & white Jofa helmet/cage combo etc. When I got into Koho, that was it. I was set. Everything Koho, skates to mask and everything in between. So when I couldn't get that stuff anymore, by that time, many of those former Koho goalies were in everything RBK. And since then, that "tradition" has still carried over. But as an adult I truly see it's not really about brand anymore. I mean, it's VERY nice to have everything matching like a pro goalies but simply put, fit and feel is paramount. I truly like The fit and feel of the Vapor 2X gear....but those Bauer masks....ugh....Don't hate them but don't like them either. And maybe it's just me but I don't feel right wearing a CCM mask while wearing Bauer gear.

[ULTIMA]

I would like to comment on an earlier post that was made and that I'm intrigued that Warrior is possibly toying with the notion of producing a goal mask. I would hope they'd leave any ideas of releasing a poly carbonate version out of the mix. After all they don't do any of that entry-level gear and I'm happy about that. With Olie, Eddy, Hackva, WJD and that weird company that was producing masks for TPS all packing up shop in the last 15 years, there's definitely a market for a new mask company. It would definitely attract all the Warrior fanboys. It's intriguing.

[bunnyman666]

6 hours ago, ULTIMA said:

I would like to comment on an earlier post that was made and that I'm intrigued that Warrior is possibly toying with the notion of producing a goal mask. I would hope they'd leave any ideas of releasing a poly carbonate version out of the mix. After all they don't do any of that entry-level gear and I'm happy about that. With Olie, Eddy, Hackva, WJD and that weird company that was producing masks for TPS all packing up shop in the last 15 years, there's definitely a market for a new mask company. It would definitely attract all the Warrior fanboys. It's intriguing.

I would be excited if Warrior marketed a mask as I know that it may not be the cheapest, but they will certainly make certain things are done RIGHT with the outsourced factory producing the mask, just like they do with their other gear. Pete Smith visits the factories on a regular basis. That type of attention to detail is what would make me try a Warrior mask. I tried a mid-level CCM, and it just did not feel like it was going to keep me safe, so I sold it quickly.

[beansbats]

I like matching gear, and I've been know to buy a new set to match my two teams which change twice a year because they are draft leagues.  I have also figured out that as long as it is north American made pro gear, I do not care about the brand and will switch sets from game to game.  Currently in my legs and glove gear cave - Vaughn, Brian's, CCM, and Bauer.  All US or Canadian made.  I'll go back to Warrior when Pete can bring production back to N. America.  I have different masks to roughly match the kits.  Chesty's?  I switch between Kenesky and Passau on a nightly basis.  Skates?  I rotate between 1S and True 2 piece and am adding a pair of 1 piece to the mix.  Does all of this switching gear hurt my game?  Probably, but not enough for me to care.  I like trying different gear

Conclusion:  This thread is causing a little too much introspection, so I should get back to actually working.

[bunnyman666]

43 minutes ago, beansbats said:

I like matching gear, and I've been know to buy a new set to match my two teams which change twice a year because they are draft leagues.  I have also figured out that as long as it is north American made pro gear, I do not care about the brand and will switch sets from game to game.  Currently in my legs and glove gear cave - Vaughn, Brian's, CCM, and Bauer.  All US or Canadian made.  I'll go back to Warrior when Pete can bring production back to N. America.  I have different masks to roughly match the kits.  Chesty's?  I switch between Kenesky and Passau on a nightly basis.  Skates?  I rotate between 1S and True 2 piece and am adding a pair of 1 piece to the mix.  Does all of this switching gear hurt my game?  Probably, but not enough for me to care.  I like trying different gear

Conclusion:  This thread is causing a little too much introspection, so I should get back to actually working.

You love gear and it is totally cool with me!

[keeperton]

15 hours ago, beansbats said:

I like matching gear, and I've been know to buy a new set to match my two teams which change twice a year because they are draft leagues.  I have also figured out that as long as it is north American made pro gear, I do not care about the brand and will switch sets from game to game.  Currently in my legs and glove gear cave - Vaughn, Brian's, CCM, and Bauer.  All US or Canadian made.  I'll go back to Warrior when Pete can bring production back to N. America.  I have different masks to roughly match the kits.  Chesty's?  I switch between Kenesky and Passau on a nightly basis.  Skates?  I rotate between 1S and True 2 piece and am adding a pair of 1 piece to the mix.  Does all of this switching gear hurt my game?  Probably, but not enough for me to care.  I like trying different gear

Conclusion:  This thread is causing a little too much introspection, so I should get back to actually working.

And I get crap from people for having just under two complete sets! If I made just a little bit more from my work, there's a large chance I'd have two-to-three complete sets, I love gear.

[SaveByRichter35]

I hate all of you with multiple sets 

[keeperton]

8 hours ago, SaveByRichter35 said:

I hate all of you with multiple sets 

But yours is very nice.

[SaveByRichter35]

19 hours ago, keeperton said:

But yours is very nice.

Thank you that is very kind.  There are so many other nice sets on here as well.  My jealousy has been kicking in high gear for a few months now hahaha.  Having two kids now is really bleeding my bank account dry haha.

[ThatCarGuy]

On 10/24/2019 at 11:26 AM, SaveByRichter35 said:

I hate all of you with multiple sets 

I hate me too don’t worry

[seagoal]

36 minutes ago, SaveByRichter35 said:

Thank you that is very kind.  There are so many other nice sets on here as well.  My jealousy has been kicking in high gear for a few months now hahaha.  Having two kids now is really bleeding my bank account dry haha.

20 hours ago, keeperton said:

But yours is very nice.

I think @motowngoalie and @wox33 would be in the final round for the nicest set on here.

I propose a cage match

[Lucky Pucker]

40 minutes ago, SaveByRichter35 said:

Thank you that is very kind.  There are so many other nice sets on here as well.  My jealousy has been kicking in high gear for a few months now hahaha.  Having two kids now is really bleeding my bank account dry haha.

You keep that shit locked down at two, brother; two is doable - my kids are a few years older than yours, and I just bought custom pro level pads, with no good reason to do so, for fuck’s sake ! I don’t have two or more sets, but I’m in sweet gear I don’t rightly deserve (see Exhibit A: my current 5.00 GAA - lol!)

If you have a third... well, it was real nice knowing you, SBR.

[SaveByRichter35]

37 minutes ago, Lucky Pucker said:

You keep that shit locked down at two, brother; two is doable - my kids are a few years older than yours, and I just bought custom pro level pads, with no good reason to do so, for fuck’s sake ! I don’t have two or more sets, but I’m in sweet gear I don’t rightly deserve (see Exhibit A: my current 5.00 GAA - lol!)

If you have a third... well, it was real nice knowing you, SBR.

I am done my man.  And thankfully my wife is in agreement.  I am actually contemplating getting snip snipped.  

[bunnyman666]

1 hour ago, seagoal said:

I think @motowngoalie and @wox33 would be in the final round for the nicest set on here.

I propose a cage match

But who has the worst set on here?

I am thinking me.

[motowngoalie]

2 hours ago, seagoal said:

I think @motowngoalie and @wox33 would be in the final round for the nicest set on here.

I propose a cage match

Aww, I'm blushing over here 

Thanks!