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Goalie Industry Changes


XCVII

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Mods feel free to move this thread to the right spot if it's not in the correct one.

 

I'd like to dedicate this thread to the things I'd like to see changed in goalie category.

 

First thing has bothered me to no end, I'm suprised it hasn't been stopped or changed already is the fact that the 2nd tier gear is referred to as "senior". And that would be fine except for the fact it also used as a size gauge. Another thing about "senior" as a tier grade is that it comes in intermediate size and I'm almost positive that Vaughn's junior gear is senior grade (could be wrong but it's nicely built). So in terms of grade tiers, I'm proposing a change that would be something along the lines of "Pro" for the top grade gear, "Tier 2" for mid and "Tier 3" for entry level and leave senior as just a size.

 

Second thing I think needs to change is something we can all agree on - the damn leg pad size. A 33+1" CCM pad shouldn't be a 32+2" in another brand. They should be the same in every size across the board. Why Vaughn has 32+2 as their own standard is beyond me. Anyway, the big 6 need to get together and standardize the pad size and make them all the same.

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I think you'll find a lot (more) companies refer to their pad models using a schema that calls the top end "pro" and the second one by the size. For example: "Intermediate Pro" then "Intermediate" beneath that. That said, Warrior and Vaughn have confusing surface names to the general consumer, albeit it takes maybe like 5 minutes of research to parse the difference.

Could be better for certain.

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I'd like to see more companies do what Warrior has done with the removable liners in their gloves.  At least for me, my gloves are the first thing that start to get stinky despite how well I take care of my gear.  I loved being able to easily remove and throw my G5 liners in the wash every month or so.

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8 hours ago, keeperton said:

I think you'll find a lot (more) companies refer to their pad models using a schema that calls the top end "pro" and the second one by the size. For example: "Intermediate Pro" then "Intermediate" beneath that. That said, Warrior and Vaughn have confusing surface names to the general consumer, albeit it takes maybe like 5 minutes of research to parse the difference.

Could be better for certain.

My kids don't play goalie, so I'm pretty good now at non-goalie gear. That's pretty much how it's done for that.

Bauer uses the 2.x (2.9. 2.7, etc) stuff. then pro for the best gear. But the model name is redundant as the price of the gear tells you what level it is easily.

My kids can tell you immediately for sticks. Bauer and CCM make their top end sticks way more reflective and shiny than the lower end sticks - on purpose. So they all know what sticks are expensive and not. 

image.jpeg.fb7d015372e1569d3e237cb6d282973e.jpeg

Look at the stick rack in the pro shop. Dull, plain sticks are cheaper. Glitter and shiny ones are $300+

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1 hour ago, MTH said:

My kids don't play goalie, so I'm pretty good now at non-goalie gear. That's pretty much how it's done for that.

Bauer uses the 2.x (2.9. 2.7, etc) stuff. then pro for the best gear. But the model name is redundant as the price of the gear tells you what level it is easily.

My kids can tell you immediately for sticks. Bauer and CCM make their top end sticks way more reflective and shiny than the lower end sticks - on purpose. So they all know what sticks are expensive and not. 

image.jpeg.fb7d015372e1569d3e237cb6d282973e.jpeg

Look at the stick rack in the pro shop. Dull, plain sticks are cheaper. Glitter and shiny ones are $300+

I remember the Easton Synergy being the most wanted stick when I was a kid and it followed the same mantra of "pretty = money" 

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Look at this picture my friend give me for one game gnetik V 33+1.5 ! It’s the exact height than my ultrasonic large 

 

the main problem is now Brian’s  gnetik V and optik 3 33+1 is like the 34+1 of previous model. But their size on the website nothing has changed yet 

 

 

F5A32DBE-4444-494C-BF61-8DEB936E7852.jpeg

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1 hour ago, Yzueblin said:

Look at this picture my friend give me for one game gnetik V 33+1.5 ! It’s the exact height than my ultrasonic large 

 

the main problem is now Brian’s  gnetik V and optik 3 33+1 is like the 34+1 of previous model. But their size on the website nothing has changed yet 

 

 

F5A32DBE-4444-494C-BF61-8DEB936E7852.jpeg

I've always been in a 36"+ pad for as long as I can remember- going back to my Smith orders from early/mid 2000's I was in 36"+2.5.  My G5's were 36"+1".  Now I'm in 34"+2" Gnetik V's and wish I went only 1" on thigh rise, or even less.  

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Big agree on a lot of stuff here, especially the "SR used as both a price point model and size" and "Pro designation being used in gear that is not top-end". Ripe for miscommunication between retailer and consumer.

Some thoughts:

  1. One nice thing that Bauer does with their gear/tags is that they put the year of release on their gear. IE: The Bauer Mach gear says something like "Bauer S22 Mach Goalie Pad". Makes it easy for people to figure out what equipment came out in what year - in this case, 2022. Would be handy if the other manufacturers did something like this so customers have a bit more information on what they are buying. Maybe retailers don't like it - they'd rather sell the Hyperlite set at full price now, rather than have an attentive customer wait four more months for Hyperlite2 and buy the H1 set on markdown.
  2. Additional color information on customizers. CCM has 5 Blue Speedskins on their customizer - Navy, Royal Blue, Light Blue, Air Force Blue, Washington Blue. True calls their blues something different - and they have less options. Which blue do the Avs use? Which gold does Vegas use - (CCM's) Pure or Antique? Vaugh only has an Antique gold. Bauer only has a Metallic gold. I wish you could hover over the color and it'd show what teams use that color. Most people who go custom have specific color schemes in mind because they want to match a certain jersey or their beer league team. Some stores - if you're lucky - will have swatches in store, but not all of them do.
  3. Use of maple leaf iconography on non-Canadian-built products. True does this on their offshore gear - there's a red maple leaf logo, but it says Designed By Lefevre next to it. CCM has a logo of a maple leaf and crossed hockey sticks on their gear too. Both are made in Vietnam. Underhanded at best, IMO.

 

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8 hours ago, MTH said:

My kids don't play goalie, so I'm pretty good now at non-goalie gear. That's pretty much how it's done for that.

Bauer uses the 2.x (2.9. 2.7, etc) stuff. then pro for the best gear. But the model name is redundant as the price of the gear tells you what level it is easily.

My kids can tell you immediately for sticks. Bauer and CCM make their top end sticks way more reflective and shiny than the lower end sticks - on purpose. So they all know what sticks are expensive and not. 

image.jpeg.fb7d015372e1569d3e237cb6d282973e.jpeg

Look at the stick rack in the pro shop. Dull, plain sticks are cheaper. Glitter and shiny ones are $300+

I had one of the kids I coach call me out on my player stick, asking why I was using it (it's a Bauer X700 Lite). I was borderline getting shamed, I had to remind him that I'm a goalie primarily and that I have to buy my own stuff, such that all my "gear money" goes to goalie gear or helmets+gloves+skates.

4 hours ago, ZeroGravitas said:

Some thoughts:

  1. Use of maple leaf iconography on non-Canadian-built products. True does this on their offshore gear - there's a red maple leaf logo, but it says Designed By Lefevre next to it. CCM has a logo of a maple leaf and crossed hockey sticks on their gear too. Both are made in Vietnam. Underhanded at best, IMO.

 

I hate this every time I see it. It's disingenuous, it's like the Apple "Designed in California" stamp they put on everything.

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50 minutes ago, keeperton said:

I had one of the kids I coach call me out on my player stick, asking why I was using it (it's a Bauer X700 Lite). I was borderline getting shamed, I had to remind him that I'm a goalie primarily and that I have to buy my own stuff, such that all my "gear money" goes to goalie gear or helmets+gloves+skates.

Sounds like the kid wants to get cut

Seriously?  When I was a kid I never chirped my coaches

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19 hours ago, RichMan said:

I'd lean more towards extra power drills or even a full ice session of...IRON CROSS 😁

On 1/11/2023 at 6:54 PM, ThatCarGuy said:

In my book if you chirp your coach’s gear you better be willing to buy them new gear

On 1/11/2023 at 4:49 PM, Chenner29 said:

Sounds like the kid wants to get cut

Seriously?  When I was a kid I never chirped my coaches

I appreciate y'all coming to my defense on this, haha. He's a good kid that dishes out and receives chirps, he brightens up the room. The only thing going against him, as far as on his team, is that he's super prone to getting in his own head and finding something is wrong (ex: my foot itches, my [blank] is too loose/tight, etc.).

As far as my role, I'm currently the once-a-week assistant goalie coach. I'm not cutting anyone, I'm out there to help develop goalies and get kids to fall in love with tending the net. We have run the iron cross, and I run it with an iron fist.

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On 1/11/2023 at 12:39 PM, jerd31 said:

I've always been in a 36"+ pad for as long as I can remember- going back to my Smith orders from early/mid 2000's I was in 36"+2.5.  My G5's were 36"+1".  Now I'm in 34"+2" Gnetik V's and wish I went only 1" on thigh rise, or even less.  

The way it's trending, my next set is going to be intermediate gear lol. I'm in a 32+1 Brian's Gnetik IV and wouldn't be able to go any bigger. 

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I cant keep up with the ever changing nomenclature and it is a big reason why I still use my old D&R LG 55 pads. Bought them in 1981. Thigh rise? Thought the stick blade was to cover the 5 hole. Plus 1 or Plus 2? I got a C in algebra so I dont even know what that means. Same ballgame with gloves. Practice palm, game palm...whatever. How about a glove you can actually close and not worry about pop-outs? Sticks? There was a lie 12, 13, or 14 and eventually a curved blade if you wanted it. Used to be if you got senior level gear, you had the same stuff the big boys wore in The Show.

I know this reads like an old fart who is long past the end of the road, which is true. But the topic shows how gear has become even more of a cash grab by manufacturers. It is good that players have more choices of stuff but the intermediate, senior and pro levels are just ways in which the companies put out more product for which the manufacturers charge more. Goalies today are better trained and better protected than me and my peers ever were but I also have great sympathy for them and their parents when it comes to shelling out major cash for equipment that seems to disappoint the buyer or needs to be replaced every season. I really dont know how parents or kids generate the dough to play at a high level. The sport has always been expensive but every season the outlay must be big.

For the country of origin, Cooper had a small stamp usually saying "Made in Barbados" and a french canadian or candian company had a small stamp saying Fabrique en Canada or Made in Canada.....unless you were Tony Esposito who with a sharpie wrote on the side of his Kenneskys saying "Made by Esposito". :)

 

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A huge +1 to the standardization of leg pad sizing. That's priority #1 because the cost of making a mistake when buying is huge. 

How about the industry offering different size/style arms and chest pads separately so we can mix and match the brand, style and lengths at the store.  All we need is a standardized connection between them (I'll propose a simple velcro strap at the top of each arm that runs through a loop under the shoulder floater),  Come to think of it, I'd like to be able to choose my own shoulder floater too--from any brand.  It'd be like legos. Just combine whatever pieces you like in whatever way you want them.

 

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On 1/14/2023 at 6:44 PM, Rogie said:

A huge +1 to the standardization of leg pad sizing. That's priority #1 because the cost of making a mistake when buying is huge. 

How about the industry offering different size/style arms and chest pads separately so we can mix and match the brand, style and lengths at the store.  All we need is a standardized connection between them (I'll propose a simple velcro strap at the top of each arm that runs through a loop under the shoulder floater),  Come to think of it, I'd like to be able to choose my own shoulder floater too--from any brand.  It'd be like legos. Just combine whatever pieces you like in whatever way you want them.

 

A C/A customization would be really cool, I agree. I don't think it will happen haha, so maybe I'll can stick with a frankenchesty mod if/when the time comes to improve my CCM A/B Pro.

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On 1/13/2023 at 2:10 PM, insertnamehere said:

The way it's trending, my next set is going to be intermediate gear lol. I'm in a 32+1 Brian's Gnetik IV and wouldn't be able to go any bigger. 

I went from 32+2 GNetikIVs to 31+1.5 GNetikVs and it was a good choice for me. The pads do fit bigger and the mobility is better thanks to the size-down.

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