Rogie

It sure looks like Bauer is trying to run Sparx out of business with a copy-cat product (and no doubt predatory pricing and/or inventory policies). Let’s hope instead they are offering something uniquely different/better. The guy who invented Sparx is an old teammate who had a great idea and took a lot of risk to create a great product and a growing business. His heart, and that of his colleagues, is really in the right place. It would be awful if they get run off by a corporate monster. I look at all the great independent hockey companies (and innovative people and products) lost over the last decade and it doesn’t look good.

Agree with Chile57. As a last resort you may need to drill it out. Use a slightly smaller bit than the diameter of the bolt. The idea is to avoid damaging the surrounding area but remove enough metal so you can break the remaining pieces free and remove them. Usually the remaining metal starts breaking into little pieces as you work to remove them.

Great post! The photos were really helpful and I think you chose well. In case this helps anyone else, I also wear a size Medium SportMask Pro 3i and found the medium size Bauer NME to be a great fit. If I was forced to go with a Bauer 960 I would have needed a size large too. For now I’m very happy with the Pro 3i, mostly because of the great fit but also the use of strong and vibe-dampening innegra fiber, and great vision. So far, it’s also been very protective for me. Very sorry you got a concussion. I had one long ago from a player impact and it took a while to recover. Definitely take your time coming back. A few weeks lost now while recovering is nothing compared to the complications you can suffer from another hit if you’re not fully healed. It can last months or years.

Nice bucket!!! Mine is (partially) wrapped using Do-it-yourself Game Face Graphics by Mario design.

Bauer Core 2.0 compression pants, which help prevent muscle pulls, and has a built in pouch for an additional cup underneath the goal jock (if preferred) matched with loose fit, long-sleeved, moisture-wicking under armor or Bauer top. This combo stays light and warm even when wet and doesn’t get stinky.

Phoenix Copley’s Kenesky PP1 is now for sale on the King’s game-used equipment page: https://lakingsgameused.com/collections/pheonix-copley-gear/products/pheonix-copley-game-used-kenesky-chest-and-arm-protector It’s got nicely done custom graphics and the listing features some great photos showing details of this unit. It only costs $350 and funds go to a great cause —the King’s Care Foundation.

It seems that way to me too. I have an old Bauer XXL player jersey from early 2000s that fits fine over my chesty but a goalie cut 58 from today barely fits. I think this is a result of player jerseys trying to be more “aero” to assist in faster skating. It could also be poor consistency. I have a 56 Addidas (stock) practice jersey which fits fine over my player gear but an MiC Addidas 56 practice jersey I got from the La Kings is way too tight. shout out to @chenner for hooking me up on some 60Gs for my goalie gear.

+1 for Rogie!

That is fantastic! Great paint job!

I found the T3 and Pro 3i to fit the same. The only mask I could try on in-store was as T3 and from that I was able to figure out that I needed a size Medium even though I thought going in that I would need a large. The Pro 3i Medium fit just like the T3 once I got it. Pro 3i is designed for a "long cage" with a larger face opening top-to-bottom. I feel it provides more air flow and better vision down by my feet but Sportmask has another Pro 3 model with a standard cage length so check that out if that's your preference. I also mentioned in my previous post that the backplate is longer on the T3 so that it can be "certified" but which tipped the helmet down over my eyes when I crouched into a low-ready stance. The Pro 3i has a slightly shorter backplate which eliminated this problem for me. I don't know what the weight of the T3 is, but I just weighed my Pro 3i which has a white painted Pro "Cat Eye" cage and the attached back plate and it all weighs 1270 grams = 2 lbs 8 oz. For sure it's at least as light as the T3 (if not lighter). Weight was a big consideration for me (along with fit and protection) when choosing a mask and when playing, I feel the mask just disappears on my head when I'm wearing it. That's about the biggest compliment I can give a mask in terms of fit/weight. I also prefer the short chin to avoid interference with the shoulder floaters and find the Pro 3i does the trick here too. The chin on the Bauer masks were just too long for me and always seemed to hit my should when I turned my head. Hope this helps! Let me now if you have any more questions. Happy to answer as I know not many people have these masks.

Maybe that’s why he only lasted a few games with the Sharks! He couldn’t seal the ice. Lol.

Great comparison photo. I think you’re right. Pros probably found this design too flexible and they made the change when they went into production. I initially thought it might have been a 12.2 skinned as PX3 too, but that wouldn’t explain the thinned out knee which is the defining characteristic of the model. Even so, while it’s more flexible, it doesn’t seem any more flexible than the 12.2 so maybe that was their baseline. The production PX3 certainly takes thigh board stiffness up a huge notch. I do wonder if and how they’re going to satisfy goalies who want the flex / S-curve from the 12.2 since they’re not making it anymore. Seems like a huge gap for everyone they got into the 12.2. Or, is this how they’re planning to differentiate their line away from eFlex as they go forward? In any case. Man, are these high quality pads. I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to take a look at a set in person to check them out.

So the Sharks had their end of season equipment sale this weekend and I was pleased to pick up a pair of PX3 pads made for Eetu Makiniemi who played just a few games for them this year. I didn’t expect to find these and had recently purchased a new stock set of 12.2s but it’s nice to have both to compare. These have a non-recessed wraparound knee and under-the-heel leather strap, but otherwise standard FRS strapping, soft boot and soft shin just like stock pads. For anyone interested, the weight of each pad is identical. 5.29 lbs The thinness of the Px3 thigh boards is immediately noticeable when you strap them on. It feels weird now to go back to the 12.2s which suddenly seem chunky. Also immediately noticeable is that the thigh boards have an S-shape curve in them. I’d swear there’s a second break where the board starts to thin. You can see wrinkles in the Jen pro there. Thank you Eetu for breaking these in. I had been hesitant to go with PX3s because I have a narrow butterfly and thought the thigh wouldn’t close the five hole. With these, no problem. I’ll be curious to hear if others with these pads find the thigh boards softening up and holding a curve over time. Since these have already been used for a while, this might represent a look into the future on how they break in. Another completely unexpected find was a set of Reimer gloves. But the surprise was that the catch glove was a legit True 580 (game ready) made for him (his name is stitched into the glove). It is almost new. Only a few puck marks on the palm and pocket. it matches his 2X-dressed-as-Mach blocker graphic pretty nicely. Interesting to me that he had tried a True glove. Hard to imagine him leaving Bauer. Maybe they were trying to lure him away—or was he just curious?

Although they make them in numbered sizes, the royal blue “three stripe” Adidas practice jersey was listed as “senior Goal Cut” with no size number. It is not the same version as the “pro” practice jerseys Chenner29 is selling that have the dimpled shoulders.

+1 to that @johncho! Quality and fit of these jerseys is excellent. I picked up several from @Chenner29. If anyone is interested, I put this chart together comparing sizes of a bunch of goal cut jerseys from various places.

I’ll happily take your last two 60G jerseys. One black, one navy.

The Pro 3i fits a wider face than the Bauer 960 but will fit the same as the SportMask T3 model (except for the backplate) which may be easier to find. I posted about this just other day in the SportMask thread. I thought I’d need a size Large initially but the Medium fit absolutely perfect so do your best to find one to try on even if you have to order it by mail and return it. I also tried fitting the Bauer 960 and NME models (the latter of which is intended for wider faces) but neither was shaped to fit my face and I thought the weight was unbalanced compared to the SportMask. It kept wanting to fall down. Obviously it’s a great mask used to success in the NHL so this is only my experience. Bauer definitely has the thicker padding, which is how it gains it’s rating, but as mentioned by others, traps more sweat and keeps your face further away from the mask. A poorly fitted mask will not protect you as well as it should and certainly not as well as the numbers in the recent NHL safety study. With the mask on, when you shake your head it should not shift. When you tilt your head back it shouldn’t slide over your eyes. A simple visual test is that there shouldn’t be an air gap between the mask and your temples. Compared to the bauer, I find having my nose closer to the cage puts my head deeper in the mask which really increases visibility—especially down at my feet and peripheral vision. I also chose a foam chin cup vs stock, for the additional padding and comfort. I appreciate the safety factor provided by the crazy thick vertical bar on the SportMask non certified cage, and find the padding completely sufficient. Either mask will do you well if it fits, but the features are quite different and one or the other will “speak to you” as soon as you try them on.

This is my second SportMask. Both are Pro 3i models. It doesn’t change the feel of the mask at all. No change to tightness of the straps. I flip it up and put it on exactly the same way. I’ve had snaps busted off or knocked off before and had to stop a game to fix it. What a pain. So I thought it would be a good time to try this on my new mask order. I also just really like the streamlined look from the front.

Hey Hey! Thanks for bringing it in and helping me out so much in my search for the perfect setup. You went above and beyond and I wouldn't have had the confidence to place my order without that quick try-on.

How many times have you been hit in the head by a puck, the lower strap fastener breaks or comes undone, and your mask comes off? We see this in the NHL and other leagues all the time. So when I ordered my custom SportMask Pro 3i, instead of putting the lower snap fastener on the mask, I had them put it on the backplate just like they already do for the upper straps. They cut a slot near the jaw for the strap and reversed the way the lower straps are installed to eliminate this problem. Apparently they already do this for their Mage masks but had never done this on other models before. The result is a super streamlined look with no lower fasteners on the front of the mask to break (so I don't feel the need to carry spares in my bag) or come loose. My helmet doesn't come off from a puck impact, and there's more space to show off mask graphics (although my mask is white at the moment). It's also super easy to reach back and fasten or unfasten the strap from the backplate whenever I need to. I kinda wonder why this isn't standard on all masks. If you're interested in this mod, call SportMask and ask for the "Shebanek option", named after the goalie who first requested it btw you can still see a screw in the place where the snap would normally be because it's still needed to hold the chin cup strap on the inside of the mask. So, you can always go back if for any reason you decide to return to the stock setup. Let me know what you think and if you might consider this option on a future mask.

I know this reply is coming in a year late, but thought I'd post for others who might have a similar question. I tried on a Medium sized T3 in store to test the fit of these masks because I have a wider face so the tall-thin Bauer design didn't fit and the NME and CCM masks were out of stock at the time. The Mask fit me great (even though I went in thinking I needed a Large) and ultimately I purchased a Pro 3i in size Medium. The fit of the mask was identical between the T3 and Pro 3i except for the backplate. The T3 had a longer backplate needed to achieve HECC/CSA certification, and when I tilted my head back, it hit my neck and pushed the mask down over my eyes. I talked this through with SportMask directly when I purchased my Pro 3i from them (with custom color, straps and foam chin cup) and they mentioned that since it is not a certified mask, it comes with a "pro" backplate which is shorter. When I received it, the mask fit was perfect (same as T3) and the pro back plate eliminated the issue just as they said. The quality of the Mask is fantastic and the customer service was exemplary. Can't recommend this model or this company highly enough.

Forgot to include some photos of the Reimer blocker. Nothing special here but I love the loose-fit glove and Nash palm. I folded the cuff underneath itself to double the thickness and prevent my stick knob from catching when I poke check--not something Reimer does.

So as it turns out, I have Reimer's Vapor 2x-dressed-as-hyperlite gloves from his days in Carolina. They were sold by the Sharks after he joined the team. I didn't know they were unique or special at the time, but knew immediately when I put them on they were perfect for me and didn't fit like anything else and thus I'm now a "580 guy". I'm happy to answer any questions about them. The trapper definitely has a unique cuff attached with elastic so it's crazy-loose for zero restriction wrist movement. It was also broken-in to perfection. It closes like a 5-year old baseball mitt. In fact, a five-year old could open and close it. I just got a set of True 12.2 pads in white/royal and needed to find a matching set of gloves and ended up ordering a set of custom domestic PX3's two days before the Hyperlite 2 customizer went up so I was thrilled/bummed to see the Vapor90 glove now available. I'm pretty sure would have ordered the bauer gloves if I had known in time. I've only tried on the CCM version of a 580 break (a guy at Goalie Monkey brought his own glove into the store to let me try it on) I but I've never put on a True 580 glove so I am really curious how it compares (I'll know in about 6-8 weeks when mine arrives). Meantime, I'm left wondering if the Vapor 90 will feel the same as the Reimer glove I'm using now. The most noticeable difference between the CCM/True gloves that I've tried on so far is the much heavier weight at the fingertips compared to the Reimer. The weight (or lack thereof) of the Reimer glove is just super well balanced. Here are some photos:

You're pulling my heartstrings with that Rogue Vachon tribute setup. Love that mask and those throwback Brown pads too. I had a set of those pads in college, my first real set after using a broken down set of Cooper GP95s for 10 years. They were fantastic once you broke them in. ha ha!

I just checked again and there's no markings at all. Sorry I can't be more helpful on the sizing.