CPage

Here are the pics I promised. General view with calf wrap opened. Tunefit+ (black) and added white velcro tab for attachment across the calf (also by Bauer; I could have also used the knee tabs that came with the Warriors but I like these Bauers because there’s more velcro on the surface). Closeup of tunefit+ attachment point. Tie-wraps are looped through the blue pad laces and the velcro attachment straps of the tunefit are passed through the tie-wraps. Closeup of the velcro tab attachment. I used the plastic clips that came with the Warrior pads for attaching the outer knee tab. Attached them to the blue pad lace: General view with everything closed up. The tunefit+ is pretty well concealed as you can see!

I wear the warrior knee pads that came with the rG/Ts. I think they may be less bulky than some other brands/models but I’ve never had issues with protection and there is no interference with the tunefit+ in my case. I will try to snap some pics and post tonight.

Looking at the Bones pic, it looks to me like he has the FRS top strap resting firmly across the top of his calf (dark blue elastic strap behind the white leather strap coming from the knee block).

Hey @RichMan I’m in a pair of Warrior rG/Ts somewhat similar to yours and had been asking myself the same question; and more specifically how do people manage to have loose toe-ties without using a boot strap and not have their pads dragging on the ice??! I came to the conclusion that the « trick » is the use of an frs or professor strap to anchor the pad to the top of the calf; allowing it to remain connected to the leg even with a lot of slack in the toe ties. Yours and my « older » iterations of the Warrior pads aren’t built like this… our calf wraps are too loose and too low to be able to really anchor the pad to our leg, and if you wear your knee cradle open like I do, with no boot strap, you need tension in the toe ties to keep the pad anchored to your leg. It seems that Warrior has begun including a professor-type strap on the newer models (I believe starting with G6?). If you’re interested, I could share some pics of a very basic mod I did to my rG/T pads; adding a Bauer Tunefit+ strap to serve as an anchor point across the top of the calf (I used tiewraps to attach the tunefit to the pad… very ghetto! But it works!) This has allowed me to switch from bungees back to skate lace toe-ties with a good 2.5’’ of slack, while keeping the pad anchored to my leg and therefore not dragging on the ice at the toes. The Tunefit does affect pad rotation if attached too tight, so it takes some tweaking to get it dialed in just right; but after about 10 skates I’m quite happy with the result.

Hey @Teezle, Having been in both situations, I will agree with @coopaloop1234 that the guy standing in front of his net, freezing his toes, hardly getting any shots and just basically there to be a warm body and drink water (and eventually beer ), is probably getting the shorter end of the stick compared to the guy getting shelled at the other end; at least that guy is getting some exercise and an opportunity to work on some technique! I agree with you though that it's ultimately better for all parties when the game is competitive. My experience is that it gets boring even for the team that's skating circles around their opponent. And as stated above: their goalie, freezing his toes across the rink form you, isn't getting his money's worth either... So, my recommendation would be that you approach it from that angle. Not so much "I'm getting the short end of the stick here, and I'm fed up!", but rather "I don't think these games are fun for anyone and therefore I think we should re-balance the teams". Surely, the guys on your team must feel the same way? No one likes packing up their gear, driving to and from the rink (usually late on a week night, and potentially in a snow storm depending on where you live), going through the whole production, and knowing in advance that they're gonna get smoked. I think if you take the above approach and have backing from your teammates (and especially team captain), you'll have a better chance of being heard. For the record, I also play in these types of leagues with annual or bi-annual drafts and it happens almost every year that trades need to be made around Thanksgiving to balance out the teams. It's tough in beer league to get the balance right on the first try... No one likes getting traded, but in a league where everyone knows each other, the atmosphere is friendly, and there isn't much on the line except maybe a bit of pride, most people accept it and even more so if the result is better balance throughout the league. Finally, remember that if you're ending up year after year on the shittiest team, it's probably because you're considered the best goalie in the league! Best of luck!

Hey! Congrats on the new wheels @seagoal! I’m curious: did you try both these and the Elites on at the store? If so, any noticeable differences as far as the feel/stiffness, sizing, etc. between the two? I suppose you’re the same size US as you were in the 3S? Thanks also for your insights re: the cowling. You’ve convinced me to at least give the boot/holder setup a whirl and worst case if I don’t end up liking it, it seems pretty feasible to swap the holder for a cowling based on the responses I got here (I will double check at the LHS before throwing down my $$ just to be sure) Also, for the record I found Trav’s Konect video and my understanding is that he indeed had the guy at his LHS swap the holder that came with the skates for his cowling. So it can be done…!

The biggest thing for me is to be a little lower to the ice for more stability and agility in my crease movements on my feet . I’m on the smaller side, so this is paramount for my game. As far as I can see, the only skate on the market that offers that right now is the custom True 1 piece and I don’t have budget for that sadly. I’ve just finished a 10-15 game trial period with the CCM as1 and though I liked the feel of the boot; I couldn’t adjust to either the pitch or the 4mm blade… not sure what the culprit was, but I felt like I was stuck on train tracks even with very shallow sharpening. Anyway…! Admittedly, I’ve never tried the holder type skates before so maybe it’s not as bad as I’m imagining and I would probably eventually adjust, but if it can be relatively easy to mount a cowling (my existing one or a new one) to a new boot then I would prefer that option rather than having to adjust to the feeling of being on stilts for at least a handful of games. I’ve also read in a few places that being lower to the ice can reduce strain on the joints when getting up out of the bfly, which makes sense to me. Non negligible for a 38 year old beer leaguer : ) Finally, I know the probabilities are low but I am nervous about taking a shot to the toe and getting hurt. Again, low risk I know, but as a beer leaguer anything I can do to reduce the risk of injuries is worth while. How did it go for you with trying on the US and Elites over the week end? Did you come to a decision?

That’s very interesting indeed! Though I would imagine Trav must have some special connections with Bauer reps, etc. I’ll enquire about this at my LHS.

I would like to jump in here, if I may, because I’m in a similar situation to @seagoal and also seeking insights from the experts on this board. I’m coming from an even older Bauer skate model (the Bauer Pro with vertexx cowling that came out circa 2012). I really liked that skate with the exception that it destroyed my ankles with lace bite and I had to take some drastic action to correct this (I had a shoemaker add about 1/2 of material to the tongue, which eliminated the lace bite but, in hindsight, probably completely messed up the fit of the boot!) So anyway! Here I am in 2023 with my old Bauer Pros needing replacement and, like @seagoal, wanting to stick with Bauer for my next skates (for info, like @chile57, I tried ccm recently and that really wasn’t a good option for me), I’m asking myself the following questions: 1. Bauer’s lace bite issues seemed to be pretty well known 10 years ago (of course, I only read about them AFTER buying the Bauer Pros…). Am I safe to assume that they’ve taken measures to eliminate this problem in their newer generation skates? 2. I wonder how much boot stiffness has evolved since the 2012 Bauer Pros. If I were to go the route of the Ultrasonics, which seem to be the stiffest Bauer skate out there from what I understand, would I find the stiffness similar to my current skates, or would it feel like I’m wearing ski boots (at least for the first few skates)? In the latter case, could I assume that the stiffness profile/feel of the Bauer Elite would more resemble that of the 2012 Bauer Pro? 3. I really (REALLY) would like to continue having a cowling on my skates. My currently aimed approach would be to buy a new Bauer skate and find someone who can take off the holder and mount the cowling/blade from my current skates to the new boot. Does anyone have an idea as to the feasibility of this? Am I looking at crazy $$ to get this done?

Hey @35RoloSmith41, I will chime in here because I’ve been through a few of these low points myself. I will say first that I agree with everyone who has responded to your post so far. So maybe a few additional insights: 1. We PLAY hockey, i.e. it’s supposed to be fun! In my experience, there are indeed external factors that impact this but ultimately it is your own mindset/internal dialogue that will most determine how much fun you’re having. Now, with #1 being said: 2. Remember that you’re paying to play (not the other way around) and you’re by far the guy on the ice, along with the guy standing between the pipes at the other end, who’s had to spend the most $$ for his gear and who’s presence is paramount to the game being fun for everyone. I mention all this to put into perspective that, ultimately, an extra goal or two against here and there at beer league doesn’t make much of a ripple in the time-space continuum, no matter how much it pisses you off. I’m willing to bet my house that there isn’t a single person on your team that holds you to a higher standard than you do yourself. I’m the same way, and that’s cool! Except that when it starts affecting your mental health, you need to take a step back and remind yourself why you’re doing all this in the first place. 3. Summer hockey is garbage. I’m playing in two summer leagues at the moment and the average number of goals scored per game in each league is probably around 15 (15! A 6-5 score is the equivalent of a goalie dual in these leagues!). In my experience, summer hockey is a very thin cut above shinny hockey: guys are there to get a skate, work on their « moves » and score goals. Nobody backchecks, nobody plays defence and goalies get hung out to dry (there are winter leagues like this as well, by the way…). How do I survive summer hockey without going crazy? I take the same mentality as the guys playing in front of me: I’m here to face as many shots/scoring chances as possible, and work on my technique. Win or loose, I pay absolutely zero attention to the final score, whether my team is up or down, etc. (oddly enough, that is also a key to success in big games: the less you look at the scoreboard, the better!). And then when my real winter season begins: lo and behold how easy it is to tend goal when forwards backcheck and defencemen can skate backwards and close gaps! Hahaha! 4. I will echo what others have already said: I think a break could be beneficial in your case, though my feeling is you’ll start to miss playing after a few weeks (not a bad thing!); so canceling your winter season all together right now might be something you end up regretting. Ultimately, I think you have to come to a decision as to whether you want to be super competitive and continue to hold yourself to that high standard (even though your teammates likely don’t), or accept that you’re not playing pro, the guys in front of you are more focused on scoring goals than preventing them and, at the end of the day, everyone is there to blow off some steam, forget about work for a few hours, have some beers with the guys and hide from their wives I wish you all the best. The life of the beer league goalie isn’t easy, but if it was everyone would be doing it! Have fun out there!

Hey @Sport2, I have had the Coveted combo for about 1 year (Kevlar & Fiberglass, no carbon fiber) and I can say I’m extremely satisfied with the fit and protection. Have taken a few clappers off the melon with no ill effects (zero ear ringing). I can also say that the customer experience with Coveted is amazing. Ron is a super nice guy and he will not rest until you are 100% satisfied with the fit of your helmet. I strongly recommend this company. Lead time from placement of order to completion was also very reasonable compared to other custom manufacturers (I don’t remember the exact number, but I think it was something like 6 weeks). As for the different models, my understanding is that the only difference is the shape of the shell and the quality/level of protection from one to the other is the same. If in doubt, just shoot an email to Ron and he’ll confirm that info for you. Happy hunting!

Thanks for the info @Chenner29! To answer your question: yes, the pads were struggling to rotate back to center. I’m using the elastics that came with the Warriors. Hard to comment on the quality, but they don’t seem cheap to me per se… I measured and they’re 11’’ long between connection points (longest available setting); so even longer than yours in the closed position. So I wonder if it’s the anchor point on the pad or maybe the different boot construction compared to your Trues that makes the difference. My first experiment was done with a pair of Bauer Pros (with vertexx cowling) through a Lundy loop I had installed. I just got my hands on a pair of ccm as1s so maybe I’ll give it another go with those… As I write, I’m wondering if the cowling toe cap could be rubbing on the underside of the pad boot given the added friction from the elastic and hindering rotation…? Anyway! I’m glad the setup seems to work well for you. Without the ankle restriction sensation or rotation issues, I agree that this setup is the best of both worlds! Based on your experience, would you say that the CRS does a better (or as good) job combatting toe slop as a tight FRS setup when using skate lace (like what Bob seems to have in the second picture you showed)?

@Chenner29 I was having the same reflection the other day. I did some very brief experimentation of my own (note that I’m in the Warrior R/GT-2, so no professor strap or FRS available without modifications; knee strap is attached at the calf and leg channel is pretty wide, I do have the option to add a bootstrap/CRS) and my conclusion was that the CRS through the Lundy loop created a restriction in the ankle when in the bfly that didn’t feel right; enough so to counteract the benefit of the lack of toe slop (needless to say, I had tons when using skate lace with nothing to anchor the pad firmly to my leg). I also found there were some rotation issues with the pads when coming up out of the bfly (maybe CRS was too tight?). Anyway, I promptly ended the experiment, went back to my elastic toe-ties and told myself I’d revisit skate lace if and when I upgrade to a pad with professor strap/FRS. My RVH technique probably isn’t precise enough for it to make much difference anyway… : ) I also did a very non-scientific survey of what guys in the Show seem to have as a setup (after reading on this forum that most guys are still in skate lace, to my surprise!) and it seems divided between FRS/some form of elastic strap running fairly tight across the top of the calf, or some variation of the CRS/bootstrap. Some guys also seem to like (or be willing to live with?) a fair bit of toe slop…! All that being said, I will be very interested to read your impressions of this setup after a few tries; especially the bit about the CRS potentially being redundant with a tight enough FRS in the calf as you mention, which is something my current pads don’t allow me to test.

Thanks Chenner for the first hand info. I totally agree about the correlation between height of holder and attack angle. Going by eye, it just looks to me like the True 1 piece is the best compromise between attack angle and holder not beeing « too » high (compared to everything else that’s out there right now) due to the construction and lack of a cowling… And what you say about the boot to holder stiffness also makes a lot of sense; this really seems like the best skate for someone who wants to feel quick and stable on their feet and still get nice pushes in the butterfly. I guess I’m just aggravated that there’s nothing else that can achieve relatively the same thing at a lower price point…! : ) Your experience with the true boot/graf cowling is also well noted and appreciated. The fit between different brands definitely makes me nervous… There’s a Hockey Monkey not too far from where I live and they apparently have a « skate whisperer » working there; so I’ll go see if I can talk to him and see what can be done.

I’ve been contemplating doing exactly this ever since I noticed Anton Forsberg’s setup. I’m curious which True boot you decided to go with and how to match up the cowling size with the boot size (cowlings come in a size range if I’m not mistaken?) Was it a big job to get the cowling onto the boot?

It intrigues me that the only skate option on the market today that sits lower to the ice is the True 1 piece. I myself would be in those if I could justify dropping 1500$ on a pair of skates (regular Beer Leaguer here…). I understand that the True 1 piece is probably not easily transferable to a stock version in the same way as the 2 piece (TF9 and TF7) because of the way the boot is designed. But based on the number of guys in the Show wearing the 1 piece, it seems to me that there would be a market for a stock skate that can sit lower to the ice while also offering a stiff boot and aggressive attack angle. I myself would be very interested in that kind of product because my impression is that current stock skates would feel like stilts to me coming from a cowling.

Hey RichMan, I went through something similar in the spring. My injury actually happened during a game; I made an awkward toe save after a puck got deflected, my left leg got stuck under the rest of my body and I felt a « pop » in my ankle. It was definitely an ankle sprain (no ligament damage thankfully) but not a high ankle sprain as far as I can tell. Anyway! I will echo what many have already said and what I learned through my rehab process: goaltending and the butterfly style in particular are very demanding on the ankles! In my case, I was able to walk normally and essentially live my life as before within about a week after the injury, but it was 4 months before I was able to play goal again without any discomfort. Physiotherapy helped a lot, but the average physio doesn’t necessarily understand the stresses that goaltending puts on our bodies. My healing progress improved dramatically when I came across some goalie-specific exercises following an ankle injury by Maria Mountain. I encourage you to do a google search and you should find a couple of videos with exercises to help strengthen your injured ankle in preparation for playing goal again. If I’m not mistaken, I think she has a video specifically on the topic of high ankle sprains. I hope this will be helpful and I wish you the best of luck in your recovery.