bildeer

Thanks for the detailed reply. I still have an old pair of some 2005 ccm super tacks that I started out on back in my middle school days. Those were probably the softest skates I had been in to date, and oh my goodness were they (too) soft. I don't know how I played in them, haha. I think it is reasonable to conclude that more support will facilitate more precise movements and control. Lots of good insight. The konekt seems to be the natural progression of a conventional boot that permits fore and aft flexibility in the ankle, but none (or, significantly less) on the lateral axis. I have some snowboard hardboots that work the same way, so it's really neat to see a similar concept be adapted to goaltending. Boots that have a little compliance are my favorite, as I find that they allow me to better control movements and permit more mobility. It's about time we got more ACHA goalies up in here!

Hello all, I recently got back on the ice after about 9 months of inactivity (high ankle sprain, strained/sprained plantar fascia, bye-bye college season!) and came across some lightly used Graf G7500's on the net, and having heard so many good things about that particular model and decided to see what they were all about. I had been using the DM1080s for around four years now, and like them quite a bit. Upon receiving the G7500's, I noticed that they were significantly softer than the DM1080 in the quarter panel, which I thought was interesting (obviously newer models tend to be stiffer for several reasons). I got them on the ice this week and it felt like I had more ankle mobility and had a better feeling of what the skate was doing (impossible to quantify, I know). So my question to the members of this fine board is; Do you think the trend towards very stiff skates has been beneficial for how you play, and is there a threshold where a skate boot becomes too stiff? All I recall ever hearing about with skate boots was that stiffer was always better. I know there is an argument to be made for power transfer (that can be quantified with hard data). Another thing I had been pondering recently was whether the fact that stiffer boots that transferred more power to the ice were harder on a goaltender's hips. Think about it like race vehicle suspensions. Unlike OE parts for road cars, suspension bushings that are designed to absorb vibrations and the like are replaced with spherical bearings that do not deflect when a force is applied. This works for race vehicles because tracks usually do not have large bumps or uneven pavement. If we take the same vehicle and drive it in an area that is full of bumps and potholes, the alignment settings will no longer be within spec and you'll probably bend a $1500 wheel or two. Do the same thing with a road car that retains the OE rubber bushings and none of this will happen, but it will not feel as direct and may not deliver the same performance. Could the same principle be a contributing factor in hip injuries amongst those in this trade? Obviously one would wear what was most comfortable, but I wanted to hear what others thought about this topic, and thank you for listening (reading) to my TED talk .

My two most recent (but not really, just never got around to using them due to a 9 month hiatus) Another B7800. My last one was a Matt Hackett pro return from his wild days. Got me from middle school all the way to my first collegiate game for a mere $175 barely used on ebay. This one is exactly the same as the last, but with a different color/graphic. Next to it is a rabbit themed practice jersey made by the bunnyman himself that he sent me last fall. Not sure if I should hang it up or use it.

When did they start doing that? I must have been living under a rock for the past several years.

Just bought a pair of barely used G7500s, true shift holders and blade tech steel. will keep you all updated, should be fun!

I came across your thread on the old board while aimlessly searching back in 2013 or so. That review was hilarious. "Sieve D's how to goalie" was a good one too, as was the one where a guy jumped into a pool to clean his gear. Those old threads were the best.

@Wonder35 I think a lot of it can be mitigated by the fairly recent push towards more proactive injury mitigation. I haven't been at this for that long in the grand scheme of things (~9 years) but for a long time, I recall the only guidance that was given was to stretch before playing, and that was it. Now there are dynamic warmups and cooldowns for many applications. I was getting some annoying hip pain under heavy use starting at age 18, and I was playing 4~6 times a week on average, and found foam rolling and the dynamic warmups that I referenced earlier to be of merit. I think the wide butterfly craze didn't do us any favors in the wellness department. I spent several years chasing the wide flair because I thought it was the only way to play effectively, and then I saw how guys like J.S. Gigeure were playing (butterfly so narrow your ankles were touching and would make saves with the knees, big thigh rises to trap loose pucks). Making the switch to that was probably the best compromise I could make given how effective the butterfly is at making saves on or near the ice. Modern leg pads with rock hard foam in the knee landing area aren't doing our hips and knees much of a favor either, and the only real way to mitigate it other than committing to stand up is by wearing knee pads with additional padding for the knees, and controlling how you drop to the ice. I also recall reading somewhere that hard, abrupt stops (t-pushes) place a lot of strain on the hips during practice when you are doing more than you likely would in a game, which was something that I had never considered until then. (sorry for thread derail)

I hope I'll be able to play at that age. Got 52 more to go! I'm not sure if this is just limited to the younger crowd like myself and others on here who grew up when the "butterfly style" had been well established and taught to play that way, but over the past few years, I've noticed a lot of goalies close to my age having hip issues and other nasty cartilage related stuff. I know of one goaltender who needed a hip replacement at age 25, and much to my horror, it seems that it is not all that uncommon amongst those who have been playing that style their entire lives, and the fact that until recently, we didn't know the kind of damage we were doing. Hopefully I'll be able to do 3 or so more years of college hockey and then it's off to a full time career in the men's league . I'm pretty certain that I will have to change the way I play a considerable amount if I want to be able to stay in for as long as I can so I don't inadvertently injure myself. The gentleman who runs my men's league team is around 64, and still manages to get out there with us younger folk. I singlehandedly accredit him for my improved performance on breakaways and two on ones!

I had the same thing happen last year. Tried to get back on the ice earlier than I should have and realized that the best thing for me to do would be to just take time off until it stopped being an issue. I could not drop down to the butterfly without having to use painkillers, and there was absolutely no possibility of using the RVH on my right side because that was the ankle I managed to screw up. I ended up sitting out the entire season and then more because it would still bother me from time to time, so probably seven or eight months in total. Hopefully yours is better.

I am still lamenting the day they took away big thigh rises. At one point, I was in a 34+3. If you used a narrow butterfly like Gigeure, you could literally trap pucks in between them if they were ironing boards like mine. On the bright side, I progressively went smaller with my thigh rises and was able to move quicker and my skating improved. Anyone remember the original Warrior Ritual C/A with the plastic arms? They actually ended up working pretty well but I remember a lot of folks writing them off because they looked funny.

I tried some Reebok P4's back in the day when those where the cool new thing and I felt like I was going to die (perhaps a slight exaggeration on my part). Couldn't move to save my life, but I was coming from Velocity 4's that were about as hard as an old pillow. Hi, you will probably have the best luck measuring yourself and then referring to the manufacturer's sizing charts. If the softest rebounds are what you're after, the Vaughn Velocity line would likely be your best bet. I keep having new pairs of Velocity 4's made that can drop a slapshot within 12 inches from the leg pad and also kick pucks out of the zone. No first hand experience with the newer models.

Found my way back here after a nearly five month hiatus. Planning on attempting to get back on the ice soon. Last year right before the season started, I got run over by a 220 lb defenseman and pulled a ligament in my ankle pretty badly, couldn't do RVH anything slide from my right side very well. Realized that I wasn't going to get better anytime soon and stopped playing for the most part. Fast forward to March of this year, conducting PT with my ROTC platoon, I strained a ligament in my foot where the plantar fascia is and was walking with a limp for a few weeks. It wasn't until about a month ago that I could run without my foot bothering me. Holding off on playing this semester so I can focus on my academics. If all goes well, I'll return next semester. In the time that I was injured, I spent most of it (when not at school) helping my friends with their respective RX-7 builds. After about 8 months of working here and there, we got his 3 rotor conversion running, and I came across another guy who moved in from Washington who had one with a blown engine. Talked him into having it brought over here and we dismantled it and are halfway through putting the peripherals back onto the shortblock. Took the interior in mine apart to address 28 year old car problems (I love heater cores).

Hi all, been off the forum for several months, had always wondered what he was up to. Hadn't been in contact with him since April. Sad to see him go. I enjoyed reading his thread topics all the way back to the GSBB days and now here. Taught me quite a bit about fabricating composites and the like. Recently came across a rabbit-themed practice jersey and some pooper branded stickers he sent me at around this time last year that I never got around to using.

U18 is still considered youth hockey under USA Hockey, so you will still be subject to the equipment regulations despite being 18 (legally an adult). I would strongly suggest holding off on the cateye until you get to a league that is not classified as youth hockey. All it takes is one person to notice and tell an official, and then you've got another problem on your hands. I kept my straight bar until I was 19 and was playing college. Nobody cares at that point

I ain't paying no (expletive) $300, or even $200 on a stick. These days I just use old stock composites (NXG and the like). I used to get cheap foam cores for practices and didn't care if the broke, because they didn't cost anything.

Shredded foam leg pads with toe buckles? you're speaking my language! I have been a Velocity 4 addict for the past 9 or so years with minor updates.

I was already very close to pulling the trigger on these. Your review just pushed me over the edge! Excited to hear how they work for you. I had used the Koho 589's for many years and these seem to be a much more refined iteration of that formula. How was the order process?

back in late 2014 or early 2015 (can't remember), I managed to cut the base of my thumb down to the bone on my catching (left) hand. I had practice a few days later after I had it sewn back together. I wouldn't recommend doing this, as you may run the risk of pulling out stitches if you have them, but what I did was padded the area around the stitches and taped it up and it worked fine.

Once you confirm that everything fits the way you want, I would strongly suggest getting it through a few warm/hot showers as soon as you can. This thing is going to be extremely rigid for the first few ice sessions and then begin to loosen up. Tying the arms up with skate laces when drying will help expedite the process. I've got 9 months on my 2400 Russian spec and it has broken in very nicely. Get ready to take shots that you won't even feel.

Contact cement or some other flexible adhesive would be my method of choice. I would normally attempt to sew a cut but yours looks like it is in an area where glue may be a better option.

If not changing colors for a team, I only replace stuff when I can no longer repair it. I have updated every piece of equipment within the past three years with the exception of my blocker, which is on year 8 and should really be replaced. I have a new one on order but with current supply chain funny business, I'll be happy if it shows up by the end of the season (I ordered the thing in July)

I have been waiting for this review for many years...

Nice paint job! Is that a 9601?

You could just do what I did an buy another pair of V4/V5's if you absolutely love that model. They will still make them, my last pair came in February. It all depends on what you like, or what you think you will like.

It's insane how these things became as expensive as they did in such a short amount of time. When I started looking at them years ago, it was possible to get a showroom condition car for about $25,000. These days everyone wants $35-40k for their not so nice examples. It's obscene! Silver without a sunroof was my spec of choice when I first saw one and purely out of luck was I able to find one, as they don't really exist. I took it apart 5 days after I got it :)))