Help
Hey guys, first off I'm new to this part of the forum. I've been playing hockey for many years but I've only strapped on the pads once when I switched gear with my goalie for one ice time.
Anyways, I know as a player starting out I would spend the most on skates, gloves, and helmet, cheap out a bit on everything else and gradually upgrade as I got better.
I understand I'll need a Mask, Chest Protector, Blocker, Catcher, Jock, Pants, Pads, skates and a stick (I don't think I left anything out?) How would you prioritize your gear starting from the more important things (gear I should spend a little bit more on) to ones I can get away with buying cheaper at first (not as important gear like the stick?)
TIA.
Thinking about playing goal How to prioritize my equipment purchase?
#3
Goalieboy#1 
Posted 31 March 2009 - 10:56 AM
Either head for that matter <_<
How hard would you play if you couldnt play tommorow?
#4
Law Goalie
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Posted 31 March 2009 - 11:08 AM
If you look back a little, there have been a couple other threads dealing with this that contained some good info. The most recent one was by srv2miker.
There are a few other minor incidentals you'll need to add to that list of yours:
If your C/A (chest/arm protector) has a low or wide-spread collar, you may need to buy a neck/clavicle guard to wear underneath. I'd go with a Maltese Combo.
You'll need some kind of long underwear, compression pants or sweatpants to wear as a base-layer. Hockey socks are OK, but they tend to be annoying as a goalie. Definitely wear a long-sleeved shirt as well.
Generally speaking, it's always better to buy used pro-grade gear than new senior price-point gear. Two reasons: one, if you love it, the pro stuff will play a little better and last FAR longer; two, the resale value of price-point gear is terrible, while with pro gear, you can actually come close to break-even most of the time on resale.
As for prioritising in terms of spending, don't necessarily take what follows as a list of 'what should I spend the most on,' but rather, 'where should I not try to skimp and save a bit.'
1) Mask -- you don't have to spend a ton, but you do have to get something good. You don't have to run out and buy a brand-new Itech 961 (even a used one will typically run about $500 on eBay). Some of the better entry-level masks are the Hackva (they only have one model), and the Sportmask Razor and X8 (newer). The Sportmask Riciochet is a step down, but very good too. Hackva's routinely go on eBay under $300 USD (for white/black); Sportmasks are less common, but you can porbably find them to try on. I would suggest not buying a used mask unless it's in perfect shape and made by an absolutely stellar maker -- you just don't know what it's been through.
2) Skates -- obviously, if you don't have well-fitted skates, you won't enjoy the game from any position. If there's a player-boot you *really* love, you can have it rivetted into a pair of cowlings, provided your LHS has the patience and wherewithall to attempt it (can be kind of tricky). Most goalie skates come with a 30' factory radius, but you can have them profiled to around 24' (which is what Graf uses from the factory) in order to smooth the transition, and work your way up in increments. Similarly, start with a 1/2" hollow and move around from there.
3) C/A -- core-body protection is paramount, but freedom movement equally important. You don't want to feel like the Michelin man. Brown is the gold-standard - custom units of his can run well over $800, but you can find good deals now and then (there's one in the MSH classifieds right now, for example). McKenney is the poor-man's Brown - all but the highest marks for protection and quality at a fraction of the price. Those are really the only two brands I'd consider buying used: foams in C/A's can break down really fast. DO NOT buy a cheap price-point C/A: I've seen ones that were filled with sweepings from the factory floor.
4) Pants/Jock -- this seems like an oddly high priority, but protection is key and a bad pair of goalie pants can really ruin it for you. I'm not saying you should spend more on the pants than on a complete set of pads and gloves, but that you should be prepared to pay more than you'd expect. Also, it's important to buy your pants with your jock so you can be sure they'll mesh well together.
5) Pads & Gloves -- just make sure you spend enough to get good used pro-grade gear. They'll love you back and never lose their value. You can buy the pads and gloves separately, but it's important to get as close to a complete set (at least matching colours) as possible in order to hold that resale value (as look slick on the ice, of course). Trappers vary hugely in feel and construction: try everything you can get your hands on. Blockers are similar variable but not as obviously different.
A few guidelines for buying pads... first, realise that pads have long since ceased to differ in protection. Apart from the cheapest, crappiest price-point offshore stuff (you have no idea what's in there), anything will protect you. Also, don't be too concern about what 'style' of pad you're buying. Whether it calls itself a butterfly pad or a hybrid pad, you're still going to have to learn it from the ground-up. Expect to pay more for RBK and Vaughn than anything else in the pro/used area. You can find decent deals on really well-made pads by Brian's, TPS, Smith, Viper, Vortek and Battram, to name a few.
When sizing pads, the standard measurement is your ankle-to-knee (ATK). To take this, sit in a chair with your knee bent slightly forward, hold a soft tape-measure to the outside of your ankle bone (right in the centre of the bump) and measure up to the centre of your knee-cap, so that the tape-measure wraps around to the front of your leg. A google image search should still yield a pretty good picture of this operation.
6) Stick -- buy wood, and buy it cheaply. There are some 3-packs one eBay right now for less than $50 USD from Majer Hockey. The mistake most people make is buying too tall a paddle, which then screws up their stance and blocker positioning at the crucial early phase of learning. Ideally, you want to be able to hold your stick comfortably with the blade angled roughly like a 3-iron when you're down in the butterfly; that should translate to a good height in your stance. Composite goalie sticks are a waste of money, with one lone and extremely expensive exception (Montreal).
There are a few other minor incidentals you'll need to add to that list of yours:
If your C/A (chest/arm protector) has a low or wide-spread collar, you may need to buy a neck/clavicle guard to wear underneath. I'd go with a Maltese Combo.
You'll need some kind of long underwear, compression pants or sweatpants to wear as a base-layer. Hockey socks are OK, but they tend to be annoying as a goalie. Definitely wear a long-sleeved shirt as well.
Generally speaking, it's always better to buy used pro-grade gear than new senior price-point gear. Two reasons: one, if you love it, the pro stuff will play a little better and last FAR longer; two, the resale value of price-point gear is terrible, while with pro gear, you can actually come close to break-even most of the time on resale.
As for prioritising in terms of spending, don't necessarily take what follows as a list of 'what should I spend the most on,' but rather, 'where should I not try to skimp and save a bit.'
1) Mask -- you don't have to spend a ton, but you do have to get something good. You don't have to run out and buy a brand-new Itech 961 (even a used one will typically run about $500 on eBay). Some of the better entry-level masks are the Hackva (they only have one model), and the Sportmask Razor and X8 (newer). The Sportmask Riciochet is a step down, but very good too. Hackva's routinely go on eBay under $300 USD (for white/black); Sportmasks are less common, but you can porbably find them to try on. I would suggest not buying a used mask unless it's in perfect shape and made by an absolutely stellar maker -- you just don't know what it's been through.
2) Skates -- obviously, if you don't have well-fitted skates, you won't enjoy the game from any position. If there's a player-boot you *really* love, you can have it rivetted into a pair of cowlings, provided your LHS has the patience and wherewithall to attempt it (can be kind of tricky). Most goalie skates come with a 30' factory radius, but you can have them profiled to around 24' (which is what Graf uses from the factory) in order to smooth the transition, and work your way up in increments. Similarly, start with a 1/2" hollow and move around from there.
3) C/A -- core-body protection is paramount, but freedom movement equally important. You don't want to feel like the Michelin man. Brown is the gold-standard - custom units of his can run well over $800, but you can find good deals now and then (there's one in the MSH classifieds right now, for example). McKenney is the poor-man's Brown - all but the highest marks for protection and quality at a fraction of the price. Those are really the only two brands I'd consider buying used: foams in C/A's can break down really fast. DO NOT buy a cheap price-point C/A: I've seen ones that were filled with sweepings from the factory floor.
4) Pants/Jock -- this seems like an oddly high priority, but protection is key and a bad pair of goalie pants can really ruin it for you. I'm not saying you should spend more on the pants than on a complete set of pads and gloves, but that you should be prepared to pay more than you'd expect. Also, it's important to buy your pants with your jock so you can be sure they'll mesh well together.
5) Pads & Gloves -- just make sure you spend enough to get good used pro-grade gear. They'll love you back and never lose their value. You can buy the pads and gloves separately, but it's important to get as close to a complete set (at least matching colours) as possible in order to hold that resale value (as look slick on the ice, of course). Trappers vary hugely in feel and construction: try everything you can get your hands on. Blockers are similar variable but not as obviously different.
A few guidelines for buying pads... first, realise that pads have long since ceased to differ in protection. Apart from the cheapest, crappiest price-point offshore stuff (you have no idea what's in there), anything will protect you. Also, don't be too concern about what 'style' of pad you're buying. Whether it calls itself a butterfly pad or a hybrid pad, you're still going to have to learn it from the ground-up. Expect to pay more for RBK and Vaughn than anything else in the pro/used area. You can find decent deals on really well-made pads by Brian's, TPS, Smith, Viper, Vortek and Battram, to name a few.
When sizing pads, the standard measurement is your ankle-to-knee (ATK). To take this, sit in a chair with your knee bent slightly forward, hold a soft tape-measure to the outside of your ankle bone (right in the centre of the bump) and measure up to the centre of your knee-cap, so that the tape-measure wraps around to the front of your leg. A google image search should still yield a pretty good picture of this operation.
6) Stick -- buy wood, and buy it cheaply. There are some 3-packs one eBay right now for less than $50 USD from Majer Hockey. The mistake most people make is buying too tall a paddle, which then screws up their stance and blocker positioning at the crucial early phase of learning. Ideally, you want to be able to hold your stick comfortably with the blade angled roughly like a 3-iron when you're down in the butterfly; that should translate to a good height in your stance. Composite goalie sticks are a waste of money, with one lone and extremely expensive exception (Montreal).
This post has been edited by Law Goalie: 31 March 2009 - 11:12 AM
#6
chshockey30
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Posted 31 March 2009 - 08:45 PM
except for that fact that they cost a lot. wont work in his favor when a stick is something he can go cheaper on
#8
Law Goalie
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Posted 31 March 2009 - 09:59 PM
Knee-pads absolutely - I can't believe I forgot about that. There are a fair number of pants that come with built-in knee protection these days, but generally you'll need to invest in something there. Well-fitted knee-pads are VASTLY preferable to thigh-boards or any other method of protecting the knees.
Danglers are useless at best, IMO, and actually more dangerous at worst. When they crack, they can really cut you up; on top of that, they restrict vision and can get your head yanked around.
If you get a helmet that fits your head and neck well, and a Maltese Combo neck-guard, you'll be way the hell safer than with a dangler. The key thing to look for in the mask is a chin-drop (that is, how far down from the bottom of the case the mask extends) that is proportional to the length of your neck. If you've got a short neck and a huge chin-drop, the chin of the mask will get stuck in your C/A (which can cause nasty problems) -- if you've got a stork-like neck and a stubby mask chin (like a Van Veldon, a classic Armadilla or a Mage), you're exposing a lot of throat.
Danglers are useless at best, IMO, and actually more dangerous at worst. When they crack, they can really cut you up; on top of that, they restrict vision and can get your head yanked around.
If you get a helmet that fits your head and neck well, and a Maltese Combo neck-guard, you'll be way the hell safer than with a dangler. The key thing to look for in the mask is a chin-drop (that is, how far down from the bottom of the case the mask extends) that is proportional to the length of your neck. If you've got a short neck and a huge chin-drop, the chin of the mask will get stuck in your C/A (which can cause nasty problems) -- if you've got a stork-like neck and a stubby mask chin (like a Van Veldon, a classic Armadilla or a Mage), you're exposing a lot of throat.
#10
Law Goalie
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Posted 01 July 2009 - 06:43 AM
Top of the line Itech certified mask; the 961 is a cat-eye version. Decent fibreglass & epoxy resin lay-up with Kevlar patches in the forehead and chin. Bear in mind, 960/1's fit differently as of 2008. Itech used to use two different aspect mouldings: a narrower one for the 960/1, and a wider one for the 9600 and 9601. As of 2008, they discontinued the 9600/1 and re-cast the 960/1 on a slightly wider mould, putting it more or less between the two original fits. There are also suggestions that they're cheaping out on resin a little more recently.
The Itechs you see NHLers wearing, while cosmetically similar, are RARELY the same in construction. Most pro Itechs only have two layers of fibreglass for finishing the outer and inner layers of the mask: the rest is full sheets of Kevlar, with additional patches on chin and forehead. This makes most pro Itechs significantly lighter and stronger (both in terms of durabiility and protection) than a stock retail 960. There are a few oddballs (Carey Price being one of them) who prefer the heavier fibreglass construction, usually because they say it produces less ringing; general consensus is that they're just used to the heavier feel and don't want to change.
The Itechs you see NHLers wearing, while cosmetically similar, are RARELY the same in construction. Most pro Itechs only have two layers of fibreglass for finishing the outer and inner layers of the mask: the rest is full sheets of Kevlar, with additional patches on chin and forehead. This makes most pro Itechs significantly lighter and stronger (both in terms of durabiility and protection) than a stock retail 960. There are a few oddballs (Carey Price being one of them) who prefer the heavier fibreglass construction, usually because they say it produces less ringing; general consensus is that they're just used to the heavier feel and don't want to change.
This post has been edited by Law Goalie: 01 July 2009 - 06:44 AM
#11
fatwabbit
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Posted 01 July 2009 - 09:42 PM
Thanks Law Goalie... could you clear out your PM box?
I might have the option to get some older 960, or a Van Veldon... both have been used, and a little on the old side. Everything seems to be inorder, but thats' thru photos.
Any opinions between the two? Or should I get something more current.
I might have the option to get some older 960, or a Van Veldon... both have been used, and a little on the old side. Everything seems to be inorder, but thats' thru photos.
Any opinions between the two? Or should I get something more current.
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE- LFC
Will no longer have the number of buy/sell/trades mentioned... its too embarrassing to see how much gear I've accumulated.
Will no longer have the number of buy/sell/trades mentioned... its too embarrassing to see how much gear I've accumulated.
#12
Law Goalie
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Posted 02 July 2009 - 07:08 AM
Sorry mate.
An older 960 - provided it fits - is a much better investment than a VV. As long as there is no cracking in the shell, no chunks missing from the perimeter (except paint), and no broken welds in the cage, you're fine. It's also basically impossible to get replacement cages for VVs, and it's easy as pie with Itechs.
An older 960 - provided it fits - is a much better investment than a VV. As long as there is no cracking in the shell, no chunks missing from the perimeter (except paint), and no broken welds in the cage, you're fine. It's also basically impossible to get replacement cages for VVs, and it's easy as pie with Itechs.
#13
fatwabbit
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Posted 02 July 2009 - 08:46 AM
Cool.... thanks... I'll keep taht in mind.
Got a few contacts for the VV or the 960... $115 shipped for the VV seems like a good deal especially since its coming to me in Perth.
Got a few contacts for the VV or the 960... $115 shipped for the VV seems like a good deal especially since its coming to me in Perth.
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE- LFC
Will no longer have the number of buy/sell/trades mentioned... its too embarrassing to see how much gear I've accumulated.
Will no longer have the number of buy/sell/trades mentioned... its too embarrassing to see how much gear I've accumulated.
#14
Law Goalie
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Posted 02 July 2009 - 09:15 AM
$115 ain't bad at all. The only real issues with VVs were weight, scarcity of cages and manufacturer support, and their propensity to ring when hit hard. Putting some rubber washers between the shell, cage and cage-screws would probably kill most of that.
#15
fatwabbit
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Posted 02 July 2009 - 10:11 PM
Ok, the 960/1 is a no go.. too expensive and the padding it pretty bad condition.
Its a toss up now between a NXI Phantom and the VV, both for about the same price. Has anyone heard of an Ollie Ma9900 excel series senior large with cat eye cage. Between the three, which would you get assuming they are all in relatively good condition and the same price.
Its a toss up now between a NXI Phantom and the VV, both for about the same price. Has anyone heard of an Ollie Ma9900 excel series senior large with cat eye cage. Between the three, which would you get assuming they are all in relatively good condition and the same price.
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE- LFC
Will no longer have the number of buy/sell/trades mentioned... its too embarrassing to see how much gear I've accumulated.
Will no longer have the number of buy/sell/trades mentioned... its too embarrassing to see how much gear I've accumulated.
