Thread: Equipment advice

Please don't laugh but I haven't played competitively since my senior year in high school in 1966. I now have a chance to join an over-50 league and I am wondering about gear. My last pair of skates were leather Tacks so let's start there. Any help would be appreciated.

I may be 59 but I am still in excellent condition and in my day, along with George Washington and Tom Jefferson, was a pretty highly regarded prep player. I am very jazzed at the prospect of playing again.

How much are you willing to spend on your skates. What do you want out of your future skates.

Try on skates, that's the first piece of advice. Really try them on and see how they feel. My first good pair of skates ended up hurting my feet to the extent that I couldn't skate well because I was in pain. I wound up selling the pair and buying a used, already broken in pair and continued to use those for years afterwards.

The first big adjustment will be getting your feet adjusted to the skates and making sure your feet are as comfortable as can be.

Originally Posted by mudfisher

How much are you willing to spend on your skates. What do you want out of your future skates.

Thanks for the rapid reply. In that skates are where it all starts, let's consider $250 - $300 to be the top end. I have a narrow foot and would, of course, need optimal ankle support because my only skating has been recreational spins around a rink with my kid and rollerblading. Sadly, my son was far more interested in basketball... but that's another story.

As said by The Natural just go and try stuff on, see what fits best for you. All my friends love the Bauer Vapors but i use Mission the only one i would say to stay away from are the Bauer Supremes, almost everyone i know who has tried them hates them. If you're anywhere near Hockey Giant in Anaheim i would recomend going down there and having them help you out, great staff and huge selection.

Hockey Monkey.

I've been to both Hockey Giant and Hockey Monkey, and I thought the staff at Hockey Monkey seemed to know their stuff a little better. Of course, it might have just been the guys I worked with at each place.

Either way, everyone is correct about trying everything on. I went thinking I would get the new Vapors and ended up like the Grafs much more. Even though a bunch of friends loved their Vapors, they didn't fit my feet right. Get the skate that feels best to you!

Agree with Ian and elkhockey.

If you're local, take a trip to Hockey Monkey (Hawk Hockey) and try things on. Everyone's foot is different. I know guys who like Reebok skates, I know guys who prefer Bauer, I know guys who live and die by Graf (you might find some cheap Graf skates at the Kings' end of year sale), I know guys who prefer Easton... so your foot will be the only one to tell you which you're going to prefer.

Hockey Monkey is in Santa Ana? Are there any good hockey outlets up here in Ventura County? BTW, you guys are all great!