Secrets to saving on hockey accessories

[adaminnj]

Saving money on quality kit! I can only think of one thing to look for.

Pro Stock / Pro Return!

If you can get into a team sale you can get great stuff for cheep and try it on right there. Or if you know what you want you can find pro stock on sites like hockeymonkey.com for dirt cheep even if it's a few years old it's new unused stock.

The one thing you have to be carful of is buying pro stock / pro return is skates. Pro skates are built on models of there feet and are not true sized. If you buy skates that are marked with a players name and it says 10.5 it might not fit you and your 10.5 foot and I have seen it that the player has 2 different size feet. So with that said if you can get to a team sale and try on the skates and tie them like you would skate in them then you will find a great deal on top end skates.

 

[Thesensation19*]

People have mistaken the saving $$ part with the ability to use around the house equipment for your hockey equipment.

 

[Jarick]

I'm not sure you're serious or trolling for half your posts.

Hockey is expensive and can be dangerous. Get over it.

 

[Thesensation19*]

I'm not sure you're serious or trolling for half your posts.

Hockey is expensive and can be dangerous. Get over it.

What are you talking about. Quite serious. I dont think many of you understand the purpose of the thread.

Its not EXACTLY for JUST me. This thread should serve the purpose for all of us to be more involved with our equipment, to be more understanding of our equipment and the tools involved in preparing, practicing and playing hockey. I am not asking for the best deals in stores or online on sticks or protective gear. I am merely starting a discussion based around how-to hockey.

It seems to me all we discuss on The Rink is answering some novice players questioj about what stick he should buy, or what to do when your on a 2-1. Expressing our opinions on which equipment company is best or whats new on the market for skates.

When I picture The Rink... I picture a world wide web of information of how to properly tape your stick for different preferences, how to fix your skate laces that continue to break the plastic around the tips, how to strengthen your balance and what diet gives you more energy.

I am not asking for someone to answer my question on where I can buy the cheapest but best hockey gear on the market.


I am asking whats the best way to build your own hockey net for your driveway rather than go buy a overpriced $140 hockey net.

I want to know, as many of you should, what and where can I find the right tiles to place in my garage to not only practice your stick and puck work but maybe I need to know if it can hold up a car.

You guys mentioned places where you found to remold your composite sticks. No mention of what kind of place this is or how expensive. Is it even worth it?

My shin pads foam padding is becoming weaker. Rather than buy new ones, is there something I can do to strengthen the foam, or add in new protection. Don Cherry said that he use to add extra cotton to his shin pads before games to ensure a higher form of protection.

Velcro on my elbow pad and shin pad is becoming looser and the tightness is wearing down. Anything I can do to strengthen the velcro?

Wood stick blade chips and breaks apart easily. Very easily. Heard you can use some type of oil or water resistant wax to prevent this.


Pros use tricks like these all the time... Not all of the tricks are shared. Hopefully this can be a thread to discuss these tricks or ideas we heard or have.

 

[Thesensation19*]

Cough up for a good skate stone or honing stone. You don't want to scratch and dull your blades to save $2. Even most hockey shop stones are terrible. Two stones for $12 shipped will last you forever.



Wax is usually $3-4 for a puck. If all you want is waterproofing, go to the hardware store and get some paraffin wax from the canning department. You can get a pound of it for $5 and that will last you 5-10 years. But it's slippery, not sticky.



Yep, go grab some of your dad's old screws and strip the **** out of your helmet and watch them rust!

I thought I was clever and got some screws from the hardware store, they rusted out at the end of the season and I couldn't get them off the helmet, had to buy a new helmet and cage. $150 to save $2.

Just go buy helmet screws.



Check out Howies Hockey Tape, you can get a box of 30 rolls of tape that will last you for years for about $75. A lot of shops will do bulk discounts. Ice Warehouse does $1 off for six rolls. Their prices are about $1 per roll cheaper than most shops, so buy enough stuff to get free shipping and you're coming out ahead.

Not so much of being cheap as trying to stir up discussion. This is the Rink. Lets discuss how we would do something if there wasnt a pro shop around, open or what have you.

Pavel Datsyuk use to play youth hockey in Russia where he would buy wood sticks from a family company in his town. From there him and his dad would put sticks in boiling water, the stove or whatever you can bring up and take time in developing custom blades. Tried out dozens even when he thought he was settled. Sounds AWESOME. Why dont we talk about that. How to make wood sticks, how can you do it from home using tools you can find in your town or county. What are good around the house tools to help you customize your own blade.

Martin St. Louis had to show another professional in a video a way to add grip to the top of your stick. The other pro was amazed and now uses it himself. I believe it was Joe Thornton. Simply using tape, I am sure you all heard of this by now, he created ridges. This is AWESOME. Can you believe they sell plastic tops with edges for over $15 in some places.

The hockey helmet kit is about $20. You can easily go to a hockey store and ask for screws. If your a common customer I am sure they will give you some for free. I got it. I used screws from Home Depot. if your worried about rust, but the more expensive but yet STILL EXTREMELY CHEAP weather proof ones. Buying a box of this is still 100x cheaper than what I mentioned above and you can use left overs for your house


A group of guys wanted to play hockey. Rather than spend hundreds on equipment they use to make their own. It is now a rather bigger company, sells some of their customize equipment on websites. Totally forgot what its called. The guy developed foam protective under clothes. Before UA was ever established. Any videos or links to work on your protective padding in your garage. Learn to sew and you can probably save yourself a WHOLE LOT with equipment.


I really would also like to know how to strengthen velcro if possible or nay tricks i can hear from you

 

[West Coast Eagles]

Do you think I could use surf wax instead of hockey wax on my sticks (when they get here)? Already have a ton

 

[Ozz]

Martin St. Louis had to show another professional in a video a way to add grip to the top of your stick. The other pro was amazed and now uses it himself. I believe it was Joe Thornton. Simply using tape, I am sure you all heard of this by now, he created ridges. This is AWESOME. Can you believe they sell plastic tops with edges for over $15 in some places.

The hockey helmet kit is about $20. You can easily go to a hockey store and ask for screws. If your a common customer I am sure they will give you some for free. I got it. I used screws from Home Depot. if your worried about rust, but the more expensive but yet STILL EXTREMELY CHEAP weather proof ones. Buying a box of this is still 100x cheaper than what I mentioned above and you can use left overs for your house

Holy cow - who doesn't know the tape-for-grip trick? Hell, I didn't know there was another way to do it

Re: helmet fix kits: it baffles me that people don't wouldn't think of that one. I needed 2 lengthier screws for mine in order to add a visor and the sports store down the road wanted $8 for them. Unreal. I just went to Lowes on the way back home and got them for under a buck.

 

[American in Paris]

Pavel Datsyuk use to play youth hockey in Russia where he would buy wood sticks from a family company in his town. From there him and his dad would put sticks in boiling water, the stove or whatever you can bring up and take time in developing custom blades.

I had a lot of fun as a kid custom shaping my fiberglass reinforced woodblades with a blow torch.

Hockey players these days seem to be less interested in DIY innovation & customization. Now we outsource it to the price gougers at Reebok and Bauer.

 

[Jarick]

What are you talking about. Quite serious. I dont think many of you understand the purpose of the thread.

I guess if you want to DIY all your gear, go for it. It's just not practical for pretty much everyone on the boards. Getting the machinery and equipment and materials to make hockey gear is a hell of a lot more expensive than just buying used stuff.

I mean, does anyone else here have any interest in welding their own hockey net?

For a lot of the repair stuff, you might be better off looking at goalie forums as they are more inclined to do that stuff than skaters.

It's not possible to re-curve a composite stick without damaging it. Pros can do it because they get free sticks and only use it for one game.

 

[Jarick]

Not so much of being cheap as trying to stir up discussion. This is the Rink. Lets discuss how we would do something if there wasnt a pro shop around, open or what have you.

Pavel Datsyuk use to play youth hockey in Russia where he would buy wood sticks from a family company in his town. From there him and his dad would put sticks in boiling water, the stove or whatever you can bring up and take time in developing custom blades. Tried out dozens even when he thought he was settled. Sounds AWESOME. Why dont we talk about that. How to make wood sticks, how can you do it from home using tools you can find in your town or county. What are good around the house tools to help you customize your own blade.

Make your own wood hockey sticks?



Seems it'd be cheaper to just go and buy one for $30 than set up a factory.

Martin St. Louis had to show another professional in a video a way to add grip to the top of your stick. The other pro was amazed and now uses it himself. I believe it was Joe Thornton. Simply using tape, I am sure you all heard of this by now, he created ridges. This is AWESOME. Can you believe they sell plastic tops with edges for over $15 in some places.

Serious question, where are you from?

Do you think I could use surf wax instead of hockey wax on my sticks (when they get here)? Already have a ton

You can, although hockey wax is made more for cold weather so it would be grippier in theory...it would probably work better to use surf wax on a stick than stick wax on a surf board though. Give it a shot.

Re: helmet fix kits: it baffles me that people don't wouldn't think of that one. I needed 2 lengthier screws for mine in order to add a visor and the sports store down the road wanted $8 for them. Unreal. I just went to Lowes on the way back home and got them for under a buck.

I did the same thing and the screws rusted out. Even though they were supposed to be rust proof. Just check it regularly and maybe take it out and add some WD40 or something.

 

[Auston Marlander]

I can totally see both sides of this argument. I'm pretty thrifty by nature, so I got by for a good number of years doing everything on the cheap. Then I got a real job, got some debts paid off, and all of a sudden I could afford better equiptment. At first I went crazy buying stuff just because for once in my life I could. Once I got that out of my system, I settled into a happy medium of buying stuff that I want without breaking the bank.

There's no secret to it other than having the discipline to not to pull the trigger on every impulse to buy. For what it's worth, these are my golden rules:

1.) Do comparison shopping... Lots of it. The more you know about the market for what you want to buy, the easier it will be to spot the best price.
2.) Don't be afraid of ebay. I've found a lot of affordable rare and desirable items by scouring ebay.
3.) Don't overpay on ebay. I've overpaid for a lot of rare and desirable items by scouring ebay.
4.) Buy used. Hockey players are fickle beasts and you can snatch up lightly used gear very cheaply.
5.) Coupons are your friend. Watch sales and combine coupons to get the best deals.
6.) Stock up. When you see a good product at a good price, buy in quantity. When I was broke I started a "war chest" so that I didn't have run out to the pro shop/wait for a new _______ to be delivered.
7.) Didn't like it? Not using it? Sell it. Not only does it get rid of clutter, but it frees up cash for your next purchase. A lot of people do not have the patience or the resources to sell on ebay/craigslist/message boards, but it's really just as easy as putting a flier up the local rink or talking to the people you skate with.

These aren't really secrets and some of this has already been mentioned by other users. However, I believe that it is useful information.

#4 a million times over! I got a $1000+ pair of skates for $320, they were used for less than 2 months prior to buying them. I am wary of used sticks, but everything else (sans jock) is fair game!

 

[Thesensation19*]

I am from Long Island, New York. Not too shabby of an area for a hockey fan/player. But terrible in the pro shop and hockey retail world.

I understand making your own wood stick is not easy, nor is it the cheapest thing to do. Its more of something I always wanted to do if possible. The video you posted is of a factory, but you act as though that is the only way hockey sticks were ever made.

A lot of hockey players are into designing and preparing their own equipment. Some are not. But then for those who are not, do not comment. For those who are... lets chat. Lets talk about how we can make our own hockey goal. *no one ever said we had to mold our own*. My cousin made a nice sized goal made up of pipes he had lying around the garage. Go to Home Depot and buy the same tools for a nice roller hockey net and you save yourself probably a hundred bucks. Use it to go play hockey.

 

[Thesensation19*]

Cheap Accessories and Tape
http://www.hockeytron.com/hockey-accessories-hockey-tape---wax.html#.UTfMbTBJNSA

Tron sells very cheap stuff... I found for anyone looking


I also found how to make your own hockey stick
http://ezinearticles.com/?Make-Your-Own-Hockey-Stick-at-Home&id=4376588

a tad bit simpler than I can imagine but good to know there is some possibility to this. Always wanted to try. Looks like in total you can come out to under $30 and you can prob have fire wood lol. Yes its easier to just go buy a stick but once again its not just about whats easier and whats cheaper. Its HOW TO.

I am looking for others... I just started this thread to have a discussion. Not for me to come up with all the ideas and have people comment the simplest choice around doing it yourself or finding cheap accessories.

Btw... If you want to get cheap screws. GO GET WEATHERPROOF SCREWS. More expsneive than regular ones but wont rust and 10x cheaper than anything else you can find for hockey

 

[nickerjones]

tape is expensive in Oklahoma. 3-4 bucks a roll. My wife is from Calgary and when we go on trips I stock up on the 8 rolls of Clear, 1 roll of white, 1 roll of black package at Sports check for 12 bucks.

Innovative idea... Cheap Lemon Pledge will clean the crap out of your visor.

 

[tarheelhockey]

for shin pads - elastic shin pad straps with the velcro closures.

something like this:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/5/SportsRec/2/HockeyIce/HockeyShinPads/PRDOVR~0832555P/Shin+Pad+Straps.jsp?locale=en

I vouch for these. $5-6 and you will never buy tape again, and they're easier to deal with than tape rolls.

(just don't lose them)

 

[tarheelhockey]

I mean, does anyone else here have any interest in welding their own hockey net?

Funny enough, I found it much cheaper to buy a 6'x4' soccer net frame and then replace the net with a hockey net (pucks will go through a soccer net), rather than drop a load of cash on an actual hockey net. Total cost of the home-made one was, best I can recall, about $30-50 as opposed to a couple hundred.

The only downside is that the frame is lighter and flimsier, but then again that makes it much easier to move around. And I can disassemble it and re-build if necessary.

I don't recommend making your own helmet though

 

[BobGoblinn]

Funny enough, I found it much cheaper to buy a 6'x4' soccer net frame and then replace the net with a hockey net (pucks will go through a soccer net), rather than drop a load of cash on an actual hockey net. Total cost of the home-made one was, best I can recall, about $30-50 as opposed to a couple hundred.

The only downside is that the frame is lighter and flimsier, but then again that makes it much easier to move around. And I can disassemble it and re-build if necessary.

I don't recommend making your own helmet though

This is actually an incredibly interesting idea. Just quickly browsing I found one on amazon for under 50

 

[Jarick]

Just don't try and use a net made from any kind of plastic. It will break very quickly.

 

[HIFE]

Learn to sew and you can probably save yourself a WHOLE LOT with equipment.


I really would also like to know how to strengthen velcro if possible or nay tricks i can hear from you

Sewing is necessary for hockey equipment mangers and in pro-shops. Repairing holes in socks, torn jerseys, repalming gloves, modifying goalie pads, skate repair, etc.

This season I've sewn together the zipper area on a teammates ripped pants (he didn't care if it could zip). I did quite a bit of work repairing the broken straps, failing pockets and separated zipper on an old Cooper equipment bag. My shin pads had lost the thick thread that held the outer shell to the foam which was a pain to restitch by hand but has held up. Every elastic strap on my elbow pads and shoulders had to be "tightened" up or replaced with new elastic and a few straps needed new velcro. As a treat for myself I added nylon Blackhawk colored stripes down my pant covers to match my uniform.

You are going to like this one sensation: I made my own socks! I refuse to wear a garter belt so I took athletic shorts (basketball style), cut out the lining, and merged them with my sewn Reebok style socks. The grade of knit for the socks I found at the fabric store looked close to professional and was sold as figure skating knit. There is a lot more seams and different breathable materials that make up the Reebok sock, but mine look pro. I thought I could sell my idea but it has already been done-
http://hockeyjohns.com/

I love to repair/restore things so it's not usually about saving money for me. I enjoy spending my time on different DIY hobbies. I'm attached to (some) of my beaten old equipment and take pride in keeping it intact, may be like a warriors armor. Only a little though, I don't want to be buried in my hockey gear...

 

[tarheelhockey]

Just don't try and use a net made from any kind of plastic. It will break very quickly.

Yeah, the key thing with soccer nets is that they're not made to absorb the force of a puck. Gotta get a sturdy one or it will quickly fall apart and be a waste of money.

 

[Pcmm]

One word, and I know most of you wont want to here it, but here it goes...Walmart. If you're just starting out and can purchase strategically you can get phenomenal deals. I just started playing last year and aside from skates and helmet I was able to get everything I needed including a bag for $150. For example my shin guards were on sale for $10. Yes they aren't top flight, but for a beginner playing mostly pickup hockey they work great. Tape, laces and other items are super cheap too. Best of all if you happen to find a Walmart near you ( in a non-hockey neighborhood). You can have full selection at the end of the season to stock up with at clearance prices.

 

[elmariachi227]

My shin pads foam padding is becoming weaker. Rather than buy new ones, is there something I can do to strengthen the foam, or add in new protection. Don Cherry said that he use to add extra cotton to his shin pads before games to ensure a higher form of protection.

Velcro on my elbow pad and shin pad is becoming looser and the tightness is wearing down. Anything I can do to strengthen the velcro?

I would try searching for full-fledged fabric store in your area. Wal-Marts don't have everything. The one's in my area are Jo-Ann Fabrics. You can probably order stuff online but I would look at the site to give you an idea of what a real 'fabric store' is. You will absolutely need to go through the REAL store to find what you need.

Complete fabric stores will have the basics to repair/make stuff. You'll need to learn how to sew/have a sewing machine handy for a lot, though. Unless you're patient enough to stitch everything by hand (and, may have to anyway as not all sewing machines can fit a stitch anywhere).

Specifically concerning foam, fabric stores various types. However, it more than likely does not have the same density or resistance to pressure as the foam in your pads. It will also be sold a lot thicker. It may or may not be as breathable and may or may not hold more moisture. It could also be heavier.

The foam can obviously be 'sliced' thin. For the resistance part, one thing that may work is compressing the foam. Basically, cut it thicker than you need, and press it/sew it down so its compressed inside the pad.

Elastic and Velcro are in abundance in fabric stores too. You can get elastic from something like a half inch to 2 inches wide. Hook and Loop (if we're veering away from the Velcro trademark) fasteners have a lot of variety. Try to look for the heavy duty stuff. DO NOT buy Velcro that has sticky backing because the glue will gunk up the needle and cause potential mayhem in a sewing machine.

Main caveat is the stretchiness may be different than what is on the pad. Other thing to consider is cut length: you need it to stretch enough to go around. Not too loose so that it pulls further than the other side of velcro, and not too tight that you cut off circulation. I recommend to hold your fingers at the point where you think your velcro will begin, not from the end of the elastic. This should give you an idea of the length you need.

When sewing stretchy stuff, use a ballpoint or 'jersey' needle. This supposedly is because it goes between the fabric threads and not through them. Velcro to Elastic can be a 'regular' stitch. If sewing stretchy stuff to stretchy stuff, a different pattern has to be used.

Also, buy more than you think you'll need because if you're anything like me it will be more trial and error than success.

 

[RangersAM99]

electric tape, 59 cents a role and works just as good if not better than clear tape