I picked up a couple things during my recent trip to California. It’s hard to forget about hockey even during the nice weather. Expect to see several of these products reviewed on ProStockNation in the near future.
Atlanta Thrashers Tackla 5000 Pro Lowers (Brian from Sports2K.com forum): Also called a “padded shell”, the thing I like about Tacklas are they are compatible with virtually any Upper you pair it up with. Not only are they pro stock but they are Made in Canada as well, two of my favorite combinations.
SportsStar New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks Decals: These are probably the closest things most of us will ever come to finding helmet decals on the retail market. I paired these up with my Vancouver Canucks game worn helmet and the orca logo sizes are roughly the same sans the two tabs but the numbers seem a tad short though. I wish these came with the NHL shield decal as well since that one seems to be the hardest one to find for most of us in the pro stock collecting hobby.
Bauer Elite Performance Skate Sock (Hockey Monkey): Made in the USA, these will be my first pair of cut resistant skate socks. On top of being cut resistant they also have the anti-odor and moisture management system called “Thermo-Max+”. At $30 they are more expensive than traditional skate socks but I was curious as to how they feel like and ultimately, are they worth the money? (60% Kevlar, 20% Cool-Max, 18% Nylon, 2% Spandex)
Vitalsox (Hockey Monkey): Made in Italy. During my recent trip to Monkey Sports in Santa Ana, CA I was surprised to see an Italian-made product on their shelves. They come in various lengths but I went with the crew cut because I like a longer sock for hockey. They are advertised as an “all sport” sock with cushioning in the forefoot area and padding around the heel. As with most socks on the market they also offer an anti-bacterial moisture wicking feature; Vitalsox calls this “DryStat.” They are a little bit more money compared to similar socks from other brands so will it be worth ponying up the extra couple of dollars for being Made in Italy? (75% Silver Drystat, 10% Microsupreme Acrylic, 10% Nylon, 5% Lycra)
LA Kings Pro Stock Reebok Edge Practice Socks (Jake’s Custom Sports, El Segundo, CA): Made in Canada. Picked these up at Jake’s. His shop is a definite must visit if you ever drop by LA. Jake’s Custom Sports is just a stone’s throw away from LAX. Try eating at El Pollo Loco while you’re there too. I couldn’t get enough of that place when I was in California. Anyways, Jake’s is the place to get any repair work done or if you’re looking for gear (especially used Kings gear.) The service is top notch as well. I prefer to wear Pro Stock Reebok Edge socks over the retail ones because the difference in quality is night and day. The Pro Stock ones will also stick to velcro for all of you who wear jock shorts.
Elite Waxed Laces: Made in Canada. I’ve been using these laces religiously for the past couple of years. They’re less expensive in the States compared to Canada so I might as well pick up a couple pairs while I’m there. The thing I like about these the most are the molded tips. Previously, when I used a different brand, the tips breaking were the most common reason for me having to replace my laces. If your skates have been feeling loose as of late you should give these a shot. They are $4.99 at most places in Canada.
Tron S10 Visor (HockeyTron): We’ve had several readers contact us regarding Tron products. For those of you who are unfamiliar, they sell their own brand of “copycat ” products that are Made in China. This visor retails for $13.99 in store. So how does it stack up to the leading competitor’s visor that can be $60 and up? We will compare the two shortly.
Some of you may recognize these gloves from our previous post on Saturday. They are Michael Del Zotto from the New York Ranger’s Bauer Supreme ONE95 Pro Returns. Supremes are one of the tightest fitting gloves on the market and I like the adjustable cuff on the inside. It provides the user with an option between protection and freedom of movement.
My taste in gloves have definitely changed since starting ProStockNation. I used to prefer a very loose traditional 4-roll style glove but after using the Vapor XXXX Pro and Vapor X:60 Gloves I’ve started to like tighter-fitting anatomical style gloves. These feel really nice straight out of the box unlike the retail ONE95 gloves which would continuously rub against my knuckles whenever I opened or closed my hand. I also wasn’t a fan of the feel of the futuristic-looking/feeling reflex palm that it came with.
Aesthetically I also found the retail version to be not very pleasing to the eyes. This NYR colorway actually makes it bearable to look at.
More pick-up posts to come!
– M
Professional Use Only, No Warranty. 