OT: Kids Hockey Equipment

[elismom]

With the dollar so good
Has anyone ever gone to the states to buy hockey Equipment
DS 13 is a golie and is in need of a new mask (helmet)
Just wondering on what the difference in things like pads or skates are?

 

[michelle1]

My Ds 10 is also a goalie and while some things might be cheaper we have a hard time finding sporting goods stores that have a good selection of hockey equipment. When we are in the states at hockey tournaments we can usually find local stores near the rinks but we tend just to buy everything here. Not knowing where you live, there is a new store that just opened in Vaughan Mills that is only hockey and they have TONS of goalie things...I just looked in the window and saw rows of masks and a wall full of pads although I have no idea how prices are. My Dh and Ds are going to a tournament in Chicago and apparently the Nike-Bauer Factory is there and they have an outlet store where the merchandise is supposed to be dirt cheap.

 

[elismom]

Thanks I'll check out Vaughan Mills
We mostly get his stuff from Goalie Heaven In bloor west village (toronto)

 

[F4disneyfan]

With the dollar so good
Has anyone ever gone to the states to buy hockey Equipment
DS 13 is a golie and is in need of a new mask (helmet)
Just wondering on what the difference in things like pads or skates are?

To be honest I would not ever shop in the US for hockey equipment the warranty will be nill if it needs any work done to it. I live in London and Vaughn will not warranty equipment purchased in the US it needs to get sent back to the States for any warranty work same with Itech and Nike/Bauer and RBK. So on the quick and painless reply NO I wouldn't buy any of my equipment from the US plus it isn't any cheaper. Being a goalie myself I know how much of a pain it can be if some piece of your gear needs a warranty repair and it has to be sent out even in Canada I couldn't imagine having to pay to ship it to the US then wait for it to come back.

 

[endy]

My 11 year old son is a goalie too. He was constantly on hockeymonkey.com website. When we were at Disneyland in August we went to their store in Santa Anna, it was only about 15 minutes away. He got Itech pads, blocker, catcher, chest protecter & helmet for less than $600. I thought the prices were about half of what we could find here in Calgary.
Used pads his size start at $150 new we paid $169, chest protector was on clearance for $50.
I wish we had got skates while we were there.
The website and store carries everything hockey, roller hockey, lacross & baseball. I would definitely buy from there again tho I think I would get it shipped to Montana and go pick it up.

 

[branmack]

Most americans come to Canada for their hockey equipment. We have more choices and in most cases the equipment is the same price. My husband is the manager of a Jr B hockey team and all the american kids on his team buy all their equipment in Canada.

If you are looking to good goalie equipment, check out Simmons Sports in Fort Erie. They only carry goalie equipment.

 

[honugirl]

I'm American and I play hockey (Goalie, Forward, Defence, we have a small womens team.. and Referee) and honestly, I go north to Vancouver to get mine. Unless you're shopping online, I can't imagine any stores down here having:

1. Selection
2. Good Prices

versus the stores up North...

Goaliemonkey (hockeymonkey's goalie counterpart) is one other place I've ordered from if I can get a good deal, but I'll go to Vancouver first to try the stuff on.

 

[nokidz]

Two of my kids are goalies. So in other words, I am crazy! Both have been goalies for years, so I have lots of experience in buying and selling goalie equipment. Plus I was an equipment manager for a local hockey association.
My suggestion is to go to Don Simmons Sports in Fort Erie. They deal only in goalie equipment. That is all they do.
They have their own brand and trust me, it is good quality for a fraction of the name brand equipment. It is Canadian made, most of it is made by a company outside of Orangeville Ontario.
If your son needs a mask, please make sure it fits correctly. have someone who has some knowledge make sure it is adjusted correctly. It depends what level he is playing at. If he is playing in a house league under Bantam age, the decal style ITECH masks are fairly good. If he plays rep or higher, and or is Bantam or above, you may want to buy a more SOLID mask.
Plus there is a new huge hockey store in the Vaughn Mills Mall. It is down by the Nascar store. People there should be able to make sure the mask fits correctly.

My suggestion still is www.donsimmons.com ask for Mark. That is where we go.

 

[F4disneyfan]

Two of my kids are goalies. So in other words, I am crazy! Both have been goalies for years, so I have lots of experience in buying and selling goalie equipment. Plus I was an equipment manager for a local hockey association.
My suggestion is to go to Don Simmons Sports in Fort Erie. They deal only in goalie equipment. That is all they do.
They have their own brand and trust me, it is good quality for a fraction of the name brand equipment. It is Canadian made, most of it is made by a company outside of Orangeville Ontario.
If your son needs a mask, please make sure it fits correctly. have someone who has some knowledge make sure it is adjusted correctly. It depends what level he is playing at. If he is playing in a house league under Bantam age, the decal style ITECH masks are fairly good. If he plays rep or higher, and or is Bantam or above, you may want to buy a more SOLID mask.
Plus there is a new huge hockey store in the Vaughn Mills Mall. It is down by the Nascar store. People there should be able to make sure the mask fits correctly.

My suggestion still is www.donsimmons.com ask for Mark. That is where we go.

Simmons makes a decent gear my brother in law order a set of gloves and pads from him. He also makes no bones about the fact that his designs all come from teh majours like Vaughn and RBK etc. He admits to buying thier gear and tearing it down to copy the designs and he does a very good job of it. The others don't really care either as it looks good for them having a company basically copy all of your gear is flattering LOL.