pants vs shorts?

**gwood1** · 08-21-2003, 12:58 PM

I am only playing outside, and my world-class skating technique (ha!) has already earned me a couple of hip pointers. I am looking at upgrading my cut-off army surplus fatigue shorts. So I am curious, everybody gripes about it being hot, whay are hockey pants the norm vs shorts? Do you have to get a girdle to get a minimum of padding? (I am seriously thinking about stripping down my ice girdle to the minimum, or duct taping bubble wrap to my hips. I dont have to worry about taking a shot to the thigh, just falling on my ass or hip.)

**MDE3** · 08-21-2003, 04:23 PM

many who use girdles do just that ie removing a lot of the padding except on the hips and tailbone. As for why the long pants.... mostly because they are loose fitting and heavily vented to breathe more than even your shorts would allow.

**DannyG** · 08-21-2003, 05:40 PM

total aesthetics, dudes...long pants really look cool, especially if ya tape the lower leg correctly...

This is very obviously a highly specialized opinion, and everybody's perspective is different...but I gotta tell ya, I just cringe now when I see a guy in breezers and long sox, that haberdasherial display just looks so old-fashioned and out-of-it. NHL dudes just don't look cool to me anymore.

Which brings me to another point (sorry to change topics)...Mission is trying to tell me that "everybody wants to go to all black this year..." Well, the Polar Bears tend to wear an opposite color (white, eh???)...

It has always been a major point of mine that roller hockey pantaleonies come in the array of bright, flashy patterns and colores...and that's supremely cool...99.9% of breezers come in that drab, dull black color, which ain't cool...

Also, am I weird on this or what...but...I haven't worn the hips protection for seven years now. Every once in a while I get a bruise on the legs or hips, but it always heals, and it's no big deal. Both my hips are sorta arthritic, but that just slows me down, doesn't cause any pain...am I the only one who just wears leg guards and gloves? (I do wear a helmet, and elbow pads for tournament play, but that's it)

Does everybody else wear all the extra stuff? I understand that MLRH guys even wear shoulder pads...

<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>

**Titan55** · 08-21-2003, 06:02 PM

I have never worn a girdle undermy pants...I feel restricted in them. Bruises heal, who cares...pain doesn't bother me!

Phil Christie

**fromonkey** · 08-21-2003, 06:13 PM

Well I played without a girdle for bout 6 years. Then I fell on my tailbone... I was walking funny for a month. Plus I'm a defenseman that ends up clearing the front of the net (or attempting to) and I also block shots when I can.

The girdles incorporated into a compression short aren't all that bad... lot easier than the big ones used in ice hockey.

**Titan55** · 08-21-2003, 06:14 PM

I'm a d man too, and sometimes I block more shots then that damn goalie does! lol! I guess I'm just a friggen nutbar!

Phil Christie

**fromonkey** · 08-21-2003, 06:19 PM

Heh... another incident that had me wanting to wear it more often was when I stopped a slapshot with my leg.. the bruise was so bad that when I went to sleep, the blood traveled to the back of my leg... that took bout a month to clear up as well.

**MDE3** · 08-21-2003, 06:48 PM

I busted my son for not wearing his (a modified Tackla ice girdle) in MLRH and TORHS Pro - until he caught a slap shot that deflected off one thigh onto the other and left him with charley horses on both legs. He woke up and decided that the lack of mobility (percieved not actual) from wearing the girdle was considerably less than the lack of mobility from the double charley horse.

He faithfully wore his girdle for at least two games after that lol.

But get a bit realistic - I know that the puck is lighter than an ice puck, and a little more forgiving (compressable) but hey get real - I have seen wrists broken from stopping a MLRH slapshot, think those shots might not do some damage to your thigh muscles? Macho aside - if you are valuable to your team - you owe it to them to look after your playing health, not to mention to yourselves.

**DannyG** · 08-21-2003, 08:48 PM

Mike always produces the standard of excellence when it comes to reality...I admit that my league play is limited to the very recreation level, and there is a list of guys that "ya don't want to stand in front of" (also known as: "I was lettin' my goalie see the puck!")

I guess I really don't know why I won't wear a face mask, for instance...I have been cut by pucks and sticks at least four or five times a year, with a variety of severity. Why it hasn't happened to an eye of mine (yet) I have no answer.

I used to fall on my elbows a lot, but without knowing how, I no longer ever do so, I have all but stopped wearing elbow pads, and wear Brine Lacrosse arm guards for tournaments...really comfortable.

I am already on record as the freak that wears double brace baseball catcher's shin guards for leg guards, after Derek hit me at 85 mph on the lace/instep of the skate once too often.

So, in summary I have no rhyme nor reason why I do wear what I do, and don't wear what I don't...

Although I loved the fact that Simon was convinced for at least the two games, or so...

<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>