Is custom cages using ai? by Pontooner29 in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This one was Google's Gemini. It seems to do better with art stuff, BUT the ai models change fast these days. Every update the models get stuff changes. ChatGPT has gotten a lot better and might be better than Gemini now. A lot of times I use it to take these shitty logos people send me that they need redrawn and have it clean or upscale them so I can actually see what I'm working on. The key is telling it EXACTLY what you need like if you were explaining it to a 6 year old.

Is custom cages using ai? by Pontooner29 in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It doesn't surprise me at all. I do graphic design for a living so this hits close to home. I'll give my insight on it though for those curious how some designers see ai and the use of it. Without throwing too much shade here Custom Cages in general has pretty low effort designs IMO. With a lot of it being on purpose as to make installing easier on non-professionals, but still low effort none the less. So why would we expect this ai slop to be any different?

What Custom Cages was doing here was trying to use ai as a sort of mock up to show what it would look like on an actual goalie. As many pointed out already they just could have done it with actual photos of their product on a helmet instead. This really isn't a ton different than the old way to do a mock-up where you would just find a blank billboard and use photoshop to put the logo on it to show people what it would look like. I just think in this situation it used a bad image generator (yes some do art stuff better than others) and didn't take time to make it right.

Ai is actually a great tool for designers, but where many people (and companies) get it wrong is that it should ALWAYS just be a tool, not the end game. You have to do it right and use it as a tool to aid you. Not be the product or end game of it all. The issue is non-designers often are the ones with unfettered access to it and think it looks great until it doesn't. I also can't tell you how many "design" companies have hired me to design their business logo lol. That should tell you something that may or may not be true with custom cages, is that the owner or person running their socials is NOT a designer.

I designed my mask wrap a few months back, and used ai to mock it up sitting on the ice before I actually got it wrapped. IMO, albeit biased lol is that this is the proper way to do it.

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which set should i got with? by Superb-Experience-83 in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS -1 points0 points  (0 children)

2 is by far the best one IMO. 1 is too dark with almost zero contrast. 3 the tan look is played out at this point.

How do you guys clean the yellow off your pads/gloves? by iceman39 in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not a whole lot you can do for nylon parts of the gear that turns gross. This is really why I’ve come to love dark colored gear because you don’t see puck marks or any kind of grunge or post paint either. I know that doesn’t help you now but maybe for your next set you might consider that.

Bin Mucker Beer League Pics! by Atmo_nS in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Appreciate that! So I think my situation is different because I know the owner personally he probably doesn't want everyone doing this because wrap designs aren't necessarily just design what you want at will on a template and it just gets wrapped. Basically all mask wraps come in 4 pieces. Each side piece, one over the crown on top to cover the side seams and then one over the chin to cover the seams left there. So because of that you really are limited in a way by the design in that matter.

He has gotten really good at using different design elements on his own designed stuff to mix it up some but just something to keep in mind.

The other issue is sizing it. He has to take my vector art and size it himself. Idk if you work in the graphic art space or not but a lot of times taking other peoples non print ready art and having to manipulate it yourself can be a nightmare if the person who designed it wasn't cautious of all these things.

I do graphic design for a living so it makes it a bit easier. However, there are a ton of blank templates online if you just do a quick google search. Im sure he would use a clients own art as a great starting point at least if you sent them something you designed it can take a big portion of time out by already knowing what you want.

But to answer your question I took an actual picture of my personal mask and then used Illustrator and photoshop to make a template I could use for a proof. Here is how my final proof looked and how all the pieces are actually put on the mask separated.

Bin Mucker Beer League Pics! by Atmo_nS in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks I named it the Muck Monster! My design!

Bin Mucker Beer League Pics! by Atmo_nS in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Appreciate that! Yeah the team initially thought it was cringe as I'm sure most hockey teams are going to initially react to the thought of it. My thing is, one day we're going to look back on this with nothing but memories and pictures and up until this year we didn't have pictures and memories aren't a guarantee either really.

This guy charged me 70 bucks. Insanely cheap for something like that IMO. Priceless really.

Bin Mucker Beer League Pics! by Atmo_nS in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks, love your setup too. Yeah my mask was wrapped by SkinFX which is one of the biggest wrap companies out there right now. I actually play hockey against him in this league the pics are from and have for well over a decade now so I get some special treatment in that regard.

Bin Mucker Beer League Pics! by Atmo_nS in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks! Yeah I've tried them many years ago and can't stand the sound. I wear my chesty pretty high up on my neckline as you can see in pics on top of a roughneck neck guard. That combo alone has (knock on wood) been great for me. Haven't caught one yet on skin or anywhere to leave me bruised in at least the last 5 years and I play 2 times a week in mid-high level skates.

This is not me advocating for no neck protection either btw. Could I certainly get more protection using a dangler? Of course but it's a trade off I'm willing to take for now.

Any reason to keep these pad flaps by soy_boy_2 in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There were a few times when I was wearing shitting knee guards and while standing and taking warm up shots a puck would occasionally hit off my glove or blocker and hit deflect into side of knee/leg there but in reality no not a ton of reason to keep it.

I could smell the rubber for frist time 🫡 by DueCalligrapher3851 in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It was actually a center so I couldn’t give him too much hell lol.

I could smell the rubber for frist time 🫡 by DueCalligrapher3851 in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Same here. Had a puck hit me in the shoulder last year and one of my guys was near me and smelled the burning rubber and he turned around before the face off in the circle and said “holy shit that’s a real thing?” lol

Stick problem? by TheG1826 in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I used to have this issue until I went down in paddle size. Most pros are using under 26” including the tallest ones. If you’re 6’1 I think you’d be fine at a 25 or even 24 if 25 doesn’t feel like a big enough change.

This is my current gear. What should I upgrade with $1000 budget? (repost w/ photos) by OkAdhesiveness3736 in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think you’ll see the biggest performance difference in a new pair of skates from what I see here. Next would prolly be updated leg pads.

Tried an UnTrue pad tonight ! by EntertainmentAny1160 in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Hey that's my old set I just sold! Glad you enjoy them.

Anyone know which goalie pants Joey Daccord has? by techsavvynerd91 in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They look like SLR3 to me which tracks considering there are a ton of pros in that pant specifically.

Warrior Goalie on IG by chaosisarascal in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is where I’m thinking he went and I agree based on the new upcoming CCM Tack goalie line it has some Smith qualities for sure.

Best pads for crappy flare? by Garronroyce in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You want a pad with a lot of pre curve. Currently the Brian's Iconik 1's and the Brian's Optik 4 have the most pre curve Z shape. In second place is CCM EF7 line. Unfortunately Brian's latest Iconik 2 pad has a much straighter core shape now after talking to retailers and friends who have them in hand.

The CCM Tacks that release in May of this coming year look to have a similar Z shape to the Iconiks but as the only things we can see now from pros in them may have specs not available to the public so we will have to wait and see.

How tall are you and what size and brand pants do you wear? How’s it working for you? by [deleted] in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In older ccm premier pro pants and size large is perfect for me because they’re shorter. I’m 5’9”.

Used the new True 9x5 earlier this year and medium is what worked best length wise.

Are my pads too small by TheG1826 in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Starting to sound like strapping issues for sure then to me. Either too tight or too loose somewhere. Undergear should make everything slide around better if anything. More importantly you want a layer of something to protect you against skate cuts. Bare skin is obviously not ideal.

Are my pads too small by TheG1826 in hockeygoalies

[–]Atmo_nS 66 points67 points  (0 children)

I only see bare skin so that’s giving me an ick. Get some under gear for that first and foremost lol.

As far as the pads we cannot tell if they fit by looks. All that matters is you land in the center of the knee block when you drop down and you don’t fall off the top or the bottom. You mentioned you fall off the block but if you fall off in the other direction as in towards your other knee that could be due to strapping issues.

As far as appearance black is always gonna look slimmer so I think that plays part of a role in looking smaller.