I live in the UK, but I'm visiting family in Canada for several months, so I thought now that I'm in North America it would be the best time to pick up a jersey. I tried looking for a thread about this but I couldn't find one, so sorry if this is redundant.
I'm considering a couple counterfit sites that were highly recommended to me on another forum, http://jerseyshop.ca/ and http://www.jerseyworld2010.com. I'd rather buy a legit one, but I've heard the shop.nhl.com ones are crap too, so if I'm taking a risk regardless I'd rather buy the cheaper ones. I previewed a Thornton one there and the 19 on the chest was way too big, looked like it was the size of the 19 on the arm, and possibly that they had edited it into the image.
So...
What are shop.nhl.com ones like?
Has anyone used either of those sites / are either of their jerseys real looking?
What's the difference between Authentic and Premier?
Thanks!
I've ordered from both them and icejerseys and had no problems, although I don't get my customization done through them. If you're going to be around for a couple months, your best bet is to order the jersey blank and then take it to a local hockey shop that does jersey customization (seriously, most of them should. If you look for one under the "Source for Sports" umbrella of stores I'm almost certain they will do it or know somewhere that does.)
As for the difference between authentic and premier, authentic jerseys are basically the same as a "real" jersey for the NHL players, with extra-tough stitching, a fight strap, and all the logos and patches are totally stitched. Premier jerseys are replicas, and the biggest things are that the shoulder patches will be kind of a plasticy thing instead of sewn (the most unfortunate side-effect of the change from CCM/Koho to RBK) and there's a RBK tag on the waist. But for the cost difference I don't think it's worth it getting an authentic one unless you intend to put it through the rigors of playing actual hockey.
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Last edited by The Nemesis: 05-06-2010 at 12:44 PM.
I'm going into a hockey services place in town later this summer to get a Pavelski one in honor of his resigning (and because my most recent one is a Nabokov from his rookie year, #35 and all) and if things stand up, those guys are *not* going to like me, based on what they said to a friend of mine who got a Claude Lemieux jersey back in 1999.
upon further review you were right doh! I was fooled into thinking it was stitched. Yup it's pressed on from India through the NHL.Shop website. (That's a facepalm on myself).
I've used Coolhockey numerous times and it's fantastic.
I used sportsk once... but I had to back out on my order to due health and money issues, and the main dude from sportsk really chewed me out, which I thought was VERY unprofessional of him, I can understand the frustration but my health comes above all.
So I wanna buy a jersey, but unfortunately I have no experience or clue on how to buy one. It sounds like I should get a Premier/Replica one, but do I buy a blank one and get it customized with a name and # I want? Or do I buy one with the name/number already on it? Is it cheaper to do it one way than the other? Does the quality lower if I buy a blank one and customize it?
So I wanna buy a jersey, but unfortunately I have no experience or clue on how to buy one. It sounds like I should get a Premier/Replica one, but do I buy a blank one and get it customized with a name and # I want? Or do I buy one with the name/number already on it? Is it cheaper to do it one way than the other? Does the quality lower if I buy a blank one and customize it?
Yes, get a RBK Premier replica. Unless you are lucky enough to find one already customized at an online shop, or don't care who's name you get, you'll end up special-ordering it. No, the quality will not suffer in any way.
The cheapest way to get a good jersey is to find a retailer like coolhockey.com and see if they have old Cheechoo/Grier/Roenick/Whatever players that are not on the team and buy one of those. They're usually around $150 or cheaper (as opposed to $200 for a new special-order) fully customized. Otherwise, wait for a free customization deal on a website and jump on that chance. Just DO NOT buy a heat-pressed vynil number jersey. They look like crap. Get fully stitched name and numbers!
So I wanna buy a jersey, but unfortunately I have no experience or clue on how to buy one. It sounds like I should get a Premier/Replica one, but do I buy a blank one and get it customized with a name and # I want? Or do I buy one with the name/number already on it? Is it cheaper to do it one way than the other? Does the quality lower if I buy a blank one and customize it?
pre-customized vs ordering blank and getting it customized is up to you. Ideally the price shouldn't be too different either way. The tricky part is that some online shops to a shoddy job, especially if they offer it cheap. They'll give you letters that are sewn together then glued onto the jersey, or worse yet heat-sealed letters that are basically a rubbery substance that's "stamped" right onto the jersey and aren't made of real fabric/material at all. I always find that getting a blank jersey and taking it in somewhere gives you better control over what you get. Depending on where you are, you may or may not be able to find a good hockey shop that does real, fully sewn-on customization at a reasonable price. In those cases, do be aware that more complicated jobs cost more (or more correctly that simpler jobs cost less. The chief element is that the # of layers of color on the numbers alter the cost.) but I generally find that it's worth it if you know you're getting a better product.
(That's a facepalm on myself).
