Green Biscuit and Smart Hockey Stickhandling Ball
 

I'm looking at these two items to see if anybody has heard of or have any experience with.

Green Biscuit - http://www.hockeyshot.com/Green_Bisc....htm?Click=885

Smart Hockey Stickhandling Ball - http://www.epuck.com/smarhocsticb.html


I have horrible stick handling and I want to find a way to improve by practising outside of a rink since rink time is scarce. To me it looks like the Green Biscuit would simulate a puck more than the Ball but I can't find them locally and buying online is about $26-$30 shipped while I can get the ball locally for $10. Which one of these would you recommend me to get and does anybody know if they have the Green Biscuit locally, I don't wanna be forking out $30 for a puck.

i've seen something similar to that on thehockeyshop website called fly puck. check that out.

I have the ball. I don't really practice with it anymore, but I should. Either product will improve your stick handling and dangling. But the key here is practice. When I first got the ball i dedicated roughly 15 min a day just stickhandling and I would play with it before games in the change room for like 5 min. My stick handling definitely got better but it's something you HAVE to constantly use. If your not sure just get the ball and with practice, you should see a difference during games.

As you get more use to it, try adding some moves to make it harder and your eye/hand coordination and your reflexes will get quicker. I started out with the basic left to right stick handling as I got better I added a toe drag. I stopped practicing when I got to figure 8's. I haven't touched it in over a year and it definitely shows during my games.

You could even try stickhandling a golf ball too, that's what i've been doing lately.
The speed and the slight unpredictability of the bounces make your reflexes and wrists quicker and adds agility and you get used to handling such a tender, small object, thus making your hands softer
I'm sure it is helping my hands are getting noticely better

I'm still skeptical. There's a lot of hockey gimmick products out there. If anything, I'd credit your gains from your consistency of practice and training than the technological advance of a weighted ball (puck alternate).

I'd say get it only if it's inexpensive. However inexpensive is very subjective though. At least for me $30 isn't much of a set back whereas it may be to others.

Yah I saw that, they have a blue, red, and Black one all different weights. Just curious what would be harder to to use, the light one or the heavy one?

Does the ball actually simulate a puck relatively well? Could you even pass it around? How's the wear on them if I were to use them on concrete?


Never thought of this but it sounds logical since golf balls do have unorthodox bounces, my concern is that it may be too light. But I'll give it a shot.









Thanks guys.

You see, this is exactly why weighted balls, biscuits, or any other street puck variants never work. Despite their claims, the bounce (or lack of), smoothness and fluidity is determined not on the weight or design of the ball or biscuit but by the surface you will be practicing on.

You can buy the most technologically advanced ball or biscuit and spend $100, but if you're practicing on ashphalt, it makes no difference. You will have to find surfaces like smooth cement or linoleum but by then, pretty much all cheap balls or biscuits will have their bounce neutralized as well.

I understand where you're coming from, nothing will ever compare to the real thing but ice/rink time is just not an option for me right now. The convenience of being able to practise at home or in the alley is what i'm looking for because let's face it, ice/rink time costs too much and I probably wouldn't be doing it everyday. Basically I would just like to improve my stick handling whenever possible and maybe have a buddy to pass back and forth to.


Is the Stickhandling ball and the FLYPUCK strickly for stickhandling and not passing? I know shooting is out of the question, just curious about passing? Oh and what weighed puck would be more beneficial for me?

Your right, my gains is from consistent practice. But I practice at home, on my carpet, and roller pucks/ice pucks don't glide very good on carpet. lol. So this hockey ball was perfect.

I've never used it on concrete, but I don't see it lasting very long on concrete. As far as I know you can use the ball to pass as well. I don't think it's that close to the dimensions of an ice puck like they advertise though.

Yes, golf balls work too. Although they are a bitch to use while on the ice. haha

I'd go for the smart hockey ball over any of those gimmicky pucks. Instead of wasting $30 on one of those pucks I'd rather buy a smooth surface to stickhandle a real puck on.

Dear OP,

best way to improve your stick handling is to use a puck. when you use a ball you dont have to have a fluid cupping motion. but when your using a puck you have to "cup" is to stop it from rolling away. when you stick handle remember to use your top hand more.

Really....what good is practicing stickhandling with a ball? What does that improve in your game-usable skills?

The thing is...those balls doesn't help you practice outside/inside drives, protecting the puck...i don't think it can even help you provide a proper toe drag considering your feet have to be moving to pull it off in a game.

So, what is it helping you develop really?

So yes....gimmicky and a waste of money.

Ya I bought the green biscuit for $17 shipped, and I could even use it on carpet! The thing is amazing, when used on cement it really feels like there is no friction at all and it always stays flat and never hops on me. Honestly, using this puck feels a lot better than playing roller hockey indoors, the glide is so smooth and it doesn't bounce or get caught up on the side.

When I was using it to saucer pass to a buddy, it works well when you do it properly, it will start react the same as a normal puck if done properly. By properly I mean, if you're good at it =). I'm doing better with it but there's a lot of improvement.


Yah I heard using the top hand is the correct way to do it, so I'm trying to correct myself right now. I have a bad habit of using my lower hand to control the stick.



I think the ball is for conveniency so people can practice at home and in the locker room pregame. What drove me towards the Green Biscuit more was the fact that I could practice my passing and use them outdoors with my rollerblades on.

Obviously there's nothing that compares to the real thing but not everybody has ice/rink time all the time. Besides I could just go to my alley and practice there with my rollerblades, or just practice in my room.

[QUOTE=VancityPimp;6570942]Ya I bought the green biscuit for $17 shipped, and I could even use it on carpet! The thing is amazing, when used on cement it really feels like there is no friction at all and it always stays flat and never hops on me. Honestly, using this puck feels a lot better than playing roller hockey indoors, the glide is so smooth and it doesn't bounce or get caught up on the side.

Hey, do you know any stores that sell this locally. Im looking for something like this but dont want to buy online.

thanks

[QUOTE=canuckfan72;6570980] I couldn't find any locally, so I ordered it from the official website.

ok thanks, I guess i will have to look into that.