|
Comment |
Sorted by
Date Written |
Excellent article! Extremely thorough and helpful (Reply to this comment)
by furball16
Puckmugger,
A quick thank-you is definitely deserved for this article. I'm just getting back into hockey after my (in)auspicious high school career, and really had never seen good advice on what to buy. I just kind of went with what my local store had. Your description of what the perfect skate fit feels like was easily worth the price of a normal book. Armed with your info and description of what to look for, I just bought a pair of Bauer One 35 that have a much better fit than my ancient Bauer Supreme 1000.
Once again, thanks! You had the only competent article that I found on the entire net.
|
Dec 27 '08
1:48 pm PST
|
|
Sorry . . . (Reply to this comment)
by puckmugger
Someone just emailed me wondering why I don't answer questions in this thread. I don't seem to get alerts on comments placed in this review. I'm suscribed, they just don't come for some reason. With over 400 articles, it's too much for me to manually check them for comments. So, if you have questions that you'd like answered in a timely manner, please email me directly at puckmugger@yahoo.com.
Scott
|
Jul 21 '08
8:17 am PDT
|
|
terrific job! (Reply to this comment)
by drewby613
GREAT job, Scott, on your piece about buying skates. As I have an 8-year-old hockey maniac in the making, I'm sure I'll soon be enjoying your equipment advice as well. I still love to skate (it's about the only sport my ankles will tolerate anymore), but I could use a little more ankle support. I have Bauer Professional 90's, I'm guessing from 1979. They sat in the box for most of those years, and so are still in very good shape, but with my ankles, I'm wobbling at awkward moments (esp crossovers). I bought them too large; they should have been 9 as I now know but they are 10's. I put on a pair of Vapor XVI's today at the skate shop, though and was horrified to find out that while the boot is much stiffer than my old Bauer's, the Vapor boot is at least 1 1/2" shorter, and the top piece which extends above the top of the boot itself, supporting the calf, (I don't know the correct term) doesn't wrap around the leg whatsoever, while the Bauer covers 180 degrees, and really contributes to the lateral support. A 10 for silvery trim--a 00 for support, on the Vapors. I stood up and my feet were wobbling around terribly. As I look at all the skates, now, I see they are all following this basic profile. Is the Graf higher, or is this just an illusion? It doesn't sound like buying used skates is the solution, from what you wrote; can you recommend either a new skate that corresponds to my needs, or a source for new, older-model skates? I'm looking to spend around $175. We don't have all the models down here VA, so I can only try on a fraction of what's out there. I skate about three hours a week, and hope to work back up to playing hockey (grumpy old men league) soon. Thanks again for your awesome work. I'm going to print your article and give it to the kid at the skate shop! He does his best, but he didn't get any proper training.
|
Apr 29 '08
7:59 pm PDT
|
|
Re: Do I need new skates? (Reply to this comment)
by solarmal
You have probably already figured this out by now, but your feet changed from being pregnant, and they probably won't go back!!! My feet changed too, and while you can try getting your skates stretched, you might just need a new pair. A drag, but better to get new skates than not have that baby!!!!! ;)
|
Mar 17 '08
6:55 am PDT
|
|
Great suggestions (Reply to this comment)
by solarmal
I read your entire entry about purchasing skates, and I now feel very prepared to head into my local skate shop and buy my first pair of new skates. Knowing about the fit is key. I have pretty bad feet, but learning about the heat molding and the other stretching services has helped me realize this process doesn't have to be too scary. Understanding that I will likely not need a super expensive pair (I am a new hockey player) has but my mind at ease as well. I am currently playing on some crummy used skates that I am certain are hampering my ability, so this week I am off to the shop to take the plunge.
Thanks for all the good advice.
|
Mar 17 '08
6:53 am PDT
|
|
Re: Do I need new skates? (Reply to this comment)
by puckmugger
Sorry, I don't seem to get alerts on these comments for some reason. Please email me if you have questions as it will likely take many months to get an answer to a posting here.
Scott
|
Jan 20 '08
7:50 pm PST
|
|
Do I need new skates? (Reply to this comment)
by cmckenzie77
I would consider myself an elite skater. I played ringette for years and did everything but play for team Canada. I bought a pair of Mission fly skates 3 years ago and wore them for half a season, then I took 2 years off and had a baby. Now that I'm getting back into ringette, I am having a heck of a time skating. I am experiencing painful cramping on both the outer edge and the arches of both feet. It has been so bad that I need to remove my skates a few times during a game. This is causing me to have to tie my skates less tight than I would like because me feet are becoming numb. Now, when I do this my skates are too loose and I cannot pivot because I feel like I'm going to fall over. I have always purchased lower end skates, never spending more than $150 on a pair and I have never had any trouble, until now. I was thinking that maybe the weight I gained during my pregnancy has caused my feet to widen, and that I may just need wider skates. I spent a few hours at the store today trying on many different makes and models of skate and ended up leaving with a pair of superfeet insoles hoping they would fix my problem. I did not care for the new skates as the boots seemed quite short and did not provide a lot of ankle support, which I like.
I know this is a lot of info, but is there anything you might suggest?
|
Nov 28 '07
1:45 pm PST
|
|
Sore Feet (Reply to this comment)
by blueron
Hey, I am currently wearing Bauer Supremes, I can't remember the model off hand. Anyway, I got these new and heat molded. I find when I wear them, especially during drills and backward skating, that my feet hurt on the arches and on the outer side (not the heel or ball) of my feet. Does this mean my skates are too narrow and have too high of arches. My feet overpronate (are flat). Do you know what model of skates are flatter and wider? I fit junior sizes. I think I'm in a 5.5 or 6 and no longer growing.
|
Oct 19 '07
9:30 am PDT
|
|
Re: Thanks!! (Reply to this comment)
by puckmugger
Glad I could be of help!
Sorry I missed the two previous comments. I didn't get an alert on them for some reason (and with 400 reviews I don't spend a lot of time looking for new comments). Drop me an email if you still have questions.
Scott
|
Aug 02 '07
8:36 pm PDT
|
|
Thanks!! (Reply to this comment)
by lubbz
By far this is the most comprehensive and helpful skate buying advice ever! I have been skating and buying skates for a long time and this is more helpful than anything I have ever heard from a skate shop. This is a great tool for anyone no mater how experienced they are in hockey! Thank you.
|
Aug 01 '07
9:54 pm PDT
|
|
I NEED HELP (Reply to this comment)
by david_001
Ok so I want new skate or well need new skates. I brought skates too big, so I'm bying new ones. I was looking at nike bauer surpeme one90s but its to much money. So i would like to know what is best and i need them in about 1 to 2 months at most. I am in germany now and cant find many places to try on skates. So what is best ccm 692
rbk 5k pumps rbk 4k (is the pump worth the risk the need to last) bauer supreme 30 or flexlite 8 my last skates were vapor VIII i like them but to big and befor that i had and still have two pairs of koho 3340 (my best skates ever i love them) (to small) What is my best choice
keep in mind I dont think there is any were to heat mold here (or any of that fancy stuff)
any help would be Appresiated
|
Jul 19 '06
1:32 pm PDT
|
|
Thank you and I have one more question! (Reply to this comment)
by realbear
I (we) are at wits end where it comes to finding the right skate for my daughter. She is a wonderful skater and puts 10+ hours of ice time in per week.
Each of the hockey shop experts seems to have a different idea...usually based on the brand and price range of the skates they sell. My dilemma is this...
Looking for hockey skates for my daughter.
She just graduated high school
Will be playing Division III hockey next year.
She has been skating for 8 years
She is 5'4" tall and weighs 157 lbs
She plays defense and plays very aggressive
Has been wearing CCM 1152's, size 6 E, for 4 years. (** Note: It did seem like her speed decreased at the same time she switched to the 1152"s, coincidence...maybe/maybe not)
She would like to keep with the CCM or RBK boot and holder, 11 degree rocker, etc...
Each of the hockey shops wants to sell us the top end skate because of the ice time she will be putting in...is this appropriate? Or should we be looking at a mid level skate with more flex due to her weight?
Any Help...please!
Thank you very much!!
|
May 31 '06
1:58 pm PDT
|
|
Re: Thank you! (Reply to this comment)
by puckmugger
Thanks for the great and very kind comments. I'm glad that I could help you out. That's what all of this work is about.
Best of luck with the new skates!
Scott
P.S. I'm pretty sure I never said to try on a pair in the store and then order them online . . . did I?
|
Feb 26 '06
5:42 pm PST
|
|
Re: larger sizes (Reply to this comment)
by puckmugger
Most skate makers have skate up to a size 13. If you are in a 14 shoe, CCM and Bauer will likely fit you in a 12 to 12.5 skate. As always, it is imperative to try the skates on.
|
Feb 26 '06
5:41 pm PST
|
|
Re: Excellent review, but one question (Reply to this comment)
by puckmugger
David,
If your skates are too long you will likely have long term fit issues. Feet sliding front to back are just as annoying as side to side slop in a skate. One major point that people don't realize is that the heel pocket of most skates will actually expand making the boot a little longer once it breaks in. If your skates are too long to start with nothing can be done to make them fit better.
Scott
|
Feb 26 '06
5:39 pm PST
|
|
Re: Skate Recommendation (Reply to this comment)
by puckmugger
If you are only doing once a week recreational skating the 2090 would probably be a decent choice. It will be easier to break in and if only using them once a week, you should have a few years of durability as well.
While the XX90 skates are wider than Bauer's xx00 series was, they still are fairly narrow skates.
|
Feb 26 '06
5:36 pm PST
|
|
Thank you! (Reply to this comment)
by angrygames
I just wanted to say thank you VERY much for reviewing equipment and more importantly for the buying guides. Hard to find such a thing on the net for Hockey equipment it seems.
I was trying on many many $400 hockey skates last night before I came home, then happened to find a pair of Easton Synergy 1100's that retailed for $400 (and $279 on HockeyMonkey) on ebay, brand new, for $200.
I liked them when I tried them on in the pro shop, but they wanted $429 for them. I also tried on the Bauer Vapor XXX for $479, and REALLY thought I wanted them more than any others...until I got home, saw the Easton's on ebay (I already own a pair of nasty Easton Synergy 300's that cost only $132 and I hate them)...that is when I decided I had to go try to find some reviews.
More importantly, I wanted to find out about the sizing attributes I see on some skates (D, E, EE, etc). After a good half hour of googling, I happened to use the right search term and found your epinions pages, about Hockey Skate Buying Demystified.
I read it (ate it all up!) and then saw all the links at the bottom, and started going through the pertinent ones one by one. I read the Bauer Vapor XXX review...and realized right then that I am what you consider a 'heavy skater' meaning i put in 8+ hours per week playing/learning hockey...and no way was I going to chance losing out on $479 every 3-9 months on the XXX's.
I also realize that not EVERY XXX pair of skates would do this, but so many people trust your reviews, and a lot of what your other reviews matches what has been told to me by ECHL players that I am friends with, as well as a major equipment mfg's rep, that I figured you definitely had seen too many Bauers that you didn't like and your recommendation to avoid them was valid.
So, I ended up purchasing the Easton Synergy 1100's, and I have to say I couldn't be happier (not even having recieved them yet! But I did take your advice about trying them on in a store and then purchasing on the internet the EXACT same model/size that I tried on!).
Anyway, once again thank you, and note that I have recommended your buying guides/reviews to a just-starting forum about hockey here:
http://www.sinbinhockey.net/index.php?showtopic=160
I will be purchasing your book at amazon and I will be spending the next week continuing to read the rest of your reviews (even though you don't really review any of the other hockey equipment that I own lol).
Oh, and ps for everyone...keep in mind that puck's opinions are just opinions, and it is always good common sense to remember this, and that his opinions might not match your personal experience nor what other's opinions are. (just so no one writes another nasty email to him about how wrong they think he is about something he reviews!)
Thanks!
Travis (Angry_Games)
|
Feb 24 '06
6:41 pm PST
|
|
larger sizes (Reply to this comment)
by maxjerome873
First of all let me say that this is the best review I have ever found to inform me about purchasing hockey skates. You made several great points and explained some things that were confusing to me.
Now.....I wear a shoe size 14. I am looking at some CCM hockey skates because I am able to find them in a size 13 that seems to be in the ball park. I weigh about 250 and I am a novice skater. What other brands might fit a larger foot in a skate appropriate for someone of my size/skill?
Thanks,
Max
|
Jan 22 '06
1:25 pm PST
|
|
Skate Recommendation (Reply to this comment)
by bzcohen
Scott, great advice on buying skates. How do you feel about the Bauer Supreme 5090 for narrow feet. I'm a once a week recreational skater. Would the 2090 be easier to break in and a better choice? I bought the 5090 but I can still return them.
Thanks,
Ben
|
Dec 21 '05
8:58 pm PST
|
|
Re: thanks for this great advice! (Reply to this comment)
by puckmugger
Jeroend,
Thanks for the comment! I'm glad that I could help. Sadly too many shops simply don't give very good advice to players. That's my goal--to fill in that gap as best I can.
Scott
|
Sep 28 '05
9:02 am PDT
|
|
Excellent review, but one question (Reply to this comment)
by davidnat
You write " It is important that you can feel the end of the skates with your toes. " And then go into some detail as to how to acheieve this, but you do not explain why you feel that is important.
|
Sep 18 '05
3:43 pm PDT
|
|
thanks for this great advice! (Reply to this comment)
by jeroend
Thanks for your great advice in buying the right skate!
First I was looking for the Vapor XXX. But after reading your review I immediately set this out of my mind. After reading your review about the 8090 of Bauer I decided to go for this skate.
My last pair of skates were to big unfortunately. The people in the shop where I buy my stuff don't give you good advice. But they are very cheap. A pair 8090 cost me $ 365.00. In The Netherlands, where I live, the cost $ 487.00.
After reading your skate buying guide and following your tips I got the perfect skate for me.
I shall advice the rest of my team who are going to buy a new pair of skates to read your advice!
Thanks again for your effort!!
Jeroen
|
Sep 15 '05
12:35 pm PDT
|
|
Re: Re: Re: Weight has become a serious issue (Reply to this comment)
by puckmugger
It's funny to me not that a lot of the players still use the older brands, but that CCM and Bauer will still custom build five and ten year old models for the NHL pros who order them. That says a lot about the new gear to me.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Scott
|
Jun 27 '05
7:54 am PDT
|
|
Re: Re: Weight has become a serious issue (Reply to this comment)
by ggmoney71
Your right people always want the cutting edge thinking the NHL players do as well. But if you go into an NHL lockerooms you are stunned seeing old gear they like to wear underneath that you can't see. But the companies are winning the marketing game and no one is more influenced than kids. Your writing is great, hope parents listen to you more than the kids (and the marketing hype).
To me its great to see a company like Graf who won't pay players, doing better and better just with a superior product. I pray CCM will not compromise their integrity of its products especially skates now that Reebok has bought them. Thanks
|
Jun 26 '05
11:51 am PDT
|
|
Re: Weight has become a serious issue (Reply to this comment)
by puckmugger
Thanks for the comment!
You didn't mention the point that kids have to have the light skates simply because they are the coolest thing out there. With the inflated prices and the possibility of these lightweights not making a full season, it makes parent's (and skate fitter's) lives a little more difficult.
I had a kid leave once because I was trying to convince him that the Vapors weren't the right skate for him. I had informed him I wouldn't be able to warranty the fit and they were a poor quality skate. He bought Vapors somewhere else even though they obviously didn't fit him properly and weren't going to last very long. That's a big part of why I write here.
Scott
|
Jun 26 '05
8:04 am PDT
|
|
Weight has become a serious issue (Reply to this comment)
by ggmoney71
This weight contest is really effecting the skates durability. These new skates are light but that really does not make as big a difference as people think. You look at the NHL All-Star the last six year for the fastest skater contest and average it out its 13.829 second for once around the rink. The previous six years 92-98 it was 13.659!! Isn't this lighter stuff supposed to makes us 20% faster? It's just crap - and don't buy crap. Stick with great skates like Graf and CCM (please don't fall for anymore hype CCM). CCM zg and vector series not only cut weight the cut the the boot size. There are not as deep as the tacks and thus have less material and a different fit - big mistake CCM. But your completely right stick with skates that fit your feet, and understand the consequences of buying a very light skate with virtually no benefits except buying another pair a lot sooner for a higher price!!
PS there is no question if Graf payed player at least 30% more of the NHL would skate with them - just look at players like Forsberg 5 years ago.
|
Jun 25 '05
2:06 pm PDT
|
|
This guy knows his stuff. (Reply to this comment)
by jt99
Great! Lots of good tips, and reinforces what I learned by spending hours surfing the web and talking to several sales reps. Thanks for helping people get comfortable with the great game of hockey.
|
Apr 19 '04
1:38 pm PDT
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.