Are the CCM Vector ZG 130 Skates with T-Blades lighter than Bauer's Vapor XX Skates?
Written: Apr 06 '04 (Updated Feb 21 '06)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Stronger, Faster and Lighter, maybe they should stick SFL on the boot somewhere
Cons: If you have narrow feet, CCM is not a good fit
The Bottom Line: The T-Blade and the Vector boot are both revolutionary and outstanding. I highly recommend them if they fit properly.
|
|
|
| puckmugger's Full Review: CCM Vector ZG 130 Ice Hockey Skates |
Well, I could simply answer the question of whether the Vector ZG 130 in the lightest skate on the market, but there is so much more to this skate that has to be discussed . . . so I am going to make you work a little for it. First off, you might also be wondering what this T-Blade business is all about.
What is a T-Blade?
T-Blade is a revolutionary new runner and holder system that has become one of the most popular choices in Europe and Canada. The biggest difference between the T-Blade and traditional holders is the fact that you never sharpen T-Blades. Environmentalist, look away now! The T-blade is a disposable blade. I know it sounds crazy, but read on.
A thin strip of ultra-sharp surgical steel attached to lightweight fiberglass-reinforced runners replaces traditional steel. The edge on T-Blades is actually molded, rather than machined, giving a much smoother and longer lasting edge than could be obtained with any sharpening. The key to the T-Blade is the fact that this runner will last at least five times as long as a single sharpening on a traditional stainless steel blade.
So what is the advantage of all this? The smoother steel and molded edges ensure better glide and a perfect edge each time. Gone are the days of trusting someone who hides around the corner to sharpen your skates. Anyone who has had a bad sharpening knows how annoying it is. The cost is actually lower than sharpening your skates as well. A set of replacement runners for your T-Blades will cost about $15. At $5 a sharpening, you will only have to get three times the blade life to break even.
Sure, but do they really last that long? I wondered that myself until we refit about 6 pair of skates for customers over a couple months and sold a few pair of Graf 735s with T-Blades. I am still in close touch with four of the guys who are using T-Blades and most of them go 3 months or more between changing blades. All of these guys were sharpening their skates at least twice a month. One player who was sharpening his blades weekly, has been on the same set of T-Blades for six months now! All of them have been very happy with their T-Blades and claim they will never go back.
There are other advantages to the T-Blade system as well. The carrier and blade system is the lightest on the market. Further, it does this without sacrificing strength. The carrier itself is ABS with a nylon mesh for reinforcement. Off the skate it has much greater torsional strength than even the Bauer TUUK or Graf Cobra – the top traditional carriers on the market.
The ability to change the rocker quickly is another advantage to the T-Blade. With traditional steel you would pay a tech $40 or more to re-contour your steel and lose a lot of it in the process. If you didn’t like the new rocker, you would likely have to buy new steel (another $40) to go back. However, with the T-Blade, it is as simple as spending $15 on new runners that you can install yourself in a few minutes. Even if you don’t like them it is still cheaper after you switch back than it would have been just to have it changed with traditional blades.
T-Blades come in three rocker lengths, Small, Medium and Large. Small is nine feet, medium eleven and large thirteen. The hollows are a tad confusing for those of us used to getting blades sharpened in inch increments. They are in millimeters, 10, 11, 13, 15 and 21. These translate roughly to 3/8”, 7/16”, ½”, 5/8” and ¾”.
The Boot
CCM’s Vector skates are the most talked about and highly anticipated skate among all the 2004 models. Unlike last year’s quiet but outstanding CCM lineup, this skate is both solid and flashy. The antithesis of CCM’s traditionally conservative skate appearance, the Vector ZG 130 boasts a metallic silver exterior. Was CCM simply hoping to steal some of competitor Bauer/Nike’s thunder by making a skate that looked . . . really cool?
In fact the look of the Vector line is the result of the radical materials that CCM used in this skate. The high end Vectors – the ZG 130, the Pro, the 6.0 and 7.0 – all feature a woven metal alloy material that is both stronger and lighter than more traditional uppers such as nylon or synthetic leather. The woven metal shell of these skates hasn’t been out long enough to know how well it will hold up, but I see no reason to doubt CCM’s claim that it is five times as durable as ballistic nylon.
The boot on the Vector ZG130 is identical to that of the Vector Pro with the exception of minor cosmetics. It is a very stiff, professional level boot. Unlike Bauer/Nike, when you buy a CCM skate, you are getting the same skate that NHL players are using, so you know that this is the best quality skate that CCM makes.
The lining of the boot is a CCM proprietary material called Ultima Dry. This is a very supple hydrophobic and antibacterial liner. It is plush enough to keep sockless skaters happy. At the same time, Ultima Dry will not absorb perspiration and the antibacterial component will help keep the skates from becoming malodorous.
CCM’s Vector ZG130 features a full carbon outsole. Unlike the 2002 models, this outsole is perforated. It never made sense to me that in the older skates they put hydrophobic liners and gave all that foot sweat no place to go, now they’ve gotten it right. Also the outsoles are rounded to enable maximum cornering without the boots hitting the ice surface.
I have never been a big fan of CCM’s heel wedge, so I was pleased to see that the Vector line has no wedge. They’ve also dropped the “reflex” bar that the Externo line featured. The reflex bar was the one weak link on that line, with screws that came loose at inopportune moments. The Vector instead features a short stabilizer bar attached just below the eye stay on the skate. It is effective, and much less annoying.
The tongue on the Vector ZG130 is fairly thin but sufficiently stiff. It is without a doubt adequate for this level of boot. Lace bight should not be an issue. The tongue edges are pro stitched to keep them from tearing or fraying prematurely.
Heatfitting is highly recommended on the ZG130. This is, as mentioned, a very stiff boot. The Vector ZG130 does feature gel-lined ankles taking CCM’s soft boot technology from the Externo line to the next level. However, the foot portion of the skate is more of a traditional fit. While skating in it will likely be more comfortable than in a traditional style skate, heatfitting will help with any possible problems.
How does the Vector ZG 130 stack up to the competition?
The Graf 735 would be the most likely competitor to the ZG 130 as they are the only two pro quality skates quality currently on the market with T-Blades. Bauer’s highly touted Vapor XX line would also be in the running as a lightweight skate. The ZG 130 is the lightest of the three skates. See, I finally answered the question in the title. In the race for the lightest skate this is a big deal.
Bauer’s Vapor XX is essentially a disposable skate. Not a good plan at over $400 a pair. Last year thousands of over anxious people ran out and made the mistake of buying a pair of Vapor XX skates. They learned the hard way how Bauer made a skate so light. They cut corners that resulted in a loss of durability.
Most of the serious skaters that I know who bought Vapor XX skates needed a new pair in six to nine months. Dozens of them were sent back to Bauer as they failed before the 90-day warranty period was up. Rumor has it that Joe Sakic and Peter Foresberg were going through a pair of Vapor XX prostock skates in four to six weeks and the prostock is a better skate than Bauer sells to the public!
Graf is the top skate maker as far as quality of product, so there is no problem inherent with their product like the Vapor XX. Both of the players I know who have a pair skate in excess of 3 hours weekly and have had no issues with anything breaking. However, the fit of the Graf 735 is vastly different than that of the CCM Vector ZG 130.
Graf’s 735 is a very narrow boot. I found that my toes crushed in the regular width of this skate. I am using a cut down, wide Graf 727 boot in my current goal skates, and it fits me perfectly, but there is no doubt that the 735 is a bit narrower than this model. Even in a wide it might not accommodate players who fit in a CCM.
Unlike the Bauer Vapor XX, Graf’s 735 is a skate that I would recommend. Is it as durable as the Vector ZG 130? Probably not, but it will last several years for most players nonetheless. The biggest issue is the width of the player’s feet. If you have narrow feet, you might be swimming in the Vector ZG 130. Graf’s regular and narrow widths are both tighter than the CCM skate. Tight fit is too important to overlook for a “fancier” skate.
The Vector ZG 130 is in every other way a superior skate to both the Graf 735 and the Bauer Vapor XX .
Recommendations
The ZG 130 is a pro level skate. This means that it is a very stiff boot and not meant for the casual skater. While it might be comfortable – at least more so than traditional competitors – skaters who are not either very large or playing at a high level will not benefit from this skate. If you don’t play hard enough to lean forward in your skates, you will not skate well.
I would highly recommend this skate to players who are at least 175 pounds and play in a high-level recreational league, travel hockey or elite hockey up to the pro level. Skaters who will benefit from this skate will be playing in excess of 3 hours a week on the average.
CCM has been the undisputed hockey skate king of the mountain for over half a century. The Vector line makes it obvious that they will keep a tight hold on that title for a few more years. Not only is it the lightest skate on the market, it is nearly perfect.
***Update 9/21/05:
I've heard a few reports of numerous eyelet failures on the Vector boots from other parts of the country. I am dubious about the validity of these claims as we've seen absolutely none here since the introduction of the boot. CCM changed to their "Hercules Eyelet" the year before the inception of the Vectors. It was a greatly improved eyelet and has been very sturdy. Nonetheless, there are two possibilities that might contribute to this which I feel are worthy of mentioning.
First, it is apparently more likely to happen in areas that are very humid as boots that are often skated in don't have the opportunity to dry. Drying boots between uses will make them last substantially longer and certainly will contribute to weakening the eye stay in general.
Second, improperly lacing the boots during a heatfit can easily pull an eyelet out of any skate. Laces need to be pulled up and through the eyelets to tighten the previous one. Pulling in on the first eyelet puts a great deal of undue stress on it while it is in a vulnerable state during the heatfit.
Neither of these problems is a flaw in the boot, but instead a flaw in the use of the boot. Both conditions will pop eyelets in any skate. Further, losing an eyelet isn't a huge deal. It runs about $5 and 5 minutes to get one replaced if it is done shortly after it breaks.
***Update 2/21/06:
I've been seeing a number of Vector skates that have been used really hard by big skaters. After about two years of hard play they tend to look very, very ugly. Much of the "bling" that is sewn on the sides of the skates is tearing off, specifically the silver patches at the toecap and on some skates the silver badging on the ankles.
While skates with 500 plus hours of hard use will sometimes look like they are on their last legs, the functional portion of these skates was mostly intact. There is one issue that I've noticed which was more than cosmetic. This was the lace locks actually being knocked off the skate once in a while. Fortunately, CCM did have enough forethought to make these easy to replace.
While the majority of damage I've seen is cosmetic, it is significant. I am lowering the overall rating of the Vector ZG130 by one star for this issue.
© Scott Noble – Unauthorized use prohibited
A few of my other reviews that might be helpful:
General Buying Guide for Ice Hockey Skates
Bauer Vapor XX Skates
CCM Vector Pro
Graf 735 with T-Blades
Easton SBX
Nike THG V-Force
Thanks to openroad for adding this item so I could review it.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
puckmugger
|
 - Top 50 |
|
Location: wandering the fringes of the goal crease
Reviews written: 488
Trusted by: 247 members
About Me:
My book is now available in major bookstores or by order from my profile page.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.