Koho 560 skates my second choice, but they are still a top notch skate
Written: Mar 14 '04 (Updated Oct 05 '05)
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Pros: Nearly indestructible, comfortable, high quality skate.
Cons: The wide cut last of the boot will be sloppy on average and narrow feet.
The Bottom Line: The 560 is a top notch skate. If you have wide feet and are an advanced netminder, this might be the best choice for you.
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| puckmugger's Full Review: Koho 560 Titanium |
My two cents about the 560
Well, if you’ve been looking at skate reviews on Epinions, you likely know that the Graf Goaler Pro is my choice of skates. However, if there ever comes a time that I cannot get a pair of Grafs, this is the skate of choice. In fact the last pair of Grafs I needed was backordered so long that I nearly made the switch back. I skated for years in Kohos and while I prefer Grafs, there is no other reason I wouldn't return to Koho.
About the 560
The 560 Titanium is a pro level goal skate. It would be a good skate for high intermediate level skaters up to NHL level play. I would not recommend spending the price of the 560 on a younger player who is still growing unless he or she is playing at an elite level, or is already fairly large (175 pounds).
Koho skates tend to fit wider feet quite well. If you are comfortable in CCM player or goal skates these will certainly be wide enough for you. If anything they are actually a tad bit wider than the other brands on the market. I actually found mine to be a little bit more comfortable right out of the box than Grafs. However, in the long run they seemed to be a bit more sloppy than I liked.
The titanium should not be confused as being a titanium blade. The boots in this model are a very stiff ballistic nylon with a titanium strand in the weave. This makes for a very long lasting, and extremely supportive upper. The blades are in fact carbon steel like you would find on every other goal skate.
The cowlings on this skate are among the best on the market. Compare the toecaps to other brands and you will find Koho's are quite a bit more beefy. You can take some pretty serious shots to the toes with a great deal less pain than in most other brands.
Durability is simply not an issue with the 560 boot. You will go through three or four cowlings for lack of steel before the boots are worn out. My last pair of Kohos served me for a few years. I sold them in good working condition after getting a deal I couln't refuse on my first pair of Grafs. They are still in use by a friend who now plays fairly competitive college hockey. I would guess they have well over 500 hours of ice time on them by now and are still in good shape.
The only negative on Kohos is a small one. For some reason the steel on the Kohos tends to bend a bit more easily than most other brands. Make sure to ask your skate tech to check them each time they are sharpened, it shouldn’t be a major issue. I have yet to see a goal skate that doesn't get bent out of shape once in a while. Goalie steel has to bend or it would break.
I would recommend this skate to anyone who has comfort issues with other brands due to extremely wide feet. The D width (standard) Koho goal skates are as wide as any standard and many wide skates on the market. You can also order them in EE width which would be the widest goal skate made. If you have narrow feet, you should look at another brand (Bauer or Graf).
About Koho
Koho is owned by The Hockey Company, a conglomerate of CCM, Koho, Jofa, Heaton and a number of smaller brands that no one really talks about these days. Needless to say, they have a fair amount of expertise in building a skate. CCM was the first company to offer a decent hockey skate and is the oldest hockey skate manufacturer in the world.
© Scott Noble – Unauthorized use prohibited
A few of my other reviews that you might find helpful:
Fitting Goalie Gear
Koho 560 Titanium Goal Skates
Koho 460 Goal Skates
Graf 750 Goaler Pro
Hockey Skate buying demystified
Recommended:
Yes
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