Nike THG V-force Skates: Did they finally get it right?
Written: Mar 12 '04 (Updated Oct 05 '05)
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Pros: Comfortable out of the box, high performance skates
Cons: Thin tongues, parts availability issues, unacceptable durability
The Bottom Line: Nike finally made a very good skate. Too bad it doesn't last very long
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| puckmugger's Full Review: Nike Quest V-Force Senior THG Ice Skates |
Nike as a Skate Maker
Nike entered the ice hockey market 5 years ago thinking that as a shoe company they could teach the world a thing or two about making skates. Ironically, the fact that they were too arrogant to know better actually led them to succeed. Their vision to make a comfortable skate took them in directions that traditional skate makers would have ignored. With their quest untainted by conventional wisdom, invented the soft skate. Paying homage to this concept Easton’s SBX and CCM’s Externos and Vectors have all been imitators.
The V Force Pro THG, Why isn’t in Retail Shops?
The V series skates mark the fourth line in five years for Nike. This is not a good track record to say the least. Last year’s Quest line was the first time that Nike made a passable skate. This year’s V line makes the first time they made a great skate.
The V Force THG is only available from online retailers. This is something that Bauer/Nike and CCM has been doing in an attempt to keep both its traditional and internet retailers happy. Traditional shops have a hard time paying people to fit boots that players will purchase online. The online retailers reaped all the benefit. They were able to keep costs lower since they never had to spend money staffing to help people fit skates or pay higher rent from premium retail locations. Skates are almost always cheaper online.
The original solution was to allow online retailers to carry only the lower tier and older models of skates. Apparently they took offense to this. The new solution, create different models that are available online only.
The V Force THG
The V Force closely resembles the Nike V10 and V12 skates that you will find in the store. The boot is similar in stiffness to the V12, however the runners are the non-perforated steel that is found on the V10. While the non-perforated runners are a little heavier, they are much less likely to bend or break. This is especially important as Bauer/Nike has not been able to keep up with the demand for new runners. If you break your steel you will likely be without the skates for six months. Further, the actual Pro models of the Nike and Bauer skates never come with the perforated steel. So while the lack of perforated steel might seem like a compromise, it is actually a bonus.
The V Force Pro THG is a wider skate than last year’s Quest line. While Nike made the heel a little bit narrower, the mid-foot is a bit wider and the toes are substantially wider. This is a skate for people with wide feet. I would highly recommend trying a pair of V10 or V12 skates on before you order these. Pay particular attention to how much room there is in the forefoot. Remember, as the skates break in any looseness will only increase.
The Boot
Nike’s V series boots consist of a hard outer shell with a gel like material between the shell and inner liner. This makes for a much more comfortable boot than traditional construction. In fact Nike boots do not require any heatfit. The heatmold that Nike recommends is only to form the semi-custom insole in the boot. Unlike most heatfits, this one requires the player to be standing.
The liner of the boot is a Nike only material. It is almost like a felt lining. While it is very comfortable, it is not quite as nice as a clarino liner. At first glance this liner doesn’t appear to be very sturdy, but mine has held up quite well after over 100 hours of ice time.
The outsole is full carbon fiber and is rounded to enable harder cornering without the edges of the skate boot hitting the ice. The base is well attached and again after 100 plus hours it is completely intact and not coming loose anywhere.
Normally I don’t mention the insoles in a pair of skates as the manufacturers seem to include this as an afterthought. They are generally included just to keep the rivets from cutting your feet. However, Nike puts exceptionally good insoles in their skates. The TGH has a two-layer insole that is, as previously mentioned, heatmoldable. This is by far the best insole I have seen included in any skate.
The tongues are also unique on the V series skates. They are among the thinnest tongues I have seen. Most brands rely on a very stiff and somewhat thick tongue to eliminate lace bite. If you are prone to lace bite, the Nike’s tongues might be a problem. They work for me and I actually like the fact that they are thin enough to wear under my shin pads without discomfort.
The Lightspeed TUUK
The Lightspeed was meant to be an improvement on the previous TUUK. It is 3 millimeters taller than the old model and lighter even with the non-perforated steel. The height improvement allows once again for a greater angle of lean in turns without losing an edge due to the boot contacting the ice.
There are still problems with the Lightspeed. Bauer/Nike’s design in all their TUUKs puts the skaters too far towards the heel. In any sport you want to be balanced on the ball of your feet to react quickly, hockey included. Heel lifts are highly recommended to solve this issue and will cost $10 to $30.
The single screw mounting system for attaching the blade to the Lightspeed is a big improvement. Older TUUKs were a nightmare to work on and required special tools to get to the toe screw. The new one simply goes through the heel of the skate boot. However, the single screw does have a tendancy to come loose. A little lock-tite will solve this problem, but make sure that you use the blue removable type.
Bauer/Nike uses a nine-foot rocker. This is shorter than CCM, Easton and Graf, so if you are switching from those brands it will take a little adjusting. They do turn very quickly.
Final Thoughts
Break in on my skates had one very small hot spot on the inside of my right heel. In examining my skates I came to the conclusion that the heel counter (a rigid piece that provides the shape of the heel inside the boot) was slightly twisted. This was an easy repair that Nike would have reimbursed the shop for had I not been working there and done it myself. Anyway, once it was fixed, the skates were outstanding. I had no comfort issues when skating in them.
With over 100 hours of ice time on mine, they are holding up quite well. There is one small tear on the exterior of my tendon guard on the left skate. I will sew this next time I am in the shop and it shouldn’t be a problem. Most shops would charge no more than $10 for this repair. Honestly for the amount of time I have on this pair, they look great. This is a very durable design.
This is a skate that would be suitable for all levels of play up to and including elite level hockey. The similar, V12 skate, is being used by a number of NHL players. While most skates simply don’t work for both higher level and lower level players, the soft boot is comfortable without having to be a hard skater to break them in. The design of the Nike skates is such that the boot doesn’t flex much, so low end weight and skater ability are not as big a factor in buying these as they would be with most skates.
I have been skating a couple times a week on my pair of complimentary V12 skates that Nike was kind enough to provide me. Honestly, I would not have paid the $400 price to get a pair of V12’s, myself. However these are comfortable and very solid skates. I have been very pleased with mine. The THG is available for a much cheaper price and would be well worth the money.
I think money spent on the THG would be well placed. This is a comfortable, high quality skate.
IMPORTANT DURABILITY UPDATE 6/9/2004
The heel counter issue has once again reared its ugly head. After months of skating very comfortably in my Nikes I had started to feel like they weren’t supportive enough any more in the last weeks. The upper section of the boot had begun feeling sloppy and loose. I was frustrated enough to spend an hour on my Koho skates the Nikes had replaced. The Kohos didn’t feel quite right to me with the longer 11 foot rocker and the slightly less aggressive pitch than my Nikes with the heel lift so I went right back to the Nikes.
After about five more hours I was having intense pain in my right foot with the Nike skates in the same area that the heel counter had bothered me when they were new. After I got off the ice, I found that the skate had gouged me there, not just a blister, but an actual wound where this piece had stabbed me! There was a hole through the skate liner where the heel counter had poked right through.
As far as I can tell, the heel counter simply wasn’t strong enough to support the skate. As the rigidity of the skate deteriorated, this spot began pinching inward as the skate was flexed forward. Eventually it made the hole, stabbed me and will need to be retired. This is quite unfortunate as these were, up until that failure, a very comfortable pair of skates.
This damage could be repaired, however the cost would be well over $100 and the likelihood of a second failure is much more likely with each subsequent repair. In the long run, the skates will deteriorate more quickly each time they are repaired. For a top of the line boot being used by someone who I would rate as a slightly above average skater, the durability is entirely unacceptable. These skates lasted me less than a year and approximately 150 hours of ice time.
My ratings of this product have been lower substantially and accordingly. My apologies to anyone who made a decision based upon my earlier experiences with these skates. Hopefully your Nike skates will last a great deal longer than mine did.
© Scott Noble – Unauthorized use prohibited
A few of my other reviews that you might find helpful:
Hockey Skate buying demystified
Bauer Vapor XX Skates
Nike Ignite 3 Skates
Nike Quest 3 Skates
CCM Vector Pro Skates
Easton SBX Skates
Recommended:
No
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