Skate Advice On a Budget

[hockeyhound4 2]

I haven't bought new skates in probably 6-7 years or so. My skates are Easton Air, not sure of the year, size 8.5 EE.

At the time, I really needed to find a wide skate and they fit really nicely and I was told Easton was one of the best for wider feet and that Bauer's probably wouldn't work for me. The skates have been excellent but they are very, very worn now. 

I started researching Easton skates but seems like they don't make a lot anymore? I'm looking to spend no more than $300-350. I was looking at the Easton Stealth RS but looks like those are discontinued now, I thought I had found a great deal at Pro Hockey Life on clearance but they didn't have my EE size.

Can anyone recommend skates to consider given my wider fit and budget?    Appreciate any feedback, thanks. 

[PBardington3 1]

Maybe you might want to look into something in Bauer's Nexus line? These skates accommodate wider feet, offered in 8.5 EE and on clearance...if you sign up for an account with hockeymonkey your clearance item will get 30% which should drop the price below your target budget. 

http://www.hockeymonkey.com/equipment/hockey-skates/ice-hockey-skates-senior/bauer-hockey-skates-nexus-7000-sr.html

Not sure if these will be similar to what you are wearing but it might be worth it to try them on and at least consider them.

[Kgbeast 195]

Not sure about Bauer Nexus in EE width. This could be something that is way too wide for you and would have offer no heel-lock. Plus it will have to much instep depth which will make it sloppy fit. Easton is now gone. I do not think there will be anymore Easton brand skates as Bauer now owns them and Bauer perhaps looking to make their own brand skates similar to Eastons in a near future (although I think Vapor is pretty much there fit-wise). Easton Z-Air is often described as a narrow heel, shallow instep. It is possible that Bauer Vapor or CCM JetSpeed in EE could work. You will need to go to a HockeyStore and get it there, if you go for online option, you might have to buy and return 2-3 pairs before you find what fits you. Doing that might wipe out your on-line good deal with shipping charges.  

[hockeyhound4 2]

Some good insight here. I didn't even know (or at least remember) that Bauer had bought Easton. Makes sense now.

I will probably look toward Bauer now since they have so many on the market. Will try both Nexus and Vapor to see the difference. I have a new Pro Hockey Life store opening near me in a week's time, so I will go there for fitting. If I could buy Easton's of the same size again I'd be okay with trying online but without knowing how Bauers may fit, probably better to go in and see.

 

[Kgbeast 195]

The do sell Z-Air boots on ebay for $30. You can remount the holders from your old skates or buy new ones and have them installed... But I guess, you'd rather get something current and perhaps better. Good luck.

[icewalker_bg 126]

If you are lucky, you can find a pair of Easton Mako m7/m8 for under 250$, and they perform just like a 700-800$ skate. If they fit you, they will be the best skate you ever had. I remember vaguely trying the Airs many many years ago, they are not that voluminous and i think a Mako EE after a bake will fit you fine. Problem is some of us bought most of them, they are hard to find. 

But thats just MY preference, trying is the best way to go before purchasing. 

 

[althoma1 574]

I agree with icewalker's suggestion of the Makos - the M7, M8 or even Mako II can be found for deep clearance prices now. I have very wide forefeet and the Makos in EE work well for me after baking - it was VERY tough to even get my foot in before baking and they felt a bit uncomfortable, but after baking they feel amazing. There's a huge thread discussing the Makos on this site - I'd look for the M7, M8 or Mako II. The original Makos  (silver heels and orange striping) feel great at first, but had durability issues that they fixed in the later models (the Mako II is mostly black with some silver stripes, the M8 has a darker grey heel with grey striping, and the M7 and has a grey heel with some white stripes).

If you're in Ontario, I know the  Just Hockey on Don Mills in Toronto still have some Makos II's in stock (I was there yesterday), but they're still $599. There were a few pairs of M7's at the Hyde Park Sport Chek location in London, ON that I saw about a month ago for $170. The Sport Chek location near Masonville Mall location in London also had some M8's, but I'm not sure what they're currently priced at or if they have any left.  The Leaside Sport Chek had some M8's and Mako II's on clearance in your price range in August, but I think they're all gone now. You can of course also scour Kijiji for something in your size if you want to try Makos.

[HawkeyeGeoff 0]

Well, the best way I've found to do this so far is go to a Peranis Hockey World or a Total Hockey (one that has been around for quite a long time) and ask what they have in your size in the back.  A lot of these stores never sell their 1,2 or even 3 year old top end stuff out.  Most of the time the skates aren't even on display.

I scored a pair of Reebok 20k's (literally top of the line skate back in the day) for ~160 bucks.  Mind you these guys were ~650 new.  Such an improvement over the Supreme 160's I had before that.  

I wear a 6EE; there is no doubt the Bauer Supremes fit better when they were brand new, but after some baking and punching out the stiffer skates were definitely worth the punishment on my feet for the first 20 skates or so.

 

[swede 45]

Nothing fit like the old Easton skates!

I use Easton myself (-04 Z-Air comp) in EE width.. They're wide at front but still have a quite narrow heel.. The closest fit to "older" easton skates is newer ones, especially those with a full composite Shell (synergy, stealth), since they are very heat moldable.. 

 If Easton fit you well, stay with easton, even if you have to search trough hell to find new ones..

Iv'e bougth 2 pairs of Easton s12 skates on closeout just in case my Z-airs would die...

[stick9 881]

A Nexus will be wider all around and deeper too.

The new Super Tacks might be an option. You may need to do a lot of trying to get the fit you are looking for.

[Kgbeast 195]

9 hours ago, swede said:

Nothing fit like the old Easton skates!

I use Easton myself (-04 Z-Air comp) in EE width.. They're wide at front but still have a quite narrow heel.. The closest fit to "older" easton skates is newer ones, especially those with a full composite Shell (synergy, stealth), since they are very heat moldable.. 

 If Easton fit you well, stay with easton, even if you have to search trough hell to find new ones..

Iv'e bougth 2 pairs of Easton s12 skates on closeout just in case my Z-airs would die...

What about Bauer Vapor line? It is pretty wide in front, narrower heel, shallow instep? Obviously they not that heat moldable, but neither is Z-Air.

[Kgbeast 195]

3 hours ago, stick9 said:

A Nexus will be wider all around and deeper too.

The new Super Tacks might be an option. You may need to do a lot of trying to get the fit you are looking for.

.... the only problem with SuperTacks, they are not a budget option.

[swede 45]

7 hours ago, Kgbeast said:

What about Bauer Vapor line? It is pretty wide in front, narrower heel, shallow instep? Obviously they not that heat moldable, but neither is Z-Air.

Nope, totally different fit.. Vapors are not nearly as wide up front as Easton in EE/W.. And if you get Vapors in EE you also get a much wider heel than Easton EE.. Closest fit from other brand would have been old CCM Vector in D.

[hockeyhound4 2]

Just posting an update, thank you all for your helpful replies:

My foot profile - learned through this process that I have a pretty narrow heel but a wide forefoot. And when I put weight onto my feet, my feet spread out more than most (making even more wide). Again I was coming out of 8-10 year old Easton Z-Air 8.5 EE.

I tried:

Bauer Nexus 7000 and 8000, EE width - My foot fit mostly well in these but I didn't feel like my heel locked in enough. So felt like it was too roomy in the heel. Also had a minor tightness just before my big toe. The overall volume felt big as well, like too much space on top of my foot.

Bauer Supreme S170, EE width - Just way to narrow for me. Was even very uncomfortable around my ankle, lots of tight spots.

CCM Tacks 5092, EE width - Better than the Supremes, but again too narrow.

I was not that happy with how any of these skates fit me. So I went and searched harder.

Easton Mako M8, EE width - The salesman heated these up for me before I put them on. Wow. All I can say. Fit like a dream. It's narrow enough in the heel/ankle for me but very wide and accommodating upfront, toebox felt great too. Not a single tight spot. Also hugs top of my foot well, not too roomy. I knew within 20 seconds I was buying these. And I feel super lucky to find these given Easton is gone. I've used them twice and only thing that I need to adjust to is the forward pitch, but I am getting there already.

Thanks to all your comments and this forum, would have been lost without it, truly. 

 

[althoma1 574]

Glad you found something that works. I have a similar foot profile and have tried on the same lines of skates and had similar thoughts on each one. I'm currently in EE Makos as well and have a small stockpile of them in my size.