Got new Vapor XXXX and a really bad heel pain

[n1kthequick 0]

So like the title says I just got a new pair of Vapor XXXX skates, although half a size too small (only size left) and they hurt like hell when I skate. These are my first new pair of skates in almsot 4 years so I might have just forgot about how long it takes to break them in, but ive skated on them about 5/6 times, baked them and they still hurt my heels ALOT when I skate.

These skates are awesome, I love the stiffness and my first few steps are alot easier to take, I can practically skate the length of the ice in 3 strides!! But the thing is, after skating in them for about 15 minutes, my heels start to hurt...ALOT. THe pain is in the same area on both sides - on the outside of my heel, about an inch up from the ground. I got realy bad blisters and peeling and im kinda concerned since they arent getting less painful to skate in.

I noticed the problem occurs when I flex forward alot too. If im skating upright and with short strides then I dont really feel it, but if I get down low and flex forward alot and dig in deep on the ice, then its a bad, bad pain that makes it feel like my feet are almost bleeding.

Anybody have any ideas on what I can do to make the pain go away, or is this just a normal part of breaking in a skate?

UPDATE: So i decided to give these skates a few more weeks to try out and see if the pain goes away as I cant just go around buying skates. I skated yesterday and the pain seems to have switched areas. Its no longer on the outside of the heel, but right on the back of my heel. Its also not as bad as it used to be, yesterday I skated for 1 1/2 hours and it was pretty bearable and the pain hurt more on the right then the left skate. It feels like some sort of friction burn I guess? Anyway, im going to skate in them a few more times, hopefully its part of breaking the skate in, but anybody got any ideas what it could be? Or does it still sound like Haglunds that everyone is leaning to?

[sebseb 0]

for your heel chances are you're developing haglund and when you go down low sounds like lacebite

[rachael7 1]

Not normal at all. If you keep skating in skates that are causing "bad, bad pain that makes it feel like my feet are almost bleeding" and "realy bad blisters and peeling", you will probably end up with Haglunds deformities as mentioned above, or worse. A problem that bad is unlikely to improve much no matter how long you break them in and you are likely to end up in a different skate that fits your foot better before all is said and done.

[lampliter87 8]

I had almost an identical issue with XXXX's. I've always had minor Haglunds, the bump was always there but it was small and never caused me any pain. Got a new pair of XXXX's that were a half size down from my previous skates (XXV's FWIW) and within a few skates the Haglunds had become extremely painful to the point where I simply bought a new pair of XXXX's the original size. I now skate with a small piece of foam taped to the liner of the skate where the bump is because there is absolutely no ankle padding there, you can essentially feel the composite boot rubbing against your bone.

Hopefully you find a solution to the problem.

[Dish 0]

I had the same problem with the XXXX as the poster above. I used Bunga heel pads and it helped a lot. I eventually broke down and bought Totalones and have not had a problem since. I think the heel is a little too narrow in the XXXX which did not give my heel bumps anywhere to go. I don't measure as having a wider heel (they say it is actually a little narrow) but the heel bumps make it functionally on the wide side. Try the Bunga pads, they will help a lot.

[waltonhcky05 0]

Just out of curiosity, but where did you find a new pair of Vapor XXXX's? I've been wanting to pick up a pair since I figure the price would be cheap now with the release of the X:60's, but I can't seem to find them anywhere.

[n1kthequick 0]

UPDATE: So i decided to give these skates a few more weeks to try out and see if the pain goes away as I cant just go around buying skates. I skated yesterday and the pain seems to have switched areas. Its no longer on the outside of the heel, but right on the back of my heel. Its also not as bad as it used to be, yesterday I skated for 1 1/2 hours and it was pretty bearable and the pain hurt more on the right then the left skate. It feels like some sort of friction burn I guess? Anyway, im going to skate in them a few more times, hopefully its part of breaking the skate in, but anybody got any ideas what it could be? Or does it still sound like Haglunds that everyone is leaning to?

Walton - I bought these skates when my LHS went out of sale. Hockeygiant also has this pair in 6D for $220 if thats your shoe size.

[sebseb 0]

I somewhat had the same problem with my X60. I had great pain on the outside of the heel especially when the foot wasn't siting right in the skate, I don't know how to explain. Try after let's say 10 min of skating to take off your skates and putting them back on, for me this works, WHEN I feel the foot isn't sitting right in the skate, but that doesn't happen all the times. Now, I to have friction and since here I don't have a LHS or a pro shop that know ... pretty much anything else than selling overpriced skates, I used a steel ball from an old keychain, about 2 cm in diamtre and with a hair dryer I heated the heel of the skate and punched out that region using the ball. I can say that I had good results. About the breaking in, I wouldn't count on that because the tech mesh is very very hard. I can't wait for october when the ice rink is open and see how much of a difference my home made punching has done to the skate.

And now I want to ask the guys that really know their trade, is there a problem in heating and then punching a part of a skate using a hair dryer for more than once? I am heating the boot just slightly, not even close to oven temp, just enough to push the material just a little.

Hope this helps. Cheers

[penguinpelts 7]

I'm hoping someone can see this as I just saw it.

 

I've started feeling a pinch on the left side of my left heel only. It's fine when I'm skating, I forget completely about it. But walking out to the ice and after playing is very noticeable. The thing is I've had my Vapor X 4.0s for years now and only now is this becoming an issue. Any thoughts or suggestions?

[Ashtasticness 89]

Dang, I always thought the back of my ankles were normal. 

[Vet88 673]

On 3/21/2016 at 6:55 AM, penguinpelts said:

I'm hoping someone can see this as I just saw it.

 

I've started feeling a pinch on the left side of my left heel only. It's fine when I'm skating, I forget completely about it. But walking out to the ice and after playing is very noticeable. The thing is I've had my Vapor X 4.0s for years now and only now is this becoming an issue. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Generally it's because your skate is starting to break down, the heel is not held in the pocket and is starting to move in the pocket. This causes impact pressure points as you skate, pain in the back and sides of the heel is very common from this, Hagland bumps are the outcome if the issue isn't addressed. Ankle gel pads can help, place then on your feet between the ankle and the bottom of the heel, this helps take away any negative space in the boot and hold your heel in place in the pocket. Some have success with Stable26 socks. But it's more a temporary fix, think of getting another pair of boots that fit properly.

[penguinpelts 7]

Quote

think of getting another pair of boots that fit properly.

Thanks for the reply Vet. Is there any hope in trying to re-bake my skates to get them to form to my foot?

[Vet88 673]

You can try this but generally once they start to move it's because they are going soft. If this is the case then a rebake will move them inwards but they will move out again within a short time.

[vinprun71 61]

Re-baking will just soften up the material further. While initially it may feel better, it may do more harm than good.

[penguinpelts 7]

Well shit.