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Showing content with the highest reputation since 02/19/24 in all areas

  1. 6 points
    I hit the ice tonight after a little over six weeks after a facial fracture. With getting surgery to put plates in to hold my fracture back together it seemed like it would take forever to get back. Very happy to get back tonight.
  2. 6 points
  3. 5 points
    That Hockey Tutorial guy will endorse anything for the right price, he has no shame lol, I stopped watching his stuff after the whole charity scandal and just getting tired of biased reviews. He doesn't hold a candle to Hills' "Hockey Reviews" page in terms of reviews. With that off my chest, I did enjoy the Graf video, my 705's I got in the mid 90's were my favorite skates I ever owned, partially because the brand had so much history and just stood out over Bauer/CCM at the time (it was like going for a Porsche over a Ford), and partially because they just felt so good on my feet. I haven't seen or tried any of their new offerings but they'll always have a place in my heart.
  4. 4 points
    In my experience, TRUE sticks break about as often as CCM, Bauer, and Sherwood. There are a lot of variables that account for stick breakage. Its not just the level of play, but the position, size of the player, etc. For example, it is not uncommon for Centers in the NHL to use a beefier and heavier stick as compared to someone who plays Wing. As for the Catalyst skate issues, I think TRUE went too thin on the shell in an attempt to play the "weight savings game" and it blew up in their face. The 2024 Catalyst skates are very impressive, and I don't think you are going to see any of the same issues. I have been testing a pair for a while now, and the durability is very good.
  5. 3 points
    Glad you're back out there, man! Please tell me you put a cage on? :)
  6. 3 points
    Why do you need to change the steel? Is it broken, or you want to upgrade it? To put new holders and steel on, your cost would probably be around $100+ if you could find used stuff that works, much more for new. For those skates, you’re better off just putting that money towards new skates.
  7. 3 points
    I know plenty of players that use their products and have had no issues, from recreational to professional levels. Historically, TRUE has had some bumps in the road, as all companies do when they are growing, and I understand that you and others have likely experienced some product defects. However, the vast majority of players have not had that same experience. I don't think its fair to use such a small sample size to determine if a product is or is not durable. An interesting story. I have some TRUE prototype sticks that have no logos on them. One person I skate with who played NCAA D1 dislikes TRUE as a company. There was no specific reason; he just said he had tried their sticks before and didn't care for them. In a recent game, he broke his primary and backup sticks and asked to use one of my extras. After the game was done, he told me that the stick was one of the best he had ever used and asked me if I could order him a few. You should have seen his face when I told him it was TRUE. It was TRUEly priceless 😜
  8. 2 points
    Just an update with my experience with the ellipse 0. I'm sticking to it and like it much more than the quad 0. I've honestly never felt as comfortable in my skates as with this profile. I really liked the quad 0, but my experience with the ellipse has be awesome. I know it's not for everyone but it's definitely for me!
  9. 2 points
    SVH was involved with KOR, so his hockey skate experience precedes DASC/VH/TRUE.
  10. 2 points
    Like has been pointed out, at this point it’s not really about tech, it’s about a company trying take over share in a relatively fixed size market. And when you look at the TAM/SAM/SOM, there’s probably not a lot of room there. The video said CCM came in and basically forced them out of some markets. It’s a huge uphill battle, probably more akin to scaling a cliff face under fire.
  11. 2 points
    I have a custom and a retail. I don't notice the difference in weight, except that one has a visor vs a cage. If I had to guess, I would think the custom is slightly heavier, cause it has a more dense 3d lattice vs the retail version. I would highly recommend the custom though over the retail, cause for the price difference, the custom is a much better helmet imho.
  12. 2 points
    How are the sticks breaking? Off a faceoff? When shooting? When battling in the corner? Thats a significant number of sticks to break, which leads me to believe its not a defect of the product but instead associated with his style of play or position.
  13. 2 points
    In this case, hockey talent aka hockey IQ is, imo is completely innate. All professional hockey players can pass, shoot, skate etc. What separates the best from the avg is what's in between their ears. The ability for them to read plays, and be in the right position instinctively. This isn't something that can be trained or taught imo. You can teach the basics and tell someone in this situation you should do this, but in a game situation there are so many variables and there is never one exact same situation. The great players can slow the plays down in their head and read other players and the ice that much better than the avg player. There are sports where it's all about conditioning and physical fitness, ie 100 metre dash, but sports like hockey, the best players are "born different".
  14. 2 points
    Yeah, I stopped watching Hockey Tutorials years ago.
  15. 2 points
  16. 1 point
  17. 1 point
    Always Will find the process interesting no matter the company.
  18. 1 point
    I can push the sides of the Matrix easier than the M4. Very soft boot at this price point.
  19. 1 point
    As long as you don't use the tendon guard to remove and put on your skates you'll be fine. It's the same tendon guard as the machs m5 pro 3s pro. It feels solid to me. But like any tendon guard it'll wear and break eventually if you use it like I mentioned above.
  20. 1 point
    CCM makes youth skates that are heat moldable, obv they have a variety of models but most of the higher level ones will be heat moldable. I picked up a pair of Tacks for my son a couple of years ago when he still played that they baked in the shop for him, they were closeout from the year before so they were on sale which made it even better (these were a size 12 from what I remember so still youth). A Leif mentioned they do make ankle sleeves which may take up some space, also maybe try some Superfeet insoles which raise the heel slightly which might help (stock insoles are always so thin and flat). Lastly, the old advice from Hans in the Mighty Ducks... wear thicker socks lol
  21. 1 point
    Profiling can be a great tool to dial in your skating. But like others have said, you need to get used to the new skates first ( 8-10 times of skating at least in my opinion ) to see where you may or may not benefit from profiling.
  22. 1 point
    Looks to be the same as what was posted 2 months ago just silver instead of black. Really hoping these come to market soon. Holding off on new skates and would love to mount these to whatever I pick up
  23. 1 point
    You definitely feel more blade on the ice so ya you do feel more stable but with that said I don't feel unstable with the ellipse. I feel more agile and feel like I can transition more smoothly which is exactly what it's advertised to be. With the quad I feel it kind of forces you to have longer strides where the ellipse with less blade contact my strides feel shorter. Def a benefit with "quick feet" for me on acceleration
  24. 1 point
    It would be cheaper to find a slightly used pair of skates with a quick change holder. Check out https://sidelineswap.com/shop/hockey/skates/skate-size-10-senior/l386726
  25. 1 point
    That’s not really a fair statement. Those that work in the industry and are keeping up with the latest equipment and technologies are well aware of Skatescribe. They are not in all cities at the moment, especially small towns so many skaters don’t know about them, yet. Skatescribe machines are a CNC profiling and sharpening machine which uses a milling cutter to cut the blade. Since it is CNC based you can send any profile to contour any blade. I profile on a CNC machine sometimes and it’s great. I also use my Blackstone for a lot of profiles as well. I finish sharpening on my Blackstone. Both methods have many positives and both are in NHL rooms. As is Blademaster and Elite. And if anyone is interested, no one finish sharpens on a Sparx… lol. Those are for home convienence, and stores that don’t have the people with knowledge to train their own employees.
  26. 1 point
    Graf has carbon fibre skates, the Peakspeed line. https://grafhockey.com/skates/ice/player/peakspeed-pk7900/ The issue is that their overall technology is still lacking significantly compared to TRUE, Bauer, and CCM. In regards to how Bauer spends their capital and the overall profitability of that company, understand that none of the big brands are good generating significant revenue. CCM and Bauer are riddled with acquisitions and financial failure; look at their histories. The main reason is that there is not enough market penetration and not enough players. Hockey in the USA: <1M players Basketball in the USA: <23M players Baseball in the USA: <15M players Football: <7M players As someone who has owned multiple retail hockey stores of various sizes, a large hockey store would be any retail location that does more than $1M in gross sales annually. A friend who owns a similarly sized retail store (store square footage and addressable population density) makes about $5M. Its also significantly easier to sell baseball, football, soccer, and basketball equipment as compared to ice hockey.
  27. 1 point
    The NHL, AHL, and other high level associations have teams that send their steel to Tydan to be profiled by their Skatescribe... Not sure what you mean by nobody has heard of them.
  28. 1 point
    If Graf started using more modern tech and materials, that would likely have to redesign their boots. You can't just replace the leather with carbon fiber and expect it to fit and feel the same but lighter and more durable. There's more too that than swapping materials. I don't see graf ever evolving to the level of technology as Bauer true and ccm. They have a market in Europe and it'll probably just stay that way. I'm assuming they also don't have the size and money for the R/D as well.
  29. 1 point
    I'm just gonna say it, why? Sticks are just tools. If they stopped making your favorite hammer would scour the globe spending thousands of dollars trying to find another or would find something that's close enough... It's 100% the latter. Especially when it's just a hobby. Even if you managed to find someone who can do all those things for you. There's no guarantee it will feel and play like the original. I cannot say it enough, find something close and go play.
  30. 1 point
    That is exactly how it should feel. Some like the added agility and are ok with losing some stability.
  31. 1 point
    Definitely. I have the XP pure hockey model and 13 is perfect. They break in nicely. Enjoy.
  32. 1 point
    Graf needs to evolve. Maybe this is an option for Dave Cruikshank to get invovled to build his supposed skate.
  33. 1 point
    Same. I still remember my first skate on TF9s. Was blown away by how great they felt from the first stride
  34. 1 point
    Just not for me, I returned them. Perhaps its just me, not giving it enough time but I just don't have the patience to get adjusted to it. Doesn't help that public skating near me is 16.50 to 18 bucks a session now.
  35. 1 point
    What makes you say talent is "mostly a myth?" I consider it one of the "huge amounts of luck" factors.
  36. 1 point
    The thing with Trues is, you don't have to bake them snug around the ankle. You can flare the top out if that's what you're after. The customizability of the boots can make them tricky to dial in.
  37. 1 point
    McDavid's skates are definitely an old model but they are not a low end model by any stretch of the imagination. Connor's skates were the CCM Cadillac back in 2015
  38. 1 point
    I have the Graf Peakspeed 4700. Found 2 pairs of new old stock at Play it again sports. Wonderful fit for pretty much everyone. Only pair of skates other than True Catalyst for me that did not pinch or literally just hurt sticking my foot in. I think a lot of people want them to come back here.
  39. 1 point
    Per the chart 95/75 is 3/8-1/2ish. I'd suggest starting with a 3/8 Fire. Anything higher won't have the bite he's used to. The 1/2 Fire will feel a lot like a 3/4 ROH.
  40. 1 point
  41. 1 point
    Blade has been good. Just the usual cosmetic marks here and there but it’s holding up pretty good so far. IMO it feels like this Proto R blade is a bit stiffer than the 1X lite.
  42. 1 point
    Not the skate as a whole, but some of its features. Ft690 was my first dip into newer tech skates, coming from Graf 707’s. The stiffness and responsiveness of the skate was very noticeable. More so on the ccms than the mach’s for me. Ccms felt stiffer and more responsive. Idk if that’s a one piece boot vs 2 piece or the fact that the Machs have much more forward flex, maybe it was the holder and steel, maybe the size 6.5(CCMs) were cut a tad higher than size 6 Mach’s?…..idk….but that’s how they felt for me. They felt stiffer. The tongue on the ccms was pretty cool. Very comfortable. The tendon guard has padding on it whereas the Mach’s is just hard plastic. I think the full interior wrap vs the comfort edge was an upgrade. Xs holder with step steel vs tuuk with pulse/fly steel. Ultimately, I like the Mach’s better. They fit me perfectly. But there were some really cool aspects to the CCMs imo.
  43. 1 point
    As they say, what happens in Vegas… …can become a viral sensation on the internet!
  44. 1 point
    Last 1,5 years I've been skating on Ellipse XS which was a great imrovement (even for an amateur player) over a single profile radius that I've been skating on my whole life. I could skate on it immediately with practially no time needed to adopt and it felt very natural. The most importantly, it immediately solved my ballance issues going from 263 mm to 246 mm blades. I was more than happy. However, recently I've tried Quad XS and must say I like ti very much for it's agility. Changing directions, quick turns, quick starts is much easirer than with the Ellipse. Maybe going straight line to reach and maintain top speed is better with the Ellipse but I think my favourite profile now is Quad XS on 246 steel. To balance out the top speed and gliding, I may consider dropping down ROH from 3/4" to 7/8". Let's see how it goes after couple more games.
  45. 1 point
    Just picked these up
  46. 1 point
    I've been following True skates and the threads here on MSH for a while now and finally picked up a pair of Catalyst 7s from my local Hockey Monkey store yesterday. I finally found a store close to me that had them in stock to try and I'm glad I did. These fit amazingly well on my feel and feel almost exactly like my Makos, the best skates I have ever worn. These were so comfortable right out of the box, I could have skated in them without baking. This has been a long journey for me... I have a weird ankle with pronounced inner ankle bones that sit pretty far forward and on most stock skates, it touches or comes close to the end of the padding and some even touch the eyelets. Even then, I almost always have to have them punched out as well. This has always made it extremely difficult to find skates that didn't kill my ankles but still give me proper support. When the Makos came out I finally found the Holy Grail of skates for my feet. I have a pair of the original Makos and also picked up the Mako 2s when they came out as well... I was in heaven. And then Bauer bought them and we all know what happened after that. I kept skating on my Makos for a few years and then actually stopped playing hockey for the past several years and just played lacrosse all year round. During that time I sold off all of my old skates except the original Makos but now that I'm back into playing again, I had made up my mind that it was time for new ones. I started looking into the Catalyst last summer and figured that I'd try them on in one of my local stores when I had the chance. Well, the Makos started giving me trouble as my ankle bone finally worked its way through the padding and was causing sharp pain. Pain I'm all too familiar with from prior skates. I went to try some on and couldn't find any in my size anywhere. Ultimately, I had a local shop repair my Makos with new ankle padding and bought me more time with them. Then yesterday I walked into Monkey Sports and they had them in my size... tried on a couple pairs of Catalyst 7s and a couple HZRDUS 7s. The Cats fit me absolutely perfect... I couldn't believe how well they fit. The toe box, width, ankle...all of it fit my foot perfectly. My ankle bones lined up nicely on the size 9 but were a little too close to the edge on the 8.5s. My toes touched the toe caps, just resting against them. They offered to bake them to make sure and the 9s still fit perfectly and after baking the toes now feather the cap. I was kind of surprised my foot didn't slide back even further. I kicked my heel in pretty good and they did the shrink wrap method to bake them. Regardless, I'm totally psyched to have a pair of skates that fit my feet so amazingly well... I had to come here and make this post. JP
  47. 1 point
    So I was able to play in them earlier tonight. Very interesting experience. Good and bad. The good: more or less felt like how trues should feel. Foot felt hugged all around and comfortable around the forefoot heel and arch. There actually is noticeably more flexions when taking strides side to side but forward flexion seems similar to svh/tf line. Shift max holders seems very nice and the dlc steel is nice as well. What I found interesting was even after getting it re sharpened at 1/2" it felt more like 9/16. So something is either up with the steel not biting as much or the genetix insoles being pretty thick that it absorbs most of the "connected" to the ice feeling. Either way it's not a big deal but just interesting. The bad: even though I flared out the medial side of the cuff I'm still having rubbing on the inside of my shins just above the ankle. This is on both skates. I had this issue creep up on me in my old tf customs on the right foot and was able to fix it with spot heating and pushing it out but that area wasn't as near the eyelet but more the upper cuff. This concerns me as I might not be able to fix this issue without compromising the wrap if I flare the actual top two eyelets. I even notice my ankle bone rubbing on the top eyelets when I remove and put on the skates which I never ever did on my tf customs. This is probably due to the cat pros having less wrap and the eyelets are in a position where my ankle will graze everytime I put on or remove the skates. The neutral: the shift max holders are taller than ccm and Bauer and it made it feel like my stick was too short by about 1/4". Noticed this on some plays where I reached for the puck and missed. Overall if I can resolve this pesky ankle rubbing, the skates are very good. Even with the skates being more flexible I still felt most comfortable playing without the top eyelet done. I really hope either my ankles get used to the rubbing or am able to fix it bc it would suck. There's no visible mark on my ankles as it's not chaffing but more the hardness of the eyelet cuff. I will do a full rebake having the skates in the oven longer. I reached out to true and they said that their new recommendations are 6 mins Max but they can still be safely heated longer into they are pliable to my liking. Hopefully the reason for this is bc as I mentioned in my post above it never really got that soft after 6 mins Anyone else have this rubbing issue and was able to resolve it please let me know what worked. Stay tuned....
  48. 1 point
    Going to take a stab at some items that came up over the past couple of posts. Thanks everyone for reaching out! Forefoot is very comparable. Heel start a little more snug (but still very much a "B" heel) and can move out to compare with the nexus heel if necessary. Rib EE has a higher instep measurement than AS3 Pro EE, so more volume and wrap🙂 Very good call out here. I'm going to attempt to link some photos clarifying the current fit lineup: Keep in mind that this 2nd image does not include the updated Super Tacks EE. Just imagine a little bit bigger yellow box 🙂 Same idea on Jetspeed. RFM composite is extremely thermoformable and especially so in a one-piece boot as the bottom of the skate is also RFM and lacks the glue and nails that can impact the bottom and immediate sides of a two piece skate from moving as much. Not sure what happened during your bake but regardless, the next step is to remold them (2 mins in a hot skate oven, no more) and tie them about how you would when playing. It's not necessary to tie them extremely tightly or really crank down on the eyelet row. Be sure to remain sitting until the skates are cool to the touch and don't get up and move around. This should take awhile, maybe 15-20 mins. Take care when molding to lace the skates back up after you've taken them off and leave a full 24hr (at room temp, but colder is better) before unlacing and skating. Good luck! Not sure if this applies to you, but when taking them off after normal use, loosen the laces down several eyelets before taking them off. It should be extremely easy to slide off and not require much leverage or effort. The skate goes under a lot of stress when being tied up and especially when being removed so taking an extra 10 seconds to really unlace them can help preserve the molded fit.
  49. 1 point
    I can only speak to the Bauer Concept III, but some games it was crystal clear, and some games I was jumping on the ice with it totally fogged. Totally depended on the temp/humidity in the rink. I loved the vision in the hybrid, but got tired of dealing with fog issues (and I tried all the recommended stuff to prevent fogging). I would be surprised if the slight change in the vent pattern really changed the performance, but I hope CCM figured something out cause I loved it when it worked. Went to a CCM flat bar white cage and I love it. Vision is great and cooler too.
  50. 1 point
    You're right, I should re-state that I'm speaking from experience solely in my area - MD/DC/NoVA. Also, I may not be privy to other mail in sharpeners that do FBV and with the rep of no-icing.



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