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I skated today for the first time in almost 2 1/2 years, thanks to a broken foot and assorted health issues. It was pretty ugly but I was out there.

1- HT videos all seem to regurgitate marketing jargon, I stopped watching them a long time ago. Maybe they have since changed and included real evaluation but I have never seen it. 2- Like the colors, black and red, looks like the skate for Team Empire...

Was the Mako designed with flex in its outsole? I don't get the idea. HT's video is great at regurgitating the marketing jargon, and that includes mentioning it has 5% flex. 5% of what? In which axis? How does this affect the holder? What about heel striders like the OG Vapor Monster, Pavel Bure? Though, to be fair, Bure's early Vapors had TPU outsoles, but that's mostly what he had used up until that time. I found out by using boots without any lateral stiffness in the ankle that I was bottom out on turns where I was leaning back on my heels. Shifting my weight toward my toes made it impossible to bottom out, and now I can't recall the last time I've done it in a stiffer skate. Agility to me, then, seems to be about the front of the blade as well. Props to Bauer for trying something different, but I'm stumped about how it's supposed to work.

Indeed! There were several Penguins at the end of the oughties that wore them: Talbot and Fedotenko as well. About a handful, but that's a lot considering it was still a prototype skate with very little presence behind it. The difference between Gonchar's and Lemieux's skates and the others', though, is that the former are the only two I've seen with the Scott Van Horne build that's reminiscent of a 90's CCM Tacks boot, with the silver heel wedge. Both Gonchar and Lemieux were Tacks wearers, so it makes sense they would use that construction, but it died out after them as far as I can see. Fedotenko, Malkin, and Talbot (as well as Byfuglien and the other early MLX guys) all had skates that resemble the eventual MLX "genie boots" stock look, only with fewer bumper pieces glued on. I wonder when Lemieux became an investor and how that influenced his players using the skates (or perhaps the other way around or a little of both). It would be an interesting history to hear, especially seeing how big of an impact the Scott Van Horne skate has had on the hockey skate market overall.

Don't you badmouth my beloved Micron Mega 10-90's! They were the shiznit! 🤣

Yeah that makes sense, gives me a couple weeks to skate and actually see if they get too loose after some break in time. Thanks

Thanks, as always, for taking the time to write this up. I hear what you're saying about width. I would have to stretch the Fit 2 in the forefoot most likely, the Fit 2/3 for me is more about the heel. For example, I couldn't get into an 8.5 Fit2, but I'm fine in an 8.5 Fit3, I would just clamp the heel a drop if I baked them. I'm thinking I'll order 8W from IW and bake them with the saran wrap method. If they feel to sloppy I'll just swap them for another pair.

I have 7W True TF9s converted for inline. The Bauer 3D scan put me in a 7.5 Fit 3 (I think between 7.5 and 8 as the associate brought me those sizes to try after the scan). I wear 8EE Mako II's for ice. I've baked the TF9s twice and have worn them twice. Externally, the 8EE Makos and 7W TF9s look the same and the depth is also the same. On my feet, the 7W TF9s fit my left foot perfectly with my toes brushing and no negative space. My right foot is firm against the cap with the TF9s - I could use a mm or two of room with my right foot, but it's not painful. My 8EE's feel just a touch longer than the 7W TF9s (so about a quarter size bigger). The TF9 locks my heel in really well and the midfoot is even tighter than the Mako after baking. The Mako toe box is more comfortable for my foot. So, if you're between an 8.5 and 9 Bauer, I'd guess that size 8 TF9s would be the right length. For width, I'd definitely say go with the W if you were a Fit 3, but between Fit 2 and 3 is a little tougher. I know my TF9s in W aren't sloppy at all, but there's no way I'd squeeze into a Fit 2. Maybe order an 8R and 8W from IW, bake both and see which feels better for you?

Ribcor Team is for the guy who is a play maker, making passes, forechecking, backchecking, screens the goalie and tries to tip in the puck and plays defense. Ribcor Maxx is for the player who hogs the puck when he gets it, never passes it to anyone and hot dogs around the neutral zone for what seems like a minute even when 2 other guys are open for a pass, doesn't play defense for the most part, and wants the ref to call slashing on light taps. Just kidding. I don't know the difference.

Wait what? Oakley dropped out of the visor game?