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Slate Blackcurrant Watermelon Strawberry Orange Banana Apple Emerald Chocolate Marble
Slate Blackcurrant Watermelon Strawberry Orange Banana Apple Emerald Chocolate Marble

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Showing content with the highest reputation on 01/14/19 in all areas

  1. 1 point
    As we are in our 15th year of existence (3/20 being the official date), we will be using this logo to commemorate it: It will also be featured on SummerJam and Winterfest jerseys on a patch, and we'll also have a t-shirt. Absolutely crazy that we've been around so long. Thanks goes to everyone who has helped us out along the way.
  2. 1 point
    Not to mention, they probably want to use a chassis that exists today in a manufacturable state. Haven’t heard much from fizix in a long time
  3. 1 point
    Saw those on Facebook. Impressive looking skate. Wonder what the price will be.
  4. 1 point
    I got my first hands-on look at a Marsblade ice holder and blade combination early this week - figured I'd post my thoughts for those that might be interested, as this concept has generated a fair bit of interest both here and elsewhere.... First off, by way of background, the holders (and the skates they're attached to) are not mine. They belong to a buddy of mine who is one of Marsblade's first investors. He received a set of Marsblades and a set of spare runners from Per last week and asked me to sharpen them over the weekend. As they are not on my skates, I DID NOT SKATE ON THEM. I just sharpened the runners. My buddy skated on them in an extremely high level (no...really...almost all former NHL players) pick up session on Sunday night and his comments are at the end of this post. Before I get to that, here are my thoughts based on some bench time with the holders/runners. (N.B. I didn't have express permission from Per or my buddy to take/post any pictures, so I cobbled together a quick diagram of the chassis/blade combo in MS Word. Hopefully this helps illustrate how these things work. Any questions, please ask and I'll do my best to explain/clarify...) Anyway... They're freaking heavy...AND bulky My buddy's skates are Nexus 2Ns, which aren't the lightest things in the world...add the Marsblades, and they're approaching my Trues in heft (928g for his Nexuses w/Marsblades vs 987g for my Trues with Step holders and runners -- both size 272 holders). I know, I know...don't skip leg day. But, if minimizing the amount of weight you're lugging around the ice is high on your priority list, then Marsblades are likely not for you. Also, the way these things work necessitates a pretty bulky construction. The "towers" (part that is mounted to the boot) are pretty standard. Where they get hefty is towards the bottom. See, the blade itself is integrated into a plastic chassis that then fits into the holder. As such, the slot in the holder is about twice the width of one on a non-Marsblade holder, giving the whole thing a bit of a 'bloated' appearance and feel. Given the movement designed into the Marsblades, I can't see how they could have designed the holder to be more streamlined, but there is significant bulk inherent in the system that I guess I wasn't anticipating. They don't 'move' anywhere NEAR as much as I thought they would...and the whole assembly is much 'tighter' than I anticipated Given the premise of Marsblades, I figured they'd be somewhat 'teeter-totter-ish'. They're not. At all. They actually move very little - a total of maybe 1/8" to 1/4" of total travel is possible under hand pressure. Additionally, the way they're designed, there's a limit as to how much they can actually move, so under a skater's body weight, they might move a BIT more, but not a hell of a lot more. Also, it takes a fair bit of effort to get them to move much at all - which is definitely by design. The flex/movement response is designed to be progressive - meaning the more the skater pushes (either forward or backward), the more the holder slides up (or down) the chassis/blade combo. Put differently, it's not like these things are slamming forwards and backwards in their holders. They're very tight and the movement is surprisingly subtle. Once I took the Marsblades apart, I discovered that there is a composite 'bar' that forms the basis of the rocking system. When the skater leans forward, the chassis rocks forward into the toe of the holder - that motion is controlled and, ultimately, limited by the flexing of the bar against a spacer bolt that goes through the entirety of the holder and chassis. Same on the back of the skate. The design is truly ingenious, as the only part that really 'moves' is the blade/chassis assembly - which is really only two pieces (bar and chassis). There are no gears to strip, no levers to break, and no channels to wear out. The composite bar is likely subject to wear, but it seems extremely robust and, should it weaken or fail, it can be replaced. Here's my MSWord diagram to (hopefully) illustrate this whole concept... Anyway. Moving on. There's a bunch of hardware involved and they're a total pain to work on The blade/chassis combo is held into the holder by 4 spacer bolts that go through the whole assembly from the lateral side. Each of the spacer bolts is then held in with a machine screw that is secured from the medial side of the skate. Yep. It's like a CCM SB holder on steroids - FOUR freaking bolts per holder!!! Anyway. In between each of the machine screws and the blade holder, there is a clear silicone washer (just wait until you drop those little bastards....) with no discernible purpose, as the screws are designed to bottom out in the spacer bolts, preventing over tightening. (Marsblade provides a tool (hex wrench on one end, spacer-pusher on the other) that will help you take them apart, but you'll need to provide your own flat-head screwdriver (or another hex wrench) to add preventative torque, or the spacers will just spin around in their holes when you try to loosen the screws.) Anyway. Getting the blade chassis out of the holder requires removing all four screws and pushing the spacer bolts out of the assembly. Then, you get to find somewhere safe to keep track of the spacer bolts, the screws, and the four teeny, CLEAR silicone washers. Once all the hardware is out, the blade/chassis slides out of the holder with relative ease and the composite rocker bar falls out of the chassis and on to the floor. Of course. Aside from making sure you have the blade/chassis combo going the correct direction (half notch goes towards the toe) and remembering to put the rocker bar in to the slot on the chassis, putting them back together is just the opposite of taking them apart. However, you have to put the two middle spacers (and corresponding screws) in first, because those control the positioning of the blade/chassis assembly in relation to the other bolt holes. Yet another thing to remember as you're working on these things. Again, you can't over tighten anything because the screws bottom out before they get too tight, so you just screw everything back together and proceed on your merry way. Honestly, no one part of working on the Marsblades is particularly difficult, but taken all together, it IS a pain. There are too many small parts and they all need to fit together just so. In an ideal world, you'd really want to be working on these on a bench in good lighting and without being in a hurry. Any other situation, you're risking forgetting or losing something...and I can't even imagine trying to work on these in a player's bench setting. Put differently, if you get Marsblades, be aware that you're not going to be doing any blade changes between shifts....or, most likely, between periods. They're just too damn complicated and have too many teeny parts that will undoubtedly find their way into the graveyard of missing critical parts. I presume Marsblade has spare parts...and I recommend anyone that gets them have access to plenty, because unless you're being REALLY careful, you're likely to lose something. The steel SUUUUUUUUCKS...and is not replaceable I mention this because there is no other option. Since the chassis/blade combo is one integrated unit and the steel itself is not removable, you're kinda stuck. There are no third-party replacement runners available and, given the proprietary nature of the chassis/blade combo, I can't see how there ever will be. If Marsblades catch on, perhaps this will change, but as it stands right now, if you want Marsblades, you have to get Marsblade steel. The runner is made of your garden variety stainless which burrs terribly and doesn't hold an edge well. Which, if we're being honest, isn't all that different from stock steel on a mid-level skate from either of the major skate manufacturers. However, since you have to pay a hefty premium to get Marsblades in the first place, it'd be nice if the steel didn't suck. On ice review - again, from my friend So, just so we're clear, my friend played more than 500 games in the NHL. I mention this simply because his experience with the Marsblades is colored by HIS past and HIS ideas of how skates should work FOR HIM, and a novice skater/average beer leaguer is likely to have a very different experience than he had. Plus, this was ONE skate on what amounts to a prototype, so it is safe to say that once the kinks are worked out and full production begins, a great many things could change. As such, all of the opinions that follow need to be taken with the appropriate grain of salt. Anyway. Long story short, it was a struggle for him. Here are some quotes: "I felt off balance the entire time and was WAY too far back on my heels" "I was digging into the ice on every turn and couldn't keep any speed" "I felt like there was too much blade on the ice" "I wound up moving back to defense - it felt like I couldn't keep up as a forward" As a result of his feedback, I re-sharpened them yesterday, taking him from a 1/2" flat bottom radius (Fire ring on the Sparx) down to a 5/8" flat bottom radius; and the folks at Marsblade are going to make some adjustments to his holders and he is going to try them again. Should there be anything noteworthy to report after his next time on the ice, I'll post a follow-up. Final Thoughts Though the Marsblade concept is still super interesting and seems to be based on relatively sound science, the execution kinda makes the whole thing feel a little "gimmicky" to me. In the end, they are heavy, bulky, and there are too many pieces to lose. Now then, I'm aware that this is essentially a prototype and much could change before the final production models are rolled out, but I simply can't see how a great deal of what Marsblade is trying to do here can't otherwise be accomplished by profiling your steel. A good profile can control the amount of steel that is ultimately on the ice and also control your pitch...and do so without adding a layer of complexity that the average hockey player (IMHO, anyway) doesn't need or want. To me, the best use of the Marsblade concept remains making a rollerblade 'feel' more like an ice blade. Time, of course, will tell if I'm right....
  5. 0 points
    I hope not... didnt they already kill the 46? I picked up a 30 as i couldn't find a 46. Loved the 46...



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