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People would be surprised how identical "what the pros use," and "what's easiest for the equipment guy" are

Was moving this week and came across these blasts from the past. Brought back a lot of memories.

been skating on fbv for a decade now and couldn’t imagine ever going back to a regular hollow. who cares what NHLers use. i’m a 40 year old beer league player

I find your reasoning not so simple. Considering whether "young players should train on what the pros use" and using your Bedard example, I come to the opposite conclusion. If a young player finds something that elevates their play (as you say you think Bedard's boot and steel choices did for his skating) they're optimizing their performance, which is directly connected to their visibility and chances of making it to and beyond the next level. If instead they opt to stay inside the box of what's in the pro arsenal, they could be leaving performance on the table, diminishing both their chances of making it to higher levels, as well as their degree of excellence at those levels. Once they get to a level where they're professionally outfitted (team buys, EQM does the work, sponsorships could be available, etc.) then the element of "being a team player" with your equipment preferences could come in. Until that, I'd say it makes the most sense to do whatever you can that's legal to elevate your play. Not to mention that "what the pros use" isn't static, it evolves. Those pros who do use what pros used when they were kids are few and seen as curiosities--Sidney Crosby being the best example. Consider the clap skate as a counterexample. The technology was there collecting dust for around a decade before some elite skaters finally gave it a fair shake. Then everyone switched and all the world records fell, not necessarily in that order. Just because the pros don't use it doesn't mean it's not any good. There's a significant familiarity bias when the margins are razor thin.

Yup, 100% dad market cash grab. What sort of irks me about these things is trying to make it feel like the original, or hyping it like its some other worldly thing they are bring back for a limited time. Those TPS sticks were great at that point in time. I can't imagine they'd stand up to a modern composite. I think CCM got it right with the retro Tacks.

Bauer Vapor Skate Fit Evolution (2009–2025) Model | Heel Fit | Forefoot | Boot Height / Instep | Pitch | Fit Notes ----------------|------------------|--------------------|---------------------------|------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------- X:60 (2009) | Very narrow, deep V | Narrow, tapered | Very low | Very aggressive | Classic Vapor. Ultra-tight heel lock and shallow fit. APX (2011) | Narrow | Slightly wider | Still low | More aggressive | Added recoil tongue. More anatomical heel and wrap. APX2 (2013) | Narrow | Tapered, rigid | Low, stiff ankle wrap | Aggressive | Stiff plastic quarter. Heaviest feel of pre-1X Vapors. 1X (2015) | Narrow | Tapered | Low, better wrap | Aggressive | Lightweight Curv® build. Softer wrap, more form-fit. 1X 2.0 (2016) | Narrow | Tapered | Slightly higher instep | Slightly less aggressive| Improved liner comfort. Slightly more volume up top. 2X Pro (2019) | Narrow | Tapered, more toe space | Low-mid | Aggressive-balanced | Asymmetrical toe cap adds subtle width. Still snug heel. Hyperlite (2021) | Narrow-ish | Tapered | Taller instep | Less aggressive | Softer quarter. More flex in upper. Heel less locked-in. Hyperlite 2 (2023)| Narrow-ish | Tapered | Same as HL1 | Similar to HL1 | Refined wrap. Slight heel hold improvement. Flylite (2025) | Narrow to med-narrow| Tapered | Lower instep | More aggressive | Returns to tighter wrap like APX2 but modernized. Key Fit Evolutions (2009–2025): X:60 → APX: Tighter, more anatomical heel and stiffer wrap. APX2: More rigid, durable, with reduced comfort/flex. 1X: Big leap—lighter, more mobile, better thermoform fit. 1X 2.0: Slightly more upper boot volume—less toe pressure. 2X Pro: Slight forefoot width increase via new toe cap; boot feels more balanced. Hyperlite: Boot height increases, heel lock softens slightly, more flex. Hyperlite 2: Small refinements, improved heel lock with similar shape. Flylite: Brings back older locked-in feel with modern materials.

Skip the rivet. Just use helmet hardware or the appropriate bolt, etc. Will stay connected much better and you don't even need access to a riveter.

Ok, again, I’m jaded and don’t like anything. But, this is just a brand name stamped on a mediocre stick, right? Like the “synergy” sticks that are a low tier Bauer with Easton graphics and a higher price point than they should have. No one under 40 actually cares if some ancient brand makes sticks again. If this were a new, modern build offering something unique, wouldn’t they use a new name to capture the youth market, who is far and away the biggest selling point? And if it’s the “classic” TPS, why does anyone care about people who have been out of the game for 20 years? And, outside of the XN10 (which, to be fair, people loved), TPS was never putting out GREAT sticks, right? They were fine, but it’s not like they were pushing boundaries and doing interesting stuff and suddenly stopped. Nostalgia for the sake of nostalgia. I’m happy to be proven wrong but, nothing about this strikes me as actually exciting.

I bought the yellow original not knowing they were two different quality sticks. I can weigh mine but it's very light, and a good value stick for the money

Easton had the exposed shell thing going for a few years before the MLX acquisition. Mako is 100% MLX crossed with a full-fledged production capacity and budget. I think some of Cruikshank's ideas were emphasized as well. True still hasn't really done a flex tendon that comes close to the flex of the MLX tendon, and the Mako tendon guard was even softer.

https://www.themiddlemarket.com/latest-news/w-graeme-roustan-acquires-true-hockey For those who the name W. Graeme Roustan rings a bell - he led the deal when Nike sold Bauer in 2008. He and Kohlberg & Co (PE firm) bought Bauer and he served as the Chairman of Bauer.

This can only be good since Trues QC is so bad.

I can't say definitively he wasn't involved at any point--maybe Cruikshank consulted him here and there? But from all I've read and heard about MLX going to Easton, Cruikshank was the one that was touted as their personnel acquisition. Scott seemed to distance himself from the Mako when presenting his initial launch of VH Footwear hockey skates on here. It could be anything, but the tone of his remarks makes me think he didn't think Mako was the way to go with what they had started. Maybe that's how he got to sell his portion of MLX and not get blocked for 5-10 years with a non-compete clause, if he had anticipated or even just contemplated launching into hockey under VH, it would have made sense to make sure that that was legally possible.

Scott wasn't involved with the Mako at all from anything I've heard. Somehow he didn't even have a noncompete after the sale of MLX or VH Footwear wouldn't have been able to release hockey skates. Dave Cruikshank was involved. Easton already had plenty of engineering and product development in house.

Funny as I'm looking at this thread and came to the realization that I got exactly one skate in on the steel, in 2021 - last time I skated. Two total hip replacements later (had the last one in March), may get back on the ice maybe next year? I actually took the LSE set up to SkateScribe when we were up there for SummerJam last year, and so they're profiled. Will let y'all know when it happens. Sorry that I haven't been involved much lately - that's a story for another day - but I do appreciate the ones holding down the fort while I wasn't. Not sure how much I contribute going forward, but we'll see how it goes.

Still rocking the original True SVH customs and still love them, but man, True skates still look ugly. You would think after all these years they would finally have a good looking custom boot. I get fit is paramount, but....

After many years off and time away from MSH, we’re back. Looking forward to getting back out there (albeit the holders are coming off and inline chassis will be going on), but here’s the new 2025 SVH.

Im a (super) proud owner of a Blackstone X02. I think its a fantastic machine and it never failed me. I have both FBV and regular ROH. I think both are great (or maybe im just a good skater, who knows) but ive been skating with FBV 99% for the past 15 years. Just love the glide. i think 1/2 ROH is also great. You can use whatever you like.

What tools Crosby, Ovechkin, McDavid and McKinnon use is not our concern. Because we are not Crosby, Ovechkin, McDavid or McKinnon. To be more specific, we are different, especially in power, including weight. I weigh about 72-74 kg, which is light compared to most NHL players. Leg strength is clearly inferior. When such an amateur wants to enjoy playing ice hockey, sharpening by the RoH may cause inconvenience. This is because the groove depth and blade angle are inseparable and non-selectable. We little guys need a sharp angle that bites properly against the ice with poor weight, but we don't need a groove depth that bites deeply. If the latter is too deep, it will cause unpleasant vibrations and loss of control. The advantage of the flat bottom sharpening is that the blade angle and groove depth can be selected separately. It does not matter whether the blade is trapezoidal in shape or not. In this respect, flat bottom sharpening may outperform round groove grinding, but it is not inferior at all. I repeat. It can be compatible that people of good physique do not need the FBV and that we need FBV. I just choose not to mention it because I am not a big man, but even a big man may feel the need for FBV in some situations for his own reasons. You can choose the suitable method that you need. It is really great that you have no complaints at all about RoH. I am envious. I'm not, which is why I love FBV 100/50 .

I don't really give a shit.

Absolutely! I sharpen for about half of my son's high school team. So far all but one has switched to FBV and love it.