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Vet88

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Everything posted by Vet88

  1. Vet88
    I've got CA9's and RX60's and the frame holes do line up as far as i can tell. I measured the distances between each hole along and across the frame and they appear to all be the same. Alkali do not recess any wheels into the boot so you won't have to modify the rx60 boot for the wheels to fit.
  2. Vet88
    It all depends on yr foot shape, balance and how you skate. My right foot little toe gets a blister, left foot is fine. Team mates have no issues. I know a couple of pros at Narch who always tape up a toe or two because of blisters. All of these folk are either in CA9's or RPD's . At the end of the day some get blisters and some don't. It may be a pita to have to tape a toe up but that shouldn't put you off what is a very good skate.
  3. Vet88
    Yeah, it started like this for me also. Thought it would go away if I just skated a little less, if I protected my feet a little more etc etc. After a while as soon as you start skating it starts to hurt after a few minutes on the rink and then it's permanent every time you pull your skates on. Goodness knows what would happen if I didn't skate for a month or so, I don't have time to find out. If you are only in them once or twice a week you may get away with it but I'm in them every day for hours at a time, sigh..... I should own shares in a medical tape company.
  4. Vet88
    I've tried that but can't find anything suitable to hold the gel pad in place. Ideally one could slip it under boot liner and glue / stitch it there but access to that part of the boot is really difficult unless you take the tongue out (more cost). I'm going to try some "Gel Bunion Shield Toe Protector" and some "Re-usable Adhesive Protective Gel Dot Pads" to see which works best.
  5. Vet88
    I love this boot but this is the biggest problem, imho they got something badly wrong here with the join between the toe cap and the boot. Oh for something like impact gel across the seam. I tape my feet up with cotton wool and or a strip of impact gel. You can also get bunion or corn gel protectors that slide on over the toe and cover the area of the foot that contacts the seam. Other than this there is no answer as the problem does not go away.
  6. Vet88
    My son has 6D RX60's and they are 1/2 a size to small for me for length. I had to go 6.5 CA9's to get a perfect fit in length (25.5cm foot length, toes feathering toe box with about 1mm spare between back of heel and boot). I transitioned from 10k's (tri d-lite setup) and it took a couple of weeks but after that it's like I've been on them all my life and would be hard pressed to go back to any kind of hi lo setup now. And another player I know has size 11 RX60's which are 1/2 a size to big for him, he is currently in 10.5 CA9's which fit him well for length.
  7. Vet88
    Height wise I didn't notice any difference in skating. I debated about changing my stick length but in the end stuck with what I had and everything settled in after a couple of weeks.
  8. Vet88
    Rbks have lots of volume so make sure you get the length right when sizing your foot in comparison to an alkali. With your rbks, take the laces out and pull the tongue right out. Foot in boot, toes feathering the toe cap, how much gap do you have between the back of your heel and the boot? If it is 1mm - 2mm, you will get a 1/2 size up ie size 8 rbk = size 8.5 alkali. If it is 5mm (pencil test example) then you could get size 8 alkali. My previous skate was Rbk 10k's so I'm pretty sure I'm right with this.
  9. Vet88
    Hey Justin, can you tell us what these skates are, pre release CA9's? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Alkali-Inline-Hockey-Skates-Size-11US-w-80mm-Labeda-wheels-/180989688139?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a23d3794b
  10. Vet88
    Alkali CA9 size 6.5 – 10 months old, I'm in them on average 15 hours a week so that's around 600 hours of usage so far.. Reviewer intro/specs/previous skates used: 5’11” 185lbs, ok skater. Narrow heel and forefoot, slight pronation both feet. Alkali CA9, Reebok 10k, Bauer RX60, Reebok 9k (Crimsion shadow), Mission Boss SE, CCM V10, Mission Boss. Fit: Narrow heel, widish forefoot, med volume. Formability of the skates is one of the big drawcards, after one or two bakes these skates should fit any foot shape out there. Chassis/Wheels/Bearings: Magnesium alloy chassis running 80mm White Addiction wheels, Swiss bearings. Chassis is strong and durable, been hit / kicked plenty of pucks and no issues. 10/10 Wheels have great grip out of the box but durability was very poor, chunked them out on a plastic tiled sports court after 3 weeks of use. 2 other players in my area also have CA9's and suffered the same problems so it's not just me or a bad wheel batch, wished they put harder wheels like orange addictions on. 3/10 Bearings are fast and durable and still going. I clean them regularly and have measured them against Swiss ceramics and they perform close to these. 10/10 Weight/Protection: weight is slightly heavier than other top end skates, not by much but noticable when holding one against an RX60 or APXR. Protection is mid range, have taken pucks against the toe and sides and some of them really hurt. If protection is what you are after you would get some APXR's, otherwise the protection is similar to other top end skates. 8/10 Durability: This is one area where the boot excels above all other skates I have had. Wet from sweat for about 5 hours every day for the last 10 months, eyelets still solid, tongue hasn't fallen apart, outside and inside still all in good condition, stitching holding together very well. The shiny outer layer on the boot has a couple of cracks / splits in it but that's to be expected from pucks, falls, scrapes along the boards. I am really hard on my skates having killed my last pair (Rbk 10k's) inside of 3 months so for these to still be going strong after 10 months of really hard use is a testament to their build quality. 10/10 Looks: No issues here and they receive a lot of compliments. 10/10 Comfort: Whilst the fit and modability is excellent, with high use there are some definite niggles that come with these skates. Tongue - Not great, after a few weeks use I had to resort to a lace bite pad to keep skating in them. Toe box - Myself, along with a host of other players I know from pro to starter, get blisters on their little toes. I wish they would line the toe box with something like impact gel or make it a fraction wider. Also on the inside of the boot where the end of the toe box sits behind the skate liner, a hard ridge develops as the skate liner begins to compress after a lot of use. Tape and cotton wool keep me going but it is a hassle. Flex Zone - Between the 2nd and 3rd eyelet is a flex zone. Just behind the flex zone, mine decided to crease inwards after 6 months of use creating a 1/4 inch long ridge on the inside of the boot that gave me wicked tendon inflammation around the ankle. When it happened, the next day I couldn't even do the skate up on my foot. Heating the area, popping the ridge out and then punching the area was easy enough but it's something I always check now after every skate. Despite the niggles, the fit and comfort is still very good. 8/10 Conclusion: Whilst the all 80 setup took a little while to get used to, once you get there they are a very very good skate that have, so far, stood the test time. Because of the wheels and tongue I would give these an overall 8/10, as the RPD looks to have addressed some of these issues I can't see any reason why future versions of this skate wouldn't get a 10/10 (and I will definitely be buying them again). Additional comment - These are one of the "wettest" skates I have ever used. I thought they were constantly wet because they were not drying properly during winter but we are now into our summer season and they are still soaking wet after each game / practice and take a long time to dry out. The moisture wicking / absorption capability of the boot seems weird, the laces get ultra wet, to the point that when you undo them they "spray" water as they are pulled thru the eyelets. Admittedly it is after 2 - 3 hours of skating in them but other skates I have owned never got this bad. At first I thought it was just me because I do sweat a lot but talking to other CA9 owners, they have the same problem. I have resorted to putting soakers (chamois cloth cut to shape) under my footbeds so they absorb excess moisture before it leaks out the boot and onto the wheels,
  11. Vet88
    If you can't get used to a 76 - 80 setup then I'd say you will really struggle with an all 80 setup. I came from RX60's and Rbk 10k's and even though the Alkali is aggressively pitched, I still found I was in a very different skating stance - definitely pitched further back onto my heels. Gritted my teeth, trained hard and after 2 weeks or so I had adjusted and now don't think about it at all. The ability for the Alkali boot to form fit to your foot is a big plus. Also if you have narrow ankles / heels then these are definitely the boot for you. As to build quality, despite a couple of niggles these are the best boots in terms of build that I have put on and I speak from having used them for over 2 hours every day for the last 6 months or so. Given I destroyed my Rbk 10k's inside of 3 months, this is a testimony to the Alkali boots (CA9's). I don't know of anyone who makes a 72 - 80 setup anymore so if you want to retain this you are going to have to put a frame onto a boot, regardless. I don't see how this would be any different to people who have put Sprung frames onto inline boots and I don't see why it would not work equally as well for an Alkali boot. As to the pitch of the boot, I measured it against a T10, RX60 and 10k and the difference is not that great so if you have put your frame on a Mission boot successfully then I don't see any reason why it would not go onto an alkali boot. If you don't want to use an inline boot then consider an ice boot, something like a Graf would be a good choice as you can buy the specific boot that fits your foot shape.and I know of a few people who have converted Graf boots to inline without any long term issues.
  12. Vet88
    I baked them in a Mission bake oven at a local rink. However afterwards I had to punch some local spots (just behind the little toes and inside / outside ankles) so used a heat gun and some c clamps to give me a custom fit.
  13. Vet88
    Laced up tight and made sure as I laced up my heel was pushed hard into the pocket (and baked them this way). When unlaced my toes just feather the toe cap but once laced up they pull back so they are just off the toe cap. I do skate every day for at least 2 hours so I broke them in pretty quick. They are still right on the limit, if I hit the boards front on my big toe sure knows about it so I have to keep my toenails well trimmed.
  14. Vet88
    I wear 1/2 size bigger in Alkali than current Mission range. Like you, out of the box I thought the Alkali was a couple of mm to small but after a couple of skates and once you lock your heel in tight, the fit is perfect.
  15. Vet88
    If your feet are 26cm's long (see earlier post as to how to measure your foot) then a size 7 should be a perfect fit (around 1mm of space at the back of the heel). If you like a slightly looser fit then you would go for a size 7.5. My feet are 25.5cm's long and I fit a size 6.5 perfectly.
  16. Vet88
    If you had size 8 T9's then you need size 8.5 alkali. As a reference point, a foot that measures 25.5cm fits a 6.5 alkali with about 1mm to spare (imho a perfect fit). A 27cm foot (size 8) should fit a 8.5 alkali however you may want a fraction more room and could consider another 1/2 size up, depends on how you like your fit. Measure your foot (heel against wall, measure to the end of the longest toe) and use these figures as a guideline. Good luck, the CA9 is a very good skate.
  17. Vet88
    Hey Justin, a question about maintenance of the CA9 boot. I skate between 2 - 3 hours a day, 7 days a week. I am one of these people who sweat a lot and by the time I've finished my boots are soaking wet eg the laces shed water as I pull them thru the eyelets when taking the boot off. So I am wondering about how much damage the salt from my sweat is doing to the boots. I know how bad it is for certain parts of the boot like eyelets and rivets, I've watched my CCM V10, Mission Boss and Rbk 10k eyelets disappear after just a month or so (commendations to the eyelets used in the CA9 as they have held up well so far). The other day I was giving them a quick final dry in the sun and notice some leeching of salt along the side of the boot. Do you recommend soaking them in water (wheels off) every now and then? If so, how often eg once a week, month....?
  18. Vet88
    Hey Justin, I've had my CA9's now for almost a month. I average 2 - 3 hours a day in them, 7 days a week, so they have had a fair amount of time to break in. I'm now finding there is a ridge inside the boot, it's on the inner side of the boot, positioned directly behind the Alkali logo that acts as a scuff guard on the side of the boot (in line with the ball of my foot). I'd say it's where you have overlayed the end of the toe cap with the boot liner but haven't put anything next to the toe cap edge to cancel the ridge out. As the boot has worn in, the boot liner has compressed and now there is this hard vertical edge in the boot. It's got so bad that I'm almost at the point of not been able to skate, when I finish a session I have this vertical line imprinted into the side of my foot. I'm now trying to pad up with cotton wool and other various things to try and stay in the skates, do you have any suggestions? ps - no reply from Labeda, I swapped the white addictions out for red ones and these are holding up ok. The white ones chunked out by the 3 week mark.
  19. Vet88
    Thanks, I dropped him a message and will wait for his reply. The message to Justin was to see if there could be a batch issue somewhere in the production runs which Alakli might have a better handle on than Labeda. At the speed I'm going thru these I'll need new wheels very soon and if it isn't a batch issue then I will have to give some serious thought to a harder rated wheel, something I haven't done before but now necessary because of a change in boot / chassis.
  20. Vet88
    Hey Justin, have you had any issues with the white addictions? I got my CA9's last week, now with a total of 14 hours skating on a plastic tile surface the front and back wheels are splitting and starting to chunk out. Even 74a hyper trinitys lasted longer than these and the red addictions I had on my Rbk 10k's lasted since Xmas (I'm 5' 11" and weigh 165lb's). Either the CA9's have really screwed up my skating style or there is something wrong with the wheels.
  21. Vet88
    You are right, I should have tempered my answer with "orthotics / pronation / ice hockey in the main don't work". Yes, if you have a mild case you may get away with orthotics. For medium to severe cases then you will be looking for a different answer, especially if you play ice hockey. BethG - ask the doc if he can recommend you to someone who knows about fitting feet with problems into ice skates. Do consider the Graf range of skates, they are one of the few models around (outside of a custom boot) that have variations in boot shape so you can purchase a skate to match a foot.
  22. Vet88
    Orthotics in skates don't help, in shoes they work because they are sitting flat on the ground but in a skate there is nothing for the orthotic to lever off to straighten the foot. You have to try and find someone who understands the mechanics of a foot in an ice skate and can either realign the holder for you or shim it correctly. However there is another possible option which has worked for me. I have been previously diagnosed with bad pronation in my right foot, medium in my left. Got new Rbk 11k's in December and over the last 5 months I have been skating with loosely tied skates, and as my skating has got used to this (and improved) I have progressively continued to loosen the laces. My ankles have increased in strength and my pronation has reduced drastically to the point I don't worry about it now. I am skating 2 - 3 hours every day which in itself has really helped but I have been really surprised at how my pronation has all but disappeared, in both roller and ice. Admittedly if I do a lot of inside edge work on both skates at the same time I can feel the feet starting to turn in the boot after about 5 minutes so I just have to manage this during training and game time. If you only skate once or twice a week then I doubt this would help you but if you can put in the serious hours then this may help.
  23. Vet88
    Any skate can be stretched but it's the composition of the boot that determines how well the stretch lasts. Buy a bottom end skate and stretching generally damages the structure of the skate. Buy a top end skate and you can stretch it by up to a cm in width and around 1/2 a cm in length and it will last for years. I always buy a D and stretch my boots out to just short of an EE, this way I can get the perfect width for my feet, as good as a custom boot fit. Your LHS should be able to stretch boots for you but if you are the kind who wants to give these things a go then a pair of c clamps, lengths of wood and with lots of time you can get some amazing results.
  24. Vet88
    I have the same problem. I tried the orthotic route and after spending a bucketful of money I found it only slightly helped the problem. Then I read the article to the link you provided and decided to alter the blade alignment. One of the issues you have with this approach is deciding when the alignment is correct. I found the answer here was to impose myself on the speed guys. They have had adjustable blades for years, beg borrow buy a pair of speed skates, keep adjusting the blade until you feel the skate is right. Have someone look at you as you skate off the ice after having done some fast(ish) laps or stop starts. If you are skating upright and feel comfortable then you can use the alignment from the speed skates as a guide to the alignment you need on your boot. The youtube vid is a good one for shims and shims have the advantage of keeping the resale value of your boot (easy to restore to original). However after having had this discussion with many foot experts, the general consensus I got was that moving the blade is the best solution, shimming next and then orthotics (if they work for you).
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