Davetronz

VH Goalie skates. All I can say is WOW. Just received a fit sample pair in and I am so impressed. Unbaked, un-customized they feel AMAZING. I can only imagine how unreal they'd feel if they were MY customs. Wayne's World Voice: "It will be mine. Oh yes. It will be mine." .... One day. Maybe I'll just leave them on my feet for a few hours - might be hard to work though!

The Clarino is described as the best all-round liner for players who wear socks while playing or do not sweat a tremendous amount from their feet. The Black Wick liner is used for players who either play barefoot or who tend to sweat a lot in their feet. It's just a bit "grippier" for wet or bare feet when it comes down to it.

Here's a few pictures of the new one-piece tendon guard. Much easier to replace. New sewing, minimal glue, no removal of Vibram. The tendon guard is held in place with a single copper rivet. Small piece of material covers the back of the copper.

The new one-piece VH tendon guard is completely and easily replaceable as well. Anyone with a riveter and a spare tendon guard could do one within 2 minutes. I've found the new tendon guards more durable, but I'd assume that you'd have tendon guard issues in ANY skate if you have them taped tightly and they're torquing with body movement.

Bauer has been typically 4-6 weeks depending on the time of season, but I haven't worked with their customs in a while. Yes, the stiffness is comparable to the top-line Supreme skate. And yes, I believe your information is held on file, as well, all custom skates will have a number stamped on the inside to reference the build for future use. But, I do recommend re-tracing and re-measuring your foot each time you order, just to verify past numbers and ensure nothing has changed.

Indeed!

Never had an off-balance Blackstone wheel, but had a bunch from another company. Watch them wobble! They wouldn't even sit flat on a machined surface. I guess quality control is a thing of the past for some companies. Have had really good luck with my authentic Blackstone wheels. Does anyone have any reviews of the Black Walnut 8" wheel for the pro-series? Someone was talking them up to me.

I had the same very small heel/ankle and had to clamp mine originally. I have a slight indentation in those spots and you can visibly see how small my heels/ankles are. Glad to hear they're fixing things up for you. Mine have held their shape and worked perfectly since clamping.

That doesn't sound right at all x-track... I'd email blackstone and see what they have to say.

Optimus, those look awesome. Regarding the heel pocket on mxpowder's skates (and anyone else with the same issue), you can always try heating and clamping the heel area of the skate to make it a bit tighter - but VH will also be able to fix this. Instructions are on their heat fitting video on their site. Do you happen to have the scanned versions of your "paint" tracings? I'd like to see how they turned out.

Sorry to hear that you had some problems and have moved on from your jets. Did you speak with VH about any of the issues? I'm going to comment on some of the issues you reported because I feel many have had very positive experiences. I'm not trying to kick the dust up, just offering a different perspective. - Re: rusted eyelets. If the LHS couldn't fix the eyelets, you could have asked VH to put in some new ones. I haven't seen rusting on my pair from around the same time you ordered yours. - Re: rivets coming loose. Rivets can loosen in any skate depending on their quality, how they were installed, the die used, the length, etc. Again, a pretty easy fix. For some players I replace rivets once a year - it all depends. - Re: tongue. The tongue is replaceable and so is the Velcro. A tongue can break down in any skate with playing style, how it's flopped, pressure, etc. Most skates that I see have some degree of wear to the tongue, regardless of the brand. - Re: boot degradation. Did VH have a response for this? Stitching and glue are easy to fix, but the softening of the boot is something you should contact them about. All skates will have a certain degree of softening over their lifetime. - Re: tendon guard too stiff. Odd, this is something I haven't experiencing whatsoever. I'd actually prefer it to be stiffer! I wonder if it's installed at a bit of an angle, or settled at this angle after baking. Also something that could likely have been rectified for you in some way or another. At the end of the day, I'm not here to argue, but to say that a lot of the above concerns are easy fixes, could be attributed to wear and tear after a year and a half depending on usage, and warrant a discussion with VH for some of your concerns. Definitely post some pictures for us, as suggested above, so we can see the degree and tolerance of the wear. I know that you're in CA, but I'm sure a lot of us here would have gladly worked on your skates for you had you shipped them to us, if not shipping them to VH directly. Again, sorry to hear that you've moved on, but maybe there's still something that can be done for your VH's.

Reviewer Details: 32 years old / 5’11 / 220lbs Location: Calgary, AB Playing Level: Upper div men's rec league hockey (former minor league rep team player) I picked up a set of Bauer Nexus 6000 shoulder pads to replace a worn out set of Bauer Supreme One.4's. I've been using them exclusively for approximately 6 months now. Fit I like the fit of these shoulder pads. They're way too high-end and protective for adult-rec hockey, but I know that I'm not going to end up with an upper body injury from an unexpected hit or a shot that goes too high. The biggest selling feature for me was the comfort of these pads. I like the "traditional" feel. It feels like you're wearing shoulder pads. Not a corset, not a weird sports bra, not a something that bunches up and gets all scrunched. Shoulder pads, with protection and big ol' shoulder caps. I would like them to be a bit less bulky, but this isn't a knock against the pad whatsoever, rather personal choice. 9/10 Protection Great protection. No issues whatsoever. I like the bigger shoulder caps. I like the density of the foams and plastics. I like the coverage of the biceps, abdomen and the chest. Overall, I feel protected. Ready for battle. Yet, mobility is never an issue. The pads let me move and move WITH me. They stay secure to the body while maintaining their protective qualities. 9/10 Weight Again, the pads are a bit bulky and this is reflected a bit in their weight. The weight is a trade-off for the protection. I can't knock the weight because it doesn't hinder the usage and it doesn't feel like they're "too heavy" or too bulky. 8.5/10 Durability No true durability issues to note as of yet. Absolutely nothing whatsoever. The pads have held up really well. A bit of graphic fading, but that's minor. 10/10 Intangibles Nothing really to note here. The pads have a great feel and they're protective. It makes me feel confident at all levels of hockey. For shinny I usually opt for a padded shirt rather than these pads because they are a bit much, but for league play they're my go-to protective. The sizing is good and in-line with other protective. The straps feel good too. Conclusion A great shoulder pad if you're looking for something with superior protection and are willing to go with something a bit thicker, bigger and more bold. A traditional fit which may be more reminiscent of shoulder pads from previous generations for some of us. Not likely a good match for just playing shinny, but a good investment for league play where you're not quite sure where the other team's shots or shoulders are going. Overall Rating 9.1/10

Reviewer Details: 32 years old / 5’11 / 220lbs Location: Calgary, AB Playing Level: Upper div men's rec league hockey (former minor league rep team player) After using RBK since a patellar tendon knee injury using Bauer shin pads a few years ago, I've switched back to Bauer to give the APX2 shins a try. I've been using them exclusively for approximately 4 months now. Fit The fit of these pads is something I could take or leave. I actually like the fit and feel of most upper-end RBK pads better, but I wanted to get the tapered fit of the Vapor APX2. I was wearing a 15" shin pad in RBK and found that I needed a 16" shin in the APX2's. The strapping system on the APX2's is fairly secure and durable. I don't have the thickest legs and I notice that I'm nearly at the smallest adjustment size and still wanting to go a bit tighter, so I need to compensate the difference with sock tape or shin-tights. The knee cradle itself is a bit "odd". I don't feel like my knee is fully secure in the knee cradle. It area could also be a bit plusher - when you go down on your knees it still feels a bit far from "comfortable". I expect a bit more out of a high-end pad. 7/10 Protection Protection throughout the body of the shin pad is good - no issues with shots. The wrapping covers the calf decently and has the right amount of protection as to not inhibit mobility. The added shot blockers at the top of the shins are adjustable and decently protective if you were to be hit while blocking a shot. The area that could use a bit of work is the flexible portion at the bottom of the shin pad closest to the skate. Bauer has made this area "hinged" or flexible as to not impede stride. I find that any shot taken off this area of the shin pad definitely lacks protection that I've had in previous shin pad models. I'd like a bit "more" in this area for protection against shots. 8/10 Weight No issues whatsoever with the weight. The pad is sufficiently light and airy. It's what you'd expect with an elite level Bauer product. 10/10 Durability No true durability issues to note as of yet. The liners are wearing a bit, but I'd attribute this to normal wear and tear. The graphics have work off the front of the shin pad in a few places, but who needs the graphic anyways? 10/10 Intangibles I wish more manufactures (Bauer included) made a rounded knee cap on shin pads like the good ol' days. I find it awkward to go down on these squared off shin pads. I also had to start wearing long spandex pants shortly after getting these shin pads. I developed a rash on both knees around the area where the Poron material lives in the knee cradle. Despite washing the liners, this rash would persist as long as I wore bare-skin in the shin pads. It goes away when I wear the long tights. I e-mailed Bauer customer support about this issue and never heard back (this was over 2 months ago). Conclusion The APX2 shin pads are a good investment if you're looking for an elite level Bauer product with decent protection, a light-weight design and a tapered fit. The pad is durable and performs well at a high level of play, but it has some drawbacks in protection at the base of the shin pad and a few design elements that I'd prefer modified. Overall Rating 8.75/10

Same thing here. I'll send you a PM with a possible "fix" since it's outside the realm of the vh topic.

I believe it is standard.

I had the same problem. Haven't had to use the sleeves since I've been in VH. They'll accommodate it in the last, and they'll line the inside of the toe-cap with a gel/protectant type material. Feels great.

Sick. Same number as me. If you end up not liking them, just ship em up north!

Very jealous! Can't wait til I order my goalies.

Exactly. This..

Awesome. Sounds like good choices. I still really want to try the black wicking. Maybe I'll order it on my goalie set.

Personal recommendations? I love the tan clarino in mine. It's held up well. In goalie skates, maybe I'd try the black wicking liner... Might be a bit "grippier". I'd also recommend the regular tongue for goalie. I like the forward flex while wearing pads and I'd hate to be restricted or pinched if it's too stiff. I don't think lacebite would be an issue if you have the right depth/fit.

I'll be ordering a pair of goalie when the Winter season starts up again. Those are ridiculous!

Maybe it's fair to pose the question again and see if anyone who has got a newer pair of skates is having the rusty eyelet issue. I have an earlier pair and they aren't rusting - maybe it was something to do with the batch of eyelets or perhaps the supplier has since been changed.

You'll really like them. Just read up on the info in this thread re measurement and ordering (or visit an authorized reseller) and you'll be golden. Most comfortable skate out there and they are definitely performers. Let us know if you have any questions.

For which machine? Personal? Professional?