Davetronz

Waxed laces, SOLE insoles, re-baking, and even hair dryer spot heating and compressing/pressing in certain areas really helped for me. With respect to the ankle wrap video posted above, be careful not to "pull" the top edges of the skate too much into your ankle or you'll have discomfort. If this happens, heat up the area with a hair dryer and pull it back outwards to relieve the pressure.

Well there goes my hypothesis.

I'm wondering if the rust has anything to do with climate and humidity (of course it does, to a degree). But perhaps the rusting is going to be worse and more prevalent in humid climates where the skates are used. Mine have absolutely no signs of rust or corrosion - but I live in a dry, cold, area. I really only see rust on eyelets around here when the player doesn't take their skates out of their bag or stores the bag, unpacked, in a warm area. Not saying mc88 doesn't dry out his gear or doesn't look after it, but perhaps the climate is a strong factor to do with this. To anyone else who was having the rusting eyelet issue, where are you located?

Nothing yet. Haven't had a chance to edit. Been non-stop with teams the past few weeks. I'll try to get it up in one form or another ASAP.

Anyone make a homemade cross grinder yet? Any challenges or FYIs that came up during the process? Seems like it would be much simpler than fabricating a finishing wheel.

I replaced my broken left VH tendon guard this weekend and took video of the process. I'll edit it and post a link to it when I get a chance. Very easy to replace, and the new one looks/feels great.

I had to wear gel toe sleeves (for runners) on my big toes due to constant painful callouses and pressure blisters before VH. This is one of the things I mentioned to Scott and he accomodated this area and I've had no problems and since getting VH's haven't had to wear the sleeves.

I've been using a set of SOLE insoles in my VH skates. I had a bit too much volume when I first received them and the insolves save solved that. I'd likely ask Scott to build the next pair around my insoles to solve the volume issues. I'd also want to stress to him that I need a true C-width last and a true AA heel this time.

I also ditched the dangler for a Bauer goalie throat and neck protector. I found that the dangler just got in the way, got caught or otherwise was a pain in the butt.

I went from LS2 holders on the APX to Edge holders on the VH. So there's a bit of forward attack difference there accounted for the holder change.

I was on Vapor APX before my VH. I feel like the VH have a slightly more aggressive forward pitch, and a lower cut design on the sides.

I was getting some irritation from a pair of skates where the liner had rolled a bit and the tendon guard assembly was digging into the back of my heel slightly. The skates, over time, were starting to become a bit looser in the heel. I decided to pick up a pair of Ezeefit booties in the thinnest design to give them a try. Here's a pic what they look like: Background: 30 years old / 5’11 / 215lbs / left-handed Men's div B/C and shinny hockey (former minor league rep team player) On ice ~5 hours a week Fit I fit into a pair of M-L or L depending on the cut. I have a 7.5 skate size and anywhere between a 9.5-10.5 shoe size. I have a very high arch and the booties are stretchy enough to fit over this added volume. The booties do stretch a bit over time, but I find they shrink back when you toss them in the washer and then the dryer (which is not recommended by the manufacturer). The booties come in 3 different thicknesses at time of writing. You can customize how much protection or how much volume you're looking to add. 9/10 Protection These protect insanely well against abrasion, rubbing and pressure. If there's something awry in your skate, these might be enough to protect your foot a bit. They provide some protection against shots as they are slighly padded through their design. The thicker models would likely offer more protection. I'm not going to bill them as offering protection against shots, but they do add a layer of padding. For the purpose of their design they protect your foot from irritation and injury. The back seam of the bootie MAY irritate the back of your heel a bit. I noticed it at first, but I think I've gotten used to it and the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. 8.5/10 Weight There's nothing to them. Lightweight and fold up to the size of a small pair of socks in your bag. 10/10 Durability The logos have both worn off from washing, and the red interior has bled a bit onto my hockey skate socks, but they've held up design-wise. No problems with stitching, and I've been using them for upwards of 9 months, rotating two pairs. They do stretch out over use, but they shrink back after a wash and dry. 10/10 Intangibles These also work really well in Cowboy boots or in footwear that just isn't confortable on the heel or ankle. I haven't found any footwear in which they don't work to some degree. Your foot does get warmer, and I recommend that you wear the bootie UNDER your sock to prevent slipping. You can wear it above as well, but it holds in place better under the sock. I find that due to my insanely narrow ankle and heel (custom AA is still even a bit loose for me) these booties help by providing a bit more volume, yet are much more comfortable and adaptable than Stable 26. They also offer full foot booties (like a sock) and toe-box booties (for the toes only) - maybe this would help others who have issues with this area of their skate or footwear. 10/10 Conclusion I love these ankle booties for reducing pressure to the tendon at the top of my ankle and for adding a bit of bulk to my very narrow ankle and heel. They're very protective (when it comes to friction and abrasion) and they are extremely durable. They're washable and they are very economical when compared to something like Stable26 or using pro-wrap for a similar purpose. 47.5/50 - 95/100 = 95%

Time for another review, this time it's the Mission Pro Compression Padded Shirt. Is it a shirt, is it shoulder pads? Actually, it's both. I picked up this item second-hand, used twice, from another MSH member. Best purchase ever. Here's a pic of what it looks like: Background: 31 years old / 5’11 / 215lbs / left-handed Men's div B/C and shinny hockey (former minor league rep team player) On ice ~5 hours a week I've struggled to find a good, light-weight and protective shoulder pad for adult rec hockey and shinny. I've previously used and liked the Bauer Supreme One.4, but found it a bit bulky for shinny. Fit I picked up the XL model - I'm usually between a L and an XL when it comes to uppers. I'm sure glad I went with the XL because this product fits SMALL. It definitely is a compression shirt. I do appreciate that it wears pretty long on my torso so I can tuck it into my pants. This is a big bonus because I don't like when shirts or shoulder pads roll up. The protective shoulder and arm caps are attached using adjustable velcro. This is also a bonus as not everyone is built the same. I'd prefer if this shirt was a tad roomier in size, but otherwise fits great. 8.5/10 Protection I'll preface this topic by stating that I don't play contact hockey anymore. I was looking for something lightweight, moveable, flexible, breathable, etc. This product fits the fill perfectly. I feel more than comfortable wearing it during shinny, but I am a bit hesitant to wear it during league play for one reason only. The padding over the core/heart and ribs leaves a bit to be desired. It would likely only pose a problem if you were bodychecked straight on, if you got hit by a shot, or if you were slashed. For me, it works perfectly for shinny. The guys I play with keep the puck down when someone is out front. The green perforated padding in this area is nothing more than airy foam. It moves great with your body - I'll say that. This would be a perfect option for roller hockey and I think that's what it was designed for. The shoulder caps, due to their adjustable design tend to sometimes hang a bit low. This exposes a bit of the top of the shoulder. I've yet to dial this in pefectly, but like I said, they work perfect for shinny. 6.5/10 Weight Zero concerns here. This is a lightweight product. You barely notice that it's there. 10/10 Durability I wash these in the washing machine with cold water and normal detergent once a week. They've held up nicely for the past 3-4 months. No issues whatsoever. The heatpress mission logos for the sizing and part number are wearing off, but this is minor. The graphics on the body of the shirt remain vibrant. No issues with stitching or straps or velcro. 9/10 Intangibles The compression shirt itself is a short sleeve. Likely designed to keep roller hockey players cool in the warmer months. I'm a long-sleeve hockey shirt guy. Because of this I end up wearing a long sleeve Under Armor shirt under the Mission Pro. This adds a bit of bulk, but I refuse to play without long sleeves. I'd ultimately like a version of this with long sleeves and a touch more protection in the chest/heart area. Sometimes the padding moves around inside when you wash it - easy enough to fix. 8/10 Conclusion For shinny, I couldn't ask for a better pad. If you're a gambler, it might also be all that you need for league play, as long as you're coming from not wearing shoulder pads at all. It's a compromise. This shirt would rock for roller hockey. It's protective enough, it's cool, light, and moves with your body. The pricepoint is pretty good for a compression shirt with a semi-shoulder pad built in. Overall, I'd buy another one without hesitation. Great product in terms of what it's designed for. 42/50 - 84/100 = 84%

Wow Chris, you went all out with a pretty nice setup! Congrats. I'm a bit jealous about your helmet and graphics - it's my next purchase to replace my 125lb Vaughn. The butterfly pics. Are you leaning backwards or trying to put your butt down towards the floor when in butterfly? What if you try to "sit up" a bit straighter, are you able to close your knees a bit more then? I am probably one of the least flexible humans I know, and I'm able to get my knees closed on carpet (on the ice I'm down to about an inch apart). Can you identify an area of strain when you go into butterfly like that? Hip flexors? Ankles? IT Bands? Groing? Anything? Perhaps something is too tight and restricting some natural movement. If nothing is in the way, or blocking it physically I'd recommend doing some exercises to stretch and open your hip flexors and to loosen up your quads and hamstrings. This is the area I need to work a lot, and after being diligent with it I notice a MAJOR improvement. You don't want to be too stiff out there, or you'll end up getting hurt. From an inflexible guy who started playing goal about 2 years ago, feel free to drop me a line any time to discuss.

Mimizk, Careful when using the bandage wrap during heat fit. You run the risk of pulling the upper edges of the skate boot near the top of the ankle too far inwards and they'll dig into your foot or apply pressure. This doesn't happen with a speed skate because of the lower cut boot (like a sneaker). If this happens with hockey skate you can warm up this area with a hair drier and use your fingers to "roll" it back outwards. Rivets are rivets. They're going to loosen on any skate over time. Factors that might increase the speed of rivets losening include a worn out or faulty die, a wrongly sized rivet, or improper pressure when riveting. It could also be the steel the rivet is made from - if it corrodes and the feet break from the rivet, it will come loose. In my opinion there isn't a problem with the riveting on the VH skates. There might be one-off rivets because it's a hand-made product, but it shouldn't be a concern. Rivets are easy and uncostly to replace.

I think the number is 3-5 pairs on average for skates.

This works if the rivet/copper is what is broken. I had one that I needed to re-crimp/press because it was a bit loose after baking and on an angle and digging into my heel. If the actual tendon guard is broken at this junction where the copper passes through, it's a no-go and Scott needs to be the one to fix it. It's relatively simple if it's the first case. A small cut is all that's needed, and you can re-glue it after you've installed a new copper, or re-pressed it.

+1 I was looking down at my skates today while I was on the bench and couldn't help but think how happy I am with them (10+ mo in). Sure they took a bit of time to dial-in (perfectionist), but now they're golden. I've worn my VH's longer than any skate I've tried in the past 3+ years. Before them, I was quickly becoming a serial skate purchaser - pulling the trigger on almost anything in an attempt to solve my foot problems and keep being able to play. I have the least amount of foot pain, foot problems and alignment problems in the VH's compared to any other major top-end model/brand. I'm on the ice typically 4-5 hours per week, minimum without issues. I don't care if my skates were pink with purple polka dots and unicorn graphics on them, as long as they fit well, perform and are durable within my personal usage. The VH's have kept me on the ice, pain-free, and I owe that to Scott.

Yeah, it's glued on mine.

Needs all black tongues!

Thanks, OR. I'll look into it.

Has anyone tried applying a "rubberized" coating or spray to the CF toe caps of their skates? Think a look similar to the toe caps on the old Easton S15-17s. Any suggestions on what to use so that it doesn't come off? Reasoning: My CF caps are taking a beating and looking a bit rough. I like a less-distracting, dull, finish and a more rubber feel when the toe happens to rub on the ice.

I ace'd during the bake, but I then actually had to clamp (with Scott) my heel area to get a tighter fit for my very narrow (AA/AAA) heel. Be careful with the ace though. You might apply enough pressure to curl in the top lip of the skate, or the area above the eyelets, which will make getting your foot into the boot painful/hard, and may cause pain (near top of ankle) when skating.

I'm not sure that the traditional pencil test rule always applies with the VH's. I mean, if I'm sticking out of other skates I get major lace bite or pressure spots. But with the VH skates, due to the wrap and the design, I can stick out a bit and not have any problems. At the end of the day, I'd ask Scott for his opinion as the designer and skate maker. He's always been willing to help out his customers, fix problems and re-do skates to ensure satisfaction if there's a legit problem. We can all make assumptions and conclusions based on our experience in the industry with other brands of skates, but the VH's are built differently. Not making excuses, mainly offering a differing perspective. How do your skates feel? Have you baked them? Skated on them?

I stick out of my VH skates a bit, mostly above my high arch (where I have bone spurs from previous pressure). It hasn't caused me any issues, especially with the wrapping nature of the skate. I actually had to get a thicker tongue to take up some of my volume because of my narrow foot, and use a custom insole because of additional arch support required. You're definitely sticking out of your skates a bit. Have you showed Scott the pictures? What did he say? Did you get customs or stock skates? Are you able to take a picture from the side with your foot laced into the skate (with the tongue)?