althoma1

If you really can't get to a store to try anything on and your old skates are too big then before you order you may want to measure your feet and post the results. Take a plain piece of computer paper and put it against the wall. Put your foot against the wall on the paper with your heel touching the wall and trace your foot. Do this with both feet (either bare foot or with very thin socks - don't do it with thick socks on) and then measure the longest point and widest point of both feet. If you post those you'll likely get more accurate advice as shoe sizes vary based on preference (some people wear them tighter than others).

The Mako 2, M8 and M7 fit exactly the same as the original Makos. You should be able to find those in a store to try on. The Mako box suggests going 1.5 sizes down from shoe size - eg. my 8EE Makos say they're for someone with a 9.5 shoe, however; I usually wear a 10 wide dress shoe, 10 sandals and a 10 or 10.5 running shoe depending on the fit. If you're a 10.5 or 11 shoe size, are you sure the 10.5 S17s aren't too big? Most people usually drop down 1.5 to 2 sizes for skates vs. shoe size. Do your toes brush the caps? When you unlace the skates and push your foot all the way forward, how much room do you have at the back? (I'd use a pencil to test this). Based on shoe size only I'm guessing you'd probably need around a 9 Mako (give or take a half size either way); I'd go to a store that carries any line of Makos and try on an 8.5, 9, 9.5 in both D and EE widths. Keep in mind that the skates are very responsive to heat and any minor tight spots will loosen up once they're baked.

I was using a 7/8" hollow (close to 1") before switching to FBV and have been quite happy with the 90/50 cut in FBV. 90/75 was too deep for my tastes. Those are the only two cuts I've tried, but I've had no reason to try anything other than 90/50 FBV. With the 90/50 FBV cut I feel I get even more glide than with the 90/75 and, more noticeably, it's easier to switch from forward and to backward skating (less prominent edges). Stops also have no chatter for me with a properly done 90/50 cut, but get some with 90/75. I'm not a small guy at 6'2" and over 200lbs though and have always preferred a shallower hollow since I discovered hollows over 10 years ago when I joined the MSH site. Growing up I'd just get the standard cut once or twice a season - I now sharpen then every month or two since I'm getting a suitable hollow put on.

A D width Nexus is like a EE in most other models. Try the EE width Makos in 7.5 and 8 and see how they feel.

We'll probably start seeing details sometime between mid-December and February and the skate will likely be released in May or June of 2016. That's not based on any hard facts, only previous skate releases. I've demoed the Supreme skates - they're good skates, but they don't have the same wrap and running shoe like feel of the Makos. I'm always open to demoing other skates, but unless I'm really blown away I could never see going back to a non-speed skate based skate like the Makos or VH. If your Makos 1's are wearing out I'd either try to hunt down a clearance pair in your size or wait until the Mako 2's drop in price sometime next year. If money is no object then you could also consider the custom VH route.

It was in the 2015 Easton catalogue thread and it's more than anecdotal considering it was JR that said a new skate will be released that won't carry the Mako name. JR is a manager at a major chain store and has strong connections within the industry. He likely knows more than what he's said so far, but to keep his strong relationships with manufacturers won't release further details until he's given the green light.

What Optimus said - you're in the range of a 6.5 (and likely a D, but again you can't know without trying them on), but could be a 6 or 7 - each skate line has a different last and everyone has different feet. You won't really know until you try them on and even then you won't know for sure until after you've baked them since the Makos are so responsive to heat.

Based on the measurements you provided I think you'd be fine in a D Mako if the Mako last fits your foot well. You would likely take a 6.5D Mako - try on a variety of sizes and get them baked if you can before making a decision, but that size is a good starting point for your foot size. Trying on sizes above and below that in both widths makes sense and then when you have it narrowed down to one or two sizes you can ask if the shop will bake both so you can make your final decision.

Yes, you're right. The silver heels/outsole on the originals is texalium and resin and the Mako 2 is carbon fiber and resin. I've edited my post to reflect this - the basic premise of the original Makos being stiffer and lighter, but possibly less durable than the M7 should still be valid though.

The original Mako and the M7s both use the same holder, steel and last. The liner doesn't seem that different based on pictures with the exception of the colour. The M7 uses fiberglass and thermoplastic resin and the original Mako uses texalium (fiberglass with a coating of aluminum) and thermoplastic resin. The Mako is around 100g lighter than the M7 and I imagine it would be stiffer as high end skates are almost always stiffer than lower models in a similar line. With that said, I haven't personally used or held the M7. The newer models also have new tongues, insoles and they added more padding around the ankles. Some people did experience "Mako bumps" around the ankles with the original skates and solved this by wearing things like ezfit ankle boots and others had durability issues that were addressed through warranty. I've only had my original Makos since February, but haven't experienced either of these issues. So with the original Mako you'd get a stiffer, lighter skate than the M7, but it may not be as durable (more likely to have the composite crack). The M7 would be more flexible and a bit heavier, but could potentially be more durable. Both come with a standard 90 day warranty on the boot, but there have been cases mentioned in this thread where Easton helped customers out beyond this window. Personally, I went with the original Mako because I picked them up for close to $200 and appreciate the extra stiffness and responsiveness because I'm an experienced skater who weighs over 200lbs. I see in the other thread you're a beginner who weighs 170lbs and the price difference isn't as vast for you; so you might be better off with the M7s.

Two sets is ideal - that way you don't have to keep switching wheels. I have two skates with Sprungs (one set of KORs and one Makos), but primarily use the Makos and switch wheels simply because the Makos are a bit more comfortable for me (KORs pinch a bit where the toe box meets the boot...wouldn't be a problem for most people. I just have a very wide forefoot and the EE Makos with the ergonomic toe box accomidate that better). Even if you don't have spare arms, the fact that you have two sets means you won't be stuck if you do end up cracking a knuckle or breaking an arm eventually. With the amount I skate I take apart and clean the skates and soak the parts about once a month. If you're only skating once a week indoors on them I can see getting away with longer intervals and blowing the dust off should help. More frequent cleaning would be needed for more skating and of course if you ever skate outdoors they should be cleaned very frequently since the grit found outdoors can cause more friction wear than the light indoor dust. Leaving dirt in them for too long (especially outdoor grit) can cause the front arms to really loosen due to friction where and the suspension won't feel as tight. Once or twice a week for a year and only fully taking them apart and soaking them a couple times a year with no breaks is great. I know most of the durability issues were with the original A6 knuckles and the A7 and A8 were always more durable. The newer A6 arms have knuckles that are similar in size to the A7s. Having had knuckles crack with the old A6 arms has just conditioned me to always carry a spare arm or two with me, but the need to replace them has certainly decreased with the new A6 arms.

That's good to hear. Have you been cleaning and soaking the parts? If so, how often? How often do you usually skate with your Sprungs? I know the A7 and A8 were always more durable than the old A6. The new A6 I have has held up fairly well, but I have had a couple knuckles crack after about a year and a half of heavy use (although that's at least 50% less than I likely would've had with the old A6 arms based on previous experiences). I am not a light weight though and have been skating on them A LOT between refereeing and playing. For the summer roller season reffing 12 games and playing in 1 or 2 in a week wasn't uncommon - when there were tournaments I skated in 20 plus games in a week. The new A6 arms are more durable than the old ones, but for someone who's on his skates as much as I am, I wouldn't feel comfortable without a couple spare arms in my bag.

They've had the Sprung A6 (aka A6X) complete chassis available for a while and there are still 82 in stock according to the website, but the A6 rocker arms are showing as out of stock when you go to the parts page - it's been that way for quite some time. So as of now the only way to get the newer A6 (aka A6X) arms is to buy the complete chassis unless they're willing to cannibalize some of the arms off the 82 in stock to sell separate rocker arms (one would have to email someone at Sprung to ask about that). This is just conjecture, but I think it's a funding issue. In order to get a parts order from China for a good rate they likely have to place an order that's several thousand dollars. If they don't have that money they're likely hoping to sell more of their current stock of A6, A7 and A8 chassis and attempt to get licencing or OEM deals (which aren't easy to come by) in order to raise the funds. The problem is, if you don't have spare parts in stock people like Archangel are understandably less likely to buy the existing chassis stock for A6 or A7 chassis. In an ideal world they'd have the funding to order plenty of spare parts now which would help them sell their exiting stock. My solution to the spare rocker arm issue was to buy a couple new A6 chassis when another member had them for sale here for a good price even though I already owned an A6 chassis. Now I should have enough extra parts to last several years.

Moving your fingers down to the radio controls isn't that difficult and is what I did for the first 15 years or so of driving, but once you get a car with the wheel controls it's hard to go back. You can change songs or stations with your thumb without taking your hand off the wheel or looking down. It's not only more convenient, but it's safer. It's definitely an option I'll be looking for in all cars going forward.

Even my old '05 Mazda 6 can do that - if you're going to have steering wheel controls being able to change tracks or stations is a pretty basic function. The designers that missed that on a modern car certainly dropped the ball.

Posts looking for "Any Bauer skates" in two different sizes (within a half size) also make me shake my head. Any Bauer skate even though there are three lines with different fit profiles? You'd also think that they'd want to get the right size rather than merely close enough. Some of the kids on there don't care if something fits as long as it looks cool and has a certain brand name.

Each foot is different, but most people seem to go up half a size. So if you fit well into an 8 inhaler (supreme last) you would need an 8.5 Alkali.

It happens; the good news is that it's a very easy fix!

Gene, if you requested 100/75, then you requested one of the commonly available FBV options with significant bite (compared to a 3/8" standard hollow on some charts). For someone your size 90/50 (compared to 1") or 90/75 (compared to 5/8") would likely be more appropriate. Perhaps you meant to ask for 90/75? I also agree that Dave should try a shallower hollow as well. A more responsive skate with zero negative space allows you to feel your edges quite well and can make them feel sharper vs a softer skate or one that doesn't fit as well.

I've read about and have seen pictures of durability issues with the originally Mako and kept that in mind when buying mine earlier this year, but they were being cleared out locally at $240; so if I can get a year and a half to two years out of them I will be happy. By that time the Mako 2 will be selling for clearance prices. I certainly would be less satisfied if I'd paid full MSRP and they only lasted a year and a half (depending on how often I was on the ice of course...if I'm on the ice 5 hours a day then a year and a half is pretty good, but if it's only a few hours per week; I'd expect them to last longer). I have not seen any pictures showing the Mako 2 or M8 having the same breakage issues as the original Mako. They've been out for over a year now; so I think if there were major issues we would've seen/read about them by now. It seems like Easton has addressed the durability issues with the newer models.

Decided to dye some of the rocker arms orange a few weeks ago to match the accents on the skates.

I wonder if the toe cap is now plastic or if it's still carbon fibre and is just covered in plastic for protection like the Mako.

Great prices on the equipment. Jerseys...not so much. You could by 5 pairs pairs of skates for the price of one jersey

The Valken V-Pro pants were great slim fitting pants. It's now hard to find them in a lot of sizes, but Hockey Tron has a clone called the Tron V-Pro. They aren't cheap at $79.99, but tron has one day sales with good discounts and they have been featured several times in the past. If you wait for a daily deal (you can subscribe to their deals newsletter) you can likely get them for between 30 and 50 percent off. I'm 6'2" and usually wear a 36 or 38 pants depending on the fit and wear XL in the V-Pro pants so you'd probably need a Large.

AIREAYE - did you also try on the QR1 gloves? I tried on both the QR1 and QR Pro gloves at Winterfest and found the QR1 gloves to be noticeably more comfortable. I only had them on my hands for about 30 seconds, but it was obvious after putting the QR1 on one hand and the QR Pro on the other. I'd say the most comfortable gloves I tried on at Winterfest were the STX Surgeon 500 and the Warrior QR1 gloves.