darkhors

I think we both agree that Bauer should be trying to do better, I just don't think they are. My biggest complaint is that if you think your products are that good, you should let them speak for themselves, just as CCM, Graf, etc do. None of those companies, especially CCM, are going after companies making steel for their holders. One main reason is, it's really not worth it and as a company, I'd rather have people buying my skates and putting different steel in it than not buying it at all because they can't get the steel they want. This seems super counter-intuitive to getting consumers into your product.

This is EXACTLY what Bauer did with the holder in the first place. So now you have a hypocritical company trying to profit off of someone else's product whose they stole in the first place. Don't for one second think that Bauer developed the edge holder completely "in-house". Long has it been that Bauer has come out with something that has revolutionized hockey. All of their new stuff is meh at best, including their ADV Supreme. Their skates are decent (I currently wear Vapors), but CCM and True are gaining market share very quickly and I think you're going to see a major shift in what people are buying. Warrior, CCM and True are all putting out high quality gear now rivaling Bauer and usually at better prices (skates not included). However, with True being the front of the custom skate market, CCM now has a much more involved custom program and Bauer's is still not great. Their scanner is not always accurate and you still have to pay extra for "full" custom. As longer as Bauer directs their extra profits back into R&D, it's probably a win-win for everyone. If you think Bauer is redirecting all their extra profits back solely into R&D you're fooling yourself. Their company has been poorly run since they were bought back from Nike.

So it's only available for NHL players. That sucks. I would love to give this a go. Could be way better than tape.

What is your website? Are you guys selling both the regular and DLC?

I dislike Bauer because unlike other holder companies, they don't allow aftermarket people to provide steel that they won't. I understand the patent law. However, Bauer's steel is complete garbage and they know it's garbage and they continue to do nothing about it. I would have liked to see them maybe step up and bridge a deal with Step rather than shutting them down for the holder. If their holder is that good, then why not let people pick what steel they want rather than trying to force the consumer into a shitty product? Here's the other rub... it was and still is perfectly fine for Step to make products for the Lightspeed 2 holders. There was never an issue until the edge. What exactly is the difference other than Bauer has people running their company now that couldn't care less about the consumer.

The True skates tendon guards are flexible to a certain extent because how low they're attached. They do tend to give more than they look like they do.

Old Helmet - Nike/Bauer 5500 Med, Bauer Re-akt 75 Med. New Helmet - True Dynamic Pro 9 - White/Medium Fit - I wear a medium in all brands. This helmet is supposed to fit both round and long shaped heads by using different thicknesses of padding in 3 areas, the back of the upper neck, and both temple areas. I have a more long front to back, than round. The stock padding is 5mm in the back, 6mm in the temples. For reference, the back padding options are: 5mm, 10mm, 15mm and the temples are: 2mm, 6mm, 10mm. After trying it on at home and wearing it around I went with the 10mm in the back and 6mm on the side. However, after playing 2 games back to back, I ended up changing to the 10mm on the sides and 15mm on the back. I've played another 4 games in it and the fit has been great. Also, I use a CCM FV1 fishbowl and that fits well on the helmet. The only issue you might run into is if you need to move the J-clips down. If you do, they could overlap the ear loops and cause the clips to push out a little. The last thing I noticed compared to the Bauer is that this helmet breathes much better than my re-akt 75. I didn't really notice it much when wearing it, but now that I'm in the True, my head doesn't feel nearly as warm as it did before. In my previous review, I noted how the Re-akt was much better than my old 5500, but this thing is even better. I think it has a lot to do with it being a true one piece helmet. By that, I mean the foam that sits under the suspension system is actually molded directly to the shell. So there are not gaps between the shell and the initial foam. 10/10 Protection - So this is the first helmet with MIPS technology and when I first got it I wasn't sure how it was going to work. The way this works is that there's a section that's connected to the helmet on the inside that actually rotates (up to 15mm) separately from the helmet to absorb the initial contact. This is supposed to help rotation impact forces from going immediately to the head. I don't know if it's going to save me from a concussion, but MIPS is used in many other sports and motorcycles helmets for that reason. Hopefully I won't have to use it. Other than that, the helmet feels sturdy and being that it's one piece, I'm confident that it will stand up to pretty much anything. NA Weight - This helmet is crazy light. I know the E700's were light, but I never wore one so I can't compare. However, I tried on this helmet, the Warrior Alpha One (and One Pro) and the Re-akt 200 and the True was definitely the lightest of them all. I didn't get a chance to weight it because I had a game when I got it and I need to put my shield on, but it is much lighter than my 75 and just the helmet alone felt lighter than the ones mentioned above. 10/10 Durability - This is where I'll be interested to see how this holds up. Because the internal base layer moves independently it'll be interesting to see if this comes loose over time. I'm confident that the shell of the helmet will hold up just fine. I'm not going to give this a grade for the overall score, but if I did the preliminary score would probably be 10/10 because the shell seems very well done and there aren't any moving parts to adjust like in the Bauers or Warriors. N/A Intangibles - I like that you can swap out the padding. Over time if it gets too mushy, you should be able to buy replacements and make it feel like a brand new helmet again very easily. Also, the fact that the first layer of foam is molded directly to the helmet means that you don't have to worry about gaps in the protection or glue coming off. This is one of those things that you don't think about until it happens. The other thing that is actually really nice for those that use them is that the ear guards only screw in on the front side. They developed them to slide into a groove on the back of the ear, eliminating having to line up the face mask button or screw to keep the ear guard in. So those that use a visor or nothing don't have to undo that screw just to take it out. I know that sounds silly but it's the little things like that in design that are nice to see. 10/10 Conclusion - I was debating between this helmet and the Alpha One after trying on a few different ones and settled on the True. Truth be told, I got this for the same price I would have paid for the Alpha One and after comparing the two in the store I liked how light the helmet was and how I didn't need to worry about the adjustment mechanism moving during games or in my bag. The ventilation is also really great and my shield fits well on it which was a must for me. So far I have about 6 or 7 games in it and it feels like I've been wearing it for a long time. Overall Score: 29/30- 97%

How are you getting Flare for Edge? I see now that they're only selling to Canada. This is why I hate Bauer.

I have the new helmet with the CCM full bubble on it and it fits easily. Actually I think the CCM fishbowl fits better on the True than it did on my Bauer Re-akt 75, but it fits on both. As for the helmet itself, it's super light, much lighter than my 75 and after 2 games, I've gotten the fit where I want it. I will say that if you like your helmet snug, like I do, you may want to wear it for a stick/puck session or coaching session. I thought I had it set perfect in the house and after my first two games (back to back) I knew I had to make it a little tighter. Now that I switched the pads out, it fits perfectly. I also took out the ear guards as they were rubbing ever so slightly on my one ear. I didn't use them on my 75 either, but I was going to see if I could keep them in with this one and I can't. So far, overall, I'm very happy with how the helmet fits. The one other thing that was really noticeable for me was how much more breathable this helmet is compared to the Re-akt 75 and it's not even close. For those looking for a light and breathable helmet, I think you'll be very pleased with this helmet.

I agree here. I've had a Sparx for just about a year and the only time I run into "issues" is when I mess up the height of the starting point. I'm very detailed when it comes to things like this, so I try to get it perfect and once in a while I'll have to stop it after the first cycle to readjust the starting point because I'm just a hair to high. Other than that I haven't had any issues with it. It works just as it should and I've had multiple people in my league tell me how much better their skates feel then when they were getting them done at one of the local shops. To be fair (said in British accent), we don't have anyone in the area that I would consider to be a Professional skate sharpener, but we do have 1 or 2 people who have been doing it for a long time. That said, one of our guys is getting older and sometimes it seems like he's off just a bit so there's a very small bit of inconsistency. The thing with the Sparx that I really like is that it doesn't change the profile of the blade unless you have the height adjustment too high. I have Blacksteel on my skates and I never have an issue with them. The only time I get out of pitch sounds is when someone gives me their skates and the blades are totally #$#@$ up with huge nicks and such. Once it levels the edge out though, it's back to the neutral pitch sound that we're used to. Having 5 pairs of skates to sharpen in the family makes it worth the time and money to have one of these.

Most people feel "floaty" when trying FBV or Fire, you should. You're sitting on top of the ice instead of digging in. Mark, since you're using Fire already, I wouldn't be worried about trying the 3/4 Fire. The biggest thing is what kind of ice you're skating on. Is the ice you play on consistent? Is it hard, soft? The softer the ice, the shallower you can go, but I skate on medium to hard ice and have never had an issue holding an edge on the 5/8 Fire. I don't have a 3/4 Fire yet to try, but I would give it go if I had it.

I came from a 100/50 FBV and I absolutely love the 5/8's FIRE. He may think it's not quite as much bite, but it's there. I've never had an issue holding an edge because of my skates. If I blow a tire, it's because of me, not the skates. I've actually been switching people over to the 5/8 FIRE from 1/2 ROH in my beer league and they're loving it too.

Yeah, you should be fine with the Sr. Mine fits well, it just takes a little adjustment when you first put it on.

They make a Senior and Junior, the same way Bauer does. My understanding with all fishbowls is they are all Sr or Jr sizes. I've never seen an adult have an issue with the senior size fishbowls. Even most of the kids in high school that I know are using Senior sizes.

Yeah, I just didn't want to do that since I had the other ones.

It's on a Bauer ReAkt 75. I actually had to use my old Bauer clips on the top and the j clips because I couldn't get the top clips to push together enough to get the screws into the helmet, so I used my Bauer ones and they worked perfect. The clips are nice though, they look like the modified bauer clips. The j-clips have 2 spaces for the screws and I think they should have made it one long space because I needed to go a little lower and I couldn't because they stopped at the top of both holes. I hope this makes sense, but when you see them you'll understand.

I just bought this and am coming from the Bauer Hybrid. I wanted something a little lighter and I know how bad the Bauer Concept III can be with fogging. What I noticed right away when putting it on is that the holes are noticeably bigger on the CCM compared to the concept and it sits a hair further away from your face. It'll be interesting to see how it goes when I get out on the ice.

I also sharpen Step Blacksteel in the sisters and it gives a great finish on the steel!

So I have 3 people in my house who each skate multiple times a week, plus my brother and his kid. If you figure $10 a pair x 5 people over the course of a season, we're going to break even very quickly. Here's a few things I really love about the machine. 1.) I don't have to worry about the pressure I'm putting on the skate blades. It's consistent each and every time. I can run 2 passes on my skates before I play or once a week. I'm on the ice about 4 hours a week and 2 of those are just coaching. 2.) it's super easy to change hollows. If I decide to go with something different, I just unscrew the ring, put the new ring in and off I go. I usually check the calibration every 10 sharpenings or so unless I notice something's off when I check the edges. 3.) I can put this almost anywhere. If I want to put in my dining room, I can do that without fear of having metal shavings everywhere. I can also take it with me to tournaments and do it in the hotel room and know that my edges are perfect. We weighed the options, but for us it seemed like a no brainer and less work to achieve the same results. We're also sharpening for other kids, beer league teammates and such so we're making a little money on the side to help offset the cost of rings too. One thing I would say is to get the sparx edge checker. I have the Blademaster one and it's good, but the sparx is better for just a little more money.

Thanks, I totally missed that in the menu.

@JR Boucicaut is the one on the right the flare square?

What about the edge checker from Sparx? Or should I get the BR100? I'm looking at picking up a Sparx over the break so I want to get an edge checker that I could possibly use if I try out the flare. I can't seem to find the Flare square anywhere online to purchase.

Has anyone successfully used the Sparx on these? I'm wondering since the Fire ring is a rounded FBV if that would work and just go with the most shallow ring?

I have the same foot and I'm currently in the Vapors (x90's). Heel fit is perfect and the toe box is good. Other than the Vapors, like Vet said, Ribcore's or Jetspeeds are probably your best bet.

I finally switched to a new helmet and after using it for a few months, figured I'd give a review on it. Old Helmet - Nike/Bauer 5500 Med. New Helmet - Bauer Re-akt 75 Med. Fit - This was a major factor for me. Since my Nike/Bauer was getting old, it would move around on my head and I had to readjust it from time to time on the bench. So it was important that the next helmet I got fit properly. The 75 fits perfectly and I really like the padding that they have inside as it cradle's your head without having any pressure points or excess movement. The helmet just feels like it's part of my head and not something that's sitting on top of it. I use a Bauer Hybrid combo face shield and it fits the helmet well. Once I'm snapped in, my helmet feels like a part of me and that was a necessity. 10/10 Protection - I can't say whether or not this is going to protect me appropriately or not, but I will say that the padding in this helmet is 100% better than the 5500. It has a good mix of the high density foams and mid density foams that make it comfortable and give's me the "feeling" of good protection. N/A Weight - It's not the lightest helmet out there, but I would say it's average. It doesn't feel heavy on my head and the hybrid mask is a bit heavy too so that adds to the entire helmet. That said, once I strap up, the fit of the helmet doesn't make it feel heavy on my head. 8/10 Durability - So far no issues at all. I've adjusted the helmet to where I need it and I haven't had to think about it again. All the moving parts work as they should and the Bauer adjustment wings are easy to use when needed. As of now it's top notch. 10/10 Intangibles - For me the biggest intangible was ventilation. There were good reviews on it, but you just never know until you're out there sweating in it. I couldn't be happier with it. The vents work well and it allows for good airflow. It's heads and tails better than my old 5500 and I can actually feel the wind coming through at times. I never feel hot in this thing even with my hybrid shield. Sweat is also not an issue. The padding actually does a good job of absorbing the sweat instead of just letting it run down your forehead into your eyes. The other intangible is the price. At 119.00 I feel this is the best bang for your buck helmet that you can get if it's the right fit for you. It was also rated one of the better helmets for protection in the Harvard helmet study (take that FWIW). 10/10 Conclusion - I tried on a few different helmets before buying this one such as: Bauer IMS 11.0, Warrior PX+, Krown 360 and the CCM Fitlite 300 and the Bauer just fit the best. It doesn't sit too high on my head, it vents well and feel like a part of my body. For me, I don't think I could have found a better helmet for my head. I didn't try on the Re-Akt 200 because I wasn't about to spend $300 on a helmet, but I still feel like this helmet is right up there with it and again, for the price it's hard to beat. Overall Score: 38/40 - 95%