VegasHockey

What's weird is the Warrior DX3 is a three piece elbow pad as is the DX, but the DX Pro which sits between those two is a two piece. Go figure!?

I'll throw my hat in the ring here as someone who does a ton of profiles and also tests them. Owning a full-service hockey shop gives me the ability to have access to try all different combinations of skates, steel, and profiles. Yes, I am lucky, but this also comes with negatives as well considering I change configurations so often I sometimes physically hurt myself s and it most certainly does take its toll on my skating as well by changing equipment so often. Such is life..... BTW, when I say I hurt myself testing, I am dead serious. I hurt my back not too long ago, slipped a disc. I was testing an unreleased pair of skates with a very aggressive Quad 0 profile that was applied, it still had the full pitch in it and my back just couldn't handle the strain exerted with being so far forward. My back and core were constantly engaged fighting against the extremely stiff skate and the pitch of the profile and something had to give... Something did. My back. Anyway. Quad 0.5 is a great overall profile and as mentioned, what I typically like to start players on if they are coming from steel that has not been profiled previously. It's also very good for new adult players, as the pitch is something they are not yet accustomed to and can throw off their skating. For the young kids, I prefer to put them on a single longer profile until they develop advanced edge control. This allows them to focus on skating and not worrying about balance as much. Quad 2 would be my second go-to. The Quad 0/1 removes a very large amount of steel and also add quite a bit of pitch. Once you blend the toe properly many people feel too far forward and they get short choppy strides due to balance issues and such. There are so many factors I think we can all agree that its truly impossible to say what is the best method and what to use for each player without seeing. Not to mention that some skates have a built-in forward pitch, like TRUE, and many other skates are very neutral. For example, skating on a Quad 0 using the "Pro Sharp recommendation) on my TRUE skates makes me feel unbalanced. When I do Quad 0/1 I tend to remove most of the pitch from the profile to preserve steel and also lessen the forward pitch. I can always add more pitch later but I cannot add steel back once it's been removed.

With many companies making fewer options the PM9 has become requested often and is something I rarely see in local stores. For example, Bauer only has that option in their top of the line sticks now.

I haven't used a Sher-Wood in ages. I have really been wanting to try the EK365 and M90. The last one I had was an EK60 and I thought it was a very solid stick and was extremely cheap too.

As far as I now only TRUE uses senior diameters for intermediate sticks. I dont think anyone else does.

Well, not every manufacturer thinks this way. It seems many manufacturers are actually led by the design of ski boots, a lot of that technology and materials have crossed over into hockey skates. I think portions of the skate need to be rigid and stiff but other sections need to allow proper flex. IMO, only TRUE has is making a skate that allows for both of these by design. Using a monocoque boot but still having a separate upper portion of the boot allows for flex and rigidity where it's needed. The current design by CCM doesn't allow for this in their one-piece boot frame. Bauer will hopefully incorporate some of these design philosophies into the new Supreme skate being released in 2020. It was stated they did incorporate this in some ways into the 2X Pro, but I personally didn't notice anything different and with the quarter package skate still being a one-piece CURV shell I dont see how they could have incorporated multiple flex zones.

I think that is specifically why the MB ice holder has a locked toe and only the heel moves by default.

Looking for recommendations for websites that sell high-density foam? Various thicknesses and shapes. Amazon has some options as does eBay but it would be great to find a company that produces it so I can go direct. Thanks!

Did you go with the Shift holder or another option?

They are awesome, as long as they fit you properly. 🙂

I think Marsblade and Bladetech are on to something, essentially adding a suspension system of sorts to hockey skates. Every other sports manufacturer has incorporated some type of system to either decrease the shock impact of striking the ground or developed a solution to help propel the athlete. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/13/upshot/nike-vaporfly-next-percent-shoe-estimates.html Hockey and ice skating are obviously not the same as running but I think there is obviously merit to the work these companies are doing, especially with such limited funding compared to a corporation like Nike. I have no doubt in the next 5-10 years we will see significant developments made in the way skates, steel, and holders interact with the player's mechanics and ice. My biggest issue with the MB is specifically the weight penalty didn't seem to outweigh, no pun intended, the benefits.

The stock radius is a neutral 10' profile. Not a single player we have mounted the MB holder for has stuck with the stock profile and most players seem to prefer the longer profiles like the Pro Sharp Zuperior and Quad 2. Why would you change his holder midseason if he only has a single pair of skates? I would not recommend doing such.

Pic showing the changes I made to the facing on my skates.

I had a few people ask for pics of the SHIFT holder, specifically to see the mechanism. Here ya go.

Look at this skate tongue too. It's super thin. Based on his playing style he probably is willing to sacrifice some protection for flexibility and weight savings.

Looks like Structure has released a new camera so I imagine scanning is going to take another leap forward and become even better IF TRUE rolls these out. https://structure.io/structure-sensor/mark-ii

The facing was cut back 3mm as it allows for slightly better forward flex as the boot doesn't wrap as tightly. I also had the skates made with a slighter shorter ankle, 5mm. TRUE has always done their very best to meet the needs of a consumer, but the consumer and store need to work together to specifically dictate what is wanted. This means providing specifications, modifications, and as much detail as possible. In my experience, there is no such thing as providing too much information.

The CCM QLT elbow pads were the best option. Lightweight, flexible, and they dont interfere with my glove cuff. The STX RX3 was nice, but I didn't really like the 360 strapping system very much and the elbow pads kept shifting making them uncomfortable.

For me the Super Feet took up too much volume and ruined the feel of the skate. They also pitched me too far forward, but I do use profiled steel so that is expected. I also couldn't feel my edges as well with them compared to the Speed Plate

The entire facing. I'll post pics tomorrow.

I did this and love it.

I did this. Was the best decision I ever made.

I would look at the True XC9 Shoulder Pads. They are very adjustable in all areas and many of the female players that come into our shop really like them.

They use your current skate information to help determine how you like your skates to fit. Some people hate their toes being smashed into the tow of the skate while others prefer no negative space at all. This should be noted by your fitter. They always reply to my emails and my customer's emails. Not sure which email address you are sending to?. The SHIFT holder is symmetrical, the right is the same as the left. No other holder on the market is designed this way. No other holder can be swapped in place of it. You would need to drill out all new holes. If you want to change holders to the XS, LSE, or anything else, specify this and dont have them install the SHIFT holder.

I have a buddy who owns a store and he is getting out of the hockey business to pursue other endeavors and he is selling a Sparx machine that is only a few months old, under warranty and comes with a ton of goodies. If you're interested I can pass along your info and he can email you. Not sure what he is asking for the unit but it's a fair assumption it would be considerably less than retail and would include a bunch of rings and an edge checker.