VegasHockey

An FT1 has almost zero protection. Ever blocked a shot in one? The retail model has almost zero protection anywhere other than the ankle, and even there its thin compared to a True skate or even other brands. I have owned a few pairs of pro spec FT1 skates and they are marginally heavier than the retail model. There is more padding throughout the entire skate, clarino liner (optional) and thicker ankle pads (optional), and even the composite seems thicker. I am not sure a retail FT1 would be able to handle 30 days of abuse from a professional player before falling apart. Now, I am not picking on the FT1, because it is one of my favorite skates, I am merely stating facts when comparing retail vs pro spec skates.

I don't care what it's called. Thanks fact is I see it more with one brand than others and that "slang" is what most people understand it as, hence why I used it in quotations.

A retail FT1 is not even close to pro spec compared to a True skate.

I entirely agree with the skates putting peoples bodies in the proper position by default, as compared to other brands. But if you are a good skater and have proper technique this becomes a non-issue or benefit. As for age range, I dont think it matters if you can afford it. If a parent is gonna spend $$$ for an AS1 or FT1 they may as well spend a few bucks more and get their kid custom skates. I see more players with the "bauer bump" compared to previously and a lot of them are quite young. The youngest being 10. In Burnaby half of their selects team which is 10 and under use True skates. I am not saying the skates are not good, just that some players compare the weight between a retail AS1 or 1X and forget they are comparing a retail skate vs a pro spec skate.

At a professional level, all pro spec skates are very close to the same weight once you add shot block protection to them. I also agree that 50-150 grams is not a huge deal to a professional player who has legs built like tree trunks. However, for players under 16, even playing high-level, or red players (even high-level ones), 50-150 grams is a ton of weight. Just look at the studies that Byonic and others did to show how extra weight equates to over a course of an entire game. Lastly, most of the weight comes from the steel on true skates. Step steel, which great, is also VERY heavy.

Harbor Freight sells clamps for cheap that work. A couple of dollars per clamp. Just below the ankle bone, you want to lock your foot in.

That is too low of a clamp and that specific location is VERY robust with carbon and materials. You will likely damage the boot if you clamp that area too hard. You need to do it like this:

Interesting. I have never had anyone ask for any of these except the Zuperior. Are they older?

Never seen that one. I also dont see it on the list either. https://imgur.com/a/TFMDRWz

I think they only do that on a very specif case-by-case basis now.

I've tried every insole in either my skate or working with customers. If you have a very high profile foot which requires a lot of volume an aftermarket footbed will likely cause issues. This is why I recommend the SpeedPlates, especially now that v 2.0 has been released. They conform to the boot and your arch and take up almost no space in the boot. Chase at Pure is an awesome guy. I work with him all the time. You need to be speaking with Rob or someone at True though, likely, they will ask you to send in the skates so they can make modifications to them, assuming they can modify the places you are having issues. Otherwise, they will make you a new set of skates. I understand your frustration if you documented, noted, and even provided pictures of the spots where you have foot issues. True really will work with you as best as possible to try and get it resolved. In my experience they have always gone above and beyond exceeding expectations for customer service.

That's awesome to hear. Once you get then dialed in they are very comfortable and offer great performance. Can you do me a favor and weight them please. Interested in knowing how much the new model weights in grams.

Looks like True/VH chnaged their carbon weave. https://photos.app.goo.gl/EWj3BgQSz2jigrkT8

Very possible. I would do another bake. Also, I never recommend lacing up the skate to the top eyelet when baking. It provides too much wrap at the top of the foot and limits forward flex. When you then use the skates the heel can lift a little due to not being in the proper skating position from when you baked.

I think its a few things. The shape of Step is different, the steel is better and holds an edge longer. The skates also allow the player to have better posture.

Some of our customers that have heel slippage swap to different insoles that have a more tacky feel. I did notice the includes insoles are a bit slippery. You could always put some "show goo" on the heel of the insole to help add some grip.

With proper fitting skates this is the way they should always fit. I think people have just worn I'll fitting skates for so long they think they need to crank on the laces. I barely tie any of my skates except for the eyelets that lock the ankle. The top I leave loose and wide open. I have pretty strong ankles which I guess helps too.

The clamp on the ProSharp doesn't correctly grab the Flare steel. Do you need a Blackstone spinner or a Sparx? I am sure I have a few extra laying around I can send you.

We just started to carry these in bulk and I have to admit they are on to something. We are working to make a jig so that you can sharpen these steel in or out of a skate holder on any ProSharp AS machine. We tested sharpening on Sparx as it actually works fine. As noted, most regular skate sharpeners, the (big boys), work just fine. They also released an edge checker which it looks like they had Blackstone manufacturer and it works excellent. I tried them for the first time myself and was very impressed but they still need to be profiled slightly. I moved from a 3/4" ROH with ZC to a 1.5" ROH with ZC and the only complaint I have is the heel is too rounded.

I can see Warrior purchasing True in the future.

@STXHockey Why dont you accept Paypal?

Based on this I think you will need to go full custom regardless of any skate manufacturer you choose if you want the best fitting/performing skate

While I like the feel of the stick shape I disliked everything else about the RX2. Just being honest. It seems though that all of my issues were rectified in the RX3. Now if I could get all manufacturers to listen to feedback we would be good to go 😉

I swap holders all the time and the True boot holds the rivets just the same as any other composite boot from CCM or Bauer. I think the issue is who is performing the work.

True Skate Plus: Overall fit. Comfort. Allows for proper skating posture. Top quality materials. Excellent for those with foot issues needing more than a molded off the shelf skate. Ability to swap tongues at any time. Step/VH holder is reliable and the steel is top notch. Minus: Lack of steel selection for Step/VH holder. Cannot order without Step/VH holder. Heavier than other brands. Most players swap out the Step/VH holder for Tuuk holders to allow them to use various brands of steel (Byonic, Massive, Flare, Step, Tydan, Bauer, etc) Summary: This is a pro level skate. True does not make multiple tiers of skates, they make one model only. This skate is designed for the player on the ice 20+ hours a week, the big guy/gal, or a very powerful skater. There is an adjustment period when moving to the True skate, for some its longer than others, but generally its at least 10-20 hours for your biomechanics to "reset." These are not the lightest skate on the market and are heavier than Bauer and CCM, but as one person said to me "If you are bitchin about 40 grams of weight in a pro level skate vs general retail models, you should instead go to the gym or not wear those skates cause you're a sissy." CCM AS1/FT1 Custom (NOT FULL CUSTOM) Plus: A skate designed for all-out performance. Lightweight. Ability to request different sizes. Minor alterations to the skate such as tongue and added padding are available. Best looking skates IMO. One-piece boot frame allows for a great fit. These skates are all about performance without any of the "fluff" Minus: SB holder is terrible IMO. Takes too long to swap steel and I have seen too many players lose screws/nuts on the bench when trying to swap steel in a game. Not as durable as other skates. Having a minimalist design is great for short term but the boots tend to start to look pretty terrible after only a season of hard skating. Summary: All performance without the extras. Less padding than other brands. Extremely light compared to most other skates. Some people feel the boot is too high cut on the ankle and can be restrictive. Swap out the SB holder and you have a beast of a skate! Durability is not the best, just look around at used FT1 and Super tacks and you will see many of them look pretty torn up after only a year of use at high-level hockey. Bauer Custom (NOT FULL CUSTOM) Plus: Light skate. Ability to request different sizes and minor alterations to the skate such as tongue and added padding are available. Iconic design, it looks like a hockey skate. Not much has changed with their technology or design in many years, which many players prefer. Minus: The two-piece boot is perceived by some as a negative compared to the one-piece boots from CCM and True. Tuuk holders are known for having many issues, but they are still the preferred holder of almost every major hockey team and equipment manager. Summary: I consider it the workhorse of skates, more durable than CCM but less durable than True. The Swiss Army Knife of hockey skates that does everything well, but doesn't do any specific thing better than anyone else.