VegasHockey

Ok, I am 100% convinced there is something crazy going on with TRUE sizing. Here are pics comparing my TRUE customs vs a size 7R in the first photo. The second photo is my TRUE customs compared to a size 6.5R TF9. Both have 272 holders. My custom skates are basically a size 7.25 when compared to Bauer and CCM. To think I have to go to a size 6R is crazy. That would be 1.5 sizes down from Bauer and CCM!

In terms of custom fit I would personally rank them in the following order. 1: TRUE 2: CCM 3: Bauer That being said, this is my personal opinion. I have owned multiple customs from each of these brands. I am also open-minded and think that each brand has its pros and cons. I am ranking them in terms of fit specifically not taking into consideration features and such. For example, I prefer LS Edge or XS holders over the TRUE SHIFT holder. I do not dislike the TRUE SHIFT holder but specifically because I use Flare steel and they don't have steel available for that holder currently. I think CCM and Bauer have a better finish and aesthetics than TRUE. I also like that there are more options available with CCM and Bauer as well if you go full custom but going full custom is VERY expensive compared to TRUE. Long story short. They are all good but all have pros and cons. TRUE skates are typically better fitting than the other brands but you have less input into how the skates are built, options, and specifications. Other brands give you more options but it could be argued they are giving you more rope to "hang yourself" as well. I personally have made some decisions in previous skates that I later felt were wrong. Sometimes having too many options can be worse than someone making decisions for you. All of these companies spend a lot of time doing development and testing products finding the right combination of materials to arrive at a product that works entirely with all of the various combined components for the majority. Sorry for the lengthy post.

Use what works best for you. Some people prefer the paper-thin insoles since it gives a better-connected feeling between the skate and the ice. Others like a much thicker insole either due to comfort or foot issues. I personally like the speedplate footbeds as they give a balance between comfort and function.

Equipment managers do actually have some input on what pros use and many pros appreciate recommendations from equipment managers.

If you are having issues with TRUE custom skates fitting you properly you will likely have worse problems with Bauer customs. TRUE builds their skates from the inside out and the materials they use are extremely thermoformable. This allows them to adapt to your foot much better than the materials used by other manufacturers. I have found that people who needed to have a skate heavily modified, punched, foams added, basically altering most of the fit to accommodate their foot type have issues with custom Bauer and CCM skates and usually end up in TRUE customs. Feet going numb can be due to a number of issues. Lacing the skate overly tight, lack of skate volume, incorrect skate length, skate tongue putting pressure on the forefoot. Most of these issues can be addressed by a good pro shop. Did TRUE remake your second pair or did they make adjustments to the first pair and then send them back? What shop did you scan? How have they tried to rectify fitment issues?

Where are you located?

Foams break down or compress which gives more volume.

You would need a full custom if you wanted to do some of those changes. Its not cheap.

If you go with the custom option they can actually make the quarter packages incredibly stiff. Almost as stiff as an AS3 Pro

If they would just ditch that UGLY toe cap I would consider using Graf skate again. I grew up using them and as a kid thought they were the best skates ever. I am most interested though in the one-piece Ribcor that coming out in 2021. I saw some leaked images which had me drooling.

Update: After a few weeks of skating in the TF9 and my custom TRUE skates, I think the sizing is significantly off. I wear a 7 1/4E right skate and a 7 E left skate in customs for both Bauer and CCM. In retail skates, I typically go with a size 7.5EE which seems to work fine. There is slightly more room than I would prefer but when I but in my powerfoot inserts everything feels perfect. I grabbed a size 7.5R, 7R, and 6.5R in the TRUE TF9. Size 7.5R was way too big in both length and volume before baking which was significantly worse after baking. I feel like my foot is swimming in the skate like I am wearing a size 8EE. Size 6.5 was too small in length but felt great in width. The size 7R felt good before baking in length and width and was slightly better fitting after baking. The skate really seemed to give a more volume after the bake but after adding some powerfoot these also felt pretty good. Not as good as my customs, obviously, but for a retail skate they felt nice. Fast forward a few weeks and many ice times later and the TF9 7R now feels too big in both length and width. The skates feel sloppy like I am putting my foot in a Nexus skate when I need something more standard. I am unable to use them without feeling out of control on the ice and don't trust my edges do to the lack of connected feeling. I baked the size 6.5R and my toes were definitely smashed into the toe cap before baking but after baking the fit loosed up a little. I am still getting "hammer toes" but every skate as the foams and boot break in more I am gaining more space and volume I the boot and the boot is beginning to fit better. I also baked the 6.5R after every few ice times which has also helped as well. What's shocking is I was able to mount a size 272 holder to the 6.5R without any issues or having the holder hang off the ends of the skate. I am so confused with the fit of these skates that I honestly don't even know what to advise to people anymore who ask me about the proper size they should order. Perhaps my custom skates have spoiled me. All of my custom skates fit me nicely, as they should, but even the retail models of Bauer and CCM seems to also fit my specific foot very well. I am just having a hard time processing that I need a size 6.5R skate in the TRUE retail skates. Obviously, the skate is longer in overall length than the rating suggests otherwise there is NO WAY I could fit a 272 holder on a 6.5R skate without having it hang off the ends.

Anyone have a LiveBarn promo code?

Do you sit low or crouched when skating or do you sit more upright? I noticed those who get quad profiles that sit more upright don't like the quad profiles. I personally like longer profiles, on a single radius an 11.5' is pretty ideal for me. Tried a few dual profiles. They felt good as long as they were longer radius profiles, for example, 9/12, but anything drastic, such as a 10/20 didn't feel good to me. I like triple and quad profiles the most though. Again, longer profiles, ZuperiorM, or the Quad2 are preferred. I have tried to adopt the Quad0 but haven't been successful. The toe is a little too aggressive for me and I don't feel like the longer sections are long enough to provide me the speed and stability I am looking for. Many times I think the biggest benefit from profiles is that most templates natively have pitch built into them which forces players into a proper stance and gets their weight over the balls of their feet. Many players have poor hockey posture without being aware of such and profiles help rectify this. I also think skates like TRUE, which also tend to force players into the proper hockey stance, yield the same benefits as well.

Agree with his wholeheartedly. Just like some people can't skate on profiled steel I personally cannot skate on steel that has not been profiled. To each their own. 😀

For the slight cost difference I would buy new vs used to have a full warranty. If it was 40% or less I would buy used.

Is the holder squared? Check that first.

I didn't end up needing to do an alignment but we did settle on 2mm shims front and rear. He also added a small 1mm piece of foam to the outside heel of his insole and he seems happy with everything.

You should always try and have the holder mounted as far back as possible. This is a pretty good explanation why: http://bladesbytodd.com/2015/08/09/mounts/

Looks to me like the steel slipped in the clamp hence why so much was taken off the front or they added pitch to the profile template not understanding that it already has pitch built into it. Either way, that steel is jacked.

It's the video for the Bauer splash guard. Not sure why you are seeing anything else.

Zuperior is nice but you do give up a lot of lateral mobility in exchange for top end speed and greater stability. That's why I like the Quad2, I feel you still get that speed and stability while still having that lateral agility. Also, if you pitch the Quad2 properly it takes off almost none of the toe of the Flare which is nice 🙂

Looking at his orthotics though the front has less material than the rear. I don't want to add too much lift to the front to cause him to pronate. Instead of shimming the front 2mm and rear 4mm, should I maybe do both at 3mm?

Baking skates at home video? I didn't see that anywhere. If I thought that these splash guards or attachments actually provided a significant increase in preventing the transmission of C19 between players I would probably spend some time developing something more affordable. However, I think players are more likely to contract C19 from others off the ice. Before the game in the arena, in the locker room, after the game when hanging out, etc. I think the chance of contracting C19 while on the ice playing is relatively low. But then again I am not an epidemiologist.

I think I could make this at home for a buck or two. Bauer is trying to charge 19.99!?

I like the Quad2, I'm not a huge fan of the Quad0.5. It's all personal though. I have never tried a 8/9/14 but I have used the Zuperior on Flare and it feels great. Lots of speed and stability. Can easily skate around defenders instead of having to cut through them. As for the zone transitions, they are all pretty much the same between the various Quad profiles.