VegasHockey

My concern would be with so much movement the steel may eventually warp/bend under torque. I have seen standard steel bend over time so how does BT prevent the steel from becoming deformed?

The idea was good, but the implementation was not great. 😞

I am hoping that Flare, Tydan and BladeTech will step up and release steel for the new holders. No one has confirmed they are even looking into it at this time. I imagine TRUE needs to capture at lease X amount of the holder market before companies will invest time and money into developing and testing steel for teh SHIFT holder.

CCM/STEP will no longer produce steel for third party holders.

Depends on the model.

I can do small batch order of customs for you if you want a PM9. We just had a player who needed 100 flex PM9 sticks which in itself is a very rare combination. We could do an order as small as 3 sticks. You don't have to select the $300 model either, that player went with the 2020 JetSpeed Team stick which is the college version of the FT3.

They did not mention who they are sourcing steel from but I am sure it's as good or better than most others at retail. TRUE has a lot of connections with steel, specifically from their relationship in golf clubs.

I need to double check what will come on the TF7/TF9, but all of the STEP steel is 9.5/10.5 dual radius

I think a 7.5 would likely be a 7.4/7.5/7.6 as going down a full 0.25 is fairly significant. 2mm = 0.079 inches

I think the TF7 would be fine and he would likely outgrow the skate before it broke down. What skates is he wearing currnetly? I think it depends on his size, weight, skating style and such. I tend to recommend softer boots for younger players as they are still growing and also working on improving their skills. A boot that is too stiff can sometimes cause issues with player development specifically in regards to skating.

A EE Mako is extremly wide.

I didnt check tongue weight but I imagine its very minimal. To put the products differences in perspective, the TF7 liner material is lighter than the TF9 which uses a treated mousture repellant clarino liner. The boot shell will weigh differently and the tongue as well. The padding and everything else seem to be exactly the same between the two models.

What level does he play?

I would have loved the Admirals or something more sea focused and not a fictional animal or creature. Something that would have paid homage to the Pacific Northwest. We have the Mariners, Seahawks, Sounders, and so many other great names and now the Kraken who play at Climate Pledge Arena??? No thanks. I understand there is already the Milwaukee Admirals, in fact, they are among my favorite for both logo and colorways.

As someone who lived in Seattle for a long while I must admit I am disappointed in the team and arena name.

The Mako does run narrow but is also very heat moldable so it can allow for some extra width when its baked. The main thing I noticed in the Mako was it fit a little smaller in length than most other skates.

You actually might need a 7D. Can you try them on?

That girl in the background is making a hilarious face.

For those wondering the TF9 and TF7 weight. I had a chance to weigh the production version of both and there was only about 10 grams difference between the TF7 and TF9. The TF9 weighing in at 881 grams and the TF7 weighing 891 in a size 8D. This is actually less than both my AS3 Pro and Ultrasonic skates.

Moving to the proper post.

I think any boot with a full composite midsole or a monoframe/monocoque design the rivets will get lose over time as they aren't able to grip the composite. That being said, I rarely see any issues with TRUE skate rivets if the customer airs out their gear properly. The only time I seen reoccurring rivet issues is when players use the red TRUE insoles with their standard footbeds and dont remove them when air dring their skate or if they use aftermarket insoles that tend to keep the moisture in the boot. We had one players who likes to use the Orthomove insoles in his TRUE skates and they tend to not allow boot to try out fully so he is always having rivet issues.

I agree with this as well. I will add: Shins: I find the knee is too mobile and has a little too much float. I think they should have kept the CURV facing instead of changing over to plastic. Protection seems to be less than previous generations. Elbows: Like the three-piece design and how mobile they are. Wish they made them a little deeper so the elbow would sit nicer in the cap. Shoulders: Like everything on them except the removal of CURV. Gloves: Seems like they decided to go for lightweight and mobility, removing too many features I appreciate. No poron anymore. Finger gussets are no longer nash and instead are a cheaper mesh material. Palm seems like a cheaper material. The elimination of the three-piece thumb was silly. Bauer has had the best thumb design on the market and they took a step in the wrong direction. Pants: I think the removal of laces was fine. I only wear girdles so I cant really comment on the pants. Summary: Everything seems to be focused on weight and mobility for the Vapor line now, but protection seems way less than previous generations. Quality has not been impressive either. We had two pairs of elbows already returned by two different players where the upper arm cuff completely separated from the elbow cap. The stitching literally came undone like it was never sewn together. Both pairs of elbow pads failed in the same exact area. I appreciate Bauer making the Vapor line fit better, all of the items seem to fit better than the previous generation but I think they may have sacrificed quality and protection in order to get those results.

200 degree convection oven for 8-10 minutes. One at a time.

Just wanted to see what people thought of the new for 2020 Bauer Vapor 2X Pro protective? I have my own opinions but am more interested in hearing what others think.

I do like them.. but they have their pros and cons. These are my personal likes and dislikes for the retail model. Others may have their own opinions. Positives: Lots of padding and very plush compared to FT1/FT2 and AS1 Updated liner is more durable New composite seems more thermoformable XS holder is great Love the swappable tongue Fit seems to be slightly modified to be even closer to the foot and more anatomical Happy that CCM is again offering the 90 day satisfaction guarantee Negatives: Costly May be too stiff for some players I think clarino liners should be standard for retail skates at this price point Heavier than previous generations CCM should not have eliminated the Orthomove insoles CCM should include STEP steel from the factory instead of having to do a mail in rebate Overall, they are fantastic but are quite costly. If you are a very strong skater or a larger indiviidual these are a great skate but I would not recommend them for smaller individuals or those that are not advanced players. The boot is incredibly stiff and could result in players not properly developing the correct skating form as the boot has very little flex and it not forgiving. For those players who are strong they will be happy to know the skate does exactly what you want immediately without any delay. These feel even more connected to your feet than any of the previous generations.