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IMHO, profiles have their place. I've always treated them like a tool aiding me as I work to improve. They never fixed any of my issues. They never made me a better skater. At best they masked my flaws. I used a 13/26 profile with a negative pitch for like 5 years. It's what I needed as I worked on my flaws. About 6 months ago, I moved back to a 13' neutral profile, which is what I think I need/want now as I further work on getting better. I'm sure down the road, I'll probably move a little bit closer to the 10' stock profile, but we'll see. To me, profiles are like curves. A curve makes certain things easier/harder, but it isn't going to make you something you're not. Just because you use Ovi's curve doesn't mean you can shoot like Ovi. Just as using profile X isn't going to make you McDavid. Anyone who says otherwise is selling you a bridge.

I got a bit of a bum right knee. For me, the best thing I did for it was lose 25lbs. Still working on trimming down another 5-10 lbs. Not carrying around that extra weight has improved everything on and off the ice. Next thing I did was I started running. I know this may not be an option for some, but for me, when I first started, it let me know that despite skating 3-4 times a week, my knees weren't as strong as I thought they were. After about month or two of running, the little twinges I used to get if I bent my knee a little too deep or in a funny way, they went away. I also started to notice I was more stable on and off the ice. The way I'm reading things is that as I get older--I'm 51 now--I'm starting to loose muscle. The running slows that down and for now has reversed it. I actually feel better now than I did when I was 40. And lastly, I try to always warm up before I get on the ice for a game. I do 3 sets of 10 half squats in the dressing room to get my legs warmed up. After that, I feel infinitely better when I step on the ice. Legs don't feel stiff, and it definitely feels like I can get lower into my stance right from the get go. On a side note, I try to stretch every day now. I work my way through my whole body as the week goes a long. I find it helps lessen or eliminate with all the little nagging aches and pains I used to get in my back, shoulders, neck, and I'm sure it has helped the knees, too.

There might be some demand. I've heard teammates say they miss them. For me, scooped up a few packs as they were phasing out, because I used to use them as eyelet extenders to help prevent lace bite. You might also take a look at these. https://www.hockeyworld.com/CCM-Skatelock-Eyelet-4Pack They sold these as replacements for the lace locks if you didn't like the locking mechanism. I was trying to get a hold of some, but couldn't, so I settled for the lace lock versions to address my issues. But you could sell these as eyelet extenders to help with lace bite, because there are always people that need help with that.

NVM. Misread something.

Where did you get that template? Everything I've seen, even stuff from official prosharp sources, never mentions this. Thanks for sharing.

Pitch and profile are two different things. Unless specified, I'd imagine the shop gave you a neutral pitch, well, unless they pitched the profile without you knowing. Assuming, you're on a neutral pitch, you may naturally balance yourself forward on you toes more than you're supposed to. The super smaller radii on the forward section of the profile makes it super easy to rock forward and get up on your toes, which is by design. Because I have super small feet, I used to have issues with getting onto my toes too much. I went to a 13/26 profile with a negative 1 pitch. After a bunch of years on that and lots of practise, I was able to corrected my issues and went to a 13" neutral pitch.

Making significant tweaks after one skate is not a wise move. The feel of new skates can and will change after each skate as you get dialed in on how you tie your skates and as the foams compress. The new, fluffy foams can cause your foot to seat slightly different each time. You need time to see how things settle and feel things out.

I had a similar issue when I went down in size in skates from a size 5 to 4.5. I found it was way too easy to get up onto my toes. I went from the stock 10' to 12' to 13' and then settled on a 13'/26' with a negative pitch because they didn't have larger templates for single radius.

I'll echo the comment above. All you have to do is goto a competent shop and ask them to profile your skates to what every profile you want and ask for a neutral pitch or what ever pitch you want. Simple as that. And yes, changing the pitch can make a significant difference. How much? I depends on the skater.

I've worn a neck guard for probably around 25 years. It's been so long I don't know when I started. I've always found a new neck guard feels uncomfortable for a little while, like any piece of new equipment does, and then, it breaks in a little and you get used to it. It just becomes what it's like to be kitted up for a game, and you forget it's even there.

The trick I found that worked for me was to simply not use the first set of eyelets. It opens up the forefoot area where the toecap meets the boot quite a lot.

Just got new skates in July. First the scan recommend a size 5 fit 3. My old skates were S190s, size 4.5EE. The brannock said I was a size 4.5EE. I tried on a ton of skates, the skates I walked out with were Mach 5 Pros, size 4.5 fit 3. At first blush they were extremely tight, and they were almost in the no pile because of that. But as, I tried on skates over and over, the foams in the skate warmed up the Mach 5s went from nope to yes. Ideally, this should be the end of the story, but fast forward 2 months. Everything was great for a bit, but then, I start to realize the skates are feeling off. I'm having to pull the laces tighter than I like to get the skate to feel right. The skate I realize maybe too big. Skates are out of the skate fit warranty window, but I bite the bullet and go back to the shop and go through the song and dance again. I walk out with a size 4. Again, at first blush, skates feel like they're too small. At about 2 months in to these new-new skates, they feel right length-wise, but there's a little movement in the heel, making me thing maybe I fit 2 might have been better. But I got a stash of Stable 26 socks, so it's a non-issue. But if I could do it over again, knowing what I know now, I would have just went straight to customs. Would have saved me from wasting money on a pair of skates that didn't fit properly. From this experience, it seems like the foam liner in some of the newer skates are super fluffly and can throw off the assessment of how much room there really is in the skate. Even after the bake, the feel wasn't accurate, in my estimation. As a side note to this, I found out Sport Chek had their True skates on deep discount a few weeks ago. They had their TF7s on clearance for $100, so I went in and tried on a pair of size 4s. The length was perfect. The base of the toes was a little tight, but otherwise it was a good fit. So IMHO, it's probably safer to go with the smaller fit.

Depends on if you can flex the stick or not. Other things being equal, all that matters is if you can flex the stick properly or not.

Supremes and Vapors fit slightly different, regardless of if the fits are the same. For me, the key differences will be in how the boot affects your neutral stance. The Supremes, will put you a little more on your heels. The Vapors pitch you forward and will put you a little more on your toes. If you're on your heels a bit more, it'll encourage you to start your stride further back on the blade, so you take a fuller stride. If you're on your toes a bit more, It'll encourage your stride to star a little more forward on the blade, making it a bit shorter. Now, regardless of which skate you choose, you're not stuck. If you chose Supremes and find you want to be more on your toes, you can simply profile the blades to pitch you forward more. Same with the Vapors, you can have the blades profiled to put you more on your heels. One word of warning, I just got new skates. Mach 5 Pros. One thing I found is the fit is pretty tricky. First the scanner recommended a size 5. My old skates were size 4.5. The brannock measured me at a size 4.5. Yeah, I got tiny feet. When I first put on the Mach 5s, they felt incredibly tight. I didn't think they'd fit at all. But after a long song and dance of trying and retrying on skates, it turned out after the foams warmed up, the Mach 5s started to feel fine. So I walk out with a size 4.5. Everything is fine for two months. Then as the foams in the skate liner compress more from use, things start to feel weird. It starts to feel like my skates are too big. I'm having to pull the laces tighter than I like to get the boot to feel right. It gets bad enough that I go back to the store, and do the whole song and dance again. This time I try on a size 4.0 in the Mach 5s. I think about it for a bit, and I bite the bullet and buy them. And after another month and a half or so. Yep the size 4.0 are the right size. Unfortunately, I had to eat it with the size 4.5s because it was beyond the size guarantee widow. If I knew back then what I know now, I would have just went straight for the customs. So when trying on your skates, with the new fit systems, be doubly cautious. It feels like the skate liner is extra thick and can throw the feel for the sizing off. On a side note, Sport Chek had their TF7s on clearance for $100. They didn't have any size 4.5s, but I went in and tried on a pair of size 4s. They fit.

They both fill a similar niche, but neither is the best. Once you get down to that, it becomes personal preference. Each stick has it's own characteristics that some will love and some will hate. Sorry, I can't give you a more definitive answer than that. For me, I tend to like the bigger blade and shaft, but it's not a deal breaker.