Leif

By durability do you mean resistance to breaking under a load, or the resistance to abrasion from skate blades?

Blimey, what a pile of non scientific techno balls.

I bought kit in store to make sure it fitted. IMO it’s worth getting a high end helmet, and shorts. Low end shorts have almost no coccyx protection. Mine have thick padding. However, you might not feel bum impacts as much as I do.

Last year I went from a Bauer 4500 to a Bauer Reakt 200. Whilst my views are subjective, and unscientific, I’m pretty damned sure that the 200 is far more protective. As an example I took a slap shot to the head, above the cage, and felt nothing. The helmet was able to absorb the impact and dissipate the force. I’ve hit the boards a couple weeks of times, and felt little. I’m sure the 4500 would not have absorbed the shock based on knocks I experienced when wearing it as the foam is pretty hard and dense. I don’t know if the 200 offers more protection from rapid deceleration were I to slam my head at high speed into the boards for example, but my experience is that it does offer significantly more protection against impacts. However, I suspect it does offer protection against deceleration, but only partially for obvious reasons. As for the suggestion that a poor helmet is best as it makes you more alert, I had a headache for several days when a big player going at high speed skated directly into me head on whilst I was nowhere near the puck, and not expecting to be floored. I recently went over when chasing someone with the puck, and he deliberately stopped in a brace for impact stance, not a lot I could do about that.

Plenty of d3o pads on eBay for anyone who prefers DIY.

People here are reasonable, and it looks like a useful tool. I can imagine someone being away from home, and preferring to use this gadget rather than risk entrusting their edges to an untried sharpener who could screw them up. I suspect it is much better than competing products such as the Sweet Stick (which once ruined my edges).

I used to sharpen one pair of skates every two weeks with a 50 mile round trip. It will pay back in 3-4 years. Throw in that I get sharp blades EVERY session, with perfect edges EVERY time, and no wasted mornings, and IMO it’s good value even at the sky high European price that we pay.

He certainly does sound like a good candidate. The issue of longevity is an interesting question. The Wissota and other manual sharpeners have AFAIK only one component that can go wrong in normal use namely the motor. The Sparx has I assume two motors (one to rotate the cutting wheel, one to drive the wheel horizontally) and an electronic module. I have electronic goods that have lasted decades without issue, and electric motors can last yonks, so in principle a unit that is not abused could last decades. It also has some electronic switches to detect when the door and latches are closed, and some lights which I assume are LEDs. An LED should out last the owner and switches should be durable. That said, my well cared for Nikon D200 failed after 8 years due to an electronic module blowing.

I don't see how you can ensure level edges without using a BAT gauge.

Seriously? That’s pretty much the default hollow for hockey skates in this country. Go to a LHS and ask for a sharpening, and you’ll get that or 5/8”, unless they are knowledgeable then they might match it to your weight. I know plenty of people on 3/8”, a few on 7/16” including me, lots on 1/2” and some on 5/8”. I’ve never met someone on shallower than 5/8”.

1/2” is not deep, but 3/8” is deep in my view. Curious about the edges. One person I know does a manual sharpen that grips more than sharpens of the same depth from elsewhere. Quite why I know not. The 7/16” on my Sparx is similar to that from my LHS. Is there perhaps a difference in technique between sharpeners, assuming correct alignment of the blade relative to the wheel?

I’m surprised people go from 1/2” to 3/8”, that’s a big change. Good point about the ice, a few months back I tried 7/16” as a 1/2” grind meant my blades were slipping sideways on the hard winter ice, and I much prefer it. A year back I accidentally tried 7/16” and couldn’t handle it, I think my skating technique was not up to using it then. It might be that you are not getting a true 1/2” but a bit deeper when you get them done by hand, perhaps due to the way they dress the stone. In my case the Sparx 7/16” compares with a manual sharpen, in fact the last manual sharpen felt a bit dull so maybe it was actually 1/2”.

Having owned this unit for two weeks, I can say that it is incredible. Being able to do one cycle before every skate means that I have sharp edges, and I really notice it on the ice, I get a better grip and control. And I don't have to worry about dinging an edge on exposed concrete in the rink, as I can touch it up at home. Has anyone changed their radius of hollow as a result of using a Sparx? I do wonder if I could go to a 1/2" from the 7/16" I currently use. Also, does anyone use different hollows for hockey and public skating? My hockey gear weighs a tonne, which means much more grip with a given hollow, so I could go to a shallower hollow for hockey sessions.

The padding is there for a reason. I had the same issue with a cage, and I managed to stretch the cage with my hands and reduce the pressure. Can you find out what the visor is made from, and then research it’s thermomechanical properties? It may be that a few minutes in a warm convention oven will soften it enough to allow manual deformation. But it could equally ruin it, or make it hazy, hence the need to research the plastic.

Thanks all. You convinced me to go for mid range, so I ordered some Bauer x900 gloves at a decent price. At my age I need decent protection.

My current gloves have some holes in the palms and fingers so it's time to replace them. They've survived two years since I started leaning to play. I have top of the range pads as I want the best protection I can get, and having taken slap shots to the shoulders, legs and head, I'm glad I made that choice. However, is there any reason for me to get anything but low end gloves? I have Bauer x600 gloves which seem more than good enough for my level of play. I play non checking rec hockey, so not particularly rough and physical, I play 3 - 4 hours a week and I'm 55. I can afford mid range and high end gloves, but why spend money for no benefit.

FWIW I have Bauer Custom skates and I get some soreness on the outside toes on my right foot. Oddly enough the boot seems to mould itself to my foot while skating and after 30 minutes or so the rubbing goes, and the fit is perfect. However, we don't know how the CCM and Bauer processed compare. (You would hope that both are first rate.)

It sounds like Scott started out making very small numbers of custom speed skates, and then scaled up the process, whereas Bauer and CCM have decades of experience making large numbers of skates, including custom, and they have methods to do a good job AND make it look good. Perhaps as you say making them look the mutts would add significant cost.

Be warned that customs tend to fit much closer, so there will be less room for you to add your own padding. Obviously you might be able to get the skate maker to add padding when they make the skate, but I suspect they only do that in the ankle areas. It is of course possible that the better fit will obviate the need for extra padding, but I'm guessing. I have Bauer Customs and I don't think I could insert padding anywhere, they are a tight fit.

Yes you are obviously right that taste is subjective, that said we really do completely disagree, I find the Supreme 2s Pro understated, just a few touches of yellow on black. The True skate has those ugly blingy stripes on the side. 🙂 But honestly, at the end of the day as long as they are not flourescent pink, with lime green laces ... it’s the function that counts. Cosmetic and aesthetic overlap. It is cosmetic in that it affects the surface, and maybe below too, and it is aesthetic as it makes it look poor. However, I will leave owners to give their feedback and views.

I don’t find CCM AS1 and Bauer 2s Pro garish, quite understated and tasteful actually. It is an aesthetic issue, and to me it suggests sloppiness, and makes me wonder how deep that sloppiness goes. My concerns could be completely unfounded, but IMO they should pay more attention to the first impressions. BTW Bauer Custom are handmade, and immaculately finished.

If his feet are unusual, he may have no choice. I know a relative beginner in customs for that reason. The only downside is if he gives up after a month or two. I started at age 53 and many people tell me I’m a good skater. I’m not a brilliant player, but I’m gradually improving, and having fun. Some say youngsters learn much quicker, but in reality I think how hard you work is more important than age. Friends admire a young skater. She is 18. I was talking to her recently and she said she skated for 8 hours on Wednesday. That level of dedication (and bruises) might have something to do with her rapid progress. 😂 You will never be as fast as some youngsters, but hockey is also about skill and thinking.

One option might be to buy a larger speed plate and remove more of the toe than usual, that way the arch moves forward. Of course this is expensive and it might not work.

A full sharpen is four passes each way. A refresh is one pass each way. An owner can of course do as normal, one full pass every 10-20 hours, if they prefer. But why?

The U.K./European price is £572. I can get a 1650 for ~£200 without foam, Peli foam is ~£60.