Koopa

no problems with the holders. They seem solid enough and if they do break I can put a set of spare tuuks on them but I quite like the prolite 3. They dont put you on your toes as much but I like them

hell yea they do. They really take away any remaining negative space in the heel pocket too. I love them

my new wheels, hardly ever worn. These things are without doubt the comfiest skates I have ever owned. Just slightly better than my air 90s and a damn sight more comfortable than my Kevlar 752s

thanks for the response. Interesting that you say it isnt anatomically possible to have weak ankles, I wasnt aware of this. I like the comfort of my current skates and they are still pretty stiff as they havent been used. I think the pump tack was a highish level boot in its day so should still hold up. I am not super heavy - 6ft 2 190lbs and dont break skates down too quick. Ive tried taking longer strides and trying to extend the time I am gliding on one foot to try and build balance back up.

So I dont play much anymore as there arent any beer leagues near me and the local teams are either pro level or under 21 junior development teams. However, I do love to skate and enjoy getting out on the ice when I can. Coming from the old school pre 2000 era, I grew up wearing what most would consider by todays standards - horribly unsupportive soft skates. For my sins I also got heavily into aggressive skating when I was in my late teens and used to skate with pretty much zero ankle support to be able to ride rails on the edges of my chassis. My ankles are probably a lot weaker now and as my preference is for 90s skates with nice slipper like leather uppers (currently using a pair of unused CCM 652 pump tacks) I know I need to build the natural strength up in my ankles to regain the skating ability I had from many years ago. My question is - other than just regular skating, does anyone do anything in particular or have any tips for building up ankle strength faster? I read on another post that juniors in sweden etc get made to skate with most of their top eyelets undone in practice to help build ankle strength before lacing all the way up for game time. Any tips would be gratefully appreciated! Thanks

yeah the 99/00 model with the original heel wedge and white nylon material on the back. Pumps work and holders are solid. I just wasnt sure if the outer shiny black coating on the leather cracking would have any effect on the stiffness / support of the skate. I have a pair of 752 kevlars that these would be a great addition to! these are the 652s my 752 kevlars

Thanks fellas

So..a friend of mine has offered me their unworn 652 pump tacks from years gone by knowing I'm a total gear whore and il probably buy them. However, like a lot of skates from this era, the shiny leather outer trim by the eyelets and on the tendon guard is cracking. Does this make much difference to the durability and stiffness of the skate boot or is this really just a cosmetic issue given the shiny leather covering is a millimetre thick at best

My cage shield on my cooper helmet sucked big time. I thought it looked quite sinister a bit like the old 70s/80s goalie masks but I couldnt see for sh1t. Also I really wanted to love my black / white Tackla gloves I had in the late 90s. I was a big LA kings fan at the time and used to wear my away jersey all the time at practice so they matched well. The gloves were stiff and uncomfortable as hell, zero feel and sometimes when I was on a break away I would actually ditch the gloves so I could stick handle better LOL

Have to agree with you there. Mine are the Custom Fit (non pump) variety but still comfy and that heel wedge system really locks your heel into the pocket of the boot moreso than any other skate ive owned. Mine were a lightly used condition pair but they still seem structurally stiff enough probably due to the kevlar reinforcement. Only issue I had was that due to age, the outer shiny black leather layer over the rear of the boot and down the eyelets had started to dry up and flake off. I ended up just picking it all off so they look like they now have black suede trim on the outside haha

1) Bauer Pro Team 25 - first pair of skates that I learned the basics on. Pretty low level skate but it was like night and day skating on these compared to the crappy plastic hire skates at the rink. I taught myself how to do crossovers, how to skate backwards and finally how to actually stop properly! 2) Bauer Supreme Custom 4000 - At this stage I was playing hockey and training with the local under 18 team so needed better skates. I remember going to the skate store and being properly sized up and fitted. They looked great with the blue trim and lining as well as the black Tuuk Custom + holders. I remember these taking a looong time to break in and were constantly killing my feet but they were my first "high level" skate. 3) Micron Mega Air 90 - Best looking skate of the day, the white power clips and contrasting trim along with the black Tuuk's looked so sharp. The boot required no break in time at all and was the comfiest skate I had worn at this point. A truly beautiful skate but unfortunately I got these in the late 2000's and by then although they were new old stock when I bought them, the plastic clips and trim had become brittle with age and started breaking off through just rec skating. I ended up selling them not long after but if I ever see another pair in good condition in my size, I will buy them straight up. 4) Reebok 9k Pump White - (2007 Kovalev version) I only had these for a short while and managed a couple of rink skates on them but they reminded me of my Air 90s. Very comfortable skate and looked fantastic, maybe a little too "bling" for me but they were a very well made skate and I loved the Pump feature. I moved house not long after getting these and regrettably I sold them. Still kicking myself over that one! 5) CCM 752 Kevlar Tacks - believe it or not these are my current skates lol. I always wanted a pair of these and love the yellowy green effect on the boot due to the stitching. Just the right amount of stiffness and support but with plenty of ankle mobility. They also dont seem to be that heavy considering they are a 90s skate. Honorable mention - Bauer Vapor Agility 2 : I picked these up on ebay a few months ago and look to be an SMU skate based on the original Vapor 10. The boot seems to have pretty much the same features as the "10" apart from the carbon effect sole on the underside of the skate. The holders are the same grey Tuuk Custom but with carbon steel blades as opposed to the stainless triangle cutout blades. Have only worn these indoors to try on but the boot is super stiff and they really put you on your toes. Im looking forward to trying these out and they are a great looking skate.

Im guessing even a lower tier vapor skate from year 2000 is probably going to be an improvement on my old early 90s skates! Maybe I can fit some lightspeed runners on em...;) On another note, I found an old advert on Pernai's for the Vapor 3 skate https://www.hockeyworld.com/Bauer-Vapor-3-Hockey-Skates-02-model-Senior I cant see a whole lot of differences with the Vapor 2's I got other than it not having that black carbon effect "TPR" sole on the underside of the boot. Still, not bad for a pair of 20 dollar recreation skates! Almost remind me of my air 90s

And you recieve sage advice from those who know better on the forum but you smile cos you know your gonna ride that train anyway haha

Thanks man. Looking forward to finding out how much ive forgotten! Hahah

Yeah i hear you. I definitley dont have money to burn but the nostalgia does take over sometimes. I won the CCMs for 10 dollars because they were donated to a charity auction! The vapors were 20 dollars so they arent costing much. Also im only gonna use them for rec skating and getting used to ice again.