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flip12

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Posts posted by flip12

  2. Posted · Report reply

    On 12/31/2020 at 9:38 PM, smcgreg said:

    To renew my comments on this skate based on the experience with my son.  I guess I should mention his particulars:  15 yr old.  HS/AAA caliber.  Skates 5+ times per week.  Old skate is Mako.

    So, we got him 6.5 TF9s for Christmas and determined those were too big.  So, we had to go down a size (or more, since the Makos were starting to hurt).  We went with 6s after trying 5.5s as well.  After baking he was thrilled.  They felt as comfy and well-fitting as his Makos.  So, he was excited to skate on them for the first time.  First impressions after the first skate, he was less than thrilled.  I've been very rigorous in keeping my expectations to myself.  I assumed there would be some major differences to deal with, but didn't want to influence his impressions and thought some things might be different, but better with adaptation.  Anyway....

    1.  Boot was still comfy, so, no issue there.  Coming from Makos, that's a pretty strong testament.  Not one complaint on the first skate after coming from the most comfortable skate ever made... (retail).

    2. Boot seemed heavy.  (I anticipated this one). 

    3.  Said if felt like going from rollerblades back to ice.... no for-aft stability. 

    4.  Turns were good.

    5.  Shot sucked.  (again, I anticipated this since there is more height off the ice than his Makos).

    6.  Said if telt like ski boots when you walk and you're kicked forward/pushed forward.

    Differences that are obvious aside from the boot that can explain some of these observations. 

    1.  Pitch seems aggressive on the TF9s.  We have been profiling the Makos with a negative 2 to reduce the aggressiveness of the CXN pitch and make it more like a Vapor.  Measuring with a tape measure, there is still an extra 1/4in difference from back to front vs the Makos, so, that explains #6 above.

    2. It seems the stock profile is around 9ft?  Coming from an 11 ft on him Makos, that would explain #3 above, I think.  This might also explain why turns were better #4?  Shorter radius should make for better tight turns, correct?

    3.  the height difference compared to his Makos is about 1/2 in at the back and about 1/4 in at the front (measure with tape measure, so, grain of salt).  So, this would explain #5 due to stick being too short. 

    So.... it seems like most of the issues can be addressed with a profile (11 ft and -1 pitch) and lengthening the stick 1/4 to 1/2 in. 

    The only issue remaining would be weight. .....  So, the dilemma is, stick with them and profile or start the search for a different skate that fits (tall order) and weighs less. 

    Sorry for lots of words, but hopefully it helps others who may be dealing with similar issues. 

    I'm curious to hear if the perceived weight changes once the blades are profiled. I've experienced boots that went from feeling nimble and responsive to sluggish and leaden from swapping out old for new steel.

  3. Posted · Report reply

    4 hours ago, SkateWorksPNW said:

    If you look at many pros skates a significant number of them have oversized holders. I also skate on oversized holders as well and cannot go down in size without it affecting my sense of balance. 

    I don't think a longer holder allows greater steel to work with, as you are only using a very minimal amount of steel when skating and that is dictated by the profile and hollow, regardless if its pushing or gliding, but I feel the longer holder provides a greater amount of surface area which does affect balance and such. 

    I do think there are limits though to oversizing. I had a WHL player last year who was wearing a size 6 skate with 280 holders. Looking at his steel you could clearly see what portions of the blade he was using when skating and I made the recommendation to drop him to a 272. The trainer adjusted his backup pair of skates to a 272 without telling the player and when the player tested them he said he loved the new profile. We didn't adjust his profile at all, just gave him a slightly smaller holder and adjusted the balance point. 

    TLDR: Stick with a 263 the longer holders you can without them extending off the toe or heel of the boot. 

    Comparing three holder sizes relative to a given boot size--holder one size down, holder standard to the boot, holder one size up--and not changing anything of the steel specs other than the size difference: what would be the most prominent effect, position of the balance point relative to the foot?

    With the WHL player, how did you adjust the balance point on the 272 set? To match where it was on the 280 set or in some new location?

  4. Posted · Edited by flip12 · Report reply

    1 hour ago, boo10 said:

    Could be, idk.  I didn't see the big CCM graphic on the heel and thought it was the Ribcor.

    Good point. The big CCM! splash on the heel of the AS3 is no doubt infamous. That’s just on the lateral side of the boot; medial has a more moderate logo hit: rs.php?path=STPA3-3.jpg&nw=592The lines line up between stock AS3 Pro and the SE AS3 Pro the Swede is wearing.

    • Like 1

  7. Posted · Report reply

    5 hours ago, Lihp8270 said:

    I’m finally biting the bullet and going for true. I do have a couple of questions though  

    after trying supremes, as1’s and most recently vapor 2x pro fit 1, all from advice of different fitters. With some working better than others none have been perfect.

    all skates have given me arch pain without either orthomove or speedplates, supremes were loose in the heal, tacks were a little better but on the verge of lace bite, the vapors seem ok but are too shallow.  Even Bauer admitted that my foot isn’t going to go into a retail boot.

    my foot is narrower than a D, but I have a higher arch than an average person, a thinner ankle wrap, and an instep that is too tall for supremes. So essentially i need a vapor cut, with a narrower than D boot, with the depth of a nexus. 

    now lockdown hasn’t been kind, I’ve not skated in 8 months, and I’ve put on maybe 10kg of weight. How adjustable are the ska the skates? When Im back on the ice in the new year, and I lose the lockdown weight and feet change slightly as the muscles readjust. Are the trues so set that they no longer fit? Or is it a case of just rebaking and good to go?

    after trying nearly every top end skate over the years, I want these the be the final pair for a long time. 

    By the time you’ll have lost that weight you may have wanted to rebake your Trues anyway, regardless of any weight loss. The reason being, once the boots’ foams pack in a bit, a rebake can reset the snugness of the boot, as it can get a bit roomy after some use.

  8. Posted · Report reply

    I'm definitely into nostalgic equipment. It's also a bit of a historical design study for me, dissecting why things have gone the way they have with the industry.

    We're also alike in our dislike of the stiffness of close fitting boots around the ankle. I baked my MLX several times and the last time got the top quite nice by not lacing the last three eyelets at all. I just let them flare out naturally and I think even pulled the tongue out a bit to force the top open a bit more even. It worked quite well but I still need a thin strip of tape around the tendon guard to keep me from getting "Mako bumps" from the cuff edge. If it weren't for that abrasion I could easily skate in those with the top eyelets unlaced. Making sure to bake in some gap around the ankle has made a huge difference in my enjoyment in those boots. Maybe that could be worth a shot in your Makos. You could maybe even just heat gun the ankle area so you can flare it out without having to rebake the whole boot again.

  9. Posted · Report reply

    I feel you. I juuuuust finally received a pair of like new 707s I found on German classifieds. They fit great except for the heel shape, so I'm not sure how much I'll be able to actually test them. From lacing them up and flexing them, they feel very free. I'm used to that now from skating a handful of sessions in 701s. I've yet to try the no laces thing, but the softer ankle of the 701 diagnosed a few weaknesses I had in my stride. I'm working on how to achieve that perfect Frankenskate like you describe, and I think I'm onto something. I just need to get back on the ice and get some test boots made to try it out.

    The 703 tongues I've seen and tried have a bit more stiffness to them than Graf's later tongues. I'd bet the flex and balance function will be quite similar to the Mako tongue. Graf were smart enough to soften them up to accommodate the required stiffer quarter panels. I tried an older 703 tongue, probably of similar vintage to the ones you have, in G35s and I lost almost all my agility due to the overly stiff combination. 701 tongues have next to no stiffness in them and are my go to tongues in my MLX now. I also have a pair of near mint 501s that have a plush and very flexible tongue; can't wait to try those boots out. I see why Fedorov cheated on Nike to get back with those, and Leetch still skates in them last I've seen.

  10. Posted · Report reply

    That makes sense. Do you miss the cushy feel just at the top or all along the foot? I only tried on a neglected pair of Makos that were lying around the rink and actually was impressed by the tongue, and I have extensive familiarity with and appreciation for Graf tongues. I can see where, with the idea of the extreme moldability of the Mako, they went with something a little less bulky, but I have tried several Graf tongues in my MLX instead of the stock ones. In my opinion, the Mako tongue was much more reminiscent of what I prefer and usually find Grafs to be quite nice. Which Graf tongues do you have lying around? They have changed drastically over the years and there have been quite a number of different tongues since the mid-late 80's, which is where my collection begins.

  11. Posted · Report reply

    Tongues have a lot to do with the feel of the boot, especially forward flex and balancing over the blade. If you’re not unhappy with that aspect of the Mako tongue I’d first try to add extra felt to the existing tongue to provide the flop you want without messing with other factors that are more integral to skating rather than purely or primarily cosmetic.

  12. Posted · Report reply

    I also usually add a wooden plug for balance. It feels like it’s mostly a weight distribution issue for me, rather than a question of material/vibrational medium. I tested using a plastic plug with a bolt fed through it. I loaded it up with washers to adjust the balance and I couldn’t really feel a difference between that and having a wooden plug of the same weight.

    The only sticks that I’ve tried that have had great feel without having to add a plug have been Trues. Also a Kovalev gamer but his shaft is heavier than normal and the end plug probably weighs 40-50g as well, effectively reproducing the effect of an end plug.

  13. Posted · Report reply

    26 minutes ago, SkateWorksPNW said:

    The holder has more forward pitch and is taller than the other holders. It's also symmetrical. Those things plus the inability to use the various steel options resulted in a very different experience and "feel" when skating on the SHIFT holder vs others. 

    IMO, while CCM tried to replicate the "feel" of the EDGE holder so that players could more easily transition to the XS holder from the EDGE holder, TRUE instead wanted to change things up.

    These changes resulted in a significantly different experience which some may enjoy and other will not. 

    That’s a great summary, and makes me really want to try the Shift holder.

  14. Posted · Report reply

    3 hours ago, SkateWorksPNW said:

    I like all of the current holders on the market; EDGE, XS, and SHIFT holder. They are all mostly similar but obviously have different locking mechanisms for replacement steel. Excluding professional players, I see more general consumers gravitate towards EDGE holders, or for whatever holder they have extra steel for. 

    I have been testing the new Byonic steel which can fit in both the XS holder and the EDGE holder. If I was on the ice blindfolded I can tell you with confidence I would not be able to confirm which holder I was skating on between the two. I would absolutely be able to tell you when I was skating on the SHIFT holder though since the dynamic of that holder and steel is very different compared to the others. 

    How do you mean, the dynamic of the Shift holder and steel is different?

  15. Posted · Report reply

    32 minutes ago, IPv6Freely said:

    That's precisely what the Prosharp Project was supposed to address. We all had an amazing opportunity to dial in a profile for far less than it would cost otherwise. It's a shame more people didn't take advantage of it.

    I would have, but shipping to and from Europe would have been too expensive for me. I think that kind of program is the future of profiling.

  17. Posted · Report reply

    What makes a pair of shoulder pads more protective? My best guess is:

    1. Coverage or fit. A good fit, where the pads are properly aligned with where the impact points and prone areas are will protect better. This is a question of size and model. It has to be a good match with the wearer, or even the most protective shoulder pad won't protect as it should.

    2. Material composition. There's usually a base of softer foam for comfort and some protection, paired with plastic and or denser foam for higher grade protection, resisting impacts of greater force. The top end pads are usually tricked out with what could be viewed as gimmicks: fancier foams, range of motion provided in dimensions that the body itself doesn't use, etc. You can get a sense of how protective the pieces are and where their respective strong and weak points are in person. It can be a little hard to get a sense for that shopping online.

    george-lamberis-youtube_00i2uxdxbae.gif

    3. Deformation depth: Just like how a golf ball collapses when struck, the stiffer parts in protective equipment (hd foam or plastic) also compress or collapse on impact. If there's more of a crumple zone in the high impact areas, there's ample space for the pad to bend inwards on impact (sometimes it's called absorbing the impact) and not reach the body of the wearer underneath.

    I used to have light and slim shoulders (Easton Pro Light Design) that were light for their day but had minimally deep shoulder caps. Ultimately I replaced them because I was playing with some chippy idiots most of the time and wanted better protection against hacks and cross checks. The 20 years between that pair and my Warrior AX1s did a ton for improving shoulder pad protection and performance. I got the AX1s over Bauer Vapor APX2 shoulder pads because I got the AX1s for a great price on closeout. They're not impressively light compared to the APX2, but they are light enough that I don't notice them when I play. The fact that they are extremely mobile also contributes to that. When I took them out on the ice the first time, I was blown away at how much more mobile they were while also being much more protective than my previous shoulders. Although they don't pass the "looking cool in minimal shoulders department," I got over that by looking at how cool Fedorov looked even in bulky shoulder pads (we're about the same height) and figuring I wouldn't have to worry about looking cool anyway. Instead, I'm more concerned with whether or not I'm safe on the ice--before getting these shoulders, I didn't feel protected enough given the group I played with, sad but true--and whether or not I'm having fun. It's much easier to have fun with these shoulder pads on than my previous ones, and I have no motivation to change these at all until they fall apart.

    For reference, I also wear full face coverage when I play. It has saved me a few times when I've closed on puck carriers faster than they realized and they stuck me in the face as I approached. No scars or dental work necessary.

    • Like 1

  18. Posted · Report reply

    6 hours ago, dkmiller3356 said:

    ok...  first off I think they are fugly...   like it's 3am, I'm still at the bar and the chick at the end must have lost 40 lbs over the course of the night come on honey lets do this fugly!

    2nd... I had Vector pros and liked them and thought they were pretty cool looking.

    3rd..   at this point I will wear whatever fits me best and helps me skate better.

    Vector Pros weren’t bad. They were a bit odd but they had a solid look. They also stuck to the black, white, and grey color scheme.

  21. Posted · Report reply

    CCM has had a slew of fugly designs over the years, especially the Externo line comes to mind, but just about everything after the 952 was a belly flop in a surfing competition. I submit the Vector 10.0 as the ugliest and guiltiest of all time.

    18-4539.jpg

    Prior to this, skates were black, white and grey. Not the flashiest color palette but workable given the multitude of schemes every skate would invariably pair with, as well as the effect of wear and tear on their looks. Enter the 10.0, with it’s suitably repulsive name, and suddenly arbitrary colors were involved. They were impressively competent at finding a color which looks good with exactly no other color as well, just to touch bottom on the first go. Ever since that, skates’ looks have been been irrevocably tarnishes.

  22. Posted · Edited by flip12 · Report reply

    On 11/18/2020 at 4:06 PM, oldtrainerguy28 said:

    That's actually the preference with them now. Not do top 3 and use shrink wrap at the top

    I didn't use shrink wrap anywhere. I let the top three eyelets flare outward to allow for ankle rotation when I skate. It almost got me the same amount of room as in my 703's but not quite.

    Next time I bake them I'll wrap all the way along the foot up to the top three eyelets and leave them open again.

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