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flip12

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Posts posted by flip12

  2. Posted · Edited by flip12 · Report reply

    P28’s mislabeled as a lie 5. It goes back to Easton screwing it up on launch. It’s actually a 5.5. The rocker on the toe is my guess. If you don’t roll your wrists much when shooting, the puck can flutter off the typical release point just before reaching the toe of the blade.

    • Like 1

  4. Posted · Edited by flip12
    reference     · Report reply

    1 hour ago, SkateWorksPNW said:

    This is the best photo I could find.... and it still doesn't show much. 

    uVfgFeX.jpg

    Is it supposed to be the monocoque RibCor? It looks like he's got 80Ks on there.

    Edit: Just checked the image @decoy posted and they definitely feature a different, unreleased graphics package. They don't look like the ones above.

  7. Posted · Report reply

    3 hours ago, smcgreg said:

    Following up to this reply to help maintain some continuity. 

    Today, my son skated on his TF9s in two back to back games for the first time since profiling to 10 ft and -1 pitch.  As a reminder, he hated the stock profile out of the box and was miserable after one stick adn pucks.  As reference, he skated on his Makos in a game yesterday and decided to dive in head first for two games today for a number of reasons.  This was a fairly high level skate (college recruitment), but not at the AAA 15U level.  Since he skated one game yesterday, the Makos were fresh in his mind and TF9s were brand new and effectively novel to him since the profile was different.  I'll break it down by things I think made a difference.

    1.  10 ft radius - Much better than stock.  He was visibly "teetering" back and forth on the stock profile at sticks and pucks.  It was probably a combination of things, but he commented he felt like there wasn't enough steel under his toes and heels.  No such comment today and no "teetering".

    2.  minus 1 pitch - Again, much better than stock.  He commented that he still felt like he was being pushed forward a bit, but could probably get used to it.  Will give it a couple more skates. 

    Other harder to attribute observations: 

    3. Power transfer - He commented that he felt more powerful on them.  As support, after playing two back to back games, he felt less tired than the day before playing only one game on his Makos yesterday.  As corroboration, watching him, I thought he was going further on each stride. I commented on this to a friend before his comments.  So, not that this would be a specific True property, I just think the Mako footbed is breaking down and he's just getting better power transfer, resulting in greater stride efficiency and less fatigue.

    4. He said they feel like "tanks".  Heavier, beffier, less agile.  They are heavier than Makos, but as I've stated before he needs more protection, so, any more protective skate will likely be heavier.  at this point, this is his only complaint and he accepts that nothing will feel like the Makos from here on out.  So, need to adjust and see if he can get the agility from these on top of the other benefits.

    Finally, the fact that he skated two back to back games without any comfort issues in brand new skates is almost unheard of in any other brand, than Makos, I expect.  The only comfort complaint was a bit of rubbing at the cuff because they come up higher than Makos.  He's going to try higher socks next time to see if that fixes it, but if not, I'll heat and roll out the cuff.  Still, pretty impressive to get that knid of comfort/fit for $600. 

     

     

    Cool to hear the detailed follow up.

    Out of curiosity, how much do the Makos weigh compared to the Trues, and how much higher cut are the Trues?

  9. Posted · Report reply

    1 hour ago, smcgreg said:

    When you say "shorter cut", you mean boot height?  I wasn't sure, but my son is coming from Makos and thought the boots were great and Makos are pretty low as well.  So, just wondering what that meant.

    Yes, lower cuff height on the boot, about 1 eyelet lower than other brands, approximately. I think Makos are about the same as Trues, but I haven’t had my hands on more than one pair of those and can’t exactly recall how they stacked up side by side with my MLX.

    Trues are the same height as my 703s but more stable in the ankle due to three main factors: 1. Trues are stiffer; 2. Trues have consistent spacing between the top eyelets where Graf had a 1.5x gap between the top and second eyelets; 3. Trues *usually have a closer fit, shrinkwrapped around the ankle while Graf had an extra layer of reinforcement around the collar of the boot, from the top eyelet on one side to the top eyelet on the other, ensuring ample room for ankle ROM.

     

    *depending on how they’re molded.

  10. Posted · Report reply

    4 hours ago, hockeydad3 said:

    Yesterday i had the chance to skate for the first time in my new TF7. All rinks are closed due to lockdown since mid of november. A small lake 40km away has build ice to skate on since last week. The ice condition was terrible and i didn`t skate since two months.

    My former skates have been Supremes 180, 6.5D with a 11´ radius and a +2 forward pitch(Blackstone). They don´t have enough volume and they are a few mm to short. Lacing too loose my toes get squeezed and lacing too tight my insteps and arches get squeezed.

    That´s why i´m trying the Trues. They are 6.5R and have been sharpened out of the box without profiling. I was baking them with the saran wrap method and they fit like a glove. I was trying to break them in at home on the carpet several times. They have a little more volume, are some mm´s longer and have a better wrap than the Supremes.

    The skating experience was fine with good support from the skates and a little pain in my footsole. The length is ok, toes touching the cap while standing and not touching while skating or sitting. I´m assuming that they will give some more lenght and volume after breaking in.

    Two things that i noticed: They are way more agile and a little less stable than my supremes, maybe due to a shorter profile. And they have less forward pitch than my supremes. Has anyone a definite information about the profile radius (e.g. icewarehouse says 9' & 10') and the pitch of the TF7?

    At first i would give them more hours on the ice. I like the new agility, but would go up to a 10´ profile if the profile is 9´and add a +1 forward pitch if i can´t adapt. Or should i try a Quad Zero profile?

    A longer will likely fix a lot of your stability, since you’re used to longer.

    I personally prefer 11’ over 9’ or 10’, but I skate ok on the others. I feel more in tune with the 11’ so I know what it’s like to not quite feel right on shorter radii.

    Another issue of note: The True’s are shorter cut. It could be you’ll have a transition period where you adapt to their level and situation of support. True’s boots are more on par height-wise with classic Grafs like the 703 than what the other brands produce.

  15. 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.

  16. 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?

  17. 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

  20. 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.

  21. 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.

  22. 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.

  23. 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.

  24. 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.

  25. 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.

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