matix218

I agree with this, I am still in x7.0s (had x:60s before and have a pair of x90s in reserve) and I tried on the newer curve based vapors and I needed to drop from a 7 (my size in the x7.0s) to a 6.5 (2x). It seems on the curve composite skates the sizing is approx .5 down compared to the older top end tech mesh skates (x:60, x7.0, x90). That also means you will need to get used to a different blade length in some cases (example, the size 7 skates are 263 and the size 6.5 skates are 254). I know some people are more picky about that than others but still worth noting.

Huh, interesting idea. Hopefully the new ones have something to address the comfort issue.

I will likely be buying these. I loved the originals (how they lock your foot in place). Only downsides were they didnt add much comfort (just thin fabric over hard plastic) and they had durability issues. If those items are addressed and they retain their ability to lock in your foot these will be perfect.

Any word on if Bauer plans to address the durability? I have had 2 pairs crack on me. Both are still usable as the crack is small and i covered it in tape to help prevent spreading but I would love to buy a new pair and not have them crack again...

Helmet: Bauer 4500 (black) with CCM FM480 (white) Shoulders: Sherwood classics Elbows: Bauer one75 Gloves: Bauer one95 (black and white) Pants: Bauer TotalOne girdle with Vapor shell (black) Shins: RBK 9k Skates: Bauer Vapor x7.0 with custom felt NXG tongues and Speedplates Sticks: Intermediate Easton Stealth CX 60 flex

If you can find a pair of the Easton Stealth S17's they would be perfect for you. They had a super narrow heel area (with amazing heel lock) and a wide enough forefoot that most EE with users could easily fit in their "R" or "regular" width. They may be tough to find though. What size are you?

Updated some gear: Helmet: Bauer 4500 black with white ccm fm480 cage Elbows: Bauer one75 Shoulders: Sherwood classics Shins: Reebok 9k Gloves: Bauer one95 Skates: Bauer Vapor x7.0 with Speedplates Pants: Bauer TotalOne girdle with Bauer shell (black) Sticks: Easton Stealth CX intermediate 60 flex x4

As far as I know speed plates can be used in any skate since they are fully thermoformable. I am using them in old 2009 Bauer x:60s and they work great (yes I know this is still a Bauer brand skate but it was certainly not designed specifically with the speed plate in mind like the 1x).

I like your username btw, I am originally from Bucks County PA As to your question, I had them for just over 60 days and I skate 1-2 times a week on average. The crack was small (maybe like half an inch long?) and to be honest has not in any way hurt the performance/comfort of the footbeds. I actually threw some cloth tape over the crack and am still using the old footbeds (Monkey said I could keep them) so now I basically have a brand new pair in reserve if the crack gets worse but I have skated on them cracked 3-4 times and it has not seemed to spread as far as I can tell.

What i did to get a good fit was heat them up (one at a time), put one footbed in skate immediately after pulling out of oven and immediately stand on it before tying, then tie up as quickly as I could, then repeat for 2nd. This was the only way I felt like I got a good mold in the arch area, if i tied up before standing on it I feel like it cooled off too much to mold the arch properly by the time the skate was tied.

Just had mine crack actually :/ Replacements are on the way from hockey monkey but given I have only had them for two months or so I have a feeling this issue will arise again with my new pair...

Arghhh... One of my speed plates has cracked... I contacted hockey monkey (since I am within 90 days of purchase) and hopefully I will get a replacement.

The main reason why I plan on sticking with skates that have traditional eyelets. Yes they are heavier and prone to wear and corrosion but if one rots out you can get them replaced at a pro shop. I like the idea of the injected lacing system but given it only comes on skates around 1000 dollars and if it breaks out of warranty you are kinda screwed I don't see the benefit outweighing the potential costs.

Updated list: Helmet/cage: Bauer 4500 w/ CCM fm480 Shoulders: Sherwood classics Elbows: old Nike/Bauer supreme mid range ones, not sure the exact model Gloves: Bauer one95s Girdle/shell: Bauer TotalOne girdle with Bauer Nexus shell Shins: Warrior Franchise Intermediates Skates: Bauer X:60 LE's (old top of the line) with SpeedPlates Sticks: CCM Tacks 1st gen Retail Tavares 75 flex

Alright so I finally got a set of speed plates last week and i heat fitted them (at home) and played with them last night for the first time. These things are absolutely fantastic, exceeded my expectations in every way. I was expecting to see improved arch support which is the main reason why I got these but what I was not expecting was how drastic the difference was with regards to how your foot feels so much more "locked" in place. It almost made it feel like I was skating in a new "stiffer" boot (as opposed to the reality that I was still in my old X:60s). It felt like my blades were completely centered at all times and there was no pronation effect (where you feel like you are standing a bit to much on the inside edge, common for players with pronation issues) at all. It literally felt like I was skating on brand new skates. I was blown away by the "foot lock" that these insoles provide and I cannot recommend them enough. At 50 bucks this is the best skate upgrade I have ever experienced. On a side note for people who want to heat fit these at home, what I did (worked out perfectly) was as follows: -preheat oven to 200 degrees. -place one of the speedplates in the oven (on a tray with foil over it) -once the black lines disappear, take the speedplate out and put it in the skate and immediately stand on it for a second or two, then tie up the skate as quickly as you can amd stand with your weight over it for about a minute. -repeat for the 2nd speedplate. This worked perfectly and I got a great mold that provided all of the support and (especially) stability I described above and also excellent comfort as well.

Thanks! I will have to give them a try

Do Speed Plates change the pitch of your foot at all? I have gathered by reading this thread that they do not pitch you nearly as forward as SF Yellows but do they change your pitch compared to a stock Bauer insole (specifically the one that comes in the 2009 X:60 skates which is what I am still skating on)? Also do any X:60 (or similar skate, X7.0/X90) users have Speed Plates that can offer feedback as to sizing as well as performance improvements when used with these older technology skates? I have a 7D X:60 (and a 7D X7.0 BNIB in reserve for my next skate) so I assume I would order a 7D speed plate correct? I am getting kind of sick of the wafer-thin stock Bauer insoles and wanted something that would provide more support and hug my foot shape more but without a drastic change in pitch/heel height/volume like I notice when I put a SF Yellow in the boot. Thanks!

Yeah I agree, I get what he is saying about any company that builds an expensive product taking pride in the appearance of their work but seriously you are comparing a glossy perfect Italian sports car that you will never bring out in the rain, will stay in a heated garage and only be driven to car shows on 70+ degree sunny days to a piece of sports equipment that is going to be smacked with sticks/pucks/metal blades etc every time that you use it? All I know is every retail pair of "pristine perfect skates" (which btw sometimes still had glue smears and messed up stitching from the factory) looked like it had way more defects than "a few excess glue smears" after literally the first game I played on them. Skates are only going to look pretty before they are played in 1 time, after that its all about performance and durability, I could care less about glue smears if they perform as advertised.

Just curious, What happened that caused you to lose $800 on custom skates? Did the person that measured you for the customs make a mistake or something? I thought the whole point of customs is they are built around your foot measurements/requirements?

Helmet: Bauer 4500 with white RBK fm480 cage Shoulders: Sherwood Classics Elbows: Bauer one75 Gloves: Bauer one95 Pants: Bauer Total One Girdle with Bauer Vapor Shell Shins: RBK 5k Skates: Easton S17 with CCM Epro Holders/runners Sticks: CCM U+ CL Tavares 85 flex

I for one have owned quite a few pairs of skates over the many years I have been playing ice hockey. I thought it would be fun to see what some other member's favorites have been and share what mine have been. Post your top 5 favorite skates of all time (they can either be based on ones you have owned or even wanted to own). Mega/Bauer Air 90: I only owned the Bauer version but they were probably the most comfortable (slipper like) skates I have ever worn. The air pockets in the ankles were more comfortable to me than the memory gel/foam ankles in most other skates. I loved the black/gray look of them as well. Easton S15/17: Only owned the S17 but I loved the bare-bones super lightweight approach easton took with these skates. I am still currently skating on my S17's and I have a brand new pair in reserve for the day that my current pair is too beat up to use. I know people had some durability issues (specifically s15s) but I love the weight/performance of this skate and I always thought that the bare carbon boot sections looked really nice too. CCM 952 (Kevlar) skates: This was the pair of skates that I skated in for the longest period of time of any skate I ever owned. The fit and comfort were perfect and they had a perfect blend of stiffness and forward flex. They were also very protective with that DST wraparound sole (although the one thing you could claim as a negative from that same feature is that it added a lot of weight to the boot). CCM 352 skates: More of a nostalgia thing for me than anything truly special about these skates. They were my first "real" pair of decent quality skates and I was so proud to be skating on "Tacks". I thought the heel wedge looked super cool at the time and these were the skates that I truly learned how to be a "good" skater on so they carry a lot of memories for me. CCM Vector Pro and Vector 10.0: Loved LOVED this boot. Still using a Vector 10.0 boot for my inline hockey skates because I love them so much. Would probably switch back to them for ice if I could find a new pair in my size (which I always am searching ebay for haha). I love the shape of this boot for my foot and if I drop down 1 eyelet they had the perfect mix of support and forward flex that I have ever found. Lacelock was also awesome feature on these skates (I know reebok still offers this but I am not a big fan of the heel lock I get from Reebok boots). Def one of my favorite skate boots of all time. What about the rest of you guys? Please be sure to post reasons as to why a certain skate made your list to make it more interesting!

You got one100 limited editions for 50 bucks new??? What the heck, i dont even wear bauers but i would buy them at that price just to hang on my wall or sell haha

Just did the exact same thing to my Easton S17's to fix pretty much the same issue (i was getting the abrasion a bit further up, directly above the "ball" of my ankle. I have skated in them 3 times since and they are absolutely perfect now, no pain at all. Hopefully this fix does the tricks for you Mako guys as well!

Sticks: ccm u+ cl's (85 flex tavares) Skates: Easton s17 (silver) size 7.5r with ccm epro holder/blade size 271 Helmet: Bauer 4500 Cage: white ccm fm480 Shoulder pads: Sherwood classics Elbow pads: Bauer one75 Shin pads: Reebok 5k Girdle: Bauer totalone Shell: Bauer vapor Gloves: Bauer one95

Wow Simon, you are becoming a custom skate whore!