Nike Flexlite 12 skate

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

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[kovalchuk71 212]

Nike Flexlite 12 Skates

Other Skates used- Nike Quest 4, Nike v-12, Various Mission roller hockey skates, Sherwood skates

5' 8" 148 Lbs.

Background- After my great experience with the v-12's, I went with the flexlites as my next skates. Nike skates fit my feet like slippers.

Fit- From the first time I put these skates on my feet, they fit like a dream. They feel like slippers on my feet. I sometime have to wear them for hours, but dont mind, and would wear them much longer if I had to (Thats how comfy they are). I didnt need to bake them either. 10/10

Blade/Holder- Cannot comment on the ls2's because I swapped them for a roller hockey chassis

Weight- Coming from a V-12, I actually did notice a pretty drastic difference in weight. They are extremely light, and they feel like theyre not even on my feet sometimes. 10/10

Skating/Protection- The skates are really stiff and have great support on turns. I dont lace the top eyelets so the stiffness really didnt matter. When skating, they are very responsive. I can feel the skate kick with each stride and I love it. When I take shots to them, it hurts, but its not as bad as my v-12's were. 9/10

Durability- I have used these skates for about 8 months now, and they have held up like a charm. They look amazing (but I take great care of my skates). I havent had anything tear, but they have lost some of their stiffness. Other than that, the skates have held up like a dream.10/10

Conclusion- These skates are the best things I have ever skated on. The response is amazing, they are crazy light, and they have great support and comfort. I would be buying another pair, but I am going the Synergy route

9.7/10

Edited July 28, 2006 by kovalchuk71

[the_sock 1]

Product: Bauer Flexlite 4.0 6EE

Height: 6'

Weight: 200

Foot Size: 8EE

Foot Shape: Narrowish heel, high instep, medium arch (doesn't fall), wide forefoot. Duck feet but without the flat arch and instep.

Level and use: 3 to 6 times a week in winter, A/B men's rec hockey

Previous Skates: Bauer Supreme 5000 6.5EEE, CCM Vector U+ Reloaded 6.5E

Background: I've always had ill fitting skates, due to my feet. From my first pair of Daoust skates (handed down from my dad), to working in hockey shops and going through different skates through the years, never had a skate where I didn't have pain in my forefoot, my arch or severe lacebite. I've tried all the big vendors (CCM, Reebok, Bauer and Graf) and never was able to really find a good fit. I got these Flexlites based on a recommendation from a coworker based on my feet, I was one step away from getting a custom made pair of Bauers.

Fit: Flexlite fits very differently than any other skates I've tried. The skate is made on the Bauer E last, similar to the Supreme skates. The heel is narrow, generous volume in the boot, very wide forefoot and a medium toe box width and high toe box hight. The heel fit works perfectly with my feet, my old 5000 were almost wide enough in the forefoot, but my heel was way too sloppy that I wore holes in the liner. Tons of room in the boot, so much that I actually pass the pencil test. The width is big, so much that the quarter material just behind the toe box seems to have material taken out to give more room, and is reinforced with a protective support on the outside of the boot. The toe box is narrower than the Vapors or the Supreme, I was more comfortable in the Supreme toe box, it presses against my small toe a bit on my right foot. I used to have Superfeet in the skates but found with the heel lift, my ankles were too high on the padding and I was getting nasty lace bite. Once I put in the stock footbed, both issues were gone.

10/10 if you're foot is like mine

Blade/holder: TUUK Lightspeed 2 holder with LS2 runners. Great setup, broke my right holder but that's because I use my right foot a lot to kick the puck to my stick (bad habit). The extra hight on the holders gives a better forward body position than the older TUUK+ from my Supreme 5000, feels much more stable on turns and stops than the E-Pro. The LS2 runners are good, no rust issues like my Performance runners on the U+. Would run them on any skates.

10/10

Weight/protection: Not light but not heavy. From skating from the Supreme 5000s to the U+, I was amazed on how much weight there was in older skates. Found that the Flexlites are in the middle. Protection is a bit of an issue for me, being a defenseman that the puck always finds on shots, I have gotten many shots off the feet and they hurt. Because of the materials used in the skate, there is no hard layer to disperse impacts. This skate is soft. I have gotten skate fenders to help protect my feet now.

3/10 Protection

8/10 Weight

Durability: I've skated on these boots for a year now with heavy use (3 to 6 times during the winter and 2 to 3 times in the summer). The skates are soft to begin with but they haven't broken down to the point that they've lost all support or pop. Liner shows wear where the tongue rubs but hasn't been a detrimental issue. The quarter material is made from a weave of fibers and there is some areas where the stitching is coming loose. The molded lace bite protection is worn through to match my lacing but I don't have any issues with lace bite. If you're a light use skater, this will last you a long time. If you skate as much as I do, then it will last about two years. Don't quote me on that.

7/10

Intangibles: Great quality control on the skate, haven't found one issue where the boot has shoddy manufacturing processes. Very good quality in materials used for the price, it easily out classes other manufactures in the same price point. Great look with an all black boot with a bronze jewel on the tendon guard. Could have used a thicker ounce felt on the tongue. Great fit story, new version coming out in 2012, going to pick it up once released.

Conclusion: I have seen a few inquries on this skate, thought I may put in my two cents. I love this skate, if you have feet like mine, like a softer boot to flex better and don't want to spend $850 on the top end Bauer skates, great skate. Fit is the most important thing with this boot, if you're feet don't fit into the group of people this skate is made for, you may not like the experience. If you tried a Vapor but found the forefoot too narrow but the heel a bit wide or the Supreme and the forefoot close or narrow but the heel too wide, than this may fit well.

Overall 9/10 for me and my feet.