What's the big deal with skates becoming so light?

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

Recently, it seems like most companies want to makes skates lighter and lighter and with the more flash possible on their skates. The thing is I've never seen someone skating better because they bought lighter skates. What I want is not the lightest skates, what I want is the best quality, the best comfort, the skates that respond the best to my feet. I'm also tired of those flashy colors on skates. For me, only black and white can fit on skates, not blue, grey etc...I like the traditionnal colors and for having many friends in hockey, I'm not the only one.

I was talking to a skates expert last week(the guy works on his own so he is not addict for one company more than an other) and he told me that too light skates might be the cause of certain recent injuries. He also told me that lighter skates doesn't make players faster. Sure there is limit to heavy like he said but he said that a certain amount of weight in skates help you to skate with momentum. At first, I did not understand but when you think to that it's logical. It's the physics law. As example, do some arm circles then after that take a 5 pounds objects and do others arm cicles with it, it will be easier to do with the 5 pounds and you will have more momentum in you circles. He said it's the same thing with skating. In his mind, he said that the Graf is this still the best skate on the market even though they keep their skates traditionnal.

In concusion, I'm tried of company that say they the best skate on the market because their skates is 50 grams lighter than an other. It's completely stupid. Likmany things nowadays, many skates company try to sell illusion to the hockey world, false illusion and I'm tired of it. So if you want to be a better skater, go to public skating and practice.

[chk hrd 164]

well said and I pretty much agree. Does a few grams here or there matter to 99.9% of us....no. It doesn't matter if it is a stick, skates, protective equipment it's not going to make the difference. Alot of times lighter means less, less protection, less padding, less material.

Call me old fashion or traditionalist but I preffer the low key looking stuff. One reason I would never get the current Vector 10 skates is because they ruined the look with the gaudy electric blue and tiger stripes.

[Gongshow11 1]

are you telling me a guy would skate faster in a pair of bauer classic golds vs a pair of vapor xxx, please. The lighter the skates are, the faster you can move your feet. Take two guys, if they both worked on quick feet all summer, same level, i can guarantee vapor xxx would have quicker foot speed. Is it easier to run in running shoes or timberlands? please.

kovy, you have the flashiest skates ont he ice everytime you're out there, for those of you who dont know, he has reverse great whites aka federovs, which without a doubt, are more of a headhunter than one90s.

I will agree tho, the look of the fuel line, and the kors make me sick to my stomach, vapors and rbks? beauties

[Gongshow11 1]

well said and I pretty much agree. Does a few grams here or there matter to 99.9% of us....no. It doesn't matter if it is a stick, skates, protective equipment it's not going to make the difference. Alot of times lighter means less, less protection, less padding, less material.

Call me old fashion or traditionalist but I preffer the low key looking stuff. One reason I would never get the current Vector 10 skates is because they ruined the look with the gaudy electric blue and tiger stripes.

ccm 152 is lighter than a lot of skates but has as much padding as if i tied newspapers to my feet.

[Storm 0]

I wear grafs and even after they're soaked I still can't tell if they've gotten heavier even though I know they did.

What I'm not crazy about is the space look. But hey remember when we were kids....If it was in good taste we didn't want it.

[jimmy 194]

I think the lighter skates are good for those who are not in shape and have no endurance. However, the athlete in top shape won't even notice a difference, with 50-100 grams. I will say though, some of the new skates are 3/4 lb (750grams) lighter per skate than some of the classics. That's serious weight there, but still something an athelete can overcome. Think of that army soldier who's out in the jungle lugging a 70 lb backpack, 20lb rifle, 10lb helmet, 15 lb boots and 20 lb flak vest all day hours on end . Then compare that to you, playing a sixty minute game where you are on the ice about 20 minutes, with a rest every minute or so. And your telling me you can't handle 50 grams. :o Building strength in your legs would be way more beneficial than trying to shave a few grams off the skates. That's what soldiers who are in top shape do. Boot camp, here we go.....

[Storm 0]

 

kovy, you have the flashiest skates ont he ice everytime you're out there, for those of you who dont know, he has reverse great whites aka federovs, which without a doubt, are more of a headhunter than one90s.

Kovy I have to agree with yglod11.

Only you and Kovalev can get away with that look.

[hamstercaster 2]

are you telling me a guy would skate faster in a pair of bauer classic golds vs a pair of vapor xxx, please. The lighter the skates are, the faster you can move your feet. Take two guys, if they both worked on quick feet all summer, same level, i can guarantee vapor xxx would have quicker foot speed. Is it easier to run in running shoes or timberlands? please.

kovy, you have the flashiest skates ont he ice everytime you're out there, for those of you who dont know, he has reverse great whites aka federovs, which without a doubt, are more of a headhunter than one90s.

I will agree tho, the look of the fuel line, and the kors make me sick to my stomach, vapors and rbks? beauties

I very much doubt that a few hundred grams will make any difference in skating speed. Legs have the strongest muscles in the body. I too am a bit tired of seeing companies trying to prove that their product is better because it's lighter. I switched from a one piece to a woody a while back and the woody was much heavier but my hand speed and coordination didn't change at all. As for skates, I'd be curious to see if lighter does indeed mean faster. I'm almost a 100% certain that you wouldn't see any difference at all provided the guy skated at exactly the same intensity, line and stride with both skates. In my mind it's all mental. I pay more attention to comfort than weight. I think comfort is what matters most.

[MLSman 22]

I would agree that the "light" war going on right now (like with the One90) is a little ridiculous, but I can tell you that there is more to it. I am a lighter player, so to me, reduction of weight is always an issue that starts with my feet. There is a difference in fell when you have two skates that are about 150-200 grams apart.

I have gone through quite an experiment this summer. Looking for a new pair to replace my Nike Ignite 1 skates, I tried:

Nike/Bauer One90

RBK 9K pump

CCM Vector 10

CCM Pro Tacks

Bauer Vapor XXX

They all are different feels, and are all different weights. On the CCM side, the Vector 10s felt the lighter of the three to me...but the NBH skates were substantially lighter. I was a real fan of the fit and the power of the One90, but the epoxy issue on the outsole IS an issue. The best fit I have found with the lightest weight is the Vapor XXX. Contrary to what was said before, I feel much more explosive with this skate, and my ability to turn on a dime and have better balance is not just my opinion. People I play with tell me that I look a lot more comfortable in the skate. I can tell you that I do not feel like I have a skate on my foot. There is also something to be said about the pitch of the skate and the way it is rockered, but I tried to do the same with the CCM skates and it never felt right. I know they also have different lasts, so I am not eliminating that as a possibility, but from my experience the light weight of the skate has something to do with confort.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

So Graf is the best skate - yet where's the protection in that?

Maybe you should stop using composite sticks - they may cause shoulder/elbow injuries.

[DarkStar50 679]

Tubular steel blades and holder vs Tuuk style blade/holder? Advantage goes to Tuuks. They are lighter.

1970 Complete leather boot with leather upper and leather sole(1970 CCM Tackaberry skates) vs 2006 man made materials in skates(pick your brand-CCM, RBK, Easton, NBH, Mission)? Advantage goes to 2006 skates. They are lighter and will not get heavier with sweat through the game.

Next time you are in the locker room and one of you old school buds pulls those Bauer 3000, circa 1991 top-of-the-line skates out of his bag ask him to hand it to you so you can check the weight. Be sure not to drop it if you are not ready to feel the difference between his and what you wear now.

Hockey is a game of short sprints to reach the puck, an open area, or the net. The player with lighter skates, given the same skill set as the player with heavier skates will always win the foot race. Everyone here seeks a competitive advantage over his opponent. The reduction in skate weight, started by the 1997 Vapor 8, was the beginning of this race in the industry.

[Storm 0]

So Graf is the best skate - yet where's the protection in that? 

Maybe you should stop using composite sticks - they may cause shoulder/elbow injuries. 

Slight aside....I've heard that but how can they (composite sticks) cause injuries?

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Tendinitis from vibration

Not enough momentum when you swing it

[djinferno 2]

So Graf is the best skate - yet where's the protection in that?

Maybe you should stop using composite sticks - they may cause shoulder/elbow injuries.

Depending on the skate, the 705\g5 and 709\g9 are protective...

now a 703\g3 is another story...

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

So Graf is the best skate - yet where's the protection in that? 

Maybe you should stop using composite sticks - they may cause shoulder/elbow injuries. 

Depending on the skate, the 705\g5 and 709\g9 are protective...

now a 703\g3 is another story...

How do you figure?

He was talking about the traditional boots, which would be the 700 series. The G series is their (feeble) attempt at making a modern boot.

[Bengalpredator 0]

The best compairison I have heard on this issue is golf. I have a friend that played golf in college and tryed to play pro, but was not good enough. He said that as good as he was he still needed to shave 3 or 4 shoots a round off his game to compete, but for him to shave those 3 or 4 points would be like the average person going from shooting 100 to 80. This is also why weight/club shape/etc. is very important to a pro golfer, but would not help the average golfer. ( believe me I tryed to hit a golf ball with his clubs and it didn't help me) A skate that is 50 grams lighter may help a pro player by one/tenth of a second which is all he may need, but it does not help you or me.

[Storm 0]

Tendinitis from vibration

Not enough momentum when you swing it

Thanks

[Reaper 0]

I will say though, some of the new skates are 3/4 lb (750grams) lighter per skate than some of the classics.

Not to rag on you but 750 grams is 3/4 of a kilogram which is roughly 1.65 lbs.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

So Graf is the best skate - yet where's the protection in that? 

Maybe you should stop using composite sticks - they may cause shoulder/elbow injuries. 

While I understand you may not agree with what I say, I don't think you're the kind of person who usually neglects those details.

[Gongshow11 1]

kovy who told you this, luke or slapshot

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

While I understand your main point - does weight really matter? No, it doesn't. But then to say that they're causing injuries because they are not protective enough and then for the guy to say that Graf skates are the best, when that skate is mainly comprised of leather is a ludicrous statement.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

Give the any pair of skates to Mike Ribeiro : he'll be slow

Hell, Kovalev is skating with skates 3x heavier than regular and he's the best Habs skater.

What I mean is it's stupid to go for skate just because it is very slightly lighter. Sure if you like the skate, go for it. But companies who said they have the best skate just because it is the lightest are completely stupid.

[Gongshow11 1]

Give the any pair of skates to Mike Ribeiro : he'll be slow

Hell, Kovalev is skating with skates 3x heavier than regular and he's the best Habs skater.

What I mean is it's stupid to go for skate just because it is very slightly lighter. Sure if you like the skate, go for it. But companies who said they have the best skate just because it is light are completely stupid.

i thinka ctually prezhogin is the fastest or kostitsyn, i forget which one tho, kovalev is smoothest, not fastest

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

While I understand your main point - does weight really matter? No, it doesn't. But then to say that they're causing injuries because they are not protective enough and then for the guy to say that Graf skates are the best, when that skate is mainly comprised of leather is a ludicrous statement.

yeah, I agree JR. I was just sharing what the guy told me on injuries.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Okay, it looks like we're on opposite wavelengths here.