Mission Pure L7

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

Open

[M-Cohen 0]

Fit

The fit out of the box was a bit tight, but after getting them baked they are/were amazing. The moldable tounge is an ingeniuous addition.

9/10

Blade/Holder

The Pitch 3 holder/blade is the best I have used to date. Sharpenings hold forever and the holder is really tough. Also, being able to test out different pitches really helped out my skating, also. Mission making it so simple to change the pitch was a plus

10/10

Weight/Protection

Quite a light skate, clearly not the lightest out there. But very very light.

Protection is average.

8.5/10 for weight

8/10 for protection

Durability

Pretty durable, I go through alot of skates. These havent really been different.

8/10

Intangibles

Again, that moldable tounge is amazing. I wish all skates had it.

Conclusion

A very nice skate, works well and you can get em' cheap.

Don't knock Mission till you try it!

8.5/10

[NJ35 0]

Mission Pure L7

10EE

Previous Skates: Bauer Supreme 4000, Salming F1, Easton UL Pro, Reactor 3000, Goalie Supreme 7000

Height: 5'10"

Weight: 185 lbs

Usage: 4-5x per week for 4 months

Intro

Purchased these skates from hockeygiant because I have a super wide foot that requires a wider skate. I ordered Supreme 6000, evidently they didn't have them in stock so I was afforded an upgrade at little cost. I went with the L7 for a nicer boot that was wider and high end. Initial rating was 8/10

Fit

Out of the box these skates were stiff but fit well in the width category. In retrospect I would have gone smaller but they still fit well. Although Mission claims to run true to size, these seem a little longer. 7/10

Blade/Holder

I was always a fan of Tuuks but I immediately fell in love with the Pitch 3 holders and how adjustable they were. I experimented with the +1/-1 or neutral and kept the stock pitch. Great for me, really has helped my skating. The holders are strong and keep a great edge. 10/10

Weight

I am used to goalie skates so weight was not a factor but these skates are very light in comparison to my old boots. No complaints on the weight. 8/10

Protection

Good protection, not great. I am a winger so I'm not blocking too many shots with my skates but when I take one off the skate I feel it. Otherwise they feel solid and protect well. 7/10

Durability

I have been skating on these 4-5 times a week for almost 5 months. They are getting pretty beat up considering the type of care I take. I always air them out in my room after hockey, take the insoles out, etc. But somehow they seem to be breaking down in the instep. Almost cracking. Also, no matter how much I air them out the rivets are still rusting. 6/10

Other considerations

The first week I skated in my first pair the tendon guard lost a seam and it came apart. Mission credited me expediently and I got a new pair no problem. Great in that respect. They also look great with black laces, wish I could get some black pitch holders. 9/10

Conclusion

Overall I would recommend these skates to anyone with one caveat. Get fitted. I think the reason my boots are breaking down is partially because they are a little long and not quite wide enough. I am upgrading to a pair of 8Ks but will still keep these in my rotation, probably mount some wheels on them. If you're looking for a high end skate reasonably priced, look at these skates.

8.5/10

[halfmoonyote 0]

Mission Pure L7 Skate

Other Skates Used: Mission S500, Easton Z Air, Kor Shift, Mission 120XP

Height: 5'11 (and change)

Weight: 210-215 lbs

Size: 10 EE (wide foot)

Usage: Average 3 times week over course of 12 months for this review – 2 hour sessions

Prologue

One thing to consider before reading this is my affinity for the ‘little guys’. For the companies with indie aesthetic and values, making products for core players. Some may call that a purist, elitist and BS attitude, but it’s just the way I roll. I will always go out of my way to support the little guys making killer products rather than the giants just making hype. Make sense?

Mission isn’t the biggest guy on the block, and they don’t have the most marketing ‘firepower’ but they are doing their best to make products for you and I to enjoy and progress our individual games by. And a damn fine job they are doing….

Fit

Prior to coming to the L7, I was in the S500, what is known as a Supple Fit skate also made by Mission. What I sacrificed for mobility in the S500 was the ankle support. The S500 is a lower cut boot that offers a ton of ankle freedom and mobility. Having snapped both ankles over the years from bmx, motocross and skateboarding, ankle support is a big deal for me. The L7 is a higher cut ‘stiff’ boot that offers considerable ankle support while not being overly restrictive. The forward flex on these isn’t the greatest the first few times you are out, but eventually break in a bit. They are heat moldable including moldable tongue, and conform beautifully to your foot with no hot spots after baking. Get ‘em baked once and they are fully ready to rip.

The one drawback, for me anyway, about the fit is that there is just a bit of dead space around my left ankle, but I think it's due to the odd shapes of my ankles from previous damage.

9/10

Blade/Holder

Not much else can be said about Pitch that hasn’t already been said. I will put the steel up against anyone’s in the business for longevity of holding an edge. Kor skates also feature Pitch holders/steel on their boots, and I’ve noticed that some pros around the NHL, including Scott Hartnell of the Flyers, use Pitch on a different manu’s boot. I use my Pitch on the +1 setting, but it’s all personal preference. +1 puts you in a little more aggressive stance, allowing you to get more out of your stride and promoting a good (and natural) knee bend.

10/10

Weight

With the advancements of hockey skates in the last few years, I don’t think the L7 is the lightest boot you are going to find. Having said that, when you are my size, (that is to say, built like a man) the weight differential is hardly noticeable. If you are a player that needs the lightest skate on your feet, the L7 may not be for you, but it's certainly no slouch. But if you’re that hung up on counting grams, stick with Weight Watchers.

8/10

Protection

Adequate protection. There are some thin spots around the boot that you don’t want to take a shot off of, but I guess the same could be said for any skate. The worst spot, for me, was taking a puck off the inside of the base of my big toe, where your forefoot bulges out. It didn’t feel too good.

8/10

Durability

Because of my love and affinity for the L7, I bought up what I could buy up on closeout. I have the pair I’m currently using, and another few pair on backup. The pair I am currently in, I have been using for the last 12 months and they are still golden. One thing to consider, I take insanely good care of my gear. They come out of my bag as soon as I get home – it’s the first thing I do – and the insoles come out immediately to dry. The boot has not broken down one bit. I will say the forward flex is a little better now then when they were brand new, but 12 months will do that. Durability is one of the L7’s strongest attributes, and all told, probably one of the best value aspects of the skate.

10/10

Other

As much as I love the L7’s functionality, I absolutely abhor the aesthetic of the skate out of the box. The ‘gradient color’ design is flat out nasty. As you can see by the pic, I like to customize my L7’s to look more traditional. I simply use some hockey tape to mask off the laces and logos, and hit the sides with rustoleum black. It works. But get your own ideas. Don’t bite my steez.

Conclusion

If you are looking for an affordable top of the line skate, the Mission L7 fits the bill. One of the most durable and performance driven skates you can still get. Obviously, they’re out of production, but you can still find them at various hockey retailers on closeout or the dreaded ebay. If you find something that works for you and you really believe in, make sure you buy some extra. There is a reason certain pros still use certain things made years ago. You know when something is perfect for you and your style of play. The Mission L7 skate is that product for me.

People throw around ratings, that quite honestly, might not be the same for another user. I give the L7 a solid 9/10, but that is based on what the skates do for me, personally, and what is important to me in a skate. I hope I have given accurate accounts and descriptions on the actual functionality of the L7 skates without using typical buzzwords, cliches and hyperbole. Hopefully, someone can apply this to their own applications.

[trajik78 0]

Mission Pure L7

12EE

Previous Skates: Bauer Supreme 4000, Salming F1, Easton UL Pro, Reactor 3000, Goalie Supreme 7000

(2005?) Mission Pure L7

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 211 lbs

Usage: 1-2x per week for 2 months

Previous skate: Mission XP95

Intro

Bought these on a clearance sale for $50 at my LHS. That was a deal I couldn't pass up since they were retail for over $400.

Fit

I baked these guys right out of the box and little pain skating on them the first few times. If anything, it was a bit of shaffing on my outer left ankle, But I had that on my other skates as well. It has since stopped as they've been better broken in. Overall fit is great with little to no slop. 8.5/10

Blade/Holder

No problems at all. Stiff and transfers all my energy into the ice. 10/10

Weight

Pretty light skates. Not the lightest out there but it's a battle of inches not miles at this level of skate. 9/10

Protection

Haven't taken a big shot off the sides yet, but got one of my front right big toe and it was a gooder! I feel the toe caps on recent skates aren't as stiff as they used to be in favor of reducing weight. In return you get sore toes. 8/10

Durability

Not too many things to go wrong with theses skates. Doesn't seem to be any extraneous stitching for fashions sake. I've got a blade cut along the side, but it hasn't affected the integrity of the skate one bit. 9/10

Conclusion

THe only thing I don't like about these skates is the top lace seems to bite through the tongue a bit if I was wearing my shin guard on t he inside of the tongue. I started putting my shin's on the outside and it seems to helped a bit. Also with more wear, the problem is going away and is much less noticeable. THey're aren't ultra-flashy which is nice and are very stiff and responsive skates. I love 'em.

overall: 9/10

(pics to come)

Edited October 22, 2008 by trajik78