Bauer Vapor XIV (19) Skates

[shuweiyu16 0]

Any input on these skates?

I am thinking of getting these cause my RBK 8k skates are way too stiff.

What do you guys think?

[sabre09923 0]

Er... XIV=14.

[topshelf11 0]

Do you mean the XIX? I use them and like them. Light, stiff, and seem to be holding up pretty well.

I switched from the 8090, which was too wide in the forefoot. I wanted the XX, but had trouble finding my size locally, and then I found the XIX super cheap online. I figured I got about 90% of the performance of the XXX for about 60% of the price.

[DamnLocust 0]

IIRC, the XIX was pretty much the same as the XX, but with the newer graphics. Same goes for the upcoming XXV skate.

[gtoddh 0]

I had XIX's for about a year. They are very good skates. I had a warranty issue with mine and Bauer ended up crediting my LHS for the skates. The LHS allowed me to pay the difference and get XXX's. The XXX's are certainly great skates, but I wouldn't have paid $500 all at once for them. I only got them because of the $300 credit I already had.

I can't offer a comparison to your 8K's as I've never used them. I can say though that you can't go wrong with the XIX's.

[marc_9 0]

i have vapor xivs and i have had them for two years and they are still going stong. as for vapor xix's my teamate had a pair of those last year and during one of our practices the steel snapped in half

[sabre09923 0]

Oh and if you do mean XIX (19's) I'm skating in them right now... I've had two different pairs since my feet are still growing and they've been excellent so far. In the year and a half I've had them (one year for last pair; half for my current pair), I haven't had any problems. No real damage to the boot on either pair, just little cuts in the nylon. I haven't had any problems with the Lightspeed 2's but a kid on my team with 19's broke his steel on Tuesday, so it could happen.

[DamnLocust 0]

I'm not sure if the XIXs come with perforated steel or not, but I don't think i know anyone who has had LS with perf. steel that didn't break it. I saw a kid break steel on a brand new pair of 8090's in a game once. It was the first time he was skating in the skates. When mine went on my XXs, I had them replaced with solid LS2 steel. the 2.4 grams or whatever it is that you save with the perf doesn't make much of a difference.

edit: it doesn't really matter anyhow.

[sabre09923 0]

I'm not sure if the XIXs come with perforated steel or not

Nope, XIX's have regular, good ol' solid LS2 steel.

[toroytorero 0]

I've been giving serious thought to buying a pair of these too.. it all depends on what happens on my s400's I had to send back.