Need help with roller skates selection!

[windflare 0]

Hey guys, great forum here. This is my first venture into the roller section.

I'm thinking of picking up a pair of rollers to play in a rec league later this year.

Can you tell me some of your suggestions for which skates to pick within a $100-200 range, preferably around 150~, please?

Also, what do you think of these skates, and what are some comparable Mission skates? (From reading, I can feel that this is a Missions lovers forums, but I don't have a retailer near me that carry Mission skates, I think... in Coquitlam, B.C.)

NBH Flexlite 8R

NBH Flexlite 9R

NBH Quest Shadow '05

http://www.rollerhockeymonkey.com/nikequestshadowsr.html

Thank you very much!

[BEE D0N 0]

I had about 3 friends that had the Quest Shadows and said they were nice and never complained about them. They did have the '04 model but theres not any real difference besides cosmetics and mayyybe some improved materials. I would say go for the Shadows. They were in a skate line that was put out in a true attempt to put out good skates in my opinion. Ever since the Quest line up NBH has been making crap and slapping the One Up chassis on them.

[windflare 0]

I had about 3 friends that had the Quest Shadows and said they were nice and never complained about them. They did have the '04 model but theres not any real difference besides cosmetics and mayyybe some improved materials. I would say go for the Shadows. They were in a skate line that was put out in a true attempt to put out good skates in my opinion. Ever since the Quest line up NBH has been making crap and slapping the One Up chassis on them.

Thanks! Do you know which ice skate sizing where they they closest to? Are they closer to the Supreme, Flexlite, or Vapor boots?

[BEE D0N 0]

Ah, I have no idea how they fit, sorry!

[Archangel#16 1]

I think if you go on hockeymonkey you can find a pair of missions from last year for cheap. Thats how I got my 10000s

[rollerhockeymavin 0]

ever try ccm-I skate with the pf10's for about 1 year and love them. the ccm pf8's are around $180.. light boot,pretty stiff, not a bad chassis, good wheels, bearing are ok... you can always upgrade. I also use the mission 9500's-just breaking them in now... seem like a good skate for the money... Higher cut boot-maybe not quite as light as the pf10... good luck.

ever try ccm-I skate with the pf10's for about 1 year and love them. the ccm pf8's are around $180.. light boot,pretty stiff, not a bad chassis, good wheels, bearing are ok... you can always upgrade. I also use the mission 9500's-just breaking them in now... seem like a good skate for the money... Higher cut boot-maybe not quite as light as the pf10... good luck.

e-puck is a good online retailer. Damon is very good to deal with...

[KYHockey3 0]

i owned the quest roller daddys.

they are great skates!!! if they fit your feet i would definately reccomend nike inlines!!!

[hockeysc23 0]

ever try ccm-I skate with the pf10's for about 1 year and love them. the ccm pf8's are around $180.. light boot,pretty stiff, not a bad chassis, good wheels, bearing are ok... you can always upgrade. I also use the mission 9500's-just breaking them in now... seem like a good skate for the money... Higher cut boot-maybe not quite as light as the pf10... good luck.

ever try ccm-I skate with the pf10's for about 1 year and love them. the ccm pf8's are around $180.. light boot,pretty stiff, not a bad chassis, good wheels, bearing are ok... you can always upgrade. I also use the mission 9500's-just breaking them in now... seem like a good skate for the money... Higher cut boot-maybe not quite as light as the pf10... good luck.

e-puck is a good online retailer. Damon is very good to deal with...

I also got a pair of PF10s from epuck. Very good price for the skate, and besides a couple cosmetic, hopefully, issues the skate is amazing.

Damon at epuck was great and Id recommend looking there.

Scott

[DamnLocust 0]

I always assumed that the Shadow and the whole quest lineup was closest to the V-12/Flexlite line in terms of fit. The cut and design of those boots are close to that of the V line, which preceded the flexlites.

I'd also put my vote in for the Shadows, and if not, then a closeout pair of Missions. The newer NBH roller stuff isn't very impressive.

[cj190 0]

If price is what you are concerned about, try getting one of your old ice hockey skates, and mount a roller frame on it. That way, you know it's going to fit, and it will most likely be cheaper. It might even be a nice excuse to get a new pair of ice skates.

[DamnLocust 0]

frames+wheels+bearings+spacers+mounting is still going to carry a somewhat hefty price, and can be a real nuisance. Even worse, new ice skates will cost as much or more than the inlines he would have gotten.

[sdcopp 1]

in your price range you can get pretty mediocre to pretty decent. At the upper end of the price range you do have the PF8 skate for $180, though I am a huge critic of the chassis quality. There's also the Nike-Bauer Vapor XR for $170-$200, which is essentially a watered down ice boot with a frame slapped on it. Mission has the Wicked 7 ($200), or depending on size and availability last years HE9500 ($200) and HE7500 ($170). I'm in Wicked 7's right now and love them, the 9500 was last years #2 skate in the line-up and provides the most bang for the buck, while the 7500 is a great deal at that price and has loads of good stuff associated with it. Tour has this years Code Red ($200)and, again size and availability dependant, last years Blue Max ($85-$150). Both are good quality skates if you can get used to the Hummer chassis, the Code Red despite being a lower replacement in the product line-up from last years Max series is a bit lighter. There are lower models from each company, but you start sacrificing features, stiffness and build quality.

Mission is popular here for good reason since they are #1 in roller and we have a company rep who has gone out of his way to give great customer service and insight on these boards.

[KYHockey3 0]

I always assumed that the Shadow and the whole quest lineup was closest to the V-12/Flexlite line in terms of fit. The cut and design of those boots are close to that of the V line, which preceded the flexlites.

I'd also put my vote in for the Shadows, and if not, then a closeout pair of Missions. The newer NBH roller stuff isn't very impressive.

i have the roller daddys and they fit the exact same as my v-12's.

they feel the same too!

[cj190 0]

I see your point, but if he were to get an e frame for 50, wheels for 40, bearings off of hockey1 or 2 cant remember which one has them for 10, mounting for 40, we are looking at 140 for something he already knows fits him. Especially if he knows the guys at his lhs and they can give him a break on the mounting and/or get a friends old wheels. Now if he has no old skates etc, that's out the window.

[sdcopp 1]

the cheapest option I found a while back was:

Hockeyworld.com - CCM 325 Tacks - 35 plus shipping

Hockeyoutlet.com - Final Force chassis - 10 plus shipping

Ebay - Red Star Snipers with bearings - 16 plus shipping

It takes a bit more hunting and a competant LHS to mount, but a cheap alternative for a first pair of inlines. Cheap closeout ice boots are pretty easy to come by.

[DamnLocust 0]

Sure the CCM boot is cheap, but you get what you pay for.

Not much support in that boot, not to mention they have to have the right size.

edit: i meant the 325 tacks skate for $35, not the PF8/10

[rollerhockeymavin 0]

If you think I drink the coolade from ccm you are wrong. I will say I have had my ccm pf10's for approx 1.5 years with little/no problem. Boot is still in good shape, wheels are stil in pretty good shape, replaced them 1 time, and the frame has had no problem. The one thing I would have changed initially would have been the bearing(which I did on my own) Bearings were the micro bearing(abec 7)

[windflare 0]

How good are the Mission 1500s? I can't find anything really better at my local SportChek, though I'll check my LHSs to see if they have anything better.

[Rick 0]

My son has been skating on some CCM 325 Tacks that I converted to inline with a TUUK rocker chassis and they are working out great for him, of course he is an 11 year old kid. My own experience with Tacks has been that they don't feel as stiff around the ankle area as some of the other brands but the heel lock really seems to support the ankle well.

Rick Henry

[windflare 0]

Thanks for your suggestions guys! I'm gonna be getting a pair of He5500s that are going for cheap. Do you think a beginner skater can start in them and keep using them as he gets advanced, or should he start with a lower model? Just wondering, because I know this new guy who wants to learn inline skating and he's wondering which pair to choose from.

Also, which spacers do Mission He5500s use?

[cj190 0]

Standard, not micro. What size shoew do you wear? Hockey giant has 7500s for sale for 99.00, which is an incredible deal. Look in the clearance section.

[windflare 0]

Standard, not micro. What size shoew do you wear? Hockey giant has 7500s for sale for 99.00, which is an incredible deal. Look in the clearance section.

Whoa, thanks for the great deal! Unfortunately, a 9E is a snug fit for me, and I'm not sure whether I can fit into a 9.0D. I'm looking at a 9EE Mission 5500 right now.

As for the spacers, I'm actually wondering more about whether it's "floating", "long-sleeve", or something else, as those are the only spacers I can see on inlinewarehouse.com.

[DamnLocust 0]

Manufacturers usually don't distinguish between E and EE, they just have one wide model.

edit: I read it as the E was available, but upon rereading it I figure it's not. sorry.

[tryandstopme 35]

As for the spacers, I'm actually wondering more about whether it's "floating", "long-sleeve", or something else, as those are the only spacers I can see on inlinewarehouse.com.

they use the long sleeved 608 bearing spacers

[windflare 0]

Manufacturers usually don't distinguish between E and EE, they just have one wide model.

edit: I read it as the E was available, but upon rereading it I figure it's not. sorry.

Yeah, the E is not available. I have a 9D 7500 and a 9EE 5500 to choose from, which is kinda weird, since the E fits. How much more 'wide' and 'narrow' are the EEs and the Ds compared to the Es?

tryandstopme, thanks for your help with that spacer question. It's been confusing me for a little while. =)