Mission Fuel 110 XP

[JR Boucicaut 3789]

Open

[thejackal 46]

Reviewer: 6'2, 195, ex HS varsity, on the ice 4 times a week

Fit (size 10EE): I've been skating in S300s for 3 years (had 2 pairs) and was looking for something stiffer that i could keep for a while after they both went soft. When i first tried the 110XP on it felt good, except that the ankle was a bit roomier and that the toe was a bit too narrow. a bake and a few painful hours later the toe issue is pretty much solved. Still, I found the toebox to be on the narrow side for a EE size. Coming from a softer boot I found a lot more support during tight turns and stops, however the difference in the cut of the boot meant that I am no longer using the last eyelet, same as when i skated in Tacks before the S300s. 8/10

Blade/holder: I've always skated +1 on the Pitch, which I find to be a fine holder. However setting it up out of the box was a pain - it took me 30 minutes to get the screws adjusted from neutral to +1 due to the tightness of the holes and some plastic shavings obstructing it, no actual issues during use though. The steel holds an edge pretty well, and I have not encountered any outstanding issues with the steel during my whole time skating in Mission. 9/10

Weight/protection: Not the lightest skate ever, but there was definitely a big difference between these and my old skates. I have not taken any shots to the foot yet, so I cannot comment on the protection level. Still, it is surely better than any supplefit skate. N/A

Durability: After 3 months I see some minor chipping on the outsole as well as some skate marks, but no abnormal breakdown. The boot is no longer as stiff as when new, but that's a given. 9/10

Intangibles: The newer Fuels look nicer than the 110, since I'm a bit fan of traditional-looking skates. The wicking liner in the 110XP is working very well for me. It dries fairly quickly and no foul odors so far. Mission seems to ship their skates with excessively long laces, which means I have to tie 3 or 4 knots to not risk tripping over myself. Just a minor gripe, though.

8/10

Conclusion: Quality-wise it's a fine product, and I feel that I will buy Mission again in a couple of years, once these bite the dust. However I will probably go back the AG series due to the closer fit. 8.5/10