He9500 sprungster vs Mission boss/lieutenant

[jpeaslee 30]

So i've got my he9500s. The boots are in good shape, but the back wheels rub on the chassis. I tried shaving the wheels, i even tried taking a little off the chassis, but eventually i keep running into the same problem after new wheels or rotation, etc. So unless there is a magic fix i'm missing, i've come up with 3 solutions.

1) Skate on some old skates for a few weeks and get some sprungsters mounted to my he9500 boots. Cheaper by at least 100% and I've got the boot broken in well. Not sure if i'm going to like the sprungster for sure or not. But, i'm not completely happy with this skate. Its a great skate, but something just isn't quite right. It might be the chassis though.

2) Buy some new Mission Lieutenant or Boss skates or MAYBE wicked 1's. After seeing and reading about these skates I can't wait to actually try some on. I would have already if i didn't live in the middle of no-lhs-in-south-georgia-land. Benefits would be a new skate with more life in them(theoretically) and the vanguard chassis would be a step up from the 72-80 hi-lo. But the sprungster is straight 80 and if I went with the wicked 1's then I might have the break in problem.

3) fix the wheels rubbing.

Any thoughts? Also I haven't been skate shopping in awhile. How far into the year do the skate prices drop?

[mattzilla 0]

sounds like you have a bent chassis... and its just going to keep bending and rubbing till it snaps, id definitely just get something different, because that could end up being dangerous, depending on when it breaks...

As far as the Sprung goes, i cant vouch for it because ive never tried it. but the people i do know who have tried it (gee2626) love it. Like anything worth using, there will be a break in period, and an adjusting period.

I'd go with the sprungs, you already have a good boot that you like, stick with it. its comfortable, and you get to try something new ( the sprungs )

As far as when the prices drop, im not too sure. the wicked line has dropped a lot already in some places. I would definitely keep an extra pair of skates around to switch to when breaking in the wickeds, it WILL be painful more than likely. BUT they are a GREAT skate once theyre broken in. I love my wicked3s, and i might get a pair of 1's on closeout and deal with the pain... but the new mission stuff looks pretty sexy, so i might go for those.

hope i helped a bit.

[sdcopp 1]

The sprungs are a very good option here, depending on how your budget for new stuff is. As I stated in the Sprung thread, they may not be my first choice but they are a close second. Coming from Hi-Lo and Vanguards for the last several years, the Sprungs don't take much time to get used to and don't feel all that different initially as far as pitch, lean, etc.

Given the cost difference between the Boss and Lieutenant skates, you could always buy LT's and Sprungs for the 9500's for the same cost as the Boss.

[jpeaslee 30]

The sprungs are definitely still a strong consideration. I don't really buy new skates very often. I skate in them pretty much until something breaks. With that in mind does anyone know how the lieutenant would compare to the boss as far as durability? Or also maybe how the wicked 1/3 would compare to each other as well as the 08 line?

[sdcopp 1]

Durability-wise, the LT and Boss are probably very close. The Wicked 1/3 are an iffy proposition as several people have had the boots crease halfway down. The Boss and LT are really solid skates, and if my LHS had been carrying the LT I would've picked those up instead of the Boss as I'm still not entirely sure the price difference is enough to justify getting the Boss over the LT is both are right there available to you.

Like I said before you could go with both the LT and a Sprung for the cost of the Boss and have both. The LT is going to be the on-par replacement for the 9500 you have which you seem happy with.

[Rick 0]

You have a very difficult choice so I thought I would throw in my two cents worth. First of all I skate in ice boots that I have converted to inline and I have tried several chassis. Over the past several years I have skated with Sure-Grip's, Labeda hi/lo's, TUUK Rocker's, Red Star E-Frames and Sprungs and I have tried to stay open minded and have considered the Hummer and the Vanguard chassis. My experience has been this. The Sprung chassis is spoiling me. I look at new skates now and I think to myself, " I like that boot but I don't want that chassis." I have tried to go back to my other skates from time to time just because I like the skates and I hate to see them sitting on the shelf gathering dust but every time I put on my old skates, the skates that I used to love above all others I feel a big let down in performance. Once you try Sprungs and you get used to them I truely believe there is no going back. I'm 41 years old so I don't know how many new pairs of skates I have left in my future but if I were in the market for new skates today I would buy the best ice or roller skates I could afford, remove the blades or chassis and sell or give them to someone else and mount up a set of A8 Sprungs. I'm not trying to blast anyones product or cause a war here but this is my opinion....

Rick Henry

[jpeaslee 30]

So i've been thinking about this a lot and after weighing things a bit more i have a few more thoughts.

The sprungs are going to probably be 200ish after mounting, shipping, and new wheels.

Wicked 1's are now 300. Which definitely makes me give them more of a consideration. I don't mind some upfront pain for a great performing and long lasting skate.

I know the magnesium chassis are lighter, but are they actually stronger too, or just lighter?

[Ultimus 0]

I am telling you, the Sprungs are the way to go. You know if you break a frame on a regular chassis your screwed... at least with Sprungs its a quick fix.

The other nice thing is you don't have to buy two sets of wheels... it will save money over time.

I've had to skate without my Sprungs for two weeks now, I went to a Hi-Lo and a Tri-Di and I miss the Sprungs...

[jpeaslee 30]

So being a big guy (230+) is the aluminum or magnesium chassis stronger?

[rollerhockeymavin 0]

So being a big guy (230+) is the aluminum or magnesium chassis stronger?

from what I have been told magnesium is a slight bit lighter and stronger(not sure by how much) than aluminum.

[thefelixculpa 0]

Up until this year, I've only ever used Bauer/NBH inline skates. My most recent NBH was the Accel Lites from last year. I got the Mission Lieutenants a couple months ago and while they fit fine, there is just something about them that I don't like....I feel really slow in them. They feel heavier than my NBH Accel Lites and I feel like my forward flex is greatly inhibited by them... I feel like I have to learn how to skate all over again when I put them on after skating on my Accel Lites which I still use predominantly after purchasing the Lieutenants.

maybe I need to leave the top eyelets unlaced?

[sdcopp 1]

on my Boss skates I leave the top eyelet unlaced and wrap for a little more support, but not quite as much as lacing the top. On my Assassins I can lace to the top and get enough give.

[jpeaslee 30]

I've been teetering back and forth between wicked 1's and some sprungs. I think i've decided on the sprungs. The two really are completely different and my boots are in excellent shape so I really can't justify putting them on a shelf just yet. Plus i KNOW they fit me well and i've already broken them in. Thanks for everyone's help and input. Now any suggestions on colors for the sprungs knowing they're going on he9500s?

thefelixculpa: You can try what sdcopp said. Some people also just leave the top eyelets a little loose. While i haven't skated in the new missions, i can't imagine why you'd be going slower in the new lt's than in your nbh's. I wonder if its just because you're still getting comfortable in them. Hopefully you'll get it all worked out.