Vapor XXXX

[lohnman 0]

Which skate is stiffer the vapor XXXX or the Supreme One90? I have posted several questions on this site, because my son will be moving from junior to senior skates, I am concerned about the increase in stiffness from JR to SR. I went to Pure Hockey the other day. The salesman their told me that going from a JR size 5 to a SR size 6 there is a huge difference in stiffness. He also told me that because my son has a C width foot he would be better off in the Vapor series, both because they run more narrow, and are less stiff. Are these accurate statements?

I would like to keep him in a higher end skate, he skates almost everyday in the winter and spends a fair amount of time on the ice in the summer, but he's only 110 lbs, I am concerned I might put him into too stiff of a skate.

Any help is much appreciated.

Dennis

[lohnman 0]

I did find this thread

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index...c=34826&hl=

If this info is correct it leads me to believe that a size 6 XXXX is only marginally stiffer than a size 5. Being that there is only a marginal amount of additional material used to make them?

[Fredrik 0]

Going from a JR size to a SR size would be a huge difference in stiffness, yes. The one 90 is available in a c-width at the retail level, whilst the vapor's are not. They both fit different and therefore he really would benefit from trying them on to ensure a proper fit. Just my 2 cents...

[cmvondran 0]

I have a pair of both. The boots on each are very different in my opinion. They are both very stiff which I like. I feel very confident in either of these skates. The vapor series run a little more narrow, so I have a half size smaller in those then the one 90's. Best bet would be to try them on.

[lohnman 0]

I plan to have him try both on, but I am concerned about the additional stiffness that the senior skate adds.

[avery16 5]

just use a vapor xxv, or supreme 70, both solid skates, but both are a little less stiff they the top skates.. it all depends on your son as well, maybe he doesnt have a preference yet, but i know if my skates are as stiff as can be, i just dont feel comfortable on the ice..

also i saw a peewee aaa kid at open hockey, he had one90s, he looked like he could barely move in them, they were way to stiff for him..

[JR Boucicaut 3808]

The 5.5 are stiffer than other junior skates because smaller adults can wear them.

[lohnman 0]

Jr, I just got off the phone with the fine folks at Nike Bauer. Their opinion is very similar to yours. they stated that there is a small jump in stiffness from the 5 or 5.5 JRs to the 6 SR. The woman I spoke with was very helpful. I explained to her that my son has skated the past 2 years in One90s. She felt that it will not be an issue for him to go into a SR "high end" skate, because he is already skating in a stiff skate. I still think I will have him try on the Vapors, she told they are more flexible than the One90s because of their design, so I think if they feel right on him they might be a better match.

[JR Boucicaut 3808]

YEs - I don't talk out of my ass. :)

There is a gradual stiffness level from 4.5 to 5-5.5 to 6.

[epstud74 24]

Ive never understood the need for a super stiff skate, especially for players who are already good skaters.

[avery16 5]

Ive never understood the need for a super stiff skate, especially for players who are already good skaters.

personal preference.. ive been skating my whole life, and i need to stiffest skates possible.. im sure some people like skates that are a little softer.. like one90s were the best skate ive ever used, real stiff.. everyone else i heard talking about them, said they were too stiff. to each his own..

[epstud74 24]

Ive never understood the need for a super stiff skate, especially for players who are already good skaters.

personal preference.. ive been skating my whole life, and i need to stiffest skates possible.. im sure some people like skates that are a little softer.. like one90s were the best skate ive ever used, real stiff.. everyone else i heard talking about them, said they were too stiff. to each his own..

I guess so.. I like the concept of "zero space" but in a rather unstiff boot. If I could design the perfect skate for myself..It would be something along the lines of a Graf 707, but a tad bit wider using the new CCM/Kor/Torspo boot molding to your foot technology.

[elevation 1]

short...very helpful for me...I'm an adult, 185 heavy but in 6.5 Vectors...my right foot is even a 6. That said, I'm probably glad to fit in a 5,5 price wise...but pissed on the price for stiffness.

[YouTuuk 0]

Ive never understood the need for a super stiff skate, especially for players who are already good skaters.

Well I will find out this Easter when I make my trekk to Minnesota to purchace my XXV's which will be alot stiffer than my present 6500.

I believe "stiffness" directly correlates to "responsiveness" that is when you want to accelerate in a quick manner on the ice, as your feet move forward they will encounter the "stiff" skate and translate that into motion on the ice, rather than if your foot encounters a "soft" boot - some of the energy will get lost in translation to uneeded boot movement.

Maybe I am talking out of my "donkey" but thats the way I see it.....

[epstud74 24]

Thats why I mentioned the "zero space" concept. I still like a bit of ankle flexion and comfort. The One90 isnt for everyone..I tried those on this fall and holy hell..they hurt my ankles. A lot of the power transfer and response should be concentrated on the bottoms of the feet or arches. Thats just my opinion.

[YouTuuk 0]

Thats why I mentioned the "zero space" concept. I still like a bit of ankle flexion and comfort. The One90 isnt for everyone..I tried those on this fall and holy hell..they hurt my ankles. A lot of the power transfer and response should be concentrated on the bottoms of the feet or arches. Thats just my opinion.

yes your right the bottom half of the skate is most important in regards to direct power transfer and should be stiff. Its my belief that the top half of the skate should be more flexable for ankle movement and forward flex of shin - because this indirectly promote power. I mean how can you generate power without that type of movement. If taken to the extreme and your skate were "zero space stiff metal boots" we would just be "shuffling" our legs to get speed.

[Andoy 5]

the one90 is a stiff boot but the flexibility around the ankle is pretty good.

[-brady2 0]

I'm looking to invest in higher end skates since i've been useing lower end grafs because I'm a pretty skinny guy with odd feet and they had flexible ones that worked for me, but i've finally grown and i'm looking into something new but I dunno what to getm cause i have really narrow feet, but have weak ankles and get brutal lacebite depending on the skate so i dunno where to go.

[duch 0]

I find the stiffer the skate the better for me. I loved the Bauer 7000's and if I hadn't picked up my Easton 1300C's I would probably have gone for the stiffest skate made up to that time the Z-Air Composite. I like the response I get with them and also the protection they provide.

[f2racer 0]

YEs - I don't talk out of my ass. :)

There is a gradual stiffness level from 4.5 to 5-5.5 to 6.

I know this isn't an apples to apples comparison, but I recently got a pair of new old stock (2005-2006) Reebok 8k's in 5.5-E JR size to replace a pair of 6 month old (circa 2003-2004) CCM Super Tacks 852 in 6.0-E/B SR size (due to cracks in the sole). The 8k's were Reebok's high end skates and the 852's were kinda high-middle end skates. Haven't yet skated on the 8k's but they definitely don't feel as stiff as the 852's, especially in the ankle area.

[goodguy 7]

Which skate is stiffer the vapor XXXX or the Supreme One90? I have posted several questions on this site, because my son will be moving from junior to senior skates, I am concerned about the increase in stiffness from JR to SR. I went to Pure Hockey the other day. The salesman their told me that going from a JR size 5 to a SR size 6 there is a huge difference in stiffness. He also told me that because my son has a C width foot he would be better off in the Vapor series, both because they run more narrow, and are less stiff. Are these accurate statements?

I would like to keep him in a higher end skate, he skates almost everyday in the winter and spends a fair amount of time on the ice in the summer, but he's only 110 lbs, I am concerned I might put him into too stiff of a skate.

Any help is much appreciated.

Dennis

I am not sure which one is stiffer between the XXXX and the One90 (I assume you don't mean One95). But I don't think you are going to see a huge difference in the stiffness of the skate from a Jr. 5 to a SR. 6. AS JR stated, there seems to be a gradual stiffness increase by size.

My son, 125 lbs has been skating in Junior Vapor XXXX's for about 1 year (size 5.5). He is needing to get a bigger size soon so we tried on Vapor XXXX's in a size 7 SR. Although it was in the shop only - he didn't seem to notice any stiffness difference walking around and flexing in them. I figure better skaters will adapt and probably be fine. The reason I went with Vapor XXXX's in the first place was lateral support as he pronates badly. He loves them and can really go well in the XXXX's. I was thinking of moving to a cheaper skate since the price jump going to senior but I am thinking again since the SR. xxxx's are now $299.00 (not a bad price for such a good skate). If they fit decently, you really can't beat em. I have plenty of freinds who skate the one90's and their son's skate (or should I say skated One90's) and they do not rave that much about them. I guess it comes down to fit and price. Since my kid is still growing, I am hesitant to spend over $250 - $300 on a skate but findit hard since the Vapor XXXX's worked so well in the past year.

THat being said, there a a ton of kids on the Vapor XXV and from what I can tell - they are really not any different that the XXXX's other than some materials - in fact, I could not tell a stiffness difference either (and I think those are going for about $169 now in SR. - that seems to be a pretty unbeatable deal).

I guess if you figure about 200+ times on the ice before they will outgrow them (games, practices over a fall winter spring) - is about $1.50 per skate not including sharpenings at a $299 price for the XXXX's and about .84 cents per skate for the XXV's at $169. That is a 56% price jump for the XXXX's and I would definitely not say the XXXX's are 56% better that the XXV's. Hey, I think I jsut talked myself into Vapor XXV's for my kid. Thanks for letting me ramble and figuring that out.

BTW - good luck.

UPDATE - At the LHS yesterday and was looking at the XXXX's and the XXV's side by side. I guess one could be fooled into thinking they are the same stiffness by just holding them a bit. But after pushing and pulling on each one for a bit - I now think the XXXX is stiffer and more substantially built than the XXV - no surprise there. How much you want to pay for that incremental "betterness" is up to you.

[anthony0803 1]

If your feet truly fit the one 90, there was never a better skate made. Bauer even admitted that they sacrificed some things in the one 95 to make them fit a more variety of people. Skating is the most important skill in hockey, if you are going to splurge on something, splurge on the skates. The better the skater you become the stiffer the skates you will need, pro stock skates come in stiffness ratings: standard retail, +1, +2, +3. I have felt a +3 stiffness going to a junior a player in my store, they felt like a cinder block, but after watching this 215 power forward cut tight turns around cones you could see the skates flex. After coming off the ice he was very satisfied saying that his old retail flex skates would have given out on him. Get the best skates you can afford, you will never here someone say these skates have too much performance for me. On the other hand a lot of people wish they had better skates. What good is a $200 stick if you can't beat a defender to get a shot off.

[MLSman 22]

Skating is the most important skill in hockey, if you are going to splurge on something, splurge on the skates.

As Denzel said in American Gangsters...."my man"...

After going the custom route...don't think I can ever go a different direction. FYI - wore a 3 stiffness pro stock on the XXXX....and going to a pro stiff (4) in the U+ pro 2009. I weigh next to nothing, but wear a VERY stiff skate because I really want edge control in my skating....and too much softness in the boot makes that impossible for me.

[tony1233 0]

So today I went to the LHS and bit the bullet and purchased my pair of vapor XXXX's. Well kinda, they're on layway but, coming from the vapor VIII's what will the major differences that I will notice ? Yes I know that I am going from a lower end skate to a (nearly if not) a top end skate, but will the sharpening last longer on my new steel, how will the stiffness differ, lacebite ?

[anthony0803 1]

Well first of all the xxxx's are lighter and that will probably be the first thing you notice, the next is the lateral stiffness, this will be the most noticeable, your skates will not ever give out on you. you will be able to make sharper turns at higher speeds without fear of sliding out. the skates will be more responsive and you will have to work a little less to get them to do what you want. i have skated on both of these skates and another major difference is water retention, the xxxx's just do not absorb as much water and dry faster. there is also a little more padding. lace bite should not be an issue in your new skates, the tongue is very high quality. as far as the steel goes you won't notice a difference between the 2 skates. you have made a wise choice. it is always best to buy last years top model instead of this years next step down.(they are always around the same price) The only drawback i have ever heard of stiff skates is that they are not comfortable, this is only an issue if the skates didn't fit right to begin with.

happy skating

anthony