Vapor XXXX fit query (Pic included)

[NATO 0]

I've had my Vapor XXXX skates for a while now but I have a query regarding the fit. I'm not getting any pain or anything from the skates (although I have developed Iliotibial Band Syndrome in my right leg, that's probably not connected with the skates I'm wearing though). My question relates to how the skate fits when laced up fully. As you can see from the picture, the bottom eyelets are pretty close together when laced, however as you move up from there, the eyelets get further apart, as if the skate isn't wrapping over my foot properly.

I'm just wondering if this is a problem, or just me worrying over nothing?

Cheers for all your help

[TheBert 0]

The pencil test might be a good start: http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index...hl=pencil++test

Unlace your skates, pull the tongue forward and put your foot in. Then place a pencil across the 3rd eyelets from the top. Your pencil should be able to touch the side of the boot before touching your foot. If it touches foot first, then you might want to try a deeper skate.

[dalebert 8]

EDIT: nevermind TheBert beat me to it.

[NATO 0]

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly you get replies on this forum :)

Thanks for the advice regarding the pencil test, I did it with my feet (+ socks) in the skate and my leg back against the tendon guard and the pencil *just* touches my foot as it touches the 3rd eyelets. From the suggested thread, this seems to indicate there isn't a huge problem with the depth of my skates? Oddly I didn't notice much difference in the pencil test between the stock and Superfeet insoles...

As I say, I haven't had any pain in my skates, it was more an observation that seemed to look as if the skate wasn't wrapping round my foot as I thought it might (my old Tacks used to wrap right over), and thought I might ask in case it was an obvious problem that I maybe wasn't aware of.

[dalebert 8]

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly you get replies on this forum :)

Thanks for the advice regarding the pencil test, I did it with my feet (+ socks) in the skate and my leg back against the tendon guard and the pencil *just* touches my foot as it touches the 3rd eyelets. From the suggested thread, this seems to indicate there isn't a huge problem with the depth of my skates? Oddly I didn't notice much difference in the pencil test between the stock and Superfeet insoles...

As I say, I haven't had any pain in my skates, it was more an observation that seemed to look as if the skate wasn't wrapping round my foot as I thought it might (my old Tacks used to wrap right over), and thought I might ask in case it was an obvious problem that I maybe wasn't aware of.

Yeah I did the pencil test as my skate looks like yours and for me the pencil rocks the slightest bit. I don't seem to have any pain so much as I don't get the forward flex I used to.

And sorry to jack the thread but I'm not gunna start a new thread if this covers it but anyway but.

People have told me I look like I'm skating to straight up, Could that be due to the boot not being deep enough?

[hockeyfreak 0]

It definitely looks like your not getting a good foot wrap, especially around the ankle. I looked at some NHL players wearing XXXX's and they get a lot of wrap where you don't get any.

[NATO 0]

I dug out a few pics a friend took of me playing recently, in case these are helpful to anyone who might notice anything I should know about. As with TNhockey, I sometimes feel I skate too upright, so if anyone has any thoughts on my skating or skate fitting based on these pictures, I'd be very grateful to hear what you think.

Unfortunately there's nowhere near the same quantity of expertise where I am compared to most of you guys in the US/Canada (there'd only about 2 people I'd trust for skating and hockey info), so what might look like nothing to people here might actually be a noticeable problem to you guys.

Cheers again for the help.

[hockeyfreak 0]

Nike Bauer skates have a heel orientated profile. That is probably why it feels like you skate upright. Go to your LHS and get them profiled if you wish.

[NATO 0]

Ah, I see what you mean. I currently have them profiled 25-45 (Defence profile according to the chart on the wall next to the CAG-One)

[stickler012 0]

Off topic, but what shins are those? Me likey.

[NATO 0]

Those are Nike Bauer One90 Shins. There's a lot of protection on the wraparounds as you can see, and its very solid, unlike the basic foam on my previous shins.

[BGM 0]

I dug out a few pics a friend took of me playing recently, in case these are helpful to anyone who might notice anything I should know about. As with TNhockey, I sometimes feel I skate too upright, so if anyone has any thoughts on my skating or skate fitting based on these pictures, I'd be very grateful to hear what you think.

Unfortunately there's nowhere near the same quantity of expertise where I am compared to most of you guys in the US/Canada (there'd only about 2 people I'd trust for skating and hockey info), so what might look like nothing to people here might actually be a noticeable problem to you guys.

Cheers again for the help.

You might feel you are skating upright because LS holders sit a tad higher in the front and back than some others (depending on what you skate you are coming from).

[bbruins8 0]

My foot looks similar when I lace up my Grafs...I think its because my feet are too fat for a regular width, but too narrow for a wide width. At any rate, I'd rather have my skates laced like that, than swim in them. If you barely touch with the pencil test, skate in them until they fall apart. When it comes time to buy new skates, try some different ones on until you get a better wrap. No big deal IMO.

[dalebert 8]

I dug out a few pics a friend took of me playing recently, in case these are helpful to anyone who might notice anything I should know about. As with TNhockey, I sometimes feel I skate too upright, so if anyone has any thoughts on my skating or skate fitting based on these pictures, I'd be very grateful to hear what you think.

Unfortunately there's nowhere near the same quantity of expertise where I am compared to most of you guys in the US/Canada (there'd only about 2 people I'd trust for skating and hockey info), so what might look like nothing to people here might actually be a noticeable problem to you guys.

Cheers again for the help.

*pic*

*pic*

You might feel you are skating upright because LS holders sit a tad higher in the front and back than some others (depending on what you skate you are coming from).

So it's not so much the boot not wrapping enough more that the holder is different, I came from an Easton skate by the way but I am also a converting roller hockey player.

[Bmplam 1]

My foot looks similar when I lace up my Grafs...I think its because my feet are too fat for a regular width, but too narrow for a wide width. At any rate, I'd rather have my skates laced like that, than swim in them. If you barely touch with the pencil test, skate in them until they fall apart. When it comes time to buy new skates, try some different ones on until you get a better wrap. No big deal IMO.

Me too. I tried wide Bauer skates years ago and hated them. My regular G5s look like his when laced up and are comfortable and give me no problems what so ever, so I just never worried about it.

[shifter 0]

I dug out a few pics a friend took of me playing recently, in case these are helpful to anyone who might notice anything I should know about. As with TNhockey, I sometimes feel I skate too upright, so if anyone has any thoughts on my skating or skate fitting based on these pictures, I'd be very grateful to hear what you think.

Unfortunately there's nowhere near the same quantity of expertise where I am compared to most of you guys in the US/Canada (there'd only about 2 people I'd trust for skating and hockey info), so what might look like nothing to people here might actually be a noticeable problem to you guys.

Cheers again for the help.

*img*

*img*

I think your not getting enough knee bend because your coming from an easton skate which are low cut and the vapors are a higher cut boot. I have the same issue but, i just adjusted and kept forcing my knees to bend and trying differnt ways to tie my skate,

[NATO 0]

I went out skating today (just a regular rink skate, not playing hockey until later tonight), and spent some time actively working on ensuring a good knee bend, as well as having a skating lesson with an instructor to develop correct technique.

To be honest, having really focussed on keeping my knees bent and using correct technique, I found my skating today was far better than before. I think to be honest the problem is that the Vapor XXXX skates are a very very stiff boot, and I let my feet be restricted by that stiffness, and once I pushed past that today I noticed a big improvement.

[epstud74 24]

I went out skating today (just a regular rink skate, not playing hockey until later tonight), and spent some time actively working on ensuring a good knee bend, as well as having a skating lesson with an instructor to develop correct technique.

To be honest, having really focussed on keeping my knees bent and using correct technique, I found my skating today was far better than before. I think to be honest the problem is that the Vapor XXXX skates are a very very stiff boot, and I let my feet be restricted by that stiffness, and once I pushed past that today I noticed a big improvement.

Yeah, stiff boots can be a hinderance if you're not exactly in need of an overly stiff boot. As for the difference in skates, I can tell the difference when I skate in my Graf 709s as opposed to my 8090s. Different boot cut/feel..Thats probably why I love my $250 Torspos, since they fit me perfectly and wrap my foot better than any skate I've worn. That being said, I've never had my 8090s baked. It seems that you have no problem spending $$$ on gear though as evidence by your Vapor XXXX stick and One90 shins and top of the line skates. hahaha

[dalebert 8]

I went out skating today (just a regular rink skate, not playing hockey until later tonight), and spent some time actively working on ensuring a good knee bend, as well as having a skating lesson with an instructor to develop correct technique.

To be honest, having really focussed on keeping my knees bent and using correct technique, I found my skating today was far better than before. I think to be honest the problem is that the Vapor XXXX skates are a very very stiff boot, and I let my feet be restricted by that stiffness, and once I pushed past that today I noticed a big improvement.

Alright NATO thanks so much for this topic and sorry for semi-jacking it, and everyone else for also solving what might be my problem.

NATO glad to hear it's working out for you. :)

EDIT: Spelling.

[NATO 0]

hehe, I have this mentality that if I have decent gear then I don't have anything to blame if I'm awful. Saying that, it hasn't been as expensive as you might think as I managed to source a lot of that gear from the USA, which worked out about the same as mid-level gear because of the $>£ conversion.

Nike Bauer gear is very VERY hard to obtain here in the UK which is a royal pain as I'm in love with the stuff :P

[epstud74 24]

hehe, I have this mentality that if I have decent gear then I don't have anything to blame if I'm awful. Saying that, it hasn't been as expensive as you might think as I managed to source a lot of that gear from the USA, which worked out about the same as mid-level gear because of the $>£ conversion.

Nike Bauer gear is very VERY hard to obtain here in the UK which is a royal pain as I'm in love with the stuff :P

Can you get Swiss made Grafs in the UK? How difficult would it be to head to Switzerland or continental Europe and find a shop that stocks these skates? Graf makes great skates that conform to different types of feet and they last a long assed time. Maybe the perfect beer league skate for the guy who doesnt want to buy new skates every 2 years. I know a guy that has been on the same 703s or 705s for 9 years and he skates twice a week and is 6-5 220lbs. So you know that is a lot of wear and tear.

[NATO 0]

I know my LHS (www.thehockeylocker.co.uk) can get Grafs fairly easily, although I'm not sure if they're Swiss made ones, I could check though if you're seriously interested? I know my LHS has no problems dealing internationally, they seem to get regular trade from the USA for T-Blades for some reason.

What's so special about the Swiss made ones out of curiosity?

[epstud74 24]

better quality control and some slightly different variations we cant get here.

[NATO 0]

Thinking about it, they probably would be Swiss made, I can't see them supplying Europe with skates made elsewhere if they've got ones being made right in the middle of Europe itself :P It would be a bit wasteful...

[Wolverine 0]

For what it is worth:

The best skater on our team had recently purchased Vapor XXXX's. He also complained of stiffness and ability to bend his knees enough........ and he is a GREAT skater (powerful, but very smooth with tremendous knee bend with his older skates).

He did say the situation was getting a little better.

Hang in there.