Hi-Lo lovers still out there?

[kovalchuk71 212]

With all of the new setups coming out on the market (Vanguard, Tri-di, Humm'r, Sprung, etc), are there still any fans of the original 72/80 setup? Just curious, as I dont seem to see it anymore....

[WhiskeyTango19 0]

I have a pair of the old silver Mission 9500, with the Hi-Lo. I love them. Best skates I've ever had. I haven't used the Vanguard yet, or any other wheel setup, so I'm biased. At the rate I'm healing, I won't be using ANYTHING anytime soon!

[TheBert 0]

I don't know anything else but the 72-80. How much "better" are Vanguards or Sprung?

[fatwabbit 93]

From a traditional Hilo user, I'm a sprung convert now. I find that with the sprungs I can cut turns and stops much better, with more control at least. The hilos were great, but I wont go back to it now.

Direct comparison between the vanguards and sprungs... took them both to a drop in, and laced up some brand new sprungs. Skated for about 10min, then switched to the vanguards. Skated on them for 2 min before i took them off and went back to the sprungs. The vanguards had me all over the place, wiped out 2 or 3 times before i said no more. And these were the skates I was using for a tourny the week before.

[Aussie Joe 0]

Sprung for life yo! I love my turns and stops with full toe, rather then a little toe. :D

[5HoleMadman 6]

I actually haven't skated on anything but the original flat 76mm or the 72-80 hi-lo. I like the original Hi-lo, but can tell that I lose traction on fast turns or stops. I'm gonna move on to the Sprungs next. I hear nothing but great things, and I spoke with Keith who is a terrific help with the product. Can't find customer service like that anymore. I'm sold on Sprung next.

[LetsGoWings13 0]

I know its off topic but I recently was playing in my helium 7500 ( i think thats the number) and I turned hard and my second from the front wheel on my right skate stopped turning and I couldnt get it to spin so with 3 minutes left in my game I just stopped playing. The next day to my horror the chassis was completly cracked off at the front :o I loved those skates and was wondering if anyone had a old chassis that they dont want that would fit a size 10 d skate

[fatwabbit 93]

PM-ed ya Wings

[Smitty34 0]

The only thing I've ever used are hi-lo, and I like them. Stopping and turning have never been an issue for me for as long as I've been wearing them. I wouldn't rule out trying something new though ;) .

[djsnowman777 0]

been a hilo user for 16 yrs ....i only use ice boots and make sure i put on hilo chassies on them . hi/lo for life

[Aussie Joe 0]

The only thing I've ever used are hi-lo, and I like them. Stopping and turning have never been an issue for me for as long as I've been wearing them. I wouldn't rule out trying something new though ;) .

I can cut sharper corners in my Sprungs then in my ice skates. To put it bluntly they carve it up and I've stopped many a sneaky forechecker with them who thinks he just made a quick steal/breakout from his backyard.

Hockey player to hockey player give them a go, you won't regret it.

[nj jester79 0]

i still use the tour sensor chasis but im looking into getting a sprung chasis

[Grinder 2]

I skated on the Bauer and the Mission hi-lo's for 6 years, and thought that the hi-lo chassis was the pinnacle of what I could strap to my feet. I bought a set of Sprungs early this year, and it's like going from a farm truck to a Ferrari. I'm sorry if this is starting to hijack this thread into a Sprung testimonial board, but as much as I liked the hi-lo's, it was that much of an improvement.

[Aussie Joe 0]

I guess the general conseness is that the Hi Lo is lossing allot of grounds in the hearts of the converts on MSH. I havn't read anyone so far in this thread or the Sprung spec. thread saying that they don't like the Sprungs and will return to the Hi Los. Mission considers the Vanguard an extension of the Hi Lo so maybe its just evolved into something else.

Eitherway, the voices for the Sprung are clear. Maybe its time for inline companys to step up and start selling skates with the Sprungs attached, Im not the first one to say it after all.

[Patrick67 1]

I've said numerous times that I don't prefer sprungs, and have talked to a coulpe of people that shared my view. Also had some friends who play professional icehockey try them.

They feel slow, almost like a lag, when your trying to sprint from a standstill.

Great feel and turns but in game they are too slow in straightline speeds IMO.

I love skating on sprungs for recreational use since they feel great, but I'm not near using them in a game situation. I'm perplexed since i've giving them plenty time in term of adjusting from hi-lo (which I'm skating on now) and pretty much every other poster on MSH seems to love them, but they just don't seem to work for me in-game.

E.g. On of my friends who's a really good skater and usually blazing fast, skated on them for 3 weeks, and everybody on his team commented on his evident loss of speed when wearing them, he just wasn't getting first on rebounds, breakaway chances etc. like he would wearing his normal frames.

In his case I have 3 theories:

1) Maybe he didn't give them enough time?

2) Maybe Sprungs or a little overhyped here on MSH

3) He's been skating inline only for so many years, that his skating style has been adjusted to regular inlineframes instead of ice, thus making his use of sprungs a disadvantage since he skates like a inline player, and not like a iceplayer?

[Aussie Joe 0]

3) He's been skating inline only for so many years, that his skating style has been adjusted to regular inlineframes instead of ice, thus making his use of sprungs a disadvantage since he skates like a inline player, and not like a iceplayer?

Thats imediately what I thought, as I noticed that same "lag" when I went on the Sprungs as a pure inline player. Now that Im on the ice 4-5 times a week I notice the improvement. The stride angle and the way I lower my body, like when I skate on ice means a big differnce in how the frames perform. Obviously some players will be better on Hi Los because they are used to it, or even just because they simply perform better. Its still obvious that most people perfer the Sprungs then any other frame.