New Skates

[crazy-luke-finch 0]

HI

At the moment i am injured and am looking for a new pair of skates while i have some time on my hands.

I would like your opinions on a pretty good skate under about $300 (but i can go up to $400 if necessary, but id prefer to pay less than that)

I am 5'8", about 125lbs and i am playing at an intermediate level

Obviously all the skates that you reccommend will have a different feel and fit, so once ive heard from you and i have recovered i will try them on at a LHS and purchase them

Thanks

[sdcopp 1]

$300 can get you a decent skate. The Mission Assassin is a very solid skate though I wasn't a big fan of the Hyper wheels, the RBK 7K has a decent boot and wheels but the chassis on them are prone to stripped axles, Tour 9.9 is a decent choice as well if they fit your foot. $400 range is pretty well the same comparison on the next level up.

Best bet is to just try them all on and see what works

[crazy-luke-finch 0]

OK thanks for that!

[crazy-luke-finch 0]

anyone else got any recommendations???

[nickyb13 9]

sdcopp pretty much it the nail on the head. CCM also makes a solid skate in the vector 8.0 from what I hear. It all really depends on what fits your foot the best. but the list that sdcopp spoke of is a very good place to start

[althoma1 574]

You'd be spending $399, but check out the Torspo/Sprung setup available http://www.sprung-inline.com/. The Torspo skates are stiff, responsive, and mold nicely around your foot and are very comfortable after head molding and the Sprungs are the best chassis I've used. It provides more grip and manuverability then the flat chassis and Tuuk Rocker I've used in the past and feels more like ice. The Revision wheels that come with the package are also great indoor wheels. If you happen to have your own wheels, bearings and spacers that would work for the Sprungs (either all 80mm or 76mm depending on the size) then you could the skate and chassis for $329.

[crazy-luke-finch 0]

never skated on sprungs or torpsos so i dont want to blow that kind of money on them

[malcb33 97]

Isn't that what your asking though, for opinions on a new skate? I don't know, but I think your doing this backwards? Shouldn't you be listing whats available from you LHS and asking for opinions? Or are you planning to order online? BTW, I to would recomend Sprungs, they offer a real advantage over standard one piece frames. Maybe you should read the huge Sprung thread before writting them off?

[Sghockey21 1]

I have the Mission Soldiers and they are a pretty good skate for an intermediate skater. Well worth the $200 price tag over a similar priced Rbk. You'll save $100 over Assasins (& with better wheels IMO) to buy an extra stick or wheels!

[althoma1 574]

crazy-luke-finch Posted Yesterday, 01:56 PM

never skated on sprungs or torpsos so i dont want to blow that kind of money on them

The Torspo's use a carbon unibase based on speed skate technology - they're almost exactly the same as the KOR Shift 1's. Both KOR and Torspo are smaller companies so not everyone has heard of them and they aren't carried widely so I'm not surprised you haven't tried them. The Nike Bauer One90, One75 and One95 skates use a similar concept. As far as the Sprungs go I'll echo what malcb33 said and highly recommend you go through the Sprung thread before making a final decision.

[crazy-luke-finch 0]

well i can get pretty much any skate on the market at my LHS, but i want to order them online. As for the sprungs, I know they are supposed to be amazing but i dont want to blow all my money and realize that i dont like them.

[malcb33 97]

Fit, fit and fit is important! The greatest, newest skate on the market won't be as good as the one that fits your foot shape. Thats whats the most important factor in buying skates. I say go to your LHS and try them on! Buy local. If you don't want to waste your money. Buying a skate you have never tried is much more of a gamble than trying out sprung frames.

[crazy-luke-finch 0]

sadly i cannot buy locally because it is wayyyyy to expensive. I am looking for a mid to top end skate and that would cost around $600-$700 from my LHS (i live in the UK) so i WILL be buying them online.

As for the fit, i dont care, i want a few recommendations for me to try on at a later date.

[pantherfan 0]

Don't you have THE best hockey shop in the UK in your area?

I suggest you bite the bullet and use it or you may not be able to try on skates in the near future.

[malcb33 97]

sadly i cannot buy locally because it is wayyyyy to expensive. I am looking for a mid to top end skate and that would cost around $600-$700 from my LHS (i live in the UK) so i WILL be buying them online.

As for the fit, i dont care, i want a few recommendations for me to try on at a later date.

Good luck then! If you're so worried about blowing cash on frames that you may not like, it makes no sense what so ever to buy skates with out trying them on. As for the "as for fit, I don't care" bit in your last post, maybe you should think about what you are trying to achieve in buying a new skate. Is it to look cool or get a skate that works?

[crazy-luke-finch 0]

Don't you have THE best hockey shop in the UK in your area?

I suggest you bite the bullet and use it or you may not be able to try on skates in the near future.

well puckstop is supposed to be the best hockey store in the UK and it is only about a 20min drive from my house, but like most hockey stores in the UK, it has not got much stock in store in terms of sticks and skates. And it is VERY overpriced-this is why i want to buy from the USA.

Oh and as for the "what you are trying to achieve in buying a new skate. Is it to look cool or get a skate that works?" I obviously want a pair of skates that perform well but i think that looks are also a factor to consider when buying a pair of skates. I think if you are paying that much money for a pair of skates, you would want a pair that performs very well and that looks good. But the point of this thread is to get a few names, get some opinions, then i will try them on!