Mid season skate size shortage

[jcp2 2]

My current skates (Kor Shift 1), which I love dearly and fit perfectly, are falling apart slowly, and I am considering getting a replacement pair of skates. However, my LHS(s) do not have the sizes I think I need to try on in stock anymore in the skates that I am interested in (One55, One75). Rather than doing an internet crap shoot order, with additional hassle and cost of getting them baked and sharpened locally (if they fit), I would prefer to order them from the LHS(s). How are the issues of cost and payment usually handled between the LHS and the manufacturer? I am in a +/- 0.5 size range, and between D and EE widths, so there are potentially 4 different skates to try on. I don't want to pay for all four pairs, obviously, but I guess the LHS might not want to be stuck with 3 pairs of extra stock in mid season? Are there arrangements that I can make with the LHS? I can see them not wanting to be burned with 4 pairs of skates either, but I'm willing to put a down a good faith deposit to assure them that I am not looking for a fitting room and then going online to buy them.

[reyno2ac 0]

I hate to say it but those all sound like questions you need to ask your local hockey shop...

[jcp2 2]

Started calling smaller and smaller shops and I finally found what I was looking for. Waiting for next ice time to see how they feel:)

[reyno2ac 0]

Started calling smaller and smaller shops and I finally found what I was looking for. Waiting for next ice time to see how they feel:)

Great! What did you end up with?

[jcp2 2]

Nike Bauer Supreme One75, in a 6.0 D.

[Chadd 916]

While it may be mid-season for you, it isn't for the shops. There aren't a lot of people coming in during this part of the year looking for gear, so selection tends to be thin, especially in non-traditional markets.

[raygunpk 0]

Just curious, but what are the big selling months for LHS?

[Chadd 916]

Just curious, but what are the big selling months for LHS?

With all the pre-orders and rush to buy things in the spring it has changed quite a bit over the last few years. It used to be the month leading up to the season through x-mas for us.

[jimmy 194]

Just curious, but what are the big selling months for LHS?

July and August for us are busiest for sales (not sharpening), with June catching up near 3rd place. The whole buying cycle has changed. It use to be kids stopped playing in April and started up again after labor day. Now, they play Spring and summer leagues or tournaments all summer, lots of summer camps as well. The trend is to buy your gear and break it in during summer. I can no longer take vacation in July or August, even June is pretty much out of the question.

[althoma1 575]

If you love your Kors and they fit perfectly why not just grab another pair on ebay? I've seen both Shift 1's and Shift 2's in various sizes on ebay for between $99 and $175 US plus and I've seen the KOR Gear Carbons start at $49 with a buy it now price of $59.

[jcp2 2]

I haven't seen a Kor Gear Carbon or Shift 2 available in 6.5, and my Shift 1 is coming apart at the toe seam where the carbon joins the toe cap, a common problem area. I epoxied it but it's starting to crack already. Although I could have eBayed it, there still was the issue of getting a shop to heat fit it appropriately. I did get to try on a lot of skates at the LHS(s), and even was able to see, feel, and try on the One55, which was also in the running. The One95s were out of my price range, but they were available for fitting if I had so chosen to do so. After all that time in the stores and in skates, I learned a lot about the different skate models as well as the way different stores are run. It's one thing to read about it here on MSH, but it's another to actually look and feel the skates and try them on. That has value to me, so I went with the LHS purchase.

Don't get me wrong, I love, love, love my Kors, but as they are out of business, it's time to move on. I'll keep the Kors as a back-up and reference skate for future purchases in terms of fit and blade profile. It was, and still is, a great concept that never caught on in ice hockey.

P.S. The Torspo clones are way heavier than my Kors.