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big ben

Help me spend my money, foot pain, i.e. need new skates

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In the past 5-7 years I've gone through several skates and have never been properly fitted before, I can't remember a time when I was on the ice and my feet didn't hurt at all, both during and after I'm off the ice for at least throughout the day after. I've had Nike quests, ccm 652 tacks, bauer 5090, mission 100ag, and now I'm skating on nike bauer xxii's. (keep in mind all those skates were bought in high school/college when I was poor, yes most of em suck.)

I'm 6'1 about 230lbs currently, and I get pain on the outside of each foot, where you can tell my bone or w/e curves outward. I added superfeet a week ago and last night was the first game I've played on the superfeets and now today my feet hurt like hell, especially where the superfeet are supposed to give arch support, I felt like those were digging into my feet. In addition after my vapors are laced up the boot looks all contorted and twisted.

I'm open for any brand, any recommendations for what to go try on, I just don't want to be trying on 15-20 pairs of skates and having the sales guy going back and forth if something is a horrible fit. I'd like to keep it under $400 if possible but if I can find a skate that will give me zero pain then I'll spend more. I'm partial to lightspeed and pitch holders but I don't have any experience on e-pros, like I said I have an open mind.

Thanks in advance, hardly anyone around here knows how to fit skates.

Yes my feet are pale and disgusting:

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looks like I'm not the only one with skate issues. I've also gone thru numerous skates in the past 4 years (about 12 different pairs, some not even making it to the rink before I had to resell them).

How did the Nike Quests fit? To me those were the most comfortable (besides my old broken in Mission VSI). I'm considering getting some newer skates... maybe with Bauer Supreme or maybe the flexlites?

From the pics your right foot looks relatively flat... which could explain the problem with the superfeet? Maybe try some shock doctors instead, I've found the shock doctors to have lesser arch support.

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I would guess 9K skates in E width. You can get the previous year models for around $350 if you look around.

My foot looks similar to his and I wear a size 8 E RBK 8k

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I really don't remember how the quests fit, and is there a huge difference between lightspeeds and e-pro holders? I just took a gander at Graf's but lately they don't seem to have a good reputation on here for what you pay for them.

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I haven't been wearing poorly fitting skates, but have been trying to find a ideal fitting skate so I can start playing again after not playing for 12 years. Your feet actually look similar to mine...

As other people have mentioned your foot looks very flat... I haven't tried superfeet but if it has a high arch that would easily explain your pain.

When is the last time you went to a shoe store and measured your foot size? If it's been awhile you may find your feet have changed since you last measured. I used to be on the wide side of Ds and 10 years later am now an E width. I found this out after trying to fit into Rbk and CCM D width skates which I've had to pay to ship back. (Joy...)

I'm sure there are many people out there with WAY more experience fitting skates than myself but it sounds like you need a skate with a wider forefoot since the outside of your foot is getting squished and it looks you you need a skate with more volume.

From trying on the D width Rbks and CCMs I found that the CCMs have wider forefoot, less volume, and a narrower heel than the Rbks. But the best way to figure out what skate fits you best is to try them on. I've had a hard time finding a good selection of skates let alone a location that carries anything other than D width skates in Seattle. I've gotten so desperate that I'm flying down to CA to visit MonkeySports this weekend so that I can try on as many skates as possible. It's extreme but if I leave with a pair of ideal fitting skates that I can bake to make even better it seems worth it to me. I'm not saying you should do anything as extreme but if your local selection of greater than D width skates is weak it may be worth looking a bit further from home for some place that will give you a better chance of finding that ideal fitting skate. After this weekend I can share my personal take on all of the skates I tried on in terms of how they fit but in the end our feet aren't exactly the same so what works for me may not work for you.

Edit: IceWarehouse has some good videos on how the various brands and models generally fit and also how to determine if skate fits you well.

http://www.icewarehouse.com/learningcenter.html

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I really don't remember how the quests fit, and is there a huge difference between lightspeeds and e-pro holders? I just took a gander at Graf's but lately they don't seem to have a good reputation on here for what you pay for them.

huge i dunno, depends on the person, epros would put you on toes more than the tuuks

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i think i had the same problem with my old vapor. my feet pretty similar to yours but wider. Moving to Rbk and no more pain. Oh, by the way i think yellow superfeet isnt made for flat arch. using blue or black superfeet might help.

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I have a foot that is very similar. I think the flexlite 4.0 and 9k's will be your best option. The flexlite will be slightly wider, from what I have heard. I don't think you'll like the one95, it barely fits my foot and your outside foot edges are slightly more pronounced. Have you ever worn the old CCM tacks line?

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I really don't remember how the quests fit, and is there a huge difference between lightspeeds and e-pro holders? I just took a gander at Graf's but lately they don't seem to have a good reputation on here for what you pay for them.

Grafs have a great reputation with the people who have played for a long, long time. Up here, I see a lot of very skilled players still in the same Graf skates they bought 8-9 yrs ago. Graf is a bit misunderstood IMO, but their new line of skates is of high quality. You need to understand, if the skates do not fit your foot, the skates are worthless. I'm willing to go out on a limb and say that 75% of hockey players are in skates that do not fit their foot properly.

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I really don't remember how the quests fit, and is there a huge difference between lightspeeds and e-pro holders? I just took a gander at Graf's but lately they don't seem to have a good reputation on here for what you pay for them.

Grafs have a great reputation with the people who have played for a long, long time. Up here, I see a lot of very skilled players still in the same Graf skates they bought 8-9 yrs ago. Graf is a bit misunderstood IMO, but their new line of skates is of high quality. You need to understand, if the skates do not fit your foot, the skates are worthless. I'm willing to go out on a limb and say that 75% of hockey players are in skates that do not fit their foot properly.

The biggest problem with Graf in my experience with them has been the g series and the ultra g series with the numerous out sole problems, about 2 weeks ago a sharpened a pair of 703's with one outsole the traditional white plastic, and the other the new texalium or whatever they call it on it. I checked inside and the serials on the sole matched. Also I sharpened a pair of ultra g3 today that had the outsole seperating terribly and they looked new. As for 75% of people being improperly fit for skates its all dependent on where you go to get fit and at my shop price has a huge impact on what skates mommy or daddy want their kids in, yes some times the skates do fit, but more times then not the parents want skates that are too big because they want growing room. Then little johnny will become accustomed to that extra room, and thats where the poor fit starts.

In regard to your search for skates, I agree with Tamtamg for the 9k but that will depend on how your heel fits in the Rbk.

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So far the general consensus is to try on the Reebok 9k I see, hehe. Is it possible to have a skate that is entirely too stiff? that is my only concern jumping from 5ks to the 9ks. I can feel my nike bauer xxii's bend and give some when I get really low and doing fast crossovers and the skate bottoms out sometimes.

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cant speak for anyone else, but up to a few years ago I prefered really stiff skates and lace them all the way to the top (then I joined MSH and it just changed :rolleyes: )

Now, if I use stiff skates, I have to leave the top few laces loose... otherwise I would feel a jabbing pain in the back part of the heel (about 1cm above the bottom of the heel). I think that when I do a full knee bend, the boot flexes in a way that also causes my foot to be pushed back... and into the back part of the skate.

If I leave it a little loose, I dont feel any pain, and have started to enjoy the 'freedom' of the ankles and feel more mobile while skating.

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If you want slightly less stiffness with the same fit then pick up 7k Pumps and save a couple $ in the process. I ran a pair for a seaosn - solid boot, similar weight, but slighlty more flex. I unloaded mine due to fit - too flat, too much heel slop, and too shallow. Your foot looks ok for them - the only worry is the heel.

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Well I've always skated on sub par skates for the most part so I really never have experienced a stiff boot.

I went to the LHS store this afternoon to try some stuff on, the salesman actually said in his opinion I had a vapor foot but I'd need an E width. I asked about RBKs and he didn't have 9Ks in my size, but I tried on some 5Ks and they felt really good and I can get a great deal on these. The rbks felt good and after comparing the 5K boot to the 9K boot I really couldn't tell if there was a huge difference in the stiffness, enough to warrant an extra $200. My question is will the 5K's be plenty of skate for me? I'm on the ice 3 times a week max.

He also asked me to bring in my vapors and he can look at them, it was almost like he didn't want me to have to buy skates if I didn't need to, but from what we discussed, my vapors should have been at least an E width and over time me squeezing my feet into them has probably warped/ruined the boot too much to really make them salvageable.

He also said he would sell me some Easton S15s for $249, but I didn't try them on because I read some bad reviews about that skate.

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To be blunt, you're a little on the bigger side. I wouldn't recommend 5K's for you. I'm also a larger guy(in weight, not height), and had a pair of 5K's skates. I destroyed the boots in a matter of months. If you're not looking to spend a lot of money, I'd go 7K/8k skates. As for skate stiffness, it's personal preference. I'm on the opposite side of the scale than fatwabbit. I love the feeling of a stiff boot. It really makes me feel like my skates are springing me forward with a stiffer boot. But that's just me.

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Dude just say I'm too fat/big/obese for a mid range skate and that I need something better. I wanted to try on the supreme 75 but he didn't have my size of course.

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haha... yah, didn't want to be too much of a jackass. anyways, i think your foot is too flat for the supreme line. If you think your feet hurt with superfeet, they will die in supreme series skates.

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Dude just say I'm too fat/big/obese for a mid range skate and that I need something better. I wanted to try on the supreme 75 but he didn't have my size of course.

never buy supreme if you hv such a low arch. really... after i had enough with vapor, i moved to supreme one75...its EE is wider but, the arch is not doin well..i had a lot of pain with this skate.. I really recommend Rbk or easton.

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Graf 709

He may have wide, flat feet, but too much volume for an Easton.

IMO skates seem to run like this:

Bauer Vapor Series-wide enough, but cut at a classic "L" shape so not a whole lot of volume

Bauer Supreme Series-Wide enough, high cut boot, but still a classic "L" shape with shallow volume

Bauer Flexlite=Wide, softer boot, big toe cap, but still shallow like other Bauers

Easton-Wide but shallow Narrow heel

Graf-many different types. 703/G3=narrower than Bauer's D width and shallow

735=more like a 705 than a 703

705/G5=a little more volume and regular width but too shallow for thick feet or high arches

709=wide, lots of depth and volume and wider heel than the G70

G70 Ultra=wide, good instep depth and narrower heel than 709

CCM U+ Series=Massive volume and wide heel

Reebok=nice and wide, maybe less volume than CCM U+ series

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I just picked up Vector V08's. I had to put Superfeet in for the arch, but I think they or the Vector Controls would be a great option for you - they have more volume than the RBK's will (almost fits me perfectly, and by the pic, you don't have as high a brindge on your foot as I do), they are plenty wide, with a great ankle lock, and they are on clearance (just be careful when you have them baked - lol).

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The 5Ks felt great on my feet, and I went home and gave my vapors a squeeze and they even feel a lot stiffer than both the 5K and 9K. Overall the only skates that felt stiff were anything bauer as compared to the ccms, graf, and rbks. They didn't carry any 7Ks, just 3K, 5K, and 9K.

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