Lightspeed 3 Steel LS3 can someone shed some light on this?

[teamhystyk 0]

I have a couple sets of pro stock skates that Say LS3 on the back portion of the steel where it used to say LS2. Does anyone know anything about this and can tell me what it is and if there is any difference etc???? thanks

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

Does it look the same?

[sebseb 0]

Can you take a picture of the holder and the blade? This raises a question, will the new vapor line come with lightspeed 3 holder and most likely fusion steel?

[teamhystyk 0]

holder is a lightspeed 2 holder steel appears more of a matte finish and says LS 3 on back part, Checking my Red Wing pro skates I have about 3 or 4 pairs with this steel on them, other pairs have step and other pairs regular LS 2

[SuperMan3 1]

I was watching an interview on TSN, and behind Kane I saw a pair of TotalOnes with what appeared to be a LS2 with an extra hole in it, thought that was wierd.

[timfunk22 0]

I bought a pair of X:60 Pro Returns and they had LS3 steel in them. It was laser engraved on the section of steel the sits inside the holder near the heel. To be completely honest the steel looked identical to the step steel that I now have. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures as I upgraded to bigger holders and sold off the steel.

[krwwc6 0]

IIRC its bauers version of stepsteel.

It should have more steel (taller), but quality of steel is not improved

[sebseb 0]

IIRC its bauers version of stepsteel.

It should have more steel (taller), but quality of steel is not improved

That doesn't make any sense for a company like Bauer to come with the LS3 blade same thing as the LS2 just taller, especially in an industry were weight matters, a lot. So they come up with the fusion, 27% lighter and now with the LS3 same steel as usual but now taller and heavyer, but you can get an extra 30 sharpenings out of it, like anybody cares about that when they buy a high end skate. I'm pretty sure that's not it, LS2.1 had a longer runner, now the LS3, not LS2.2 for example, just taller, nope, that's not it for sure

[greech 4]

That doesn't make any sense for a company like Bauer to come with the LS3 blade same thing as the LS2 just taller, especially in an industry were weight matters, a lot. So they come up with the fusion, 27% lighter and now with the LS3 same steel as usual but now taller and heavyer, but you can get an extra 30 sharpenings out of it, like anybody cares about that when they buy a high end skate. I'm pretty sure that's not it, LS2.1 had a longer runner, now the LS3, not LS2.2 for example, just taller, nope, that's not it for sure

To take the other side, is a few grams of weight that important to someone who is slotting themselves in a top level skate? I mean, look at pros, who are the best of the best. It still is to be seen if they will use the fusion in droves or if its cost downplays the small advantage of the weight savings.

[sebseb 0]

I was not talking about the pros here, I am talking about the average buyer that wants gimicks from high end stuff, that wants to read a novel when he's reading the spec sheet, that thinks that a minus in 5 grams will make him faster and a better skater, the guy who buys skates with holes in the blade because they're lighter... that guy. I don't see the point in making the blade taller and heavier, it's not like the pros put step steel on for the extra sharpenings, but for the better quality of steel.

I think we should keep our eyes open for what SuperMan3 saw on tv.

[greech 4]

Some educated consumers might want that extra thirty sharpenings, no?

[krwwc6 0]

That doesn't make any sense for a company like Bauer to come with the LS3 blade same thing as the LS2 just taller, especially in an industry were weight matters, a lot. So they come up with the fusion, 27% lighter and now with the LS3 same steel as usual but now taller and heavyer, but you can get an extra 30 sharpenings out of it, like anybody cares about that when they buy a high end skate. I'm pretty sure that's not it, LS2.1 had a longer runner, now the LS3, not LS2.2 for example, just taller, nope, that's not it for sure

scuse the 'tude

Weight matters a lot . . . . at retail. . . . in the pros, not so much.

LS3 does make sense if a majority of buyers (pros) want a custom radius. Profiling steel takes away quite a bit of steel. If you have taller steel, it will allow for some extra time before you need to completely replace your steel after profiling.

It's probably only a custom option, as to why it was only seen on pro stock skates.

How many NHLers are using fusion steel? Pros don't really care about the ounces as much as consumers that gulp the kool-aid. . . . if they did they'd all have used rocket runners and would now be using fusion steel.

[jtuckwel 1]

To my knoweldge, the primary differences between the LS2 and the LS3 runners are indeed the hieght of the steel, as well as a contour that allows more steel to be in contact with the ice than the LS2; I don't believe the grade/type/makeup of the steel used to create the blades are any different. With having a longer blade (LS3 blade surface contact vs. LS2 blade surface contact), you are able to have a greater potential for a more powerful stride release (exaggerated example: speed skater's skate blades). If your runners have been contoured and/or 'rockered', you may have a slight increase in agility due to the shape allowing for a smoother landing (edge to ice contact) and striding, and a bit less surface contact (which may give you more 'bite' to the ice surface since there is more weight and energy distributed on a smaller area of contact on the edge).

Regarding the height factor, a small unforeseen benefit to having a higher blade is that you may have a slightly increased ability to turn at a lower degree, or simply, 'lean' into your turns closer to the ice before 'bottoming-out' (holders and/or boot touches the ice and causes a release of blade contact with the ice). I like my grind to be 3/8", which is generally one step below the 1/2" standard grind, because I'm a lightweight, fast skater and utitlize the sharp turns to my advantage. My Bauer LS2's I have in my Graf 735 Supra's are ground down to the point where I'm bottoming out at least once a game because I turn at such a low angle. I'm going to be trying out the LS3's this weekend at a tournament, hopefully they work well.

-JT

[XOX 6]

JT it sounds like we are similar skaters, I too have order some ls3 steel. I'd like to know what you think of it. Please give us an update after you've skated them this weekend

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

I don't believe the grade/type/makeup of the steel used to create the blades are any different.

It used to be.

[jtuckwel 1]

JT it sounds like we are similar skaters, I too have order some ls3 steel. I'd like to know what you think of it. Please give us an update after you've skated them this weekend

When I went to the store I checked out the LS2's and 3's before I made my final desicison, and the LS3's were (in my humble opinion) significantly larger than the 2's...... They happened to be so large that I was completely hesistant and ended up going the safer route and getting a pair of the LS2's, since getting brand new steel right before a weekened tournament would have been more awkward than anything, since I would have had to get used to them during the first few games, if not the entire weekend. The brand new and single sharpened LS2's are tall enough as it is (or to what I was used to for a long time), and needed some time to get used to.. I could only try to imagine how different the LS3's would have felt.. I think the difference would have been much greater and I would have had to spend the whole weekend just getting used to how much bigger they were than the 2's. The 2's, as expected, are an exceptional runner and although I'd love to experience the feel of a brand new pair of LS3's, I'm glad I got a new pair of LS2's.

Another thing I could touch upon based on the advice I aquired at the shop was to stay away from the Fusions... They are indeed a light-weight performance based alloy with lots of alumium to boast, but they tend corrode, bend, warp, and break much easier, the most professionals don't use them, and they are the most expensive runner in the LS series retail market, I believe. The number one reason Bauer puts them in their top of the line skates, (i.e. Nexus 8000's, Surpeme MX3's, and Vapor APX2's), is to make the overall weight of the skate lighter, for specification keener's and general consumer luring purposes. If people are comparing skates (like sticks or shoulder pads for example) in weight down to the lowest number of grams, having the fusion runners can be the kicker for some; ontop of the already proven fact that some people just buy the most expensive products because they think that the most expensive means the best product, overall - just my thoughts 'fused' with the advice I got from the shop.

-JT

[start_today 770]

Millimeters are the new grams.

[XOX 6]

Ok JT, I skated on my LS3's today and I was amazed at how much I loved them! The adjustment period maybe lasted all of 5 minutes,maybe. I pride my self on my agility as a skater so I wasn't sure how this steel would effect my movement. To my surprise agility stayed intact no problems at all, the only noticeable adjustment was turning and that was very slight. Actually turning is a lot better you can gather ton ls of forward momentum. I felt faster and more powerful overall I am very impressed no regrets will only use ls3 and 4 from here on out. Yes, I'm that convinced after one session! I hope this helps

[jtuckwel 1]

Ok JT, I skated on my LS3's today and I was amazed at how much I loved them! The adjustment period maybe lasted all of 5 minutes,maybe. I pride my self on my agility as a skater so I wasn't sure how this steel would effect my movement. To my surprise agility stayed intact no problems at all, the only noticeable adjustment was turning and that was very slight. Actually turning is a lot better you can gather ton ls of forward momentum. I felt faster and more powerful overall I am very impressed no regrets will only use ls3 and 4 from here on out. Yes, I'm that convinced after one session! I hope this helps

I'm glad that they worked out for you and you like them. Because I had a big 6 game weekend right after my purchase, ontop of having to adjust to a brand new stick, I was too scared the blades would be too much of a jump for me, or too risky to gamble. After hearing your experiences with them, I will definitley not completely keep them out of the question when it comes time to either get new runners or new skates entirely. In a few years they'll have some pretty neat stuff coming out I'm sure. I love my Grafs, but like a lot of reviews say, I do find they don't wick away sweat and moisture as well as the user would like... definitely a benefit to some of the newer skates with moisture wicking liner material. I also need new insoles or 'footbeds' for my skates... which I'm new too, so I'll need to do some research before I decide.