MLX Skates Now Available

[Shark#81 0]

If you're a lean & mean skatin' machine the fit will be awesome. I really like the foot bed/stance and connect with the blade. n

http://twitpic.com/3kaw5n

If you have pudgy feet, in particular across the arch look elsewhere!

I don't like the eyelets - inside they are really sharp.

This is real carbon fiber. Most skates don't use the real stuff. To get real carbon to look amazing - $$ in finishing or a proper negative mold also $$

[Chadd 916]

If you're a lean & mean skatin' machine the fit will be awesome. I really like the foot bed/stance and connect with the blade. n

http://twitpic.com/3kaw5n

If you have pudgy feet, in particular across the arch look elsewhere!

I don't like the eyelets - inside they are really sharp.

This is real carbon fiber. Most skates don't use the real stuff. To get real carbon to look amazing - $$ in finishing or a proper negative mold also $$

Wow, they don't have much depth at all. They would fit about 10-15% of the people in my area, if that.

[Shark#81 0]

I took a paper ruler around my foot and the difference between the two boots in the circumference around arch area is about 0.5". So it looks more drastic than it actually is. Also the insole of the MLX is thick. I would thin that out with some heat-moldable EVA. We use this all the time for boot fitting and stock it (u-cut).

Also look at the tongue, there is depth to the MLX tongue and not to the Chinese one. This creates more clamp force: foot to the footbed.

But Chadd you are right, while I don't completely agree with your #, they are limiting their market with this type of fit.

[Chadd 916]

But Chadd you are right, while I don't completely agree with your #, they are limiting their market with this type of fit.

Just going by what I've seen in my area when I was selling Mission skates. It's not like this is the most genetically diverse area in the country.

[DarkStar50 679]

Hmmm, so maybe this depth/volume issue is why so few NHLers are wearing the skate. The skate may only fit 20% of the NHLers who use RBK/CCM skates.

[DEATHTRON 19]

Any pictures of the insert that they use to bridge those of that are half sizer's? That is enough to keep me away from the skates.

Zach

[ju87 0]

Skated for the first time on these yesterday for about 4 hours. Some background on my feet/ankles, I have very skinny ankles and a generally skinny/small foot. I have tried various brands and nothing seemed to provide me with good lateral ankle support. Earlier this year I settled on Graf 703's as they came the closest to fitting me, but I still wasn't satisfied. After baking the MLX's they fit my foot/ankle amazingly well. I have complete lateral ankle support without even lacing them tightly. When I first stepped on the ice, it was an instant smile on my face because I knew I had finally found a skate to match my wimpy ankles. The LHS owner who instructed me last year when I was a novice and sharpened my skates yesterday was watching me skate from inside his store. He remembered that I had issues with my skates before. He came out a while later and told me I looked a lot better with these skates. It was the first time he had seen them in person and was impressed by them. So from reading other peoples stories, it seems like these will suit the skinny to normal sized ankle and foot people better.

Any further comments on how the MLX fit (generally) compared to the 703, particularly in terms of depth ? I'm currently in 703 Regulars but would like a touch more volume on my right foot in the middle and a bit more width around the Graf logo on the forefoot.

Thanks

[kklinder 0]

Any further comments on how the MLX fit (generally) compared to the 703, particularly in terms of depth ? I'm currently in 703 Regulars but would like a touch more volume on my right foot in the middle and a bit more width around the Graf logo on the forefoot.

Thanks

If I hadn't just sold my 703s, I'd take some pictures, but I think you'll get what you're looking for. I'm finding that the extra layer of thermoplastic in the tongue provides some level of volume "forgiveness" also.

[Too Old 1]

Any further comments on how the MLX fit (generally) compared to the 703, particularly in terms of depth ? I'm currently in 703 Regulars but would like a touch more volume on my right foot in the middle and a bit more width around the Graf logo on the forefoot.

Thanks

703 EE's do the trick. They fit me absolutely perfect with no baking required. I wear them in a size 8.5. My G3's in a normal size 9 D width required baking and some tweaking here and there to fit the same as the out-of-the-box 8.5 703 wides did.

[kklinder 0]

I'm lead to believe that a deeper version is in the works and will be an option some time in the [hopefully] not too distant future.

[ju87 0]

Thanks kklinder and Too Old for your input.

I was also thinking going to 735 Regulars in the same size before I came across the MLX skates.

[kklinder 0]

First skate on my MLX today at stick time. Bottom line: I'm impressed. I'm still not sure if the deeper boot will be better for me when it's available, but this skate frankly exceeded my expectations. It's both extremely stable and very agile. My whole foot was locked in and quite comfortable, while my ankle mobility was great. Also, I didn't get numbness as I normally do when a skate is too shallow for me (just about every skate). I used the over-under lacing pattern recommended in one of their videos (including leaving them a little looser through the mid foot), and it worked nicely. I also think that the thermo-formable tongue helps provide structure that doesn't require cranking the laces. I had none of the sole pain that several have reported. Perhaps that's owed to my high arches. Coming from Graf G7 and Daoust 501, there was a bit of adjustment related to lateral stiffness, but really not much. I think there may be a nice pair of G7 up for sale soon. ;)

Thanks to DarkStar50 and the boys at the Ice House for the nice sharpening. I followed the MLX advice to go with a bigger hollow. This is the first time I've used a 5/8" sharpening, and it was really good. Of course, having skated on FBV and Z-Channel of late, 1/2" feels like it digs too much.

[DarkStar50 679]

Thanks kklinder, glad the sharpening enhanced your first MLX experience. I was in the shop when he pulled them out of his bag and brought them in. This was the first time I had seen the skates in the shop. I now completely understand the situation with getting your foot in the boot given the presentation of the laces and the tongue. I have always liked a good 2"-3" spread with the laces across the tongue. When I saw the MLX, I knew that was not part of the equation at all. I was a bit surprised but having seen how speed skate boots are built to "swallow" up your foot, it made sense with their design team. The skate was a bit heavy. It was a size 7, I believe. Not a tank but......... I agree with JR that it looks utilitarian and is not built on fashion over function! I do feel that after having seen the boot, the $800 price tag was a bit of a stretch to begin with. If you got the skate at $400, that is a great deal while settling in at $600 is fair market value. I still wonder about the lack of penetration in the NHL. Is there something about wearing this boot day after day for the pros? Is it a fit issue for so many guys with different foot shapes in the NHL? Is it as simple as they prefer a lighter boot? Perhaps they don't perceive the benefit from the boot given their superior(to ours!!) skating skills that put them in the pros anyway? I am just trying to understand what the pro perception is that hasn't gained more traction for the MLX after quite a bit of time in the market.

[fastbrother7 0]

In response to the weight of the MLX vs. others, Im in a size 7 MLX, 7 1/4 x:60, and I have held a size 7 total one. I dont have the stock MLX holders on my MLX boots ( I have LS2s ), but as far I can tell, the MLX feels lighter than my x:60s, and as light as if not lighter than a pair of retail total ones. I suspect the MLX's are a bit heavier gram for gram than the total ones, but I could really care less about a few grams. They feel awesome.

[kklinder 0]

Help me decide if I'd be better off with the forthcoming (???) deeper version. I am super impressed with these skates, but I do have a few (livable) issues that I think will be solved by the deeper version. Only thing is, I'm having a hard time imagining skating on anything else until they're available. Here are some pictures:

Pics of my MLX

[$m0k3 0]

Do you have the stock insoles in? You might be able to get a bit more room if you used a lower profile insole like superfeet.

[IniNew 53]

Do you have the stock insoles in? You might be able to get a bit more room if you used a lower profile insole like superfeet.

My superfeet helped take up volume in my skate. Yellows, are you talking about a different color thats lower profile?

[kklinder 0]

Do you have the stock insoles in? You might be able to get a bit more room if you used a lower profile insole like superfeet.

I am using the stock insoles, but I hesitate to change them since they're so comfortable and since I have such high arches anyway.

[$m0k3 0]

My superfeet helped take up volume in my skate. Yellows, are you talking about a different color thats lower profile?

Superfeet just seem smaller in profile compared to MLX's i mean, im not sure i could be wrong didn't take a really hard look at the two side by side.

[AFK66 0]

My skates arrived yesterday, What are you guys thoughts on the inserts to help with sizing? Just curious if anyone's actually using them? I've also noticed the tongue on the left skate seems to pinch up instead of mold flat in the boot? It seems to have something to do with the excess material before the Eyelets in the boot.

As for weight they feel great setup is as follows:

MLX Boot 8 / LS2 Holder / Fusion steel / Yellow super feet.

[Krev 86]

Welp, Easton insoles aren't helping. Gonna go with yellow super feet, and if that doesn't work, I'll get in touch with Rob. I prefer to eliminate all options on my own before bothering someone.

I love the skates; I have enough volume, and the boot fits wonderfully... it's just my damn arches. I'm not flatfooted, but definitely not as high arched as the skate wants me to be.

[fastbrother7 0]

Superfeet just seem smaller in profile compared to MLX's i mean, im not sure i could be wrong didn't take a really hard look at the two side by side.

You are correct on that one. Initially I threw the superfeets in my MLX's after I have fitted them with the MLX insole in and they would slide side to side when I shook the boot. However, I re-fitted them with the Superfeet in there and while there is still a very minute amount of negative space between the insole and the sides of the insole, I dont even notice and they feel very good.

[Krev 86]

Yellow superfeet are now in. The verdict, the skates are perfect. No pain, no problems, no anything. Played in 2 games and reffed 4 on them yesterday. Soooo nice. Must say, I am impressed.

[fastbrother7 0]

Another thing I really like about these skates is that when you heat fit them, you can fold the tongue over during the process, so if you are a tongue out skater, they sit whatever way you like after cool down.

[TheHerminator22 0]

Has there been any indication by MLX that they plan on making a deeper boot or is this all speculation?