bauer (and others) fit

[binaustin 0]

It's been 5 years since I bought new skates (lots of wheels and bearings), but now that the old bauer vapors are starting to fall apart, I need to go out and find some new skates. Problem is that in 5 years the landscape has changed. Bauer/nike/mission are all the same, not, maybe? Technology changes (high/low, rocker, boot materials, etc). And on top of all that, no one locally sells inline hockey skates any longer (just ice). The only option here is to drive 200 miles or online order.

So being in the "don't want to drive 200 miles" camp, I'm looking at web sites and wondering what will likely fit my feet. 5 years ago (and to this day), the Bauer Vapors of the past fit great on my feet. I had tried Missions, but the arch was so high that I couldn't even stand in them. When I tried the Tours, I felt like I had put my feet in a metal chamber with various parts of the sides poking hard into the sides, tops, and bottoms of my feet. The Bauer Vapors of that age (they were High/Low back then, pre-Mission, pre-Nike) were "just right" (I feel like I'm channeling Goldilocks). Arches weren't too high. Wide enough not to pinch the sides of my feet. Not so stiff that breaking them in was going to be a battle between my feet and boot (with my feet losing for months).

I'd really like to try skates on before buying, but that doesn't seem like an option. So now I turn to a community of experts...

With all the changes to inline at Bauer, has the fit of the Vapors changed? I see that they now advertise their "partnership" with Mission. Does that mean just for the high/low Vanguard frame? Did they change the boot to be like the Mission (if so, I'm feeling pain)? If not, has the boot changed much from the old days when a person with a normal or slightly wider than normal foot could fit in a Bauer? I am looking at the Vapor RX20 or RX25, but not sure if all I'm doing is setting myself up for a online return.

Is there some other skate/boot that I should be looking at for my old, weary, embattled feet without?

Thanks,

Brian

[althoma1 574]

It's been 5 years since I bought new skates (lots of wheels and bearings), but now that the old bauer vapors are starting to fall apart, I need to go out and find some new skates. Problem is that in 5 years the landscape has changed. Bauer/nike/mission are all the same, not, maybe? Technology changes (high/low, rocker, boot materials, etc). And on top of all that, no one locally sells inline hockey skates any longer (just ice). The only option here is to drive 200 miles or online order.

So being in the "don't want to drive 200 miles" camp, I'm looking at web sites and wondering what will likely fit my feet. 5 years ago (and to this day), the Bauer Vapors of the past fit great on my feet. I had tried Missions, but the arch was so high that I couldn't even stand in them. When I tried the Tours, I felt like I had put my feet in a metal chamber with various parts of the sides poking hard into the sides, tops, and bottoms of my feet. The Bauer Vapors of that age (they were High/Low back then, pre-Mission, pre-Nike) were "just right" (I feel like I'm channeling Goldilocks). Arches weren't too high. Wide enough not to pinch the sides of my feet. Not so stiff that breaking them in was going to be a battle between my feet and boot (with my feet losing for months).

I'd really like to try skates on before buying, but that doesn't seem like an option. So now I turn to a community of experts...

With all the changes to inline at Bauer, has the fit of the Vapors changed? I see that they now advertise their "partnership" with Mission. Does that mean just for the high/low Vanguard frame? Did they change the boot to be like the Mission (if so, I'm feeling pain)? If not, has the boot changed much from the old days when a person with a normal or slightly wider than normal foot could fit in a Bauer? I am looking at the Vapor RX20 or RX25, but not sure if all I'm doing is setting myself up for a online return.

Is there some other skate/boot that I should be looking at for my old, weary, embattled feet without?

Thanks,

Brian

The fit of ice hockey skates in various lines can line up to roller versions based on personal experience and what I've read here. Plus, you always have the option of buying a good pair of ice skates locally, buying a nice chassis online and then having them converted locally as well. If you read through the Sprung thread you'll see a lot of people like that chassis (including myself) so there's that option, but you can pick the chassis of your choice. You can ask how much mounting would be - I've got a couple done locally for $30...some people have also taken the time to do conversions themselves using T-nuts (there's also plenty of information on this if you search as well). This can be a bit more expensive if you don't get a closeout pair of skates and do the conversion yourself, but you'll be sure you have skates that fit and will be able to pick the chassis, bearings and wheels you want to use.

If you like the fit of your older Vapor skates then I'd start out by trying on the Vapor skates that your local shop(s) have in stock - it doesn't matter if it's this years model or last years on clearance as long as they fit your foot. You can also try on any older Mission clearance skates and CCM Vector skates. Both older Missions (the current and upcoming Mission lines fit differently and are based on the Supreme last as it looks like you've read) and the CCM Vector line has a fit that's a bit narrower and not too far off from Vapors. In addition to those, you should try on anything else the stores have that's in your price range to test fit and then when you find something that fits well I'd buy that and then pick up a new or used chassis and get them converted.

[binaustin 0]

If you like the fit of your older Vapor skates then I'd start out by trying on the Vapor skates that your local shop(s) have in stock - it doesn't matter if it's this years model or last years on clearance as long as they fit your foot. You can also try on any older Mission clearance skates and CCM Vector skates. Both older Missions (the current and upcoming Mission lines fit differently and are based on the Supreme last as it looks like you've read) and the CCM Vector line has a fit that's a bit narrower and not too far off from Vapors. In addition to those, you should try on anything else the stores have that's in your price range to test fit and then when you find something that fits well I'd buy that and then pick up a new or used chassis and get them converted.

Thanks.

So do the Ice Bauer Vapor X:## boots match up with the corresponding roller Bauer Vapor RX:## - at least from a fit perspective if not from a materials/structure perspective? I should probably just head down to the ice rink and try it out.

As to converting the skates, I know one person whose done this with mixed results - it worked great for a while until his chassis ripped out of the bottom of the boot. Not sure if he did something wrong or if the structure of the ice skates differed enough from what the chassis demand of their boot.

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

I was at Mission's headquarters today in CA and asked that same question -

Vapor fit, however, the RX60 is reinforced for that same reason - there is greater stress on the sole from inline skating. The sole is reinforced for that reason. Stiffness seems to be the same.