Need help! Mission Boss SE vs. Mission Axiom T8 vs. Reebok 9k vs. Tour Thor EX1

[mockingduck 0]

I am 5'8 and 176 lbs, and I have been using my Bauer Mega 50 for 5 years now, and I think it needs to change, plus my Bauer Mega 50 has size 9R. It is too big for me. my regular feet/shoe size is from 8.5 - 9. For Ice skate, I am using the bauer supreme line with size 8R. and it feels very good. I kind of want to try something else other than bauer. I am currently on the other side of the world that has no LHS nearby, and I am in need of a new pair of skate that will be shipped to me.

I am considering to buy one of these skates:

1. Mission Boss SE (is it true, it has a narrower toe cap than the axiom line or the bauer so I heard?)

2. Mission Axiom T8 (or the other T-line)

3. Reebok 9k

4. Tour Thor EX1

5. Bauer RX60/XR5 (if any of you guys think I should go with bauer)

my first four skates are my priorities. Which one do you guys recommend?

if my shoes size range from 8.5 - 9, my skate should be 7.5 (which is very rare), therefore should I get a skate size 7 or 8? is D size and E size skate make that much diffrent?

Since I have been using my bauer mega 50 for several years and got used to the up one wheel configuration (72, 72, 80, 78), will it be hard for me to adjust to the all 80 wheel like reebok and tour?

Thanks

[JR Boucicaut 3789]

This isn't a review; therefore doesn't belong in the review section.

Moved to appropriate location.

[aldoraines 0]

I think the Mission T8 has the same fit as the Supreme line. If you are happy with the fit of the Supreme's it should be a good skate. Not sure about the others, sorry...

[mockingduck 0]

I think the Mission T8 has the same fit as the Supreme line. If you are happy with the fit of the Supreme's it should be a good skate. Not sure about the others, sorry...

What about the mission boss SE vs. T8?

[darmin 2]

I can't compare with the T8 but the boss vs the T9, they feel a world apart. The T9 feels like asteep up in quality and comfort.

As for the wheel sizes in the past two years I have had the all 80 set up, the 80-76 hilo variant and the sprung. Not much of an issue swapping between all three, there is a difference but 15-20 mins skating sorts these out.

[Vet88 674]

You need to get your sizing right first. Use the pencil test and work out how much space is at the back of your heel. For each cm spare you go down a size. There are plenty of threads in this forum that explain how to size your skate. Alternatively put your heel against a wall, measure to the top of your toe and post the length here and I'll tell you what size you should get.

As to width, what width are you currently in? There is a big difference between D and E (about 1cm) so trying to squeeze an E size foot into a D is not a good idea.

The Boss SE's are an excellent skate and if you can get the right size on clearance I would say these are you best value for money right now. They are much better than the T8 and the 9k, spec wise. I haven't noticed any difference in the toe cap, the SE line adopted Bauer's toe cap (post buy out) and having tried these and the RX, I found the toe cap's to be the same.

I don't know a lot of skaters on the EX1, from what I have heard it's a bit of a lucky dip reliability wise, some hold up and others fall apart really fast.

The RX60 is the pick of the bunch, an excellent skate. fyi the RX60 line is sized differently to the others, you need to go up 1/2 a size ie SE size 8 = RX60 8.5. If you are a 1/2 size in other skates then the RX60 is an option for a more common size.

If you can't find a skate in a 1/2 size then buy a high end skate like the Boss SE in a size down and get it stretched. High end boots today can be stretched up to 1 size and 1 width ie a 7 can be stretched to a tight 8 and a D to a tight E. However you can't do this with cheap to mid end range skates, you end up ripping the boot from the sole.

Of the skates you list, you can still find the EX1 and the 9k (Rbk's new model with the all 80mm setup) in most sizes as they are current skates. For the Boss SE and RX60, stock is running out fast so good luck in finding a size that fits.

The Tour and new Rbk line does take a little bit of adjustment to skate on, as to the other brands you shouldn't have any issues changing across to.

Not plugging them but you might also want to look at Alkali skates, fit is same as your current skates and the CA9 is gaining a reputation as a skate worth trying.

[mockingduck 0]

You need to get your sizing right first. Use the pencil test and work out how much space is at the back of your heel. For each cm spare you go down a size. There are plenty of threads in this forum that explain how to size your skate. Alternatively put your heel against a wall, measure to the top of your toe and post the length here and I'll tell you what size you should get.

As to width, what width are you currently in? There is a big difference between D and E (about 1cm) so trying to squeeze an E size foot into a D is not a good idea.

The Boss SE's are an excellent skate and if you can get the right size on clearance I would say these are you best value for money right now. They are much better than the T8 and the 9k, spec wise. I haven't noticed any difference in the toe cap, the SE line adopted Bauer's toe cap (post buy out) and having tried these and the RX, I found the toe cap's to be the same.

I don't know a lot of skaters on the EX1, from what I have heard it's a bit of a lucky dip reliability wise, some hold up and others fall apart really fast.

The RX60 is the pick of the bunch, an excellent skate. fyi the RX60 line is sized differently to the others, you need to go up 1/2 a size ie SE size 8 = RX60 8.5. If you are a 1/2 size in other skates then the RX60 is an option for a more common size.

If you can't find a skate in a 1/2 size then buy a high end skate like the Boss SE in a size down and get it stretched. High end boots today can be stretched up to 1 size and 1 width ie a 7 can be stretched to a tight 8 and a D to a tight E. However you can't do this with cheap to mid end range skates, you end up ripping the boot from the sole.

Of the skates you list, you can still find the EX1 and the 9k (Rbk's new model with the all 80mm setup) in most sizes as they are current skates. For the Boss SE and RX60, stock is running out fast so good luck in finding a size that fits.

The Tour and new Rbk line does take a little bit of adjustment to skate on, as to the other brands you shouldn't have any issues changing across to.

Not plugging them but you might also want to look at Alkali skates, fit is same as your current skates and the CA9 is gaining a reputation as a skate worth trying.

@vet88: I went to a local shoe store, and measure my both of my feet. those pictures show how it came out to be. most of them say I am between 8.5 - 9, and I tried both the D and E measurement. the D looks like it will fit me better. So what my skates size should be? 7 or 8? D?

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/6f130 - 8.5D right

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/31cfb - 8.5D left

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/84370 - 8.5E right

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/599bc - 8.5E left

I tried this method online by drawing and measuring your feet manually with socks on, it came out to be 10.512/10.551 inches with width 4.331/4.370 inches. and then i have to subtract those numbers by 3/16 of an inch according to the website.http://shoes.about.c...asurefeet_6.htm. it came out to be 10.3245/10.3635 inches with the width of 4.1435/4/1825 inches.

According to the conversion on this website, I need a size 9 shoe. http://shoes.about.c.../men_inches.htm. and then the width came out to be E according to the conversion on this website. http://shoes.about.c...a/men_width.htm. but problem is the mission boss SE that is available is only available in size D. Do you think it will fit perfectly.

So, I tried both methods by using foot measurement device and manually doing so. I think you get a picture on how my feet look like. So what is your suggestion on my sizing, and overall on which skate should I get based on your experiences?

I found both mission boss SE and RX60 on 7D, 8D and 7D respectively. the RX60 actually costs more than the boss SE by 150 dollars.

so you are telling me that you prefer boss se and RX60 over T8/9k/EX1 ?

What do you mean by getting it stretched? do you mean just by using them, it will eventually stretch out?

Thanks

[Vet88 674]

First up - Guideline for shoes does not equate to guidelines for boots. People wear street shoes in an almost endless variation of ways. Some like a loose fit, some like a tight fit, just about every shoe manufacturer has subtle variations in sizing. So what the skate manufacturers say is a "vague" guide only, if you want a good fit you have to get down and dirty and understand the size of your foot and the size of the skate you want to buy. This is a hard process if you live outside the US or Canada and don't have an even half decent LHS within a few hours flying of where you live. Yes, I understand why skate manufacturers want you to go to a LHS so it supports their distribution channels but to those of us that don't have access to these shops, it's a lose lose situation.

I never liked this way of measuring the length of a foot as the angle of the pencil/pen as your draw can really screw things up. Here is the best way that I have found to get the length of your foot:

Put a piece A4 paper against a wall. Stand on the paper with your heel touching the wall. Look over the top of your big toe (or longest toe) and draw a line, I use a ruler that I stand upright against the end of the toe and then mark where the edge of the ruler is on the paper. This way I know that the vertical angle is pretty much spot on. Measure from the end of the toe to the end of the paper (where your heel was), this is your foot length.

Looking at the 2 measurements you provided you fall into the 1/4 size range but you do have various options, depending on your budget and how you want your skate to fit your foot.

If you want something off the shelf, out of the box without having to change anything about your skate (except maybe a bake) then: 10.5 inches means your wear an 8, 10.3 inches means you wear a 7.5. In either size, you would have around 3mm spare in length which, when you add a pair of socks, is an ok fit and one that something like 90% of the world get by with.

Now if you want a perfect fit then: 10.5 means you wear a 7.5, 10.3 means you wear a 7. For either size, you would need to get them stretched in length by around 3mm (this assumes you wear thin or no socks), this would give you the perfect sized skate for length.

Stretching is how you get the boot lengthened or widened. Imagine if you had a boot that your hands could fit into. Put your palms together and slide your hands into the boot until the fingers touched the toe cap. Now push your hands apart until they hit the side of the sides of the boot, now continue to push your hands apart with some pressure - this will push the side of the boot outwards hence widening it ie a stretch.

When you bake a boot a similar principle is taking place. Your foot is bigger than the boot in some places so you heat the boot to make it pliable, insert your foot into the boot and then do it up. the pressure from your foot forces the boot to stretch outwards and around your foot to accommodate your foot shape.

Stretching can be done by any decent skate or shoe shop or you can do it yourself with a pair of c clamps and some blocks of wood (plus I use a vernier as a measuring tool to make sure I don't over stretch the boot, slowly slowly is the secret here as you can't accurately measure the pressure you are applying with each stretch).

Yes, your feet will eventually stretch a boot out, within reason and the limitations of the boot (jamming a size 8 foot into a size 7 boot isn't a good idea!). We are talking a few mm here, not cm's. However most people don't like the 2 - 3 months of agony they will go thru to get there so a stretch and or a bake is the quick way to no pain when you skate.

As to the width of the boot, this depends a lot on personal preference as the shape of the foot plus the shape of the toe cap and the boot heel can make a difference. Also each manufacturer has a slightly different width profile. Your best bet is to try on some team mates boots to give you an idea of how they fit width wise.

As a guideline my foot is 4 inches wide and I squeeze that into a Rbk boot D width, with a small stretch and a bake. I do have a size 8D Boss SE and I just can't wear it as it is to narrow for me across the toe cap.

Based on my foot, a no brainer width wise is to buy an E, you will fit this. Buying a D you can get to fit but you will have to work at it with a stretch and or a bake.

As to the skates you are looking at - as of right now in "value for money" terms the Boss SE on discount is a great skate but width wise in a D I think you are going to have to do some work to make it comfortable. I wouldn't be getting the RX60's in a 7D, they will be to small.

However you are also looking at the EX1 which is a current model, if you are in this price range then I suggest you look at the Alkali CA9 or the Rbk 11k. Both of these are fantastic skates and you can get an E width and a half size and they would fit you out of the box. Nothing against Tour either but I'm just not a great fan of them (even though I have a family member on Cobalts and they will not skate in anything else).

if I was buying a skate today I'd be really tempted to try the Alkali CA9 as value for money terms it stacks up really well and a few people have posted that they are a very good skate (if only they came with a Sprung chassis........)

Again note, the above sizes I talk about apply to all the boots you mentioned except the RX60, you would add a 1/2 size for the RX60.

[mockingduck 0]

I got down to two options. Anyone can help me on this? I just got news that mission boss SE is really stiff (but it's a good value for a high end skate), and reebok 9k inline (black and white) is very comfortable and not as stiff as boss SE. please help.

thanks

[sarasch 1]

I use the Boss SE for more than a year now and they are still going strong.

If the boot fits you right, I'll go with it.

A teammate of mine just got a shot to the tri-di frame of his 9k and it bent.

I have to say that the shot wasn't this hard...

[sdcopp 1]

I will second the Alkali skates as a great option. I've been really impressed with the CA9s I'm doing the long term review on. Even though it's the initial offering from Alkali Justin and Joe have brought a contender to market right out of the gate. They fit a little wider and the response the being baked is amazing. It will take some adjustment going from a Hi-Lo setup to all 80s, but it's really not that bad. If you do look at Mission then I'd go with the T8s. The Axiom line, I personally feel, is better built than the SE line was.

[NIUsnipe19 0]

I got the RX5 Bauer's earlier this year and they are probably the best skates I have owned to date. I play college roller hockey and skate probably 5-6 times per week, and these skates keep well with the pace that I play. I had a set of the Reebok 9k's and they did not even last a year. They are comfortable but they have a really poor boot construction, and if you play a lot they will wear out real quick even if you take real good care of them. The Mission line is a good skate too, and is basically identical to the Bauer's, this due to the face that Bauer bought Mission. I have team-mates with the T6,T7, and T8 and they all love them.

[brentdz 3]

I personally just bought a pair of the BOSS SE skates from Hockeymonkey, on closeout for $299!! Im loving them so far! Had them baked before my first time skating in them, and was able to skate for 2hrs without sore feet or blistering of any kind. My last pair of skates was the original Proto VSI skate, which is the best fitting skate I've ever had out of the box. The boss skate was 1lb lighter per skate then the VSI's when I put them on the scale! Bottom line, you can't go wrong for $299!