Looking to replace Easton 800C skates, Not sure where to start

[rogue 0]

I'm starting to think about buying new skates in the next few weeks and was hoping some of you could give me some suggestions as to what to look for/where to start:

I'm currently skating in Easton 800C's 10.5W that I bought in 06. They developed a small tear where the tendon guard meets with the top of the ankle on one boot and throughout this season the tear has propagated about halfway down the ankle. I'd be alright with fixing them, but can't think of any way to do it so I'm probably going to replace them.

I took about 2 years off hockey/reading this forum while I was finishing school and starting my job so I've lost track of current skates, how certain brands and lines tend to fit, and what compares to previous models. I think I am looking for something that has comparable forefoot width to my 800Cs (WIDE) but I think I need a little more volume. After games, my big toe is freezing cold/numb and I think it is from the artery running to my big toe being pinched off. As it is, I hardly tighten the bottom laces on my skate, just snug them up and pull the top three eyelets tight. I have a very wide forefoot with a deep ankle and "fat" foot. What current (or last model years) skate would be best for this? What is the current equivalent to the Easton 800C? I don't NEED a top of the line skate and will also consider a step down from the TOP, but I do need something fairly stiff as I'm 6" 250lbs.

I'll be paying a visit to my LHS in the next few days to try skates on, but I'd like to have some information going in, do research on the different possibilities, know which skates aren't even worth looking at, etc. My LHS does have some previous years models which is why I asked above. I'm just afraid of buying a skate that feels great in the store, but once I'm on the ice for an hour my feet start killing me and I want to do as much research as I can.

Thanks very much in advance!

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I know the above was long winded, so in summary, I'm wondering:

-What's the current equivalent to Easton 800C?

-What skate provides similar forefoot width to the 800C but with greater volume in both the foot bed and ankle?

[chippa13 1844]

Hockey Monkey still has some Easton SE16's on their site at a nice discount.

[rogue 0]

Hockey Monkey still has some Easton SE16's on their site at a nice discount.

Unfortunately none in my size. They have some good deals on other Easton skates, but I'd prefer to buy from my LHS, they are the only one in the area and I'd prefer to help keep them around.

That said, looking at the other clearance Easton skates, what are the practical differences and fit characteristics of the Easton Synergy vs. Stealth line? I thought one was more traditional construction while one used the uni-body like my 800C's, but looking at the descriptions, they both have "COIL technology". Is one wider/deeper than the other for a given size and width?

[rogue 0]

Well I tried on a pair of EQ40's in 10.5EE and they are MUCH narrower than my 800's, to the point that they were painful in the store.

When did Easton narrow their Synergy line? Are say the SE16's in W width the same width as the 800's or the same as the EQ40's?

Otherwise I'm thinking about trying Flexlite 4.0 Pro's / Nexus 800's as those seem to be the only other current extremely wide skate. Does any one happen to have a lead on older Flexlite's (i.e. 12's, 18's, 22's, etc.) or 4.0 Pro's from somewhere other than hockeymonkey? I'd like to get a new pair before the Nexus skates are out because I don't think my Eastons are going to last.

[AIREAYE 248]

See if you can find some Stealth boots, they're wider than Synergy.