Mission Commander SE

[Les213 1]

Mission Commander SE

Size: 6.5 D

About me: 155lbs, defenseman and intermediate/advanced skater. Pass skates include Vapor 8, Vapor 10 (yes I was a moron and bought into the rocker hype), Nike Quest 1 w/ Red Star, Mission Boss Black.

Surfaces: Only on sport court twice a week.

Usage: roughly 85 skates

Fit – I felt the fit is very similar to the newest Vapor line of ice skates. I may get a bit of flack for this but my foot shape requires pretty much no break in time for Vapors or Supremes. This skate felt a little closer to a vapor fit. It provides great ankle lock and the ankle pads really hold everything in place. I do have a higher instep and these are no different than any other skate I’ve worn. I barely passed the pencil test. I didn’t feel this boot had more or less forward lean than any other’s I’ve tried. I usually go with a 6D in ice skates. However, my stance in roller is more upright and I thought I'd need a little bit more breathing room for my toes so I went half a size up. It's worked out great.

The liner provides ample grip without any unnecessary tugging or pulling. I’m a sockless skater so the liner is quite important to me. The moose suede is the main reason I chose these over the Black SE skates. They just felt great to the touch. The outsoul gave me absolutely no flex during my stride and felt solid. My only gripe is where the boot meets the toe cap. It seems a bit narrower than other Bauer skates I’ve tried. Considering how much break-in time my previous skates have required, not a big deal. 9/10

Chassis/Wheels/Bearings – This is the second reason why I chose the Commanders instead of the Blacks. The lower price point gave me the same chassis as the Black SEs. The magnesium chassis is very light and is a standard Hi-Lo set up. The finish is very durable and there have been no chips or even scratches to them. The most I can ask for in a chassis is that I never have to think about it, and I haven’t. At this price point, it is a great value to get a top end chassis. 10/10

Coming from Labeda Gripper Millenniums, I thought I would give the Rink Rat Hornets a try before I swapped them out. I couldn’t be happier. It has great grip on cornering and stopping. Take this with a grain of salt because I have only ever used Labeda Gripper Millenniums on inferior skates and really have nothing else to compare them to. 10/10

The mission Swiss 608s give me no reason to complain either. In the winter, I play at a rink where dust is a huge problem. The bearings still roll great with weekly cleanings. 10/10

Weight /Protection – The weight is nothing out of the ordinary. I wouldn’t find it extremely light or extremely heavy. But at this price point, I would say they’ve done an excellent job with the magnesium chassis and the relatively lighter boot. Just don’t expect anything revolutionary in terms of weight reduction. 9/10

I’ve taken a few clappers off the side of the boot with no bruising or injury. Protection is as good as any other high end skate. Also, wipe outs, nicks, and rubs against the board have not affected the look of the skate. 10/10

Durability/ Intangibles – The fit and finish is probably the most impressive thing about the skate. Everything is well put together. Being a skater in pre and post Bauer Mission skates, it seems like they’ve improved their fit and finish even better than the current Bauer (ice) models. The durability of the materials seems great as well. I don’t baby my skates and they don’t look worn out at all. I was worried about the moose suede liner at first, since it’s not a liner I’ve had experience with before. However, after 80 skates, there are no signs of wear and tear that would concern me to least. 10/10

The third and final reason I chose the Commanders over the Blacks was the sharp look with the blue and the black. I couldn’t be happier with the look of the skate. The annoying thing will be when I replace the rink rats; I don’t think I’d be able to get matching color wheels for the skate! 10/10

Conclusion – I think most people looking at these skates will need an answer to the big question of whether it’s worth the savings over the Black SEs. That was my main concern and I have absolutely no regrets. It has outperformed every other high end skate I’ve ever worn and I couldn’t be much happier with my purchase. 9.5/10