Easton Mako Skates

[nicktsigos 12]

Any of you guys wearing shot blockers with your skates? If so anything that fits slim and close to the boot.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I'm not, but if I were to ever skate out with any regularity again I definitely would get some.

[Chadd 916]

MSH should get a commission from Easton for this thread.

We don't post to keep the topic alive. The number of posts is evidence of interest in the product among the general public.

Any of you guys wearing shot blockers with your skates? If so anything that fits slim and close to the boot.

One of the guys on my team is wearing shot blockers with his Makos

[ulf 5]

2 years of peewee and 1 year of bantam youth hockey only yielded me seeing 2 other pairs. and one pair was at a clinic.

i don't think mako is getting to the youth the way they should....nor do i think they care.

Edited December 26, 2015 by ulf

[IPv6Freely 2092]

They aren't cool looking enough for kids to wear.

[ulf 5]

They aren't cool looking enough for kids to wear.

that might be true. dunno what constitutes cool for youth>college...outside of cage, cage color or hang. (my son is 1of 2 kids on the team that doesn't have a white cage..lol)

i guess these alien looking skates could be perceived as uncool from a kids/teens... unless it's just a brand thing..which is lol...my son won't drink the kirkland brand vitamin water but he swears by the original vitamin brand version. pretty sure they're made for costco by vitamin water.

marketing/brands and consumer psychology is pretty amazing..

Edited December 26, 2015 by ulf

[IPv6Freely 2092]

If you're not in Bauer you're not cool. Stupid mindset, but kids are kids.

[BadgerBruce 11]

I'm not so sure it's a lack of "cool factor" with the kids so much as unbelievable difficulty for parents to even find the skates.

True story: I live in the Niagara region (Canadian side) and purchased a pair of Mako IIs for my 12 year old at the most prominent LHS in the area last March. Kid fell in love with the skates and I got lucky at a 40% off "end of season sale."

Flash forward to late November (black Friday) and the boy said those words we all hate: "I think my skates are too small." 12 year olds grow fast ...

I started shopping for new Mako IIs. None to be found. Not even a display skate. Not at Front Row Sports, not at any Source for Sports, not at Sport Chek. I went on the Easton website and looked under the "dealer finder" and called 17 shops. Not only did they not have the skates but they had no intention of carrying them.

I wrote Easton directly and the reply I got simply provided a list of dealers, the same list I'd already used to make all of those calls.

Finally, I got the kid sized for mon-Mako skates at a LHS and took a flyer with online dealer Hockey Supremacy, hoping I'd gone with the right size. It all worked out -- they arrived and I took the kid to the LHS to have the skates baked/aligned/contoured.

He's the only peewee kid I have EVER seen in the Niagara region who has Makos. As mentioned, he totally loves them and can't imagine wearing anything else. But they were absolute Hell to find and I totally understand why nobody else wears them.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

Weird. Definitely not an issue I've ever seen.

[trtaylor 3]

FWIW, I noticed today Mathew Barzal (#13) on Canada's World Junior team is skating on a pair of Mako's (w/ CXN holders).

Max Domi (Coyotes) was skating in Mako's, but I see in recent pictures he's now skating on the new Vapors.

I can see an NHL player not wanting to change from what they are used to. But, wonder why Max switched away from the Mako's?

[Stewie 721]

Another issue is that most parents aren't going to want to buy skates for their kid after their initial reaction to trying them on is "these are very tight" on a foot that is still growing.

[Hills 712]

I'm not so sure it's a lack of "cool factor" with the kids so much as unbelievable difficulty for parents to even find the skates.

True story: I live in the Niagara region (Canadian side) and purchased a pair of Mako IIs for my 12 year old at the most prominent LHS in the area last March. Kid fell in love with the skates and I got lucky at a 40% off "end of season sale."

Flash forward to late November (black Friday) and the boy said those words we all hate: "I think my skates are too small." 12 year olds grow fast ...

I started shopping for new Mako IIs. None to be found. Not even a display skate. Not at Front Row Sports, not at any Source for Sports, not at Sport Chek. I went on the Easton website and looked under the "dealer finder" and called 17 shops. Not only did they not have the skates but they had no intention of carrying them.

I wrote Easton directly and the reply I got simply provided a list of dealers, the same list I'd already used to make all of those calls.

Finally, I got the kid sized for mon-Mako skates at a LHS and took a flyer with online dealer Hockey Supremacy, hoping I'd gone with the right size. It all worked out -- they arrived and I took the kid to the LHS to have the skates baked/aligned/contoured.

He's the only peewee kid I have EVER seen in the Niagara region who has Makos. As mentioned, he totally loves them and can't imagine wearing anything else. But they were absolute Hell to find and I totally understand why nobody else wears them.

You're issue is that you have to deal with terrible LHS in Niagara. I am glad you found Hockey Supremacy like I did.

[JimmyTheDriver 36]

Thanks man! Very helpful... as my pain is basically 1 inch above his example of arch relief. I'll go grab a heat gun and get on it.

Heat didn't provide much relief, But I think Superfeet Yellows did. Haven't gotten to skate yet, but the additional heel and arch lift is enough to keep my low arch off the steep arch of the skate. Didn't feel that pain spot when walking around the house, which was immediately present when I put the stock foot beds back in.

-Jim

[iammerson 19]

I agree with the cool factor but not let's ignore the price point. It is a steep price for most parents for a skate that won't last more then a season.

[chippa13 1844]

I disagree with the price factor. There are plenty of kids in top level Bauer and CCM skates. It took CCM a long time to get back to being considered a player again in the skate category and I think Easton is still trying to recover from some stumbles.

[flip12 714]

Another argument against the price factor is the heavier and softer lower end models which still have the Mako ideas at lower prices.

[mojo122 535]

I disagree with the price factor. There are plenty of kids in top level Bauer and CCM skates. It took CCM a long time to get back to being considered a player again in the skate category and I think Easton is still trying to recover from some stumbles.

Agree totally. Lack of educating many retail employees also hurts. Whether Bauer, CCM, or Graf, many of those manufacturers' skates are not unbearable out of the box when it comes to fit. The Mako is right out unbearable and difficult to get on unless put in the skate oven for a few minutes, a step most shop employees are not willing to do.

[Albert1754 0]

Any of you guys wearing shot blockers with your skates? If so anything that fits slim and close to the boot.

Yesterday I tried wearing the Skate Fenders Pro guard size small/medium that fit on my Make 2 7.5 EE. They're not the most slim and close fitting things imaginable but seem to do the job. I didn't notice any performance difference with them on.

[grindr28 0]

I am in the market for a new pair of skates and feel a bit of loyalty towards Easton. Currently I am skating on a pair of Easton Air skates from way back 10+ ago. They haven't fallen apart and feel like a glove but it's just time for a new pair. I've tried on the mako m8 at the LHS without a bake and thought they were my next pair. I have read a bit on here about the M7 and how they are softer than the other 2 models. I ref 6+ games a week and have been on the ice for 26 years. What I'm getting at I guess is should I wait and try to get a good deal on ebay on some Mako 2s or M8... or just go with the M7 with a bake, sharpening and a warrantee at the LHS. Also, for those that get a custom radius on their runners... did you end up keeping the same radius on the mako. Seeing as the pitch is greater in them.

[sectachrome 40]

I am in the market for a new pair of skates and feel a bit of loyalty towards Easton. Currently I am skating on a pair of Easton Air skates from way back 10+ ago. They haven't fallen apart and feel like a glove but it's just time for a new pair. I've tried on the mako m8 at the LHS without a bake and thought they were my next pair. I have read a bit on here about the M7 and how they are softer than the other 2 models. I ref 6+ games a week and have been on the ice for 26 years. What I'm getting at I guess is should I wait and try to get a good deal on ebay on some Mako 2s or M8... or just go with the M7 with a bake, sharpening and a warrantee at the LHS. Also, for those that get a custom radius on their runners... did you end up keeping the same radius on the mako. Seeing as the pitch is greater in them.

Judging by how often you skate I think it would be worth it to go with the M8 or Mako II. You can get 25% off on them at Ice Warehouse right now, and get free return shipping if you join their iWin program for 10 bucks. That brings the M8's down to around the MSRP of the M7. Obviously you would have to pay extra for the baking and sharpening at your LHS, but if you're only buying skates every 20 years I think it'd be worth it to get the higher end models.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I am in the market for a new pair of skates and feel a bit of loyalty towards Easton. Currently I am skating on a pair of Easton Air skates from way back 10+ ago. They haven't fallen apart and feel like a glove but it's just time for a new pair. I've tried on the mako m8 at the LHS without a bake and thought they were my next pair. I have read a bit on here about the M7 and how they are softer than the other 2 models. I ref 6+ games a week and have been on the ice for 26 years. What I'm getting at I guess is should I wait and try to get a good deal on ebay on some Mako 2s or M8... or just go with the M7 with a bake, sharpening and a warrantee at the LHS. Also, for those that get a custom radius on their runners... did you end up keeping the same radius on the mako. Seeing as the pitch is greater in them.

You HAVE to bake Makos to be able to tell how they're going to feel for you. I couldn't even get them on my feet before baking.

I had mine set to 10' (9 is stock) with a slight negative pitch to eliminate the pitch from the holders.

[JimmyTheDriver 36]

You HAVE to bake Makos to be able to tell how they're going to feel for you. I couldn't even get them on my feet before baking.

I had mine set to 10' (9 is stock) with a slight negative pitch to eliminate the pitch from the holders.

Somewhat off topic to your post but... since initial bake - I've added Superfeet Yellows which I'd imagine means I should bake again as my heel is a good bit higher. Safe to do in home oven at 200 for 6 minutes?

[IPv6Freely 2092]

Somewhat off topic to your post but... since initial bake - I've added Superfeet Yellows which I'd imagine means I should bake again as my heel is a good bit higher. Safe to do in home oven at 200 for 6 minutes?

I personally wouldn't recommend baking skates at home unless you have a convection oven.

For what its worth, I put my superfeet into my Makos without rebaking with no issues.

[JimmyTheDriver 36]

I personally wouldn't recommend baking skates at home unless you have a convection oven.

For what its worth, I put my superfeet into my Makos without rebaking with no issues.

10/4. I'll give them a skate first. Worst case I can pay the local Play It Again to use theirs...

[smcgreg 81]

I personally wouldn't recommend baking skates at home unless you have a convection oven.

For what its worth, I put my superfeet into my Makos without rebaking with no issues.

Well, considering the inventor of the skate promotes doing it in a conventional oven, not sure what the issue is. I've baked two different pairs of Makos a couple times each in my oven at home with no issues. I used to sweat over home baking, but not anymore (at least skates).