Easton Mako Skates

[DEATHTRON 19]

Picked my pair up today. Initial impressions on these is tha they are a serious deaprture (in a good way) from the previous easton carbon skates (I know they are a different skate all together). I would reccomend trying these on if you are in the market for new skates. I have not baked mine yet, but can't wait to figure out how to make it happen in my oven.

Zach

Edited February 26, 2013 by DEATHTRON

[Chadd 916]

Picked my pair up today. Initial impressions on these is tha they are a serious deaprture (in a good way) from the previous easton carbon skates (I know they are a different skate all together). I would reccomend trying these on if you are in the market for new skates. I have not baked mine yet, but can't wait to figure out how to make it happen in my oven.

Zach

Given the time and temp, I would just pay to have them baked at your local shop. That's what I did.

[DEATHTRON 19]

Unfortunately I did not get them from a local shop (or an online one). I might venture out to a shop though to do it. Did you leave your insoles in?

[Chadd 916]

I got mine from Easton and paid to bake them at the local shop. Seems like a much better idea than potentially causing a problem from the start. With an $800 (retail) skate, skimping on paying to bake them really doesn't make sense to me.

I left the insoles in when I baked mine. There were no directions to do otherwise and I didn't want to be screwing around with a hot boot more than I had to.

[DEATHTRON 19]

Never said I was trying to skimp Chadd, I was told they would be fine in my oven if I decided to go that route, just weighing my options is all. I was given some other insturctions, but I will refrain from posting them as they are not what the box says, and dont want anyone to get blamed if something doesnt work out.

I agree on not wanting to handle the skates much given how hot they will be.

I will say, after having worn them, they seem about a 1/4 size bigger than my last set of carbon skates from easton, same holder size however.

Zach

[chrisg19 5]

Zach, I strongly suspect these can be baked in your home oven just the way the MLX's could. There is a video on YouTube that shows how to bake those. You could look it up it is something like " how to bake MLX skates". I wish someone from Easton would comment, but the video method worked great with the MLX's. You could even skate on them within an hour.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

Zach, I strongly suspect these can be baked in your home oven just the way the MLX's could. There is a video on YouTube that shows how to bake those. You could look it up it is something like " how to bake MLX skates". I wish someone from Easton would comment, but the video method worked great with the MLX's. You could even skate on them within an hour.

You'll never catch Easton commenting on it because home baking voids skate warranty. MLX didn't have authorized dealers, so they had no choice but to show people how to bake them at home.

So once again, it is suggested you take them into a store to get them baked. And if you didn't buy the skates from them, keep a receipt of the baking for reference.

[chrisg19 5]

I'm sure you're right JR. Just wonder how similar the two really are.

[Dangles83 24]

Waiting to hear comparisons with APX...

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

In terms of?

It'd compare better with TotalONE as they are more similar, especially with the tendon guard.

[Dangles83 24]

Nothing specific necessarily, just curious to hear what people coming from APX have to say about them.

[iniesta 0]

Never said I was trying to skimp Chadd, I was told they would be fine in my oven if I decided to go that route, just weighing my options is all. I was given some other insturctions, but I will refrain from posting them as they are not what the box says, and dont want anyone to get blamed if something doesnt work out.

I agree on not wanting to handle the skates much given how hot they will be.

I will say, after having worn them, they seem about a 1/4 size bigger than my last set of carbon skates from easton, same holder size however.

Zach

Can you compare the widths of the different areas of the mako boot with the older easton carbon skates?

[DEATHTRON 19]

I just had an old SE16 (baked) on one foot, and a mako (unbaked) on the other. The ergonomic toe cap adds a hair more room to the boot for the Mako. Overall, the fit is extremely simililar if not exactly the same in terms of width. The Mako's are slightly tighter by my pinky toe by a barely noticeable amount, which I am going to assume will dissapear with a good bake.

Also, these things look fast just sitting here. I am still impressed.

Zach

[DEATHTRON 19]

Just getting back from the kitchen: Baked them in my oven per the MLX instructional video on youtube. Followed the video verbatim. I was also told from the person that I got them from, that I could use the oven as well. Without saying too much, if he would have told me that I couldnt use the oven at home, I wouldnt have. In all, they are perfectly fine, and molded to my foot very well (I am now wishing I would have ordered MLX way back when). I did not use socks, and found no more disomcort than I normally do baking skates. In all, I had no problems with my oven at 200F for 16 minutes, 8 minutes a side.

Also, be sure not to yank on the tendon guards while pulling them out, mine were rather pliable.

Zach

[Chadd 916]

My review is on hold, pending replacement of the skates from Easton. They are aware of the issue and tell me that it was resolved prior to full production. They have handled the issue very quickly and professionally so far.

[shooter27 116]

Chadd, can you say what the issue was or no?

[superhakan 2]

I was able to try one out. Couldn't believe how nicely they molded. The boot feels cut a little high but overall I am impressed by the skate.

[Chadd 916]

Chadd, can you say what the issue was or no?

The steel is seated in the holder at an angle on one of the skates. I see it all the time in the skates that I sharpen for other people, a lot of shops and manufacturers won't take the product back. As I said, Easton told me that the issue has been resolved with the CXN holder on the production models.

[wrangler 157]

Was this the reason for the lack of bite in the toe of the left skate?

[Davetronz 109]

The steel is seated in the holder at an angle on one of the skates. I see it all the time in the skates that I sharpen for other people, a lot of shops and manufacturers won't take the product back. As I said, Easton told me that the issue has been resolved with the CXN holder on the production models.

Do you feel that this is a problem related to the holder itself (blade channel cut at an angle or fastening system uneven), or an issue with how the boot was lasted or how the holder was mounted to the boot?

Thanks for all the information thus far, Chadd.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

No, it has to do with the molding process. When it cools after, it shrinks (which is expected) but the channel got warped.

As Chadd said, they have rectified the issue.

[Chadd 916]

Was this the reason for the lack of bite in the toe of the left skate?

I believe so, I have not been on the ice again since my initial use.

Do you feel that this is a problem related to the holder itself (blade channel cut at an angle or fastening system uneven), or an issue with how the boot was lasted or how the holder was mounted to the boot?

Thanks for all the information thus far, Chadd.

It was with the CXN holder. This is something I see regularly on other brands as well and is not meant to be a criticism of Easton. If anything, their honesty and fast handling of the issue gives me great hope that their people are doing the right things for the right reasons. They recognized the cause of the issue and addressed it for full production runs of the skate.

[kenneth 5]

Chad what skates were you in prior to the makos?

[shooter27 116]

Thanks for the clarification. Totally understood that it happens with all brands, it happened to me with a pair of Bauer's a number of years back.

[Chadd 916]

Chad what skates were you in prior to the makos?

I have been in missions mostly for a long time, but I had been back in my Kor Shift 2s for a couple months after cutting my foot open in my Missions.