Easton Mako Skates

[All Flash 49]

Just heat fitting my demo pair for my shop, get ten days with them and initial impressions are very good.

Wrap and fit are better than any other skate I have owned including customs. I wear an 8.5 EE most of the time except in Easton which I usually wear a regular width. Always have depth issues for both my inside ankles but it is a non issue during this heat fit. Only skating will tell me for sure. Forward lean is slight but noticeable standing in them. Again only skating will give me real perspective on the pitch comparison.

Will post again once I have skated in them a few times.

[All Flash 49]

Skated in them tonight and 2 things jumped out immediately at me. First, the split at the back of the skate where the tendon guard would usually come all the way up was not painfully digging into my achilles tendon but it was kind of annoying. Second, the pitch wasn't very prominent at all. The balance point seem to be right behind the balls of my feet. Almost fell backwards a handful of times. The skate took me about a half hour to adjust to them with regards to my pivots and turns but my stride was good once I was a lil more comfortable. Also, took a shot off the outside of my left skate..... it hurt. Fit for my inside ankle bones was good, no problems with overall fit of the boot at all. Just thinking bout the tendon guard though and I am wishing they had different stiffness's for the tendon guard that you could switch if the stiffness didn't suit you. Anywho....... starting to ramble and over think this.

Got 3 more games over the weekend......more to come.

Edited March 22, 2013 by All Flash

[GiancarloSFL 15]

Just got my pair in today :)!!!!! They bake amazing going to sharpen them and see how they do. Size 7EE in the Mako and a 7D in CCM CL

[AIREAYE 248]

Skated in them tonight and 2 things jumped out immediately at me. First, the split at the back of the skate where the tendon guard would usually come all the way up was not painfully digging into my achilles tendon but it was kind of annoying. Second, the pitch wasn't very prominent at all. The balance point seem to be right behind the balls of my feet. Almost fell backwards a handful of times. The skate took me about a half hour to adjust to them with regards to my pivots and turns but my stride was good once I was a lil more comfortable. Also, took a shot off the outside of my left skate..... it hurt. Fit for my inside ankle bones was good, no problems with overall fit of the boot at all. Just thinking bout the tendon guard though and I am wishing they had different stiffness's for the tendon guard that you could switch if the stiffness didn't suit you. Anywho....... starting to ramble and over think this.

Got 3 more games over the weekend......more to come.

The way the guard is designed though, it HAS to be flexible. If it were stiffer, I would imagine that there would be durability issues since the connection is so narrow. But that's some interesting insight; thanks!

[gokings55 0]

Why aren't there more pros using these skates?

[Krev 86]

Shortened season, don't want to change to something unknown. St. Louis was using his old Vapor XXX's for a while, for example.

[flip12 735]

I also wonder if the great fit doesn't impress pros as much since they essentially have custom skates in every way possible, even with lasts made around their feet. I agree with Krev on the short season affecting it too. Even though a lot of pros skate with skates stiffer than they're fully harnessing (with loosely laced upper eyelets, eyelets fully skipped, etc.), it's probably far too drastic a skating difference to give it a try. Every game I watch the commentators note how there's "literally no time to practice."

[Rabid Ranger 0]

Just picked up a pair today. I've never had a skate feel this comfortable right off the shelf (coming from Nike Flexlite 12s). I skate Monday so will post my thoughts then.

[mojo122 541]

Why aren't there more pros using these skates?

Probably as many now, if not a couple more players than previously wore an Easton skate. The only surprize to me is that Dustin Byfuglien recently switched out of them seeing he was a Dave Cruicshank pupil and former MLX user.

[somefan 0]

Why aren't there more pros using these skates?

Marketing hype vs. acual performance advantage is probaly the short answer.

To the trained eye the marketing videos and the actual product are laughable in suggesting a break through in engineering performance. The Mako skate may be built around an anatomical last which creates a great custom fitting skate that provides better individual comfort, reduction of friction which could cause blisters, etc....so kudos to Easton for that. And maybe they added some extra heel lift in the last to put you more on your toes then other companines, who knows?.....But when you get down to the brass tax, the Mako skate is still a stiff hockey boot like a majoriy of the skates on the market. A flexible tendon guard, which is really the only unique feature of the Mako skate, does nothing if you stop to think about it.

Your skating stride is powered by dorsiflexing your ankle and bending your knees and hips in unison. A flexible tendon guard will only be engaged by rolling your socks over the tendon guard or taping your lower shin guard around the tendon guard. A majority of players don't do either however and insteasd tuck their socks in front of the tendon guard....i.e between thier leg and the tendon guard. The ankle is forced to dorsiflex against the stiff boot, tongue, blade and holder that really aren't that more flexible compared to other skates on the market. Thus the flexible tendon guard is more marketing hype than it is performance advantage.

At the end of the day they built a skate around an anatomical last which gives you better comfort and fit. Tying to tie that into a break through performance adavantage is where they fall short.

[mojo122 541]

Disagree with your opinion on the flexible tendon guard. Having skated in both TotalOnes’s and now NXG’s I can say from experience that the flexible tendon guard does contribute to one’s skating stride and skate performance with the added flexibility of the NXG’s a big improvement over the previous TotalOnes’s tendon guard.

Many Pros stick with what they have been using, whether Bauer, CCM, Reebok, etc. I grew up on Tacks and Super Tacks and only changed over the years due to the product quality degrading, so I’m happy to see CCM moving in the right direction.

Easton has actually manufactured some well performing skates that have fallen short when it comes to durability. This skate has potential depending on how it holds up over time.

[All Flash 49]

Marketing hype vs. acual performance advantage is probaly the short answer.

To the trained eye the marketing videos and the actual product are laughable in suggesting a break through in engineering performance. The Mako skate may be built around an anatomical last which creates a great custom fitting skate that provides better individual comfort, reduction of friction which could cause blisters, etc....so kudos to Easton for that. And maybe they added some extra heel lift in the last to put you more on your toes then other companines, who knows?.....But when you get down to the brass tax, the Mako skate is still a stiff hockey boot like a majoriy of the skates on the market. A flexible tendon guard, which is really the only unique feature of the Mako skate, does nothing if you stop to think about it.

Your skating stride is powered by dorsiflexing your ankle and bending your knees and hips in unison. A flexible tendon guard will only be engaged by rolling your socks over the tendon guard or taping your lower shin guard around the tendon guard. A majority of players don't do either however and insteasd tuck their socks in front of the tendon guard....i.e between thier leg and the tendon guard. The ankle is forced to dorsiflex against the stiff boot, tongue, blade and holder that really aren't that more flexible compared to other skates on the market. Thus the flexible tendon guard is more marketing hype than it is performance advantage.

At the end of the day they built a skate around an anatomical last which gives you better comfort and fit. Tying to tie that into a break through performance adavantage is where they fall short.

Also, the Mako is not stiff compared to all other top end skates IMHO.

Edited March 24, 2013 by All Flash

[Chadd 916]

Also, the Mako is not stiff compared to all other top end skates IMHO.

The side panels are quite stiff, they just allow for more forward flex than most other top end skates. They are very stiff laterally.

[mjpisat 36]

Any new updates on the long term review?

[All Flash 49]

The side panels are quite stiff, they just allow for more forward flex than most other top end skates. They are very stiff laterally.

Exactly. Doh . Should have elaborated on why I thought that.

[Chadd 916]

Any new updates on the long term review?

My fall-winter season ended a couple weeks ago, Spring season starts next week. I may get on the ice Monday night if I don't get called into work.

[iceman8310 110]

Tried on a pair yesterday. All I can say is WOW. They feel like slippers. They feel like my old tacks. One thing i miss about my tacks is they felt like you were more on the balls of your feet when skating. these fel like that. No negative space, just almost perfect.

[IPv6Freely 2100]

I would disagree with pretty much all of what somefan is saying.

[VIPERS96 1]

Marketing hype vs. acual performance advantage is probaly the short answer.

To the trained eye the marketing videos and the actual product are laughable in suggesting a break through in engineering performance. The Mako skate may be built around an anatomical last which creates a great custom fitting skate that provides better individual comfort, reduction of friction which could cause blisters, etc....so kudos to Easton for that. And maybe they added some extra heel lift in the last to put you more on your toes then other companines, who knows?.....But when you get down to the brass tax, the Mako skate is still a stiff hockey boot like a majoriy of the skates on the market. A flexible tendon guard, which is really the only unique feature of the Mako skate, does nothing if you stop to think about it.

Your skating stride is powered by dorsiflexing your ankle and bending your knees and hips in unison. A flexible tendon guard will only be engaged by rolling your socks over the tendon guard or taping your lower shin guard around the tendon guard. A majority of players don't do either however and insteasd tuck their socks in front of the tendon guard....i.e between thier leg and the tendon guard. The ankle is forced to dorsiflex against the stiff boot, tongue, blade and holder that really aren't that more flexible compared to other skates on the market. Thus the flexible tendon guard is more marketing hype than it is performance advantage.

At the end of the day they built a skate around an anatomical last which gives you better comfort and fit. Tying to tie that into a break through performance adavantage is where they fall short.

Marketing hype vs. acual performance advantage is probaly the short answer.

To the trained eye the marketing videos and the actual product are laughable in suggesting a break through in engineering performance. The Mako skate may be built around an anatomical last which creates a great custom fitting skate that provides better individual comfort, reduction of friction which could cause blisters, etc....so kudos to Easton for that. And maybe they added some extra heel lift in the last to put you more on your toes then other companines, who knows?.....But when you get down to the brass tax, the Mako skate is still a stiff hockey boot like a majoriy of the skates on the market. A flexible tendon guard, which is really the only unique feature of the Mako skate, does nothing if you stop to think about it.

Your skating stride is powered by dorsiflexing your ankle and bending your knees and hips in unison. A flexible tendon guard will only be engaged by rolling your socks over the tendon guard or taping your lower shin guard around the tendon guard. A majority of players don't do either however and insteasd tuck their socks in front of the tendon guard....i.e between thier leg and the tendon guard. The ankle is forced to dorsiflex against the stiff boot, tongue, blade and holder that really aren't that more flexible compared to other skates on the market. Thus the flexible tendon guard is more marketing hype than it is performance advantage.

At the end of the day they built a skate around an anatomical last which gives you better comfort and fit. Tying to tie that into a break through performance adavantage is where they fall short.

I completely 100% disagree with your statements. The MAKO is not a stiff hockey boot like the majority of skates on the market.

This pretty much all false.

[kovalchuk71 212]

Wait, so if a skate isn't as stiff as a cast, then it isn't "stiff"? Oh okay, that clearly makes sense.

You guys serious?

[romdj 26]

I suspect somefan to have read everything about the mako skate but hasn't gone to a lhs to try them on.

[Chadd 916]

Not to mention that the flexible tendon guard allows you to get more drive off the toe at the end of the stride.

[danno25nh 3]

Not to mention that the flexible tendon guard allows you to get more drive off the toe at the end of the stride.

That's the big "hype". For me personally it makes a difference on both straight line skating and most quick direction changes as I can get deep knee bend and still get my feet spread pretty far for stability. With skates that don't allow the flex I simply don't feel as stable.

I suspect that some skaters won't see much benefit due to skating techniques.

There's a reason we have 50 - 100 models of skate to choose from. We all skate differently. What works for me might be horrible for someone else.

[flip12 735]

We all skate differently. What works for me might be horrible for someone else.

But a lot of hockey players do skate badly and I think overly stiff boots are a contributor. (somefan--maybe I'm just duped by this hype? More on that below.) Compare starts in speed skating and in hockey. Hockey players are skating better than they did in the past, if I'm not mistaken from all of the 80's and 90's hockey I've recently watched on YouTube, but improvements like skates that increase range of motion go to make skating better. From my experience in skates that do and skates that don't fit well, it's much easier to skate better technically with a skate that isn't overly stiff.

To the trained eye the marketing videos and the actual product are laughable in suggesting a break through in engineering performance. The Mako skate may be built around an anatomical last which creates a great custom fitting skate that provides better individual comfort, reduction of friction which could cause blisters, etc....so kudos to Easton for that. And maybe they added some extra heel lift in the last to put you more on your toes then other companines, who knows?.....But when you get down to the brass tax, the Mako skate is still a stiff hockey boot like a majoriy of the skates on the market. A flexible tendon guard, which is really the only unique feature of the Mako skate, does nothing if you stop to think about it.

Your skating stride is powered by dorsiflexing your ankle and bending your knees and hips in unison. A flexible tendon guard will only be engaged by rolling your socks over the tendon guard or taping your lower shin guard around the tendon guard.

At the end of the day they built a skate around an anatomical last which gives you better comfort and fit. Tying to tie that into a break through performance adavantage is where they fall short.

But you also need plantar flexion, you don't get very far with half strides. If your proposition were true, then the clap-skate, which allowed previously unattainable toe-flick, would have had little effect on speed-skating results when it came into use in the late 90's. Instead, it was attributed with essentially rewriting times from the world-records on through the whole field.

About the "anatomical" last, it doesn't fit with what I've read in the marketing or heard from people who have these. What I'm getting from all of that is that it is quite customizable (though not completely, as JR pointed out), to relatively different anatomies--foot shapes of different types etc., and it is that better fit that is giving people much better feel, which in a lot of cases is directly correlative to greater efficiency.

Edited March 25, 2013 by flip12

[flyers10 57]

Has anyone that owns them put in a different footbed? If so, which one and your thoughts.