Easton Stealth RS

[IniNew 53]

• My Stats

​6 feet tall. Between 210 and 190 pounds during the use of the skates. Intermediate skater, not incredibly powerful. Like a stiff skate to make up for inadequacies in my skating.

• Past skate models. In order of use:

  • Easton RS size 9

  • Easton Stealth S17 size 9 (1 year)

  • Supreme One95’s size 9.5D (1.5 years)

  • Vapor X30 size 10 (lasted about 4 months)

• Fit

The Easton Stealth line was my ideal fit after getting serious heel lift in my Supreme’s. This was a result of both having a skate that was a half size too big, and weight loss. The RS continued down the line of previous Stealth skates--in my opinion--on the heel width. I have never had any problems with my heels lifting at all.

The forefoot was also wide enough to accommodate my forefoot. The shape of my foot is similar to that of a duck--skinny nearly the ankle and heel, and widens at the forefoot. Easton is the closest thing to an ideal fit I've been able to find, and the RS continued the tradition.

Where the fit of the RS differs from the Easton S17 is inside the skate. Just looking at the skate, you can tell that it has a bulkier, boxier look than the S17. The skate has increased padding inside the skate, making the overall fit a bit soft around the foot. This does not affect the performance at all, just makes it feel a bit different that the all carbon S17.

9/10

Average depth, wide forefoot, average ankle. Would have preferred thinner ankle

• Performance

It took a little time for my to adjust to the RS from the S17. I had been in the old Stealth's long enough to break them in significantly--so stepping out on the ice in the fresh out of the box RS, I was taken off guard a bit. They were very stiff, just as the S17s were the first time I wore them. Within a few laps around the zone, I was perfectly fine. There were only a few noticeable changes between the two models. You can see on the outside of the skate a sort of “fan” like design. I believe this is to allow for more forward flex. That is the only real difference between the two Stealth models that affected the performance for me. I lace the RS skates all the way to the top, while I skipped the top eyelet on the S17s--to achieve more forward flex.

I’ve had this issue with all skates, so I wouldn’t really call it a knock on the RS’s, but during all of my skates the tongue manages to torque and move to the outside of the skate. I spend a lot of time on my inside edges, obviously, but it is a bit more concerning with this skate because of the effects it’s having on the liner of the boot. More on that in the durability section.

8/10

Plenty stiff, exactly what I expected coming from the S17 boots.

• Holder

Same holder as the S17s, I have been on the stock Easton steel since day one of the S17s as well--something many recommended to replace with solid steel as opposed to the parabolic steel on there by default. No real changes.

8/10

I’m used to the RBII’s at this point. Also what I expected when changing models.

• Weight

These are slightly heavier than my S17s--judging by holding them in my hands. On the ice I did not notice any sort of difference. It’s most likely a result of the extra padding on the RS skates.

8/10

Average weight. Nothing to write home about.

• Protection

I have only blocked one shot in these skates, on the inside of the arch. Everyone knows those hurt (why did I turn my foot that way!?) and it was no different in these skates. Average protection, you will still feel stingers in these.

7/10

Average again. Knocked down a point because of the extra padding not providing any protection.

• Durability

I purchased these skates by means of eBay. As a result, I did not receive any warranty receipt. I have two distinct issues with the durability involving this skate. First, the system that holds the steel to the holder (with the bolts) had a stripped bolt on the outside of the front right skate. If torqued the bolt would start free spinning.I decided that it would hold (as it was still holding as long as I didn’t twist it anymore) long enough for me to get some replacements. I skated on them twice, after a bake, and the bolt came out. I was able to steal a bolt from my S17s to fix the issue (still need to get a replacement one for those skates). I have not had an issue with the holder since then.

The other issue is on the inside of the skate. The tongues on this skate, as I mentioned earlier, turn outwards when I skate. This is causing the liner of both boots on the inside quarter to tear and fray. This was the same issue that user JSK81 reported on his skates that Easton warrantied for. It’s not affecting performance at this time, but is a bit concerning. I believe this is a result of the tongues turning in combination of the hard plastic edges on the tongue itself.

7/10

Durability issues noted. Not affecting performance yet, but could in the future.

• Aesthetics

In my opinion, the aesthetics is the biggest knock on this skate. The gray is a sort of dingy-green-brown-grey that really looks horrible in person. The black and yellow accents are fantastic, and a great look to go for (read: RS Stick) but for some reason they went a different direction with the skate. If you have a look at the 85S skates that just recently came out, you’ll be able to see what could have been.

The Razor Bladez holders have always been a weak point of the Easton skates, in the looks department. They’ve improved the holder situation with the release of the Mako skate and the new CXN holder.

4/10

Nothing good looking about this skate save for the tendon guard.

• Conclusion

Overwhelming Average in most aspects.

This is not a far departure from the Stealth S17s. A bit more padding for comfort while skating (and not protection), a lower cut boot, beefed up tongue for lace bit, and a changeup of aesthetics is about the gist of the changes. I have appreciated using them, though I am not stocking up on pairs for the future. I even considered going back to my S17’s because the performance was so similar and I much preferred the look of my old skates. Not a real game changer in the skate market, but if the Stealth line is your preferred fit, then they will work just fine. And they should be seeing a price drop soon.

7.2/10

[hunt3rsean 44]

My Stats:

5' 11"

160 - 165lbs

Intermediate skater. Tend to be one of the faster skaters in my league(s).

Prefer a stiffer skate usually.

Previous skate models:

Bauer Vapor X:4.0 (1.5 years)

Bauer Supreme One55 (2-3 years)

• Fit:

The forefoot width and heal width are about as perfect as a retail skate can get for me. It is the best of both worlds when comparing to my previous Bauer skates. The Bauer Supreme had a great forefoot width, but the heal was too wide and allowed lift. The Bauer Vapor locked my heal down perfectly, but the forefoot was way too narrow. It actually caused me so much pain that I could hardly walk down the hallway back into the locker rooms after a game. The Easton RS are amazingly comfortable and allow my feet to stay in place without becoming too tight.

The cuff of the skate is also cut lower than my Vapors. I cannot compare the height to my Supreme's because it's been too long. I just can't remember how high they felt on my ankle. I was having issue with forward lean on the Vapors because of how tight I have to make the the lace 2, or 3, lace holes. I started skipping the last eyelet on my Vapors to create the feel of a lower cuff. Once I moved into the Easton RS it took little time to transition to the lower cut cuff and has felt very comfortable thus far. It allows for me to have a tight lacing around the ankle but still achieve great forward lean.

9/10

Average depth (closer to Supreme), wide forefoot, average ankle. Could use a skinnier ankle section, but I know I'm not the norm.

• Performance:

It took a little time for me to adjust to the RS from the Bauer Vapor. I had been in my Vapor's long enough that I was very used to their reaction to my skating technique (or lack there-of). The Vapors seemed to be able to react very quickly to my changes in position and making quick cuts on the ice. When I first stepped into the Easton RS they felt a bit more bulky and it took awhile to get used to how to cut quickly in them. My guess is that is a combination of the lower cuff, different holder, and different runner. Now that I've spent a lot more time in the RS I've gained a lot of that back.

While I still feel confident I had somewhat better "agility" in the Vapors I most definitely believe I have more power in the RS. Whether it be the difference in model levels or all around brand build differences, but I have more driving power in the RS. I can feel the skate load and in a straight skate have a higher top end speed.

The only thing that nags on me is that when making a transition/cut using the inside edge, on one foot, it almost feels like the boot gives in. Meaning that while I'm positioned with all of my weight on the inside edge, leaning forward over the skate, I get the feeling the boot is bending and losing energy. It is difficult to explain, but I believe it's due to the softer boot and lower cut cuff giving great range of forward lean. It is something I've grown accustom to and has happened less and less. Again, could be attributed to my intermediate skating ability.

8/10

Plenty stiff. Allows me to load a top end skate. Cornering feels confident. Agility does not seem as great as Vapor.

• Holder:

I have a tough time comparing holders or giving feedback on them. I'm not knowledgeable enough to know what experience I should be gaining by using certain brand/model holders. As I've stated above I felt more agile using the Vapor skate. I'm not sure if this is due to the holders or the boot or a combination of both.

My experience with the RS holder has been good. I've had no glaring issues and they've felt solid as far as I can tell. They are not heavy and the skate, as a whole, seems to be balanced very well. The holder does not seem heavy. I suppose that in the end if I'm not thinking about the holder then it's good by me.

9/10

Holder is not an issue. Has not caused any problems. Gave it a 9 because having to worry about the bolts for the runner bugs me. However, they have stayed nice and tight thus far.

• Weight:

Being a higher end model when compared to my Supreme One55 and Vapor X:4.0 the RS are lighter. Noticeably lighter. I can tell during long skates and also when just hopping over the boards. Was very happy to transition into a higher end skate, that has additional padding, and still coming out as the lighter skate. However, when holding other high end skate brands in hand, the RS "feels" to be a little heavier. Would I notice if I had all the other brands on my feet.....not sure.

9/10

Great weight when coming off a mid-end skate. Understand the RS weigh more than other high end models. Very happy with the weight.

Protection:

I try to block as little shots as possible. I do not wear skate guards and have been fairly lucky about not getting any major damage to my feet. I've only taken two shots off of these skates. One was at the outside of the toe cap of the right foot (pinky toe area) and came away with just a stinger that was gone by the next shift. No bruising or foot damage. The second shot was a hard wrister that caught me on the inside heal of my right foot. That one hurt. I've never taken a shot there before so it's tough to say how much "protection" other brands offer there. I did not end up with any major bruising and did not feel any pain the next day. So all in all I've been happy.

9/10

• Durability:

I've had zero durability issues with these skates. I purchased them, used, from a fellow MSH member who had used them 3-5 times. They still had the "out of the box" smell. The holder now has the usual cut and knick marks, but is still holding strong. The boot has puck and stick marks but no real physical damage. The internal liner and tongue are still holding strong showing no sign of wear. All lace holes are strong with no sign of breaking loose. I've been very happy with the durability of these skates thus far.

10/10

Nothing outside the normal abuse of rec league hockey.

• Aesthetics:

A lot of people do not prefer the look of this skate. I have to say that I do like it. It's a unique shape with some uncommon lines. It stands out enough you know what it is on the ice, but isn't in your face flashy. I tend to prefer a more traditional color/shaped skate and I think this leans in that direction. Nothing special one way or the other about the look of the skate in my opinion.

8/10

Nothing stands out on looks. Could have used better color scheme? Maybe. However, it looks just fine in my opinion.

• Conclusion:

In the end the Easton RS is an overwhelming average high end skate. There are very little bells and whistles to this skate. Had I purchased it new at the $600 retail mark I most likely would have been disappointed. Outside of the comfort and padding it lacks features that other brands offer at a similar price point. Key features of the RS are the lower cut cuff, beefed up tongue, extra padding, and a change in aesthetics. When comparing this skate to a mid-end model of other brands it's a great step up. If comparing to other high end models it would be tough to make an argument to switch from those other models to the RS. But, if you are needing to switch out from a pair of mid-end skates and want to upgrade....the RS would be a great place to start. The cost is going down due to Easton's newer models and would be a great bang for your buck now.