Labeda Addiction choices

[sjs0433 15]

Looking at giving the addictions a shot. The 76A version comes in a lot more colors which I like. My only concern is that I'm around 195lbs and it's generally recommended to use the 78A version for someone of my weight. Now that said my current skates are using 74A milleniums up front and 76A grippers out back with no issues.

Am I likely to have issues using the 76A version? I do some amount of quick stops and starts in a game but for the most part I'm not that skater. I'm also playing adult rec league hockey that while is competitive is not top level hockey by any means.

I'm getting back into things after 7-8 years off from hockey. My hunch is that I'd be ok but the wheels are expensive enough that I'd rather not get something that just won't work for me. I'm not opposed to getting the 78A version I just like the ability to get wheels that will look better on the wheel if they'll work. I will pick function > form 9 out of 10 times if it's truly worth it.

[Souldriver 64]

U say since your getting back into it roll on what you have. When you replace them go with the 76a, with your weight it won't be a huge difference. You can also wait for some of the retailers sales where they offer around 20% off. I know some just ended and there may be some going on. It's a good way to keep costs down.

[Vet88 674]

It also depends on the surface you are playing on. If it's a tiled rink then the 76a's will be fine, if you are playing on a wood or urethane surface then I'd go for the 78a's.

[sjs0433 15]

The rink I play on is the ice court surface so it's a tiled surface. I have dedicated outdoor wheels for pickup at my outdoor rink.

My thought is what's the difference between a 195lb guy using the 76a vs say a 250lb guy usin the 78a.

I'm thinking of giving the 76a a shot and if I have problems I'll move up.

[Vet88 674]

My thought is what's the difference between a 195lb guy using the 76a vs say a 250lb guy usin the 78a.

The difference is in how much grip you want versus speed. Toss in your weight, skating style and surface and that will determine how long your wheels will last. Lots of players I know are around your weight and use the 76a's on a sports court without any issues. Another guy, who weighs nearer 250lb's, tried the 76a's for extra grip and destroyed the wheels fast. Other players that are around your weight tried 76a addictions and didn't like them yet Rink Rat splits or the new Revisions in a similar durometer suited them fine. It's all up to you to work out, there is no magic wand however I'd say the 76a addictions are a good place to start.

[Souldriver 64]

I'm 250 and I use the orange addictions for the middle two wheels and the 78 rink rat hot shots for the outside. I was told by rink rat themself that with my weight not to use the splits bc I will deflect the wheel more. I use the addictions for the extra harness with my larger weight and for some speed on the sport court. I 100% prefer the rink rats but this combo is lasting forever so I'm sticking with it.

[sjs0433 15]

The rink rat 78a hot shot was the other wheel highly recommended by the guy at my hockey shop. He is about the same size as me and on the surface at the rink has had better luck with durability compared to the addictions.

I was really looking at the addictions for the extra speed benefit of the harder exterior urethane. I don't know if the difference is as great as people talk it up to be or it's a nice edge but not a game changer.

With my skating style I'm most likely to chunk out the rear two wheels over the front two so that's where I'm looking for the most benefit.

[Souldriver 64]

Go rink rats then they're less expensive. I've had rink rats that lasted me forever skating on them hard. The addictions started to chunk on me until I paired them with the rats on the outside

[sjs0433 15]

I'm not starting to lean that way. Try the rink rats first and see how they work out. I can always try the addictions second if the rink rats just aren't doing it for me.

[FactionSports 10]

Hey fellas - here is some additional info on our wheels.

Weight Recommendations for Rink Rat wheels:

Under 185lbs - XXX grip

Over 185lbs - XX grip

Now this is a general rule of thumb but it maychange depending on your skating preferences, type of surface, etc. So in Souldriver's case, we recommended the Hot Shot XX because it would give him the right amount of flex and stability at 250 lbs.

For SJC, at 195 lbs, you're near that benchmark of 185 lbs so maybe a mix of XXX on the outside and XX on the inside will give you the best of both grip and speed. When choosing between Splits and Hot Shots, keep in mind that the main difference between the two is the size of the internal Mtech ring. More material = more flex. The Splits have about 30% more Mtech than Hot Shots so Splits will give you more grip, while Hot Shots will give you more speed/durability.

Hope that helps a bit

Rink Rat

[teamlabeda 1]

Hey SJS,

Your best bet would be to probably split the Addictions with the Grip+ to the inside and the Grips to the outside. If you like you can go to a full set of the Grip+ next time. If you have any questions you can email me at rob@labeda.com or (800)524-5892 to discuss. We stand behind our wheels 100% and will make sure your wheels fit your specific skating style and demands. You will not be disappointed!

Thanks,

Rob

[Tyler Roy 86]

I have been a long time fan of the addiction having only used them for the last 3 years or so. Every set I have had lasted for a while and performed great except for my last batch, for some reason most have separated from the hub and become NFG. I might be interested it trying a dynasty next time but I figure next set I shouldn't have this same issue, this was my only set that did this(30-50 days or so) in my 10+ sets that I have had.

[sjs0433 15]

I ended up holding off on buying all new wheels just yet. Had enough left over 80mm to throw on my chassis that were still good and picked up some Millenium grippers to go up front because I had no 76mm wheels. Cheap alternative just to be able to use my new skates for now.

I think I'm ultimately going to end up doing the 76a Addictions up front and 78a in the rear. I don't seem to put my front two wheels up to much abuse. My current Revision variant golds in the rear already show noticeable wear after just one game. To that though I know the wheels are on the soft side for my weight but I had them and they work for now.

Labeda needs to hurry up and start offering more colors on the wheels. Especially the grip+ version.

[Souldriver 64]

Don't do front/rear wheel split. As suggested above the harder inside softer outside wheels is the better way of doing it.

[sjs0433 15]

What's the reasoning behind not wanting to do a different front/rear split and going with the inside/outside split? I mostly look for the harder rears for durability as those are the wheels I wear the most.