discontinued skates should I get 2nd pair

[JIMRB96 0]

need advice here. so I have a foot that only seems to fit a specific model, size and width skate. I know this because I've tried on every brand and possible size. went through 8 pairs in a year. I play competitve adult senior league. I found what I like and have used them for about 1.5 seasons and they are holding up fine but have been discontinued and the new version is different sizing. Should I go online and buy another pair while I still can find them or trust that when I need new skates I'll be able to find a fitting pair. thoughts?

[bunnyman666 445]

If you like them that much, buy as many pairs as you can find. It sounds like you have a very specific set of needs. While I am new to hockey, there are cycling shoes and running shoes I should have done that with, especially since advances are rarely drastic in subsequent model years. It takes at least four generations for drastic changes that constitute a having a stockpile of thoroughly out dated foot wear. I have found that if a shoe was developed with a specific athlete and they either retire or move to a different company, the model that follows doesn't even come close in fit. I have kicked myself many times for mot following my own advice in this situation.

[Cosmic 178]

need advice here. so I have a foot that only seems to fit a specific model, size and width skate. I know this because I've tried on every brand and possible size. went through 8 pairs in a year. I play competitve adult senior league. I found what I like and have used them for about 1.5 seasons and they are holding up fine but have been discontinued and the new version is different sizing. Should I go online and buy another pair while I still can find them or trust that when I need new skates I'll be able to find a fitting pair. thoughts?

Just out of curiosity, what is the skate that you so much appreciate?

[Chadd 916]

Given the problems that you have had finding a good fit for your foot, yes. There is no way to be sure that the next version will have the same fit.

[hunterphfr 12]

While I'm not skating in them currently, I have a small stash of Kor Shift1s and Shift2s in my size in the back of my closet. They are the only off the shelf skate that has ever come close to fitting my feet and not caused foot pain, I love the Pitch3 holders and steel and they offer a satisfactory level of performance. I'm currently in Custom TotalOnes, but I've been skating in them for a while and they're starting to show their age. I'd love for my next pair to be VH or another pair of Customs. Unfortunately given the unstable economy and the fact that my kid is 13 and plays pretty competitive and expensive hockey I may not be in a position to afford new high end skates.

If i were you, I'd snag a couple of the discounted pairs. Then I'd start to keep an eye on ebay, discontinued new in the box or barely used skates come up for sale on there all the time. In spite of the fact they've been discontinued for quite a while, every now and then I'll find a pair of new in the box Kors in my size for $30-50. Well worth the price for the runners alone. Due to the shape of my foot I really have no choice as far as skates are concerned. When it comes time to replace my Bauers, I'll have to spend close to a thousand dollars on custom fit new skates or I can dip into my stash to hold me over until I can afford a pair.

[jimmy 194]

Be careful, I once knew a guy who did the same thing you are thinking, he bought 2 prs of his favs when they were discontinued. When he finally went to use them, they didn't fit the same, even though they were same model and size. He tried both new ones but was in such pain, he couldn't wear either of them. So, I suggest when you do get them, try them to make sure fit is the same, then put them in rotation with your current skates. Plus,, by rotating, the skates will actually last twice as long than if you used one pair till they fell apart and then shifted to the second pair.

[McDugan 89]

Be careful, I once knew a guy who did the same thing you are thinking, he bought 2 prs of his favs when they were discontinued. When he finally went to use them, they didn't fit the same, even though they were same model and size. He tried both new ones but was in such pain, he couldn't wear either of them. So, I suggest when you do get them, try them to make sure fit is the same, then put them in rotation with your current skates. Plus,, by rotating, the skates will actually last twice as long than if you used one pair till they fell apart and then shifted to the second pair.

Good advice. Two,three years ago I was shopping for skates and I fit Supremes pretty well. Tried Vapors and they fit better except for one particular spot that was painful even just putting them on in a store. I'm glad I got a bargain on some Kors and didn't invest in Supremes because since then I have started wearing very different everyday footwear, and as a result my skate fit has changed. Now the Vapors fit me very well and the Supremes have a little too much negative space.

Also, it's probably less of a concern with post-year-2000 skates due to the shift in materials used, but we don't know yet what kind of shelf life things may have.

Especially if you are keeping them somewhere (like a garage) where they could be exposed to more extreme shifts in temperature or humidity, you can't be sure that they won't be compromised in some way.

[Souldriver 64]

Be careful, I once knew a guy who did the same thing you are thinking, he bought 2 prs of his favs when they were discontinued. When he finally went to use them, they didn't fit the same, even though they were same model and size. He tried both new ones but was in such pain, he couldn't wear either of them. So, I suggest when you do get them, try them to make sure fit is the same, then put them in rotation with your current skates. Plus,, by rotating, the skates will actually last twice as long than if you used one pair till they fell apart and then shifted to the second pair.

this^ also depending on how long things sit there can be dry rot type issues or some plastics tend to vent off a little and shrink. Once had a pair of skates that where the most comfortable ever, I stoped skating for a couple of years and when I cam.back to them the skate seemed a bit more brittle and the footbed shrunk considerably.

[bunnyman666 445]

Yes- rotating the skates would be highly beneficial. And Souldriver is right about dry rot and shrinkage- I had a pair of old skates that just seemed off. I tried flexing the boot, and the plastic snapped!!! But I stand by my original statement- if you like something, in particularly footwear, get a few examples of them.

I rotate between two pair of gloves. One reason is that I have two colourways; the other is that I want to keep a pair fresh all of the time.

[althoma1 574]

While I'm not skating in them currently, I have a small stash of Kor Shift1s and Shift2s in my size in the back of my closet. They are the only off the shelf skate that has ever come close to fitting my feet and not caused foot pain, I love the Pitch3 holders and steel and they offer a satisfactory level of performance. I'm currently in Custom TotalOnes, but I've been skating in them for a while and they're starting to show their age. I'd love for my next pair to be VH or another pair of Customs. Unfortunately given the unstable economy and the fact that my kid is 13 and plays pretty competitive and expensive hockey I may not be in a position to afford new high end skates.

If i were you, I'd snag a couple of the discounted pairs. Then I'd start to keep an eye on ebay, discontinued new in the box or barely used skates come up for sale on there all the time. In spite of the fact they've been discontinued for quite a while, every now and then I'll find a pair of new in the box Kors in my size for $30-50. Well worth the price for the runners alone. Due to the shape of my foot I really have no choice as far as skates are concerned. When it comes time to replace my Bauers, I'll have to spend close to a thousand dollars on custom fit new skates or I can dip into my stash to hold me over until I can afford a pair.

I too have a stash of KOR skates. I have Shift 1's I use to ref ice, Shift 2's to play ice, Shift 2's with Sprungs to play roller and Torspo 221's (Shift 1 mold) to ref. Plus, I have 3 new pairs of Shift 2's sitting in my closet. Stock in my size, 8.5, seems to have been depleted - I'll see mostly 7.5s or 9s now with the odd other size popping up here and there, but haven't seen a new 8.5 in about a year. That's OK as I have enough KORs, Pitch holders and steel to last a several years anyway.

If I find a piece of equipment that I really like I tend to pick up more of them when they go on clearance - I just happened to find more KOR skates than other items. I do have a backup pair of 2012 Projekt elbow pads, a Projekt girdle for ice and a Valken V-elite girdle (well Tron branded, but it's modelled after the V-elite). Oh, and I recently picked up another pair of Miken Z9s because I couldn't pass up the price ($39.99+tax when they were originally over $100).

To the OP: if you've had a hard time finding skates that fit you well and know that this model does then I'd definitely grab at least one more pair on clearance. If they're on for really cheap like the KORs (usually $100 or less) then you could buy multiple pairs, but if they're still $300 or more then I'd just grab one pair now and hope to either find more for a lower price later or to find a new model that fits as well by the time the second pair wears out.