Baking X60 Skates

[Chris46 0]

Hi,

I've just recieved my new Bauer X60 Skates and I've read the reviews on HockeyMonkey saying that people have baked them.

I'm in the UK and I've rang my lhs to ask about getting them baked, but because there's no information in the box they've said they won't do them until I give them a temperature and time that they're to be baked for.

Can anyone help with this information? I know they're a lower end skate but i think I'd benefit from getting them baked to help get a good fit.

Cheers,

Chris

[MThockeydad 469]

Caveat emptor

Depends on the skates. Some are as low as 180ºF, some as hot as 200ºF.

Watch some youtube videos, and bake them in your home oven.

Start at 180ºF and if that's too low, go up gradually in 5ºF increments until you feel the materials soften.

[Chris46 0]

I don't really want to risk doing them at home. I've read a lot of posts on here giving advice not to bake them at home.

I'd prefer to take them to my lhs and then I'll have some comeback if it does go wrong. But I just need to see if anyone that works at a shop across the pond has experience with baking the X60 skates.

Thanks,

Chris

[MThockeydad 469]

Gotcha. I understand that the LHS wouldn't want to just "guess and check" or that they wouldn't want to bake skates that didn't have directions in the box...

...but can't your LHS call Bauer to get the time/temp?!?





People get advice about not baking them at home because of people who want comeback in case something goes wrong. KnowwhatImean?

[Chris46 0]

Well I have emailed Bauer today to see if I can get an answer from them, but I'm guessing they must get hundreds of emails a day, so I thought I'd ask on here to see if I can get an answer a bit sooner.

They're happy to do them, but they said if its too cool it won't work properly, and if it's too hot it'll damage them...

Yeah I see where you're coming from about the giving of information, I understand thousands of people must bake their skates at home, but I've spent enough and I really don't want to risk ruining my shiny new skates in the oven at home when I can just see if someone has the correct time and temperature on here (or Bauer of course, if they reply first!) and take them to the shop and get them done.

Thanks,

Chris

[MThockeydad 469]

I did my X7.0's and didn't kill them.



They are completely correct. If it's too cool it won't work properly. Nothing happens.

If it's too hot, you can delaminate the glues.

Brief exposure to too hot isn't likely to get the heat deep into the composites enough to delaminate anything, so it's really just "too hot for too long" that would destroy your expensive skates.

What's "just right"? Some middle temperature.

At every temperature that is too cool...nothing happens, so just go up to the "right" temperature slowly.



Bauer likely wouldn't want to give out that info at the risk you are baking your skates at home and would be mad at them if something goes wrong. Your best bet is to have the shop call Bauer. I can't see why Bauer wouldn't be happy to give that information to a reputable dealer.

If you bought them someplace else (online), call that seller. They would have to know you'll want to get your skates baked locally.

[boo10 323]

Wait, you actually managed to find a store that doesn't carry the X60? That's got to be one of the most commonly purchased skates, so I'm surprised your LHS doesn't carry them.

[Chris46 0]

Wait, you actually managed to find a store that doesn't carry the X60? That's got to be one of the most commonly purchased skates, so I'm surprised your LHS doesn't carry them.

I didn't say they don't carry them... but I bought them online and my lhs is the closest shop that will bake skates, but because there is no information in the box they want some clarification.

Cheers,

Chris

[boo10 323]

I didn't say they don't carry them... but I bought them online and my lhs is the closest shop that will bake skates, but because there is no information in the box they want some clarification.

Cheers,

Chris

I wasn't being a smartass, truthfully.

One of the retail guys will have to pipe in here, but if Bauer has any baking instructions for that model of skate, I believe they should be in the box. If they're not in the box you have, ask the store to check a few of the boxes in their inventory to see if the instructions are there. If none of the boxes have instructions, then it's possible that Bauer has not designed them to be thermoformable and as a result will not help you. I also find it strange that your lhs has a skate oven, but apparently they may not know how to use it to bake their own inventory.

[Chris46 0]

I wasn't being a smartass, truthfully.

One of the retail guys will have to pipe in here, but if Bauer has any baking instructions for that model of skate, I believe they should be in the box. If they're not in the box you have, ask the store to check a few of the boxes in their inventory to see if the instructions are there. If none of the boxes have instructions, then it's possible that Bauer has not designed them to be thermoformable and as a result will not help you. I also find it strange that your lhs has a skate oven, but apparently they may not know how to use it to bake their own inventory.

I might have jumped the gate a bit there too. It just frustrates me that shops over here can't help me on a topic that I would have thought was quite a mainstream process!

Thanks for your input boo. The specs on the HockeyMonkey site say that they're not actually Thermoformable, but then in the reviews people have said they've baked them and they turned out fantastic. So I was hoping it might help a little to make them fit perfectly.

Yeah I'm not too sure if it's just because I bought them online so they're reluctant to do them or whether they just don't know what they're doing. It's a trait over here with shops to be honest, they're more than happy to try and sell you top end stuff without actually wanting to give advice at all.

Thanks again mate,

Chris

[SBRH1 1]

The X60s are not heat moldable skates. There really isn't any point in baking the skates as it's not going to take to the shape of your foot, the foams are not moldable like in the X80. The X60 was not designed to be baked so it's possible some of the foams and glues could start peeling.

Of course you can bake them anyway but it would be a waste of time and money as nothing is really going to happen. And for reference, I work at a hockey store that sells these skates.

[McDugan 89]

Bauer doesn't give baking specs for them because they aren't designed to be baked.

People have indicated that they've baked those skates with some success, but one has to wonder how much of the effect of baking is a psychological satisfaction than actual measurable change, considering that the manufacturer doesn't advertise the skates as being thermoformable.

Your store wants you to give them specs so that if there's an adverse result from the baking, it's on you and not on them, which I think is fair.

Personally I would recommend not bothering with the store and baking them at home. considering that the benefit is debatable, why pay somebody to do it? Pre-heat the oven to 200 F and turn it off. Then put the skates in (I used a cookie sheets with a folded towel on it), and check the skates every minute to make sure they're not melting, until they're somewhat pliable. This is the method I used for my Kors and it worked great. For the Kors I did something along the lines of 8-10 minutes. The good thing about this method is that the oven is warm but it's cooling, so you can't melt your skates by accident.

[SillyMe 22]

Weird....Pure Hockey says they are bakeable from the 60 on up(in the store-i asked), the tag on the 50's say heat moldable too, but they say they wont bake them cuz the steel is glued in.

[MThockeydad 469]

Bauer doesn't give baking specs for them because they aren't designed to be baked.

People have indicated that they've baked those skates with some success, but one has to wonder how much of the effect of baking is a psychological satisfaction than actual measurable change, considering that the manufacturer doesn't advertise the skates as being thermoformable.

considering that the benefit is debatable, why pay somebody to do it?

Most manmade materials soften with heat. Even though they're not designed to have an immediate benefit from baking, it's likely they will soften enough to ease and fit your foot. I had some ancient late 90's low-end Bauer skates with glued runners that never fit me right. I followed the "common" (200ºF for 8-10 minutes) baking instructions and it made a big difference in getting them to finally conform to my feet.

I'd argue that the benefit is possible. Maybe not as great as one with bakable foams, but still a noticeable enough benefit to try it.

(I've also baked "non-bakable" ski boots and foams for kayak outfitting).

[McDugan 89]

No disagreement from me. Just saying, on account of all of the uncertainy, I wouldn't pay the store to do it. I'd trust myself to follow safe practices before I'd trust that whatever arbritrary info I give the store will work out using their oven.

[MThockeydad 469]

...and hope that they'd be responsible if it didn't work!

[Chris46 0]

No disagreement from me. Just saying, on account of all of the uncertainy, I wouldn't pay the store to do it. I'd trust myself to follow safe practices before I'd trust that whatever arbritrary info I give the store will work out using their oven.

...and hope that they'd be responsible if it didn't work!

I just want to say a big thank you to you both for the advice. I have had a reply from Bauer saying that the X60 skates can be baked, but they weren't designed to be baked so they don't provide the cooking instructions.

I rang the shop and when I told them that they point blank refused to bake them for me because I didn't buy them from their shop. Which I think is understandable, I wouldn't want to take the risk!

But you have both filled me with the confidence to bake them at home, which initially I didn't really want to do. So many people talk about not baking them at home due to the dangers, but I suppose it's worth a try if it means the skates are going to fit much more comfortably.

Thank you so much again for taking the time to read my question and reply to me. It really is apprieciated.

Chris

[strosedefence34 175]

I just want to say a big thank you to you both for the advice. I have had a reply from Bauer saying that the X60 skates can be baked, but they weren't designed to be baked so they don't provide the cooking instructions.

I rang the shop and when I told them that they point blank refused to bake them for me because I didn't buy them from their shop. Which I think is understandable, I wouldn't want to take the risk!

But you have both filled me with the confidence to bake them at home, which initially I didn't really want to do. So many people talk about not baking them at home due to the dangers, but I suppose it's worth a try if it means the skates are going to fit much more comfortably.

Thank you so much again for taking the time to read my question and reply to me. It really is apprieciated.

Chris

good luck one thing to remember is you should wait 24 hours before skating on them after they are baked.

[Chris46 0]

good luck one thing to remember is you should wait 24 hours before skating on them after they are baked.

Thanks for that tip. I have seen it a lot, but it's good to have it reinforced before I jump into it!

Thanks mate,

Chris

[MThockeydad 469]

I'm glad you got a response from Bauer!!

Based on them not designing them to be baked, I'm surprised (but pleased) they gave you that advice.