RBK skates question...

[xracer4844 5]

Currently I am using 12k RBK skates. They are nothing special at all, but as this is my first year back in a couple of years I decided not to break the bank and buy something affordable.

My skates are a 10.5 D width...had them baked etc. I have really wide feet and finding skates that are comfortable are really hard for me to find. Iv'e never been fitting by an intelligent knowledgeable person though, I always just figure things out on my own. These sates are decent - my feet don't hurt in them and I feel comfortable however it just feels like something is missing.

Would it make sense to try a CCM skate? or Graf? With my level of play, it would be hard to justify paying more than $500 dollars for a pair of skates. What is the best way to go about making sure the skate fits perfectly with no pain in my feet.

Buying skates is scary to me.

[grnmtnvt 18]

What is this something missing- skate stiffness maybe? The 16K skate is on sale right now for under 300$ and it's a HUGE step up from the 12K. Not to say other brands won't fit, but there aren't that many skates out there with the width and fit profile of Reebok. But trying on others wouldn't hurt either. CCM is similar for sure.

[xracer4844 5]

I feel like you need to have a relationship with your skates and I simply don't have that with mine. They do the job but I don't love them, I don't care for them, I don't adore them. I feel like something is missing and I have yet to find it. I want to have a pair of skates that blow me away. I want to fall in love with them.

[Hooah4 12]

I feel like you need to have a relationship with your skates and I simply don't have that with mine. They do the job but I don't love them, I don't care for them, I don't adore them. I feel like something is missing and I have yet to find it. I want to have a pair of skates that blow me away. I want to fall in love with them.

What is this something missing- skate stiffness maybe? The 16K skate is on sale right now for under 300$ and it's a HUGE step up from the 12K. Not to say other brands won't fit, but there aren't that many skates out there with the width and fit profile of Reebok. But trying on others wouldn't hurt either. CCM is similar for sure.

Bought 16k skates last month. Very good skate and nice fit for my foot. I disagree that CCM's are similar. I tried on several CCM's and just did not like the feel and there was something lacking for me.

If the 12k's are good and you want to jump try the 16k and the CCM at the same time. IMO reebok skates are not stiff like others are. You have much more ankle freedom and that makes them feel "different" until you are used to it.

[chrisehyoung 14]

I have 18Ks and I still fight heel lock. I've tried Superfeet and the stock insoles and I still battle it. Good luck in your quest.

[xracer4844 5]

I have 18Ks and I still fight heel lock. I've tried Superfeet and the stock insoles and I still battle it. Good luck in your quest.

I have superfeet and to be honest, I still switch them in and out with the stock insoles because I can't decide what I like best. This is a total disaster.

[grnmtnvt 18]

I have the 18K skates with the SIDAS footbeds. I don't like the Superfeet footbeds, as I find they aren't wide enough in the boot and sometimes there's a gap and the heel is too small. I would try on the 16K and the 18K and see what they are like. The 12K is a pretty soft boot and if you are a decent size dude, it's going to be pretty weak.

No, CCM skates aren't the same, but they are wider than average and the highest end skates are stiffer than the RBK skates.

[xracer4844 5]

I have the 18K skates with the SIDAS footbeds. I don't like the Superfeet footbeds, as I find they aren't wide enough in the boot and sometimes there's a gap and the heel is too small. I would try on the 16K and the 18K and see what they are like. The 12K is a pretty soft boot and if you are a decent size dude, it's going to be pretty weak.

No, CCM skates aren't the same, but they are wider than average and the highest end skates are stiffer than the RBK skates.

Maybe this is what one of my problems is. I am 5'11 and about 230ish pounds. Perhaps the skate doesn't have enough support for me.

[mc88 160]

Try on the Bauer Nexus line if you want a stiffer yet wider boot as well. Get properly fitted by your LHS. Or at least have them measure your foot and see what approximate size you need. For example, my feet measure L: 7.5C, R: 7C/D. I've tried 7.5Cs but found them too small in length for the left and not width enough for the right. So I went with an 8D and they worked out.

Don't guess your size. You're just making it harder for yourself.

[grnmtnvt 18]

Bingo. Most likely has something to do with it. Also, it depends on how often you play.

[dewey79 3]

I swtched from my bauer vapors a few years to ccm and wished I never did. I haven't been comfortable in my skates ever since. I wear EE skates so Bauer was always my best option, I have sinced switched back to my old Bauers skates

[beedee 227]

Sounds like my story with my Graf Ultra G5's, been wanting to love them for the last two years, but I don't. I heard so many great things about them, but they just never felt right 100% to me. I had them baked twice and punched two or three times. My foot is pretty much on the cusp of a D and EE according to most sales people that have helped me out. I went with a "Regular" width Graf and had them punched, since I was told it is easier to achieve width incrementally in a "Regular" or a "D" rather than buying a EE and having too much volume. I've been trying on new skates a few times over the last month (Bauer Nexus 600, Easton E85, and the CCM RBZ80, and the RBZ80 has felt the best to me, especially with their aftermarket footbeds. Hoping to pull the trigger on a pair in the next month or so.

Good luck man.

[xracer4844 5]

I don't know how I missed the ccm/rbk product catalogue....but just saw the new ribcor skates as well as the other skates in their lineup. Perhaps I should wait until these come out before switching to the 16k or 18k skates. I don't dislike the way my RBK 12k skates fit...they are the first pair of skates I've owned that I can skate in for over an hour. Ever since the comment saying maybe the 12k boot doesn't have enough support for me, I'm thinking maybe this is why I don't love my skates. Maybe that is why I'm not 100% confident in them.

I know there has been lots of rumors that RBK will be phased out...what will happen with the RBK line of skates? Will everything be branded CCM? I finally have a line of skates that fit me.

[mc88 160]

With the fate of the RBK line up in the air, I didn't want to wait and see if they completely changed the boot, so I went ahead and bought some 20Ks. The 9K I bought had the absolute best fit and feel for my foot, but didn't hold up. With the 20Ks, I haven't had any issues yet (only time will tell if the boot holds up). Just note that as you go up the line, the boot becomes stiffer and made with better materials. The 12K is a low end boot, so you can't expect much durability if you know how to skate. When looking through the catalogues, it seems that the 12K was finally (first) introduced as a low-end skate in 2013.

[Matty33 6]

I think once you find the right skates that are both comfortable and stiffer you'll notice a world of difference. At one point I bought some lower end RBKs to try out the line years ago, they weren't nearly as stiff as I was use to and it changed how I'd play for the worse. I had no confidence they wouldn't flex at the wrong time, like quick hard turns, and I found performing some moves much harder.

I changed out to some EQ 50s which were really stiff and instantly made things better. I've since gone back to Reebok.

As far as RBK goes it's my personal favorite as they fit me the best, I've tried Bauer a few times and even though the Nexus fits much better I still don't like them more than the RBK line. Obviously personal preference as there are a lot of great skates out there so I'd say go with what you like and worry about what's happening with the line later if/when the time comes.