Could Alkali Compete in the Ice Skate Category?

[Neo5370 132]

Just curious what you guys think.

[Davetronz 109]

What would set them apart from other brands or be their value-add or marketing strategy?

If they made a well designed skate that was comfortable, fit properly, performed well, was durable, and had the right price I'm sure they could compete. But would they have their own holder and blade?

[flip12 699]

Pitch 3.2?

[jazz4all 9]

Yes they can if they have their own holder and a good heel lock. the previous ca line got a better padding to keep the heel from moving.

[tryandstopme 35]

Is there a possibility of this happening, or is this purely a thought experiment?

[Monty22 821]

It would be an uphill battle trying to fight Bauer and CCM for shelf space in a shop. Second and third tier brands have a tough time as many shops are hesitant to bring in stock that almost certainly won't sell as well as established brands.

[SlaterC42 51]

I think what made them so popular in roller hockey is that they are roller specific, making Bauer, CCM, etc seem as though they don't focus solely/enough on roller. I don't think they'll have that "credibility" with guys who only play ice hockey. Maybe I'm wrong, who knows.

[Stewie 721]

don't really know their current setup, especially after being purchased, but I doubt they are set up to have a big foray into ice, unless the company that purchased them plans to pour a bunch of capital into something that would probably bring only minimal returns at best. The current Alkali boot isn't set up or ideal for ice hockey, so it wouldn't be as simple as a port over to a new holder. Also, as people mentioned, they aren't really a well known name in ice hockey, so convincing someone to drop 400+ on a skate manufacturer they have probably not heard much of would be difficult.

[Neo5370 132]

Good thoughts. Was just curious.

[Justin 1933 134]

Absolutely Alkali could get into Ice. It just comes down to money (R&D and Marketing). The quality of the boot is on par with the big boys, and they know how to build a holder and an Ice boot.

As a side note, I have been using my Alkali skates on Ice for the past three years. The -2 on my Pitch blade holders helps with the excessive forward lean of the boot.

[Stewie 721]

I would love to see an Alkali boot. My commentary wasn't a "they cant", as a big fan of their inline boot its wonderful to see the amount of innovation and effort going into a constantly improving end user experience. Glad to hear they have the ability to, but yes, the capital and making that kind of investment is the main issue here.

[flip12 699]

Absolutely Alkali could get into Ice. It just comes down to money (R&D and Marketing). The quality of the boot is on par with the big boys, and they know how to build a holder and an Ice boot.

As a side note, I have been using my Alkali skates on Ice for the past three years. The -2 on my Pitch blade holders helps with the excessive forward lean of the boot.

Could you please post a picture of your Alkalis with Pitch holders mounted on them? Simply from a hockey porn perspective. I imagine it looks incredible. I was always impressed with the design and build-quality of Alkali boots.

[Justin 1933 134]

Yeah, I will take a pic and post it up. I have Black Pitch holders, so it will look a bit different.