Alkali lithium CA5

[Amazinmets73 69]

I'm planning on buying my first pair of inline skates with the intention of using them for outdoor skating on concrete. I have a limited budget of 80usd max and recently found a pair of CA5 that fit that budget.

My main concern is fit. I have a very narrow foot and the vast majority of hockey skates are too wide for me. Is the CA5 a narrow boot similar to the Jetspeed or Vapor lines or a wide boot like the Tacks or RBZ lines?

How do Alkalis run length wise? I wear size 11 Bauer and 10.5 Easton

[Vet88 674]

The CA range had a narrow heel and forefoot, when the max / max+ / rpd lines came out the heel and forefoot got a lot wider. Alkalis run 1/2 a size smaller in length than other skates, if you are in a Bauer 11 D you will need a 11.5 alkali. The CA5 would be a good starter boot for you.

[althoma1 575]

From the correspondence we have had, it sounds like your 10.5 Makos fit well. If that's the case, I would go with size 11 in the Alkali skates.

[Vet88 674]

akaik, Makos run a 1/2 size larger in fit than Bauer hence he is a 10.5 Mako and a 11 Bauer. I don't know of anyone wearing Makos and Alkalis but I do know a few players wearing Bauer and Alkalis (myself included) and we all wear an Alkali 1/2 a size up from our Bauer ice skates.

[althoma1 575]

I don't think it's necessarily true that Makos run a 1/2 size larger than Bauers. I currently wear 8EE Makos with my toes brushing the cap after baking and breaking them in. I did try on 7.5EE Makos, but my toes were firmly against the cap in those (admittedly without baking them so it is possible that the 7.5EE's could've worked, but I've been wearing the 8EE's since March and have probably put close to 200 hours on them between reffing and playing and can still just feel the end with my big toes and they definitely feel like the right size). I have demoed high end Bauer skates at Modsquad events and 7.5EE seemed to be the best fit in most models. For my feet it feels like it's actually the other way around and the Bauers fit a little longer than the Makos in the same size (at least in EE). With that said, a few people in the long Mako thread have gone the other way (Makos a half size down), some have gone a half size up in Makos like I did, but the vast majority seem to use the same size in Bauers and Makos in that thread (I've read through the whole thing and that's a trend I've noticed when sizing was brought up). Everyone has different feet and the best thing to do is to try the skates on, but I believe the OP is contemplating an online order and can't try the skates on.

I also know that he has 11.5 KOR Shift 1's (he PM'd me about the KORs and Makos because I used to be in KORs and currently use Makos) that he says feel a touch long. In my experience the KORs fit about 3/4 to 1 full size bigger than Bauers. I used to wear 8.5D KORs. The OP has only recently started playing hockey so it's entirely possible that 11 isn't actually his Bauer size . That's why I was basing my advice on the Mako skates that seem to fit him based on the PMs he sent that of course you were unaware of - I also know that Alkali's fit similar lengthwise to the pre-Bauer Mission skates like the Boss models and those fit about a half size down from KOR. I think 11 is his best bet because if the KORs feel a bit long in 11.5 then the Alkali's in the same size would likely feel even longer.

[smcgreg 81]

akaik, Makos run a 1/2 size larger in fit than Bauer hence he is a 10.5 Mako and a 11 Bauer. I don't know of anyone wearing Makos and Alkalis but I do know a few players wearing Bauer and Alkalis (myself included) and we all wear an Alkali 1/2 a size up from our Bauer ice skates.

I'm with Althoma1 below. I'm in Makos having come from Bauer and am actually a size down. I think part of that was that the Makos open up in the heel for me more and my heel never sat totally in the pocket in Bauers. But my point is, I don't think it's a general rule that Makos are a size up from Bauer. Other than myself, I've seen other posters commenting about the same size in both. YMMV.

[Amazinmets73 69]

I bought the skates. Last pair and I wasn't going to pass them up at 60 bucks.

I'm confident they'll fit ok... I've tried 10.5 Vapor X80 and they too small. Also tried on one of the Graf 9 series skates in size 11 and they were a sliver too small, but wearable. If I could design my own custom skates in the brand I think I'd be a 10.80 Bauer and a 11.15 Graf.

Althoma, is it possible to convert the KORs to inline skates?

[althoma1 575]

The shift 1s have built in insoles and use screws instead of rivets. They are impractical to use for conversions. It's possible, but the shop would really have to know what they're doing and I wouldn't recommend it.

The Makos are much better conversion candidates.

[Amazinmets73 69]

I'm guessing you bake inline skates as well?

[althoma1 575]

Yes.

[Amazinmets73 69]

Arrived today. 11 is ok.. Maybe a hair longer than I'd like. 12 would have been way too big.

I'm relieved to say this is indeed a narrow skate that should fit my feet well after baking

[Justin 1933 134]

Alkali skate function the best when heat fitted. That is why you can be a EE or C width and it will usually work with your foot.