Easton Mako M8

[tcraig 42]

About Me

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 215 lbs

Skate size: 9.5D

Foot type: Normal forefoot, narrow heel 

Level: Currently adult A/B league, on the ice at least twice each week.

Use period: 5 months

After a many year hiatus from hockey, I finally got myself back on the ice this past summer and decided that I should treat myself to some new skates.  Growing up, Easton skates always fit me the best, and I used older Synergy skates (can’t remember the model) and then my first year playing Junior hockey (just C and B), I went into the Stealth S12’s.  Those were the second-tier skate the year Easton released the S15’s, which I was advised to stay away from by my LHS due to my size and powerful stride (I’m about the same size as I was back then in high school, now with a much less powerful stride…).  Well…the S12’s didn’t fare much better for me, and after a season they were pretty much destroyed.  In search of a stiffer, more durable boot, I moved into Bauer Supreme One95’s.  They were great skates, and what I used in my intermittent time on the ice from then until this year, when I grabbed the Mako M8’s on closeout. One thing that I could never get used to with the One95’s was the pitch – I missed the aggressive forward pitch of the S12’s, and wanted to get back to that. Enter the M8.  

Fit – 10/10

If you don’t know the deal with Mako, they were what came from the acquisition of MLX by Easton.  This resulted in the unique fitting properties of this line of skates, which are typically very uncomfortable (or borderline unable to be squeezed into) for most people until the skates are baked.  Upon baking, these skates become more pliable than any other skate that I’ve encountered - some people described them as being like Play-doh in consistency after baking, and I’d agree with that assessment. Before the bake, I could barely squeeze my foot into the boot, but once it was inside it was actually surprisingly comfortable, which I took as a great sign.  After baking the skates and sitting with them on and laced for about half an hour (I baked them at a total hockey that had the NHL network going on TV, so I wasn’t in any rush to stand up), these skates were by far the best fitting skates I’ve ever worn.  There is basically no negative space inside the boot, and that even extends into the toecap, where there is foam that comes down from the top and fills some space.  That was new for me, but I like it -- I used to have a bad tendency of curling my toes when skating, and these made that go away quickly due to the fact that as soon as I started to curl them, I’d feel them touch the top of the toe cap and I remembered to flatten them out.  Now they don’t start to curl, and I feel like I transfer some more power into the boot and therefore the ice when skating hard.  My One95’s fit me really well, but these are on another level.  

Blade/Holder -- 9/10  8/10

After skating on my One95’s it was great to get back into the Easton way of doing holders.  These have a pretty aggressive forward pitch, which I could never seem to match with profiling on my One95’s.  Even though I play defense, I really prefer being up on my toes as opposed to neutral, as I always felt a bit like I was back on my heels throughout my time on the One95’s.  While I’d gotten used to the more neutral position on those skates, it felt like “coming home” as soon as I stepped on the ice in these, and I never looked back.  The holder has two screws, and the skates include the correct tools to loosen or tighten them to swap out the steel if needed.  These tend to loosen up a bit and produce a “clicking” sound when walking around off the ice, but don’t seem to have any negative effects when skating.  I tighten them once every few sessions when I remember, but since it hasn’t caused any issues I doubt they loosen themselves up enough to be an actual problem when playing.

In terms of the blade itself, these don’t seem to hold onto an edge quite as long as the LS2 steel from my One95’s.  I’m also skating at a different rink than I was with the One95’s, so the ice could play a factor here.  I do notice that the edges seem to get slight burrs or little nicks more frequently than my LS2 steel did, and I don’t think that’s due to the ice conditions being different.  I suppose there could be more debris embedded into the mats at this rink, but I’m not sure.  I’m knocking a point off here for the reduced edge longevity compared to the LS2 steel.  Structurally, the holder and steel seem sound, and I’m a huge fan of that aggressive holder pitch.  

UPDATE: Just went through my gear and saw that the holder on the left skate has cracked through at the front of the rear tower.  I honestly don't remember ever blocking a shot/pass with the my left foot while I've had the skates, and looking at the crack I can't see a clear point of impact (no spiderwebbing or anything from any one spot), so I'm hoping this is just a fluke.  I've initiated a warranty claim on the holder, and am interested to hear back on what they say.  In the mean time I've ordered another pair of holders, since they're getting hard to find.  Knocking another point off of this section for the bizarre breakage (I've never broken a holder before, and I've blocked plenty of shots throughout my hockey "career").  

UPDATE 2: Wanted to touch base and update based on the holder replacement situation.  Apparently, there's no getting another CXN holder in my future.  Stock is apparently pretty depleted, especially in common sizes - at least that's the message I got.  I ended up swapping the holders out with some Tuuk LS2's...grudgingly.  My LHS did a small heel lift and profiled the steel to mimic the forward lean of the CXN holders/steel, and they did a great job, and I adjusted quickly.  I'm not changing my final score here, as it does not change my opinion on the skate.  

Weight/Protection -- 7/10

In terms of weight, these probably aren’t the lightest skates on the market, but do not feel noticeably heavier in any way than my One95’s.  Therefore, I’d put them firmly in the acceptable category for a high-end skate, and they’re especially impressive if you’re grabbing them now while they’re being closed out -- you can find them for around $220 out the door at several places if you look for them and grab them with a coupon code.  At that price, I’d imagine that they’re lighter than most of the entry/mid level quality skates on the market. If this category was just based on weight, I’d rate them a solid 9.

Protection is the only area that I’m really disappointed with these skates.  I’ve always been pretty fearless when it comes to blocking shots, which I don’t do nearly as often because, well, beer league.  However, sometimes you still take a shot off of the ankle, or in my case, a decent saucer pass.  I took a pass off of my ankle bone that seriously turned half of my foot purple...this was the kind of thing that I wouldn’t have even felt in my One95’s, and it dropped me in the M8’s.  I’m pretty sure that it would have felt the same if I’d taken that puck on my ankle just under jeans with no protection.  Seriously, if you block shots frequently at anywhere near a high level, look into skate fenders.  If this section was only based on protection, it’d be a 5. Maybe.

Durability -- 10/10

I’ve been playing at least two or three times a week since I got these, and other than the laces they look brand new.  There are no stitches pulling, no scuffs from pucks or skates, and no evidence of the holder rivets rusting out or pulling.  I’m thoroughly delighted with the durability of the skates so far, especially with my weight.  They’re as stiff as they were on day 1, and I have full confidence that they’ll last several years before breaking down at all.  Even the tongue looks brand new; there is no evidence of any damage, and I haven’t had any lace bite a single time I’ve skated.  Color me impressed.  

Intangibles -- N/A

The look on these could be polarizing I guess, as it has a kind of “webbed” look of the black over the grey. I like the look, but I could see people not liking it.  Also, it definitely looks a bit different compared to a traditional skate boot - some of that speedskating MLX inspiration is evident if you look for it.  Again, I like that it’s a bit different, but for the traditionalist it might not be their cup of tea.  Also, as a Syracuse University alum, I really like the orange accents!

Conclusion -- 9/10 (36/40)  8.75/10 (35/40)

Overall, these are my favorite skates that I’ve ever worn.  The perform well, are durable, and fit better than I’d imagined was possible for skates.  The protection is...lacking...but I’m not playing in the NHL, I’m playing with a bunch of guys that get together a few times a week to have some fun, play some hockey, and drink some beer.  I’d recommend that anyone in the market for new skates give the Mako line a look, especially the M8 as the price/performance ratio at the current price-point is pretty incredible.  While I don’t believe that any one skate will be the perfect fit for everyone, I think that the extremely moldable nature of the boot makes it able to accommodate a wider variation of foot types from the original mold than a traditionally constructed skate could.  For me, these are almost the perfect skate, and I think they’re one of the best hockey-related equipment investments I’ve ever made.

UPDATE:  I'm no longer skating in the Mako M8s for serious play.  The combination of the lack of shot protection and a buddy of mine looking to sell a pair of SuperTacks (which I fit well into) at a steal brought an end to the Mako M8 era for my feet.  I still wear them once in awhile at stick/puck and open skate, but this is likely the last update I'll be giving here on their performance.  I plan on writing up a review of the SuperTacks once I have had more time in them, and will draw some comparisons there to these. 

Edited April 6, 2017 by tcraig
Updated score based on holder breakage, update on holder situation and final thoughts