darkhors 88 Report post Posted January 12, 2017 (edited) Skate: Bauer Vapor X90 Size: 8.0D Foot Type: High Arch - tapered foot with longer middle toe Ht./Wt.: 6'0" 180 lbs. Play Level: B level player - Mainly Forward, some Defense Previous skates worn: Bauer Vapor XX Purchased: November 2015 I had been skating in my XX's for almost 12 years and I needed to get something that was lighter and more advanced as I was playing more regularly. I went to a shop to get fitted and although they didn't have these in stock they fit me into the X700's and mentioned they had the X90's online which was similar boot and was on closeout for $280. Fit (9/10) These skates were fitted for me and they felt good after baking them. Bauers are known for having a little larger toe box volume and these are in line with that, but they're not overly huge. I never had a huge issue with the actual fit of the skate as it works with my foot. That said, after skating on them for about 4 months, I decided to invest in some Powerfoot inserts to take up the additional negative space and that made a huge difference in the fit up front. If Bauer had a smaller toe box, they would be perfect, but with the addition of the inserts, it makes the skates even better. Updated 3/22/2017: I bought some custom insoles as I was having some foot pain due to the footbed not supporting my arch. Now that I've been on these for about 2 solid months, the skates are even better than I thought they were. The footbed took up all the additional negative space in the boot and it now feels like a tight running shoe. Performance has gone up and there's no foot pain anymore. Blade/Holder (10/10) This skate has the new Edge holder which I thought was cool that you can quickly change steel with these. I know many people have said they have seen steel fall out or make noise with this holder, however, after a year and some change, I haven't had any issues with the holder at all and am going to be putting new step steel in them within a week or two. I love the fact that I can switch out my steel to go play pond hockey or on the ODR and then switch back to my regular game steel. They came with the LS2 blades which have the stock 9ft profile. They do the job and are nice, but I'm looking forward to putting in the new step. Weight/Protection (9/10) These skates are super durable. I've taken countless shots off the ankles and the metatarsal without any pain or very little discomfort. The boot is stiff but not overly stiff to where I feel like I lose performance. They are also in the lighter range, but not as light as some of the Bauer Curv offerings. However, they are very light for their protection and much lighter than my older XX's. Durability (10/10) Playing twice a week these have held up very well. I dry them out after each game and wipe down the blades and holders. They have some nicks on the holders from being stepped on and there's some wear on the silver portions of the skate but nothing that detracts from the performance or structure of the boot. Performance (10/10) These skates perform. I do feel like the skates do exactly what I want them to do and I'm confident with the blades doing their job. The boot doesn't feel sloppy or overly flexible but I also feel like it doesn't restrict any of my movements. Overall I know that it'll do exactly what I want it to do. Conclusion (98%) Overall, this skate was well worth the money at $280.00 considering it retailed at $650.00. The fit is good out of the box, but if you don't like negative space you'll need to invest in some powerfoot inserts. The durability and protection of the skate has been excellent and that in particular is a huge nod to this skate and are the main reasons why I love this skate. 3/22/2017 Update: I've changed the steel out to the Step Blacksteel and it was a breeze with the edge system. Click, pop'em out, slide the new stuff in and click, all done. There's no movement in the steel and it fits nice and snug. Skates are still going strong although I'm noticing a little more wear in the holders. For whatever reason, these holders have more cuts in them than any of my previous pairs of skates/holders. I'm not sure if that's the quality of the holder or that more people are stepping on me when we're battling for pucks along the boards. Edited March 22, 2017 by darkhors Updates about step steel, footbed and longevity of skate Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
