The endless changing of skates.....

[VegasHockey 1280]

I the last 18 months I have owned Supreme MX3, Supreme 1S, Vapor 1x (2015), Vapor 1x (2017), CCM JetSpeed (2016), CCM JetSpeed FT1 (2017), CCM Super Tacks, and Easton Mako II skates. I just haven't been able to find the perfect skate, though I would say the Mako was the best fit although the boot was slightly too soft for my liking.

At this point, I am considering a pair of True skates.

I do not consider myself having "difficult" or "unique" feet other than my left is 0.5 sizes smaller than my right and I have a very high arch. Am I just not giving these skates and my body mechanics a fair enough time to adjust? I skate 5+ days a weekly, 12+ hours weekly, so every pair of skates usually gets a fair amount of usage before I give up on them and move on to trying another model on. 

The Bauer Skate Lab said I should wear a 7EE. This may have felt ok to most people but to me, the skates felt too loose and sloppy. I usually need to get an E/A boot or I prefer to slightly stretch a D width. I really love my skates having zero negative space.

I have read both positive and negative reviews regarding the True skates and would hate to invest such a huge amount of money into them if there are other alternatives I should be considered

Thanks for the help in advance. 

[IPv6Freely 2093]

I’d buy True skates if you’ve been through all those and even the Mako isn’t right for you. 

The positive reviews far FAR outweigh the negative ones, and most of the negative reviews are things that are fixable with some communication with True.

[VegasHockey 1280]

2 minutes ago, IPv6Freely said:

I’d buy True skates if you’ve been through all those and even the Mako isn’t right for you. 

The positive reviews far FAR outweigh the negative ones, and most of the negative reviews are things that are fixable with some communication with True.

The Mako II was absolutely the closest and felt great right out of the oven. However, it just wasn't stiff enough in the quarter package. Many of the other skates are far too stiff and rigid. The Super Tacks were by far the worst. Even with the top two eyelets unlaced or laced loosely I still felt hampered and unable to get a solid forward flex and proper stride. 

If the Mako II and FT1 had a baby it would probably be the perfect skate for me. 

[60PlusWinger 82]

Stop messing around and go custom if none of these are working for you. I know this site thinks True is the best thing known to man but that’s not going to solve your problem either. 

Step 1: find yourself a fitter. This takes some time because your skate fit/specs are only as good as the guy who puts you in them.

Step 2: figure out what you want out of your skate that you’re not getting. Bauer custom allows you to have different sizes/width/heel in each skate. If stiffness is an issue you can pick from Stock stiffness (2) or get softer at a #1... going as high as 3 and 4. Pick your tongue, your outsole, toe cap (oversized or stock) but if you like a Vapor toe cap you can have that on a Supreme skate. If depth is an issue you can opt to extend the quarters and facing up sized for more room. You get to pick your steel, your holders and sizing of both etc...

you will pay a custom fee which is usually $75-100 but maybe you’ll get to stop messing around with skates that aren’t working for you. 

[stick9 891]

Im sure you’re already aware of this but the MX3’s and 1S’s are essentially the same fit, same goes for the two Vapors.

You should try the 70k. It’s a completely different boot than the other two CCM’s. Way less rigid and way more forgiving. The only downside is, with all that ice time they breakdown on you fairly quickly.

A lot of people here will be quick to recommend customs. While I don’t think it’s a bad idea, I personally consider it a last ditch effort. 

[ChrisS8899 3]

I have gone through something similar, tried this this & that . Eventually dont think I was giving things enough time to break in & bake twice . Once i did that , I finally settled in 17 1x's . The heel lock material & support I found a nice + over the 15 1x's . I too considered going true custom - but just my 2 cents. I know everyone is different & have varying feet . Never tried ccms but pre baking they all fit my feet pretty bad in the shops - maybe baking alters that significantly , but it"s a roll of the dice .  

[shoot_the_goalie 281]

8 hours ago, Nicholas G said:

I the last 18 months I have owned Supreme MX3, Supreme 1S, Vapor 1x (2015), Vapor 1x (2017), CCM JetSpeed (2016), CCM JetSpeed FT1 (2017), CCM Super Tacks, and Easton Mako II skates. I just haven't been able to find the perfect skate, though I would say the Mako was the best fit although the boot was slightly too soft for my liking.

At this point, I am considering a pair of True skates.

I do not consider myself having "difficult" or "unique" feet other than my left is 0.5 sizes smaller than my right and I have a very high arch. Am I just not giving these skates and my body mechanics a fair enough time to adjust? I skate 5+ days a weekly, 12+ hours weekly, so every pair of skates usually gets a fair amount of usage before I give up on them and move on to trying another model on. 

The Bauer Skate Lab said I should wear a 7EE. This may have felt ok to most people but to me, the skates felt too loose and sloppy. I usually need to get an E/A boot or I prefer to slightly stretch a D width. I really love my skates having zero negative space.

I have read both positive and negative reviews regarding the True skates and would hate to invest such a huge amount of money into them if there are other alternatives I should be considered

Thanks for the help in advance. 

By my count, that's 8 pairs of skates.  Even at half off discount pricing, you could have 2-3 pairs of custom skates at the same cost, unless you're getting these skates for dirt cheap.  That said, I would go custom.  Doesn't have to be True.  Can be CCM or Bauer too.  Doesn't sound like retail skates work for you for whatever reasons.

[adam14 182]

2 hours ago, 60PlusWinger said:

Stop messing around and go custom if none of these are working for you. I know this site thinks True is the best thing known to man but that’s not going to solve your problem either. 

Step 1: find yourself a fitter. This takes some time because your skate fit/specs are only as good as the guy who puts you in them.

Step 2: figure out what you want out of your skate that you’re not getting. Bauer custom allows you to have different sizes/width/heel in each skate. If stiffness is an issue you can pick from Stock stiffness (2) or get softer at a #1... going as high as 3 and 4. Pick your tongue, your outsole, toe cap (oversized or stock) but if you like a Vapor toe cap you can have that on a Supreme skate. If depth is an issue you can opt to extend the quarters and facing up sized for more room. You get to pick your steel, your holders and sizing of both etc...

you will pay a custom fee which is usually $75-100 but maybe you’ll get to stop messing around with skates that aren’t working for you. 

just curious how you think customs won't fix his problem when that's exactly what they'll do? Like you said Bauer and CCM both offer customs however they are not being fitted to the same degree as a True is. with Bauer, unless he has access to a good shop/rep you basically get to pick all the parts but not change the fit much apart from heel and width, same as with ccm. From his experiences none of the Bauers or CCM's seemed to fit him properly off the shelf so why not try a pair of Trues? just because they aren't your personal favourite is no reason to eliminate them as an option for someone else, a very good option at this point as well

[stick9 891]

14 minutes ago, adam14 said:

just curious how you think customs won't fix his problem when that's exactly what they'll do? Like you said Bauer and CCM both offer customs however they are not being fitted to the same degree as a True is. with Bauer, unless he has access to a good shop/rep you basically get to pick all the parts but not change the fit much apart from heel and width, same as with ccm. From his experiences none of the Bauers or CCM's seemed to fit him properly off the shelf so why not try a pair of Trues? just because they aren't your personal favourite is no reason to eliminate them as an option for someone else, a very good option at this point as well

If going custom, True or otherwise, wouldn’t it be fair to assume he be going to a decent shop?

There are a lot of people here drinking the True kool-aid. While I think there is some merit, I myself am not completely sold. Longevity/durability of the skate has yet to be really tested. When I spoke to the player rep his exact words were “they’re not for everyone”. I tend to believe most people if fitted properly can work with a retail boot.

Customs are a hefty investment. If I were plunking down that type of cash I’d need to be 100% confident it’s the right skate for me.

[VegasHockey 1280]

1 hour ago, shoot_the_goalie said:

By my count, that's 8 pairs of skates.  Even at half off discount pricing, you could have 2-3 pairs of custom skates at the same cost, unless you're getting these skates for dirt cheap.  That said, I would go custom.  Doesn't have to be True.  Can be CCM or Bauer too.  Doesn't sound like retail skates work for you for whatever reasons.

I know a couple equipment managers in the WHL so I pick stuff up from them for a few hundred bucks. 

Usually I can resell the skates for the same amount as I paid and the quality on the skates is better than generic retail. 

The skates usually come boot only so I use my own holders and steel. Most of the players don't change anything other than using a basic tongue, upgraded eyelets, triple stiching,  clarino liners, etc. I can see the spec sheet for each pair so I can see what they select. 

Only one player has had what I would call a franken skate. He literally modified every single option available. I didn't even mention those because it was a whirlwind of Bauer products fused together. 

 

[VegasHockey 1280]

2 hours ago, stick9 said:

Im sure you’re already aware of this but the MX3’s and 1S’s are essentially the same fit, same goes for the two Vapors.

You should try the 70k. It’s a completely different boot than the other two CCM’s. Way less rigid and way more forgiving. The only downside is, with all that ice time they breakdown on you fairly quickly.

A lot of people here will be quick to recommend customs. While I don’t think it’s a bad idea, I personally consider it a last ditch effort. 

I did try a pair of 70k. The fit was not ideal. Too wide in the forefoot. They felt sloppy. I was confused when I got them because all of the literature says it's for a narrow medium/low volume foot but I found it to be the exact opposite. 

[VegasHockey 1280]

40 minutes ago, stick9 said:

If going custom, True or otherwise, wouldn’t it be fair to assume he be going to a decent shop?

There are a lot of people here drinking the True kool-aid. While I think there is some merit, I myself am not completely sold. Longevity/durability of the skate has yet to be really tested. When I spoke to the player rep his exact words were “they’re not for everyone”. I tend to believe most people if fitted properly can work with a retail boot.

Customs are a hefty investment. If I were plunking down that type of cash I’d need to be 100% confident it’s the right skate for me.

This is why I have my dilemma. I do get most pro stock skates right now for very cheap. Few hundred buck. If I wear them and they don't fit right or work for me I can usually sell them at the cost I paid.

If I went with True I would be paying full retail. That's a significant investment in an product that I cannot sell if it doesn't fit me properly or work for my skating style. No one wants to buy a used pair of skates for someone else's foot... at least common sense says you shouldn't....

[chippa13 1844]

The best skate is the one that adjusts to you and not the other way around. Unless you are purposely trying to change your mechanics there is no reason to pick a skate that you need to adjust to. 

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

1 hour ago, adam14 said:

Like you said Bauer and CCM both offer customs however they are not being fitted to the same degree as a True is. with Bauer, unless he has access to a good shop/rep you basically get to pick all the parts but not change the fit much apart from heel and width, same as with ccm. 

Once again, completely untrue statement.

To the OP - it looks like you live in an area where you probably don't have the best options.  You may have to cross the border. A couple of stores in that city do custom skates.

[VegasHockey 1280]

1 minute ago, chippa13 said:

The best skate is the one that adjusts to you and not the other way around. Unless you are purposely trying to change your mechanics there is no reason to pick a skate that you need to adjust to. 

Agreed. That's why none of these skates has worked. They have all required me to alter something or change body mechanics to conform to the way the skate is designed. Growing up I skated in Graf for nearly my whole life. I would look at Graf again but the few Graf skates I have seen in person left me less than impressed. They seem like relics of the past and very heavy. 

[IPv6Freely 2093]

3 hours ago, 60PlusWinger said:

Stop messing around and go custom if none of these are working for you. I know this site thinks True is the best thing known to man but that’s not going to solve your problem either. 

Step 1: find yourself a fitter. This takes some time because your skate fit/specs are only as good as the guy who puts you in them.

Step 2: figure out what you want out of your skate that you’re not getting. Bauer custom allows you to have different sizes/width/heel in each skate. If stiffness is an issue you can pick from Stock stiffness (2) or get softer at a #1... going as high as 3 and 4. Pick your tongue, your outsole, toe cap (oversized or stock) but if you like a Vapor toe cap you can have that on a Supreme skate. If depth is an issue you can opt to extend the quarters and facing up sized for more room. You get to pick your steel, your holders and sizing of both etc...

you will pay a custom fee which is usually $75-100 but maybe you’ll get to stop messing around with skates that aren’t working for you. 

I’m confused. You say to go custom but then say to not go with True because it won’t solve the issues. How won’t it?

[shoot_the_goalie 281]

27 minutes ago, Nicholas G said:

I know a couple equipment managers in the WHL so I pick stuff up from them for a few hundred bucks. 

Usually I can resell the skates for the same amount as I paid and the quality on the skates is better than generic retail. 

The skates usually come boot only so I use my own holders and steel. Most of the players don't change anything other than using a basic tongue, upgraded eyelets, triple stiching,  clarino liners, etc. I can see the spec sheet for each pair so I can see what they select. 

Only one player has had what I would call a franken skate. He literally modified every single option available. I didn't even mention those because it was a whirlwind of Bauer products fused together. 

 

I’m confused.  Are we talking about retail skates here or pro stock?  From what you describe you’re talking about skating in pro stocks...which are generally custom to the player that ordered him.  So saying retail skates don’t fit you doesn’t really doesn’t apply here regardless of brand/model label.  If you’re not fitting in pro stocks, that makes more sense to me than all retail boots not working for you.  Is that the case or am I missing something?  And FYI... True will build you a second pair of skates free of charge (except cost of sending 1st pair back to them) if your first pair doesn’t work and both you and True have exhausted all other options to adjust fit.

[VegasHockey 1280]

8 minutes ago, shoot_the_goalie said:

I’m confused.  Are we talking about retail skates here or pro stock?  From what you describe you’re talking about skating in pro stocks...which are generally custom to the player that ordered him.  So saying retail skates don’t fit you doesn’t really doesn’t apply here regardless of brand/model label.  If you’re not fitting in pro stocks, that makes more sense to me than all retail boots not working for you.  Is that the case or am I missing something?  And FYI... True will build you a second pair of skates free of charge (except cost of sending 1st pair back to them) if your first pair doesn’t work and both you and True have exhausted all other options to adjust fit.

They could be considered Pro Stock, but they aren't modified or custom. No mismatched sizes. No changes to the stiffness. Just little things like liners, tongue and such. I have tried multiple of the ones I mentioned. I didn't go into specific details because I don't think anyone cares to read about them since the changes are so insignificant. 

Also, I think maybe I didn't make this clear. The skates typically fit fine. They just don't work properly with my body mechanics and skating style. They force me into a specific way of skating that is not beneficial. 

Example, Super Tacks are stiff and rigid and force you into a more standing body position than a JetSpeed FT1 which has more of an emphasis on forward lean. 

[VegasHockey 1280]

35 minutes ago, JR Boucicaut said:

Once again, completely untrue statement.

To the OP - it looks like you live in an area where you probably don't have the best options.  You may have to cross the border. A couple of stores in that city do custom skates.

I am in Seattle. Vancouver is just a stones throw away. 

Itravel for work too and have talked to the guys as Westside Skate in NY who suggested the True skates. Same with the guys at Gunzos in Chicago. 

Eventhe people I spoke with at the Bauer Experience store in MN said that True might be the best way to go.

Every one seems to be pointing me in that direction, but as I mentioned I have heard both positive and negative about their skates. 

Also, my understanding is that while the True skates are designed to fit your feet as best as possible they don't allow you to modify anything structrually on the skate itself. This doesn't seem like a Truly, pun intended, custom skate. 

[adam14 182]

50 minutes ago, JR Boucicaut said:

Once again, completely untrue statement.

To the OP - it looks like you live in an area where you probably don't have the best options.  You may have to cross the border. A couple of stores in that city do custom skates.

I'm just speaking from experience hence saying without an experienced fitter/rep. I know that quarter panels and ankle padding can be modified as well, but without the experience and knowledge of the person doing the fitting they won't know the options. 

True' s fitting process, at least in my experience offers the most custom "fit" however not as many other customizable options.

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

52 minutes ago, Nicholas G said:

I am in Seattle. Vancouver is just a stones throw away. 

Itravel for work too and have talked to the guys as Westside Skate in NY who suggested the True skates. Same with the guys at Gunzos in Chicago. 

Eventhe people I spoke with at the Bauer Experience store in MN said that True might be the best way to go.

Every one seems to be pointing me in that direction, but as I mentioned I have heard both positive and negative about their skates. 

Also, my understanding is that while the True skates are designed to fit your feet as best as possible they don't allow you to modify anything structrually on the skate itself. This doesn't seem like a Truly, pun intended, custom skate. 

Right - didn't want to put that out there without looking like a creeper.  The software tells me where our members are.

39 minutes ago, adam14 said:

I'm just speaking from experience hence saying without an experienced fitter/rep. I know that quarter panels and ankle padding can be modified as well, but without the experience and knowledge of the person doing the fitting they won't know the options. 

Right.  It's truly garbage in, garbage out.  The factory will make whatever you give them, within reason.

 

57 minutes ago, Nicholas G said:

Also, I think maybe I didn't make this clear. The skates typically fit fine. They just don't work properly with my body mechanics and skating style. They force me into a specific way of skating that is not beneficial. 

Yet a True skate may do the same thing.

I think you need to assess what you need to accommodate your skating style and if one is good on the fit, then work on it with profiling and/or pitch.  If the Mako worked for you, perhaps True does.

If you're ever in MI, I'd be happy to consult.  I no longer work in a retail setting but I could build your spec sheet for Bauer or CCM if that is the direction you go in.  

[Sniper9 530]

You've spend all this time energy and money trying different skates. Maybe sit down at your lhs and try on a brand new retail skate the has never been baked on another person's foot before yours. 

Also, you can keep playing the musical chairs game with skates, and even if you're not losing money on resales, it has to be mentally exhausting for you. 

I personally would go through the custom route, either it be with ccm or true etc. I hear ccm does a full 360 custom scan... But not sure if their boots are made from an actual last of your foot or not.... Maybe someone can chime in... But full customs from ccm and Bauer are a bit more than trues. 

I'm not going to tell you what to do, but at the end of the day you can keep searching for the best fitting skate which you may never find, or take the plunge and get custom fitted, which Imo, is probably going to offer you the best fit regardless of whether it is going to be the perfect fit you are looking for. 

[VegasHockey 1280]

53 minutes ago, JR Boucicaut said:

Yet a True skate may do the same thing.

I think you need to assess what you need to accommodate your skating style and if one is good on the fit, then work on it with profiling and/or pitch.  If the Mako worked for you, perhaps True does.

 

That my friend is the exact question I need to answer and have been perplexed with. I know the profile and pitch I like, so it's easy to duplicate that on most any pair of skates assuming the boot allows my foot to sit in the proper position and angle. It also needs to allow the proper motion and support as well. What annoys me is that I sound like a "prima donna" bitching that $1000 skates just don't seem to work for me but they truly don't do what I need them to do.

I find tweaking and adjusting everything. Adding heel lifts, changing the pitch of the steel, changing insoles, etc. It almost seems never-ending. Yes, part of it is likely my OCD in wanting everything perfect. I just know when something doesn't feel right. I watched the True video where Scott talks about skates never fitting him right or he was constantly messing with them and that's exactly how I feel.

I also read about how Paul Coffey, arguably the best skater in the history of hockey, was also never satisfied and was always trying new things with his skates. 

 

[VegasHockey 1280]

3 minutes ago, Sniper9 said:

You've spend all this time energy and money trying different skates. Maybe sit down at your lhs and try on a brand new retail skate the has never been baked on another person's foot before yours. 

Also, you can keep playing the musical chairs game with skates, and even if you're not losing money on resales, it has to be mentally exhausting for you. 

I personally would go through the custom route, either it be with ccm or true etc. I hear ccm does a full 360 custom scan... But not sure if their boots are made from an actual last of your foot or not.... Maybe someone can chime in... But full customs from ccm and Bauer are a bit more than trues. 

I'm not going to tell you what to do, but at the end of the day you can keep searching for the best fitting skate which you may never find, or take the plunge and get custom fitted, which Imo, is probably going to offer you the best fit regardless of whether it is going to be the perfect fit you are looking for. 

None of the skates I have used were baked prior to me so that is not the issue. Also, as I mentioned, they are not significantly altered "franken skates." It is absolutely exhausting both mentally and physically changing all the time. Every time I change it throws all of my body mechanics out of whack which also does more than affect my skating, it changes my vision on the ice, stick handling and shooting. I know from playing semi-pro you will always play best when you are thinking least about what you're wearing and focusing solely on the game. 

It seems the best route is to just suck it up and try a pair of True skates. I have pretty much exhausted all of my options other than paying Bauer/CCM to build a last of my foot and build a skate specifically around that last. 

[aintitthelife98 28]

2 hours ago, Nicholas G said:

I did try a pair of 70k. The fit was not ideal. Too wide in the forefoot. They felt sloppy. I was confused when I got them because all of the literature says it's for a narrow medium/low volume foot but I found it to be the exact opposite. 

Did you bake the 70Ks? I will say on my 68Ks the fit and feel pre and post bake was fairly dramatic. They felt ok to me pre-bake but post-bake they really shaped to my foot and felt great.