VH Footwear/TRUE by Scott Van Horne

[AfftonDad 88]

Here are some side by side comparisons of my size 10 Makos (they are a half size too big) and my size 9.5 VHs with CXN holders (I used links instead of inline images to be kind to the MSH server)

Lateral Medial Front Rear Inside Weight

[flyers10 57]

Here are some side by side comparisons of my size 10 Makos (they are a half size too big) and my size 9.5 VHs with CXN holders (I used links instead of inline images to be kind to the MSH server)

How's the feel on ice between the two? Pretty similar from pitch/stance perspective?

Lateral Medial Front Rear Inside Weight

[AfftonDad 88]

How's the feel on ice between the two? Pretty similar from pitch/stance perspective?

Don't know yet. I played the night that I got them, but I didn't have time to bake them before so I haven't had them on the ice yet. Walking around at home, the pitch feels similar, but of course that doesn't really prove much. I'll let you know after I skate with them.

Edited August 13, 2014 by AfftonDad

[SpideyDiG 8]

Affton, thx for the pics, very nice. Can't wait to hear your comments after you skate on them.

Edited April 3, 2015 by SpideyDiG

[AfftonDad 88]

Just skated/played on them for the first time.

Comparing them to the Makos (and I LOVE the Makos)... In my opinion, there is absolutely no "pitch" adjustment going from Makos to VHs with CXN holders. That aspect felt identical. However, there was the feeling of not feeling quite right because it was a different skate.

The feeling of wrap is much greater with the VHs. The VHs are more responsive than the Makos. I feel my edges much more. This must be because your foot it completely locked into the skate. Now this actually had a negative aspect for me. It somehow made the edges feel like they were sharper (biting more) and I didn't like it. I sharpen my own skates and I'm very anal about sharpening them so there was no difference in the sharpen. Some of my shakiness due to the extra feeling of bite went away by the end of the night. I don't know if I'll wait to get used to it or drop down a setting (I'm currently at 90-75, I have a 90-50 spinner but I have never tried it... now may be the time),

They are much, much stiffer than the Mako. Along with the additional wrap, that may be why they are so responsive. I'm not sure that I like that much stiffness. On the other hand, I always felt my Mako's could have used a tad more stiffness. I feel like the extra stiffness may be limiting the flexion and snap a bit and making me a little slower than on the Makos (although I still think they feel faster than my previous U+CLs felt). Although it may be just because I haven't figured out how to skate efficiently on them yet. I initially felt like the boot felt a little bit lower (less lateral stability) than my Mako's (and I had felt like my Makos were lower than my U+CLs). I made the mistake of clamping down the laces to compensate but this just caused my feet to hurt. I loosened them up again and by the end of the night I wasn't feeling that "too low boot" feeling any more.

I have flat feet and my right arch was killing me. I'm going to have to do something about that. I had to on my Makos too, I heat gunned the arch and pushed down on it. Hopefully that will take care of that issue.

All in all, at this point I would still feel more "at home" in my Makos. But I think once I get the arch situation straightened out and get them laced at the proper tightness from the start I'll end up liking them more than my Makos.

[flip12 715]

Here are some side by side comparisons of my size 10 Makos (they are a half size too big) and my size 9.5 VHs

Weight

Is there a difference in the steel weight? How reduced is the set on your Makos?

[SpideyDiG 8]

Affront, just wondering which skate do you like better, the Makos or VH's? Probably hard question to answer right as you need more than one skate to tell. I'm thinking both skates are very similar from what I've read about the VH's. I have only been on my Mako 2's three times and first time was brutal as they were sharpen badly and I couldn't skate with confidence. So I'm very interested if you like them better than your Makos. Too early to ask maybe as you probably need a few more skates with your new VH's. I definitely need some more time with my Mako 2's as I'm trying to see if they are going to help my skating.

Edited August 15, 2014 by SpideyDiG

[AfftonDad 88]

Is there a difference in the steel weight? How reduced is the set on your Makos?

I had had them profiled to +1 (reduced the pitch very slightly, almost none), so that took some steel off and they had probably been sharpened 6-10 times. The ARE lower than the new ones, but I doubt that they are 24 grams lighter. If I have time this weekend I'll weigh just the runners. However, keep in mind that the Mako's shown in the picture are size 10 (288mm holders) and the VHs are size 9.5 (280mm holders). So I would think that the extra half size throughout the skate would more than offset the differenct in the amount of steel. What I'm trying to say is that I believe the VH is in fact heaver. Although 24grams is a pretty insignificant amount in my opinion. And with the Mako 2s being stiffer and a bit thicker, I would bet the weights are even closer now.

Affront, just wondering which skate do you like better, the Makos or VH's? Probably hard question to answer right as you need more than one skate to tell. I'm thinking both skates are very similar from what I've read about the VH's. I have only been on my Mako 2's three times and first time was brutal as they were sharpen badly and I couldn't skate with confidence. So I'm very interested if you like them better than your Makos. Too early to ask maybe as you probably need a few more skates with your new VH's. I definitely need some more time with my Mako 2's as I'm trying to see if they are going to help my skating.

Right now I like my Makos better. The arch pain on my right foot is a deal breaker. Hopefully, I can get that worked out.

Edited August 15, 2014 by AfftonDad

[AfftonDad 88]

I tried spot heating last night and re-baking in order to push out the instep and then I took them to a public session this afternoon. It was little if any difference in the pain in my instep of my right foot. I also tried different insoles... The VH insoles with the red layer (cut in the instep area), just the VH insoles without the red layer, my Mako insoles, my SuperFeet insoles, and my Graf Sidas insoles. It still hurt with all of them however, contrary to what I would have thought (based on my theory that it was due to my flat feet), the thicker ones had less pain than the thinner ones. Also, the pain is extremely pin point. This made me re-think what might be the issue. I took out the insole and felt in the bottom of the skate near where the pain was happening and found that one of the "arms" on the star of the rivet backing was sticking up much higher than the rest. On the way home, I went to my LHS and had that rivet replaced. I haven't skated on them and my instep is still "bruised", but I think that fixed it.

I resharpened my skates at 90-50 before I went today and I think I'm happier with them at the shallower hollow. I had emailed Scott this morning looking for some advice on what to do about my instep before I had realized it was the rivet (he offered to make me a custom insole for me... nice guy). I mentioned to him about the fact that the runners felt much sharper than the same hollow had felt on my Mako's. His reply was interesting...

You are exactly correct there. All of the Winnipeg Jets that went on the skates also reduced their hollows because they felt like the skates were too sharp. The great thing about reducing the hollow is it improves your glide, which should increase your speed and efficiency. Also, you could increase the radius of your profile instead of changing your hollow, some players prefer this method also. I do have some players that use FBV (flat bottom v )sharpening and they love that combined with our skate - as you get the glide and the bite.

It will definitely take you some experimenting to get it right.

[flip12 715]

I had had them profiled to +1 (reduced the pitch very slightly, almost none), so that took some steel off and they had probably been sharpened 6-10 times. The ARE lower than the new ones, but I doubt that they are 24 grams lighter. If I have time this weekend I'll weigh just the runners. However, keep in mind that the Mako's shown in the picture are size 10 (288mm holders) and the VHs are size 9.5 (280mm holders). So I would think that the extra half size throughout the skate would more than offset the differenct in the amount of steel. What I'm trying to say is that I believe the VH is in fact heaver. Although 24grams is a pretty insignificant amount in my opinion. And with the Mako 2s being stiffer and a bit thicker, I would bet the weights are even closer now.

Right now I like my Makos better. The arch pain on my right foot is a deal breaker. Hopefully, I can get that worked out.

Good to know on your follow up. Love the detail of your posts AfftonDad.

[iceman8310 106]

I tried spot heating last night and re-baking in order to push out the instep and then I took them to a public session this afternoon. It was little if any difference in the pain in my instep of my right foot. I also tried different insoles... The VH insoles with the red layer (cut in the instep area), just the VH insoles without the red layer, my Mako insoles, my SuperFeet insoles, and my Graf Sidas insoles. It still hurt with all of them however, contrary to what I would have thought (based on my theory that it was due to my flat feet), the thicker ones had less pain than the thinner ones. Also, the pain is extremely pin point. This made me re-think what might be the issue. I took out the insole and felt in the bottom of the skate near where the pain was happening and found that one of the "arms" on the star of the rivet backing was sticking up much higher than the rest. On the way home, I went to my LHS and had that rivet replaced. I haven't skated on them and my instep is still "bruised", but I think that fixed it.

I resharpened my skates at 90-50 before I went today and I think I'm happier with them at the shallower hollow. I had emailed Scott this morning looking for some advice on what to do about my instep before I had realized it was the rivet (he offered to make me a custom insole for me... nice guy). I mentioned to him about the fact that the runners felt much sharper than the same hollow had felt on my Mako's. His reply was interesting...

You are exactly correct there. All of the Winnipeg Jets that went on the skates also reduced their hollows because they felt like the skates were too sharp. The great thing about reducing the hollow is it improves your glide, which should increase your speed and efficiency. Also, you could increase the radius of your profile instead of changing your hollow, some players prefer this method also. I do have some players that use FBV (flat bottom v )sharpening and they love that combined with our skate - as you get the glide and the bite.

It will definitely take you some experimenting to get it right.

I went from superfeet back to VH insole and used vapor socks instead of a pair of eastons I was wearing. much better, no pain. from 1-10, what is the pain scale? i don't mind a little.

Edited August 17, 2014 by iceman8310

[AfftonDad 88]

I went from superfeet back to VH insole and used vapor socks instead of a pair of eastons I was wearing. much better, no pain. from 1-10, what is the pain scale? i don't mind a little.

From 1-10 it was a 10. A complete show stopper. However, as I said, I'm pretty sure it was just due to a bad (raised up) rivet backing 1) Putting a lot of pressure on that specific spot and 2) Causing the footbed to move around a lot at that spot. I had the rivet replaced and went to a public session today and the pain was pretty much gone (I still had some pain from the open blister that had developed, so I'll have to wait until that is gone to know for sure). After trying many different footbeds and lacing tighness, I think I have decided to go with the VH footbeds with the red "under" footbed cut away in the instep area.

I'm starting to like the skates a lot more. Super responsive and I'm quite certain the protection will be better. I have to admit though it's breaking my heart to see scuffs on the formerly perfectly shiny composite toe cap. The only knock I have relative to the Mako's is that I think my stride may still be a little bit longer with the Makos than with the VHs (but I'm not sure). I switched to 90-50 and the edges feel (almost) as effective as 90-75 did on my Makos. I'm pretty happy about that. But I may pick up a 95-50 spinner to see how that feels (I'm feeling a tiny bit of slippage every now and then with the 90-50).

Edited August 17, 2014 by AfftonDad

[Hammy1757 1]

I received my VH skates with CXN holders and ES4 steel Monday afternoon, I wasn't able to get my foot in them until after baking. I raced over to the rink, and had them baked and sharpened. I skated a pickup that evening.

Even with the CXN holders and same steel, they don't feel like Mako I at all. I felt awkward at first, and my stride is definitely different in these. But they are so impossibly comfortable. Just, wow, amazing comfort. My left inside ankle is almost twice the size as the one on my right foot (took a bad slap shot off it 3 or 4 months ago), and it always bothered me in the Mako I. Since the injury I could never tighten my left skate too tight or it was murder, but with these skates, I can see where Scott pushed it out a little, they just feel like pillows on my ankle. The foam padding inside these is just so much better than the Mako I, and not as stiff as the CCM U+12 which actually hurt me a little.

Putting these skates on is a little difficult, but not much, just a little pinch or scrape in the mid foot, but once your foot is in they're golden. I had zero pain after the first pickup. Tuesday night i played in them in another pickup, we only had a couple subs on the bench, so it was a lot of skating, and again NO discomfort whatsoever. I'm also starting to adapt to them, turning is fine, i feel more agile on them, but my stride just feels a little off rushing up the ice.

I'm so excited about them I'm playing a 4th night in a row tomorrow (3rd skate on these)

The flexible tendon guards are a little stiff like has already been mentioned, and the insoles are a little spongy. But I'm leaving them for now until i've skated on these a little longer. I'm also sticking with the regular laces, I usually instantly switch out to wax, but with these skates it doesn't feel necessary yet.

Overall i'm thrilled with these skates so far. The current slight dip in speed is made up for in the comfort level, and I'm def. gonna start playing the back to back pickups on Mondays and Fridays again like I used to. I stopped doing that after I hurt my ankle because it would be too painful halfway through the second game.

[z1ggy 81]

Would be interested to hear from anybody who went from Vapor's with LS2 steel to VH skates with LS2 holder/runner combo.

[uclaman 6]

flexible tendon. felt tongue.

[Mimizk 114]

So black... nice!

[mc88 160]

flexible tendon. felt tongue.

You're not allowed to have cool stuff, send them to me immediately.

Not typically a fan of all-black, but these look pretty sweet.

Edited August 24, 2014 by mc88

[SpideyDiG 8]

Uclaman, damn those look really good. Too bad Easton doesn't offer the CXN holder in black as I would be getting them instantly. Very nice look indeed.

Edited August 24, 2014 by SpideyDiG

[uclaman 6]

Figured I would post since I haven't seen any of these with black holders to give people frame of reference in case they were interested in the look or not. Love it or hate it at least you can see what it looks like and make a decision. :)

[Hammy1757 1]

The black holders look really nice!

[IPv6Freely 2093]

I don't care for them, but thank you for posting so I know that I don't care for them ;)

[Davetronz 109]

Needs all black tongues!

[uclaman 6]

I don't care for them, but thank you for posting so I know that I don't care for them ;)

BOOM... See i got your back

[Hammy1757 1]

I had to open eyelets 4,5,6 to get my foot in and it didn't really affect the wrap. If you're having issues it's a pretty quick fix.

I just did that as well. I was getting pinched pretty good on the right skate putting it on. It feels much better now.

[SpideyDiG 8]

Hammy, just wondering how you liking your new VH skates? Are you getting more used to them now?