VH Footwear/TRUE by Scott Van Horne

[althoma1 574]

Just now, chocks86 said:

I agree with about the holder, as that is the only thing I dislike about the whole skate. I would be swapping them out with Edge holders as soon as possible. 

I believe you can just buy them undrilled without holders and steel and then have the holders of your choice mounted on them. So the holders aren't a big deal - hell, they may be great holders and it's likely great steel since it's step, but they do look a little clunky.

[chocks86 82]

5 minutes ago, althoma1 said:

I believe you can just buy them undrilled without holders and steel and then have the holders of your choice mounted on them. So the holders aren't a big deal - hell, they may be great holders and it's likely great steel since it's step, but they do look a little clunky.

I think you are correct. I'm just not sure I have someone that I trust to mount a holder on yet from the two LHS that are nearby, and I would not want to wait to use the skates. 

The question I have, which has probably already been answered in this almost 100 page thread , is will the drilled holes from the a True holder in the skate match up with a Tuuk LS Edge holder without any modification?

Edited July 5, 2017 by chocks86

[althoma1 574]

I don't know if the holes lineup and haven't been able to find the answer, but reread the thread here on the holders and they allow for a quick change of steel without the steel becoming loose in the channel (this can happen with the Edge holders over time):

So while I don't like the front and back dimples they seem to be well designed holders with excellent steel. You may just want to stick with them, ignore the aesthetics (how many people are really staring at your holders during play?) and save the cost of having new holders put on.

[chocks86 82]

32 minutes ago, althoma1 said:

I don't know if the holes lineup and haven't been able to find the answer, but reread the thread here on the holders and they allow for a quick change of steel without the steel becoming loose in the channel (this can happen with the Edge holders over time):

So while I don't like the front and back dimples they seem to be well designed holders with excellent steel. You may just want to stick with them, ignore the aesthetics (how many people are really staring at your holders during play?) and save the cost of having new holders put on.

That's probably what I'll end up doing. You know, they aren't the worst holders I have ever seen. 

[Zac911 317]

8 hours ago, chocks86 said:

That's probably what I'll end up doing. You know, they aren't the worst holders I have ever seen. 

One could argue that the worst holder is one you can't get steel for.  But that's none of my business.  

Give the holders a shot guys... The steel upgrade alone is worth it.  Gilles and his team over at Step are a great bunch of guys who are extremley passionate about steel.  I know many that are pretty excited that Step will come standard on the TRUE jets.

[A2rhino 62]

19 hours ago, althoma1 said:

Overall, I like the look of the boot, footbed and liner, however; I'm still not a fan of the plastic heel cup (although maybe a good explanation of the functional reasons for that change would sway me) or the aesthetics of the holder (too many partial cut outs).

Zac911, can you fill us in the reason for the plastic heel cup? I too am not a fan of it but can only assume the reason for it. Thanks

[chocks86 82]

10 hours ago, Zac911 said:

One could argue that the worst holder is one you can't get steel for.  But that's none of my business.  

Give the holders a shot guys... The steel upgrade alone is worth it.  Gilles and his team over at Step are a great bunch of guys who are extremley passionate about steel.  I know many that are pretty excited that Step will come standard on the TRUE jets.

That's also a good point. I definitely did have trouble finding LS3 steel in my size just recently.  

[talkintothemike 4]

Scroll down to the last picture of the skate,  right before you can choose to watch the video.  (The one with a side shot of the skate, looking like it is sitting on a mirrored surface.)   Then zoom into where the holder is mounted on the boot.  Both the front and the back. 

Not the best mounting I have ever seen.  Could they not found a better example to showcase their new holder?

[shoeshine boy 242]

23 hours ago, IPv6Freely said:

That actually looks really good. Well done, True! 

Hah, maybe they heard too many people saying it was ugly?

 

perhaps. we've both been skating in MLX for several years though so ugly doesn't matter to us as much as comfort and performance. 

[Zac911 317]

13 hours ago, A2rhino said:

Zac911, can you fill us in the reason for the plastic heel cup? I too am not a fan of it but can only assume the reason for it. Thanks

In all honesty I have been watching much of this unfold as you guys have.  Scott and his team are doing a great job up there in Winnipeg and now it's essentially just branded TRUE as they did acquire VH Footwear.  

The key here and the main difference in what we have seen in other acquisitions by other companies in this industry over the last 10 years-  Is that TRUE understands that the people behind the brand make a difference.  Not the other way around.  I signed on to work for these people because,  of the leadership and the value they placed on the people they entrust their brand to.  

I understand that I just took a whole big detour and for that I apologize,  but I wanted to make sure that was clear as some of the early comments I read about the acquisition were without merit.

I can't speak a whole lot about the holder yet as us retail reps are just now being integrated into the process.  I do recall riding with Gilles about a year and half ago and he said he had been working on a holder due to the pull for his product and a shrinking ecosystem in which Step could thrive.  It would appear that the holder is a product of VH and Steps' collaboration as it was cobranded at one point,  but I can't say for sure as I don't have the whole backstory.

As I sit here I am waiting for a shipment of iPads for my dealers Fit Centers and am very anxious to get going.  Once I have an opportunity to visit the new facility that the team is in I can perhaps speak to the holder and the boot more in depth.  I will be more than happy to share as I know more,  but for now-  What an exciting time to be in this industry. 

Edited July 7, 2017 by Zac911
Grammar / Spelling

[IPv6Freely 2092]

1 hour ago, shoeshine boy said:

perhaps. we've both been skating in MLX for several years though so ugly doesn't matter to us as much as comfort and performance. 

I skated in the original Mako... ugly doesn't mean anything if I can go for longer than 5 minutes without pain! 

[A2rhino 62]

Zac911,

Thanks for taking the time to fill us in. Totally understand where you're coming from as a rep.

I will say that I do like and respect the acknowledgment of Scott on the tendon guard and on the liner. Classy move on True's end.

[smu 29]

I would really like to make an order in August, but we have no local support to have an onsite fitter. It seems like there are a host of on site fitters in Canada and the USA,  but nothing here!

I live in Bedford, Nova Scotia a suburb of Halifax and Dartmouth (touching both Halifax and Dartmouth) and have the likes of Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, James Sheppard, Brad Marchand and now in the 2017 draft a first round draft pick, Shane Bowers, all within a 15-20 minute radius of downtown Halifax.

We often hear that Crosby is from Cole Harbour, but who knows where this is exactly, except in Nova Scotia? These are all Halifax hockey players if you want to put them on the map. Officially, Crosby was born in the Halifax Grace Maternity hospital. This area is all called the Halifax Regional Municipality with most of the population in a 20 kilometer radius. The population is about 350,000-400,000, but the majority is in this close radius!

Given the above, why shouldn't Halifax have fitter. With Crosby in particular, we never hear that he lives 15 minutes from downtown Halifax and Cole Harbour is a suburb. Just like Bedford where I live and I am 15 minutes from Downtown Halifax and bordering on it's edges.

Just a rant, but, I would like to be fitted her and not have it done remotely.

Alan

 

[IPv6Freely 2092]

23 minutes ago, smu said:

I would really like to make an order in August, but we have no local support to have an onsite fitter. It seems like there are a host of on site fitters in Canada and the USA,  but nothing here!

I live in Bedford, Nova Scotia a suburb of Halifax and Dartmouth (touching both Halifax and Dartmouth) and have the likes of Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, James Sheppard, Brad Marchand and now in the 2017 draft a first round draft pick, Shane Bowers, all within a 15-20 minute radius of downtown Halifax.

We often hear that Crosby is from Cole Harbour, but who knows where this is exactly, except in Nova Scotia? These are all Halifax hockey players if you want to put them on the map. Officially, Crosby was born in the Halifax Grace Maternity hospital. This area is all called the Halifax Regional Municipality with most of the population in a 20 kilometer radius. The population is about 350,000-400,000, but the majority is in this close radius!

Given the above, why shouldn't Halifax have fitter. With Crosby in particular, we never hear that he lives 15 minutes from downtown Halifax and Cole Harbour is a suburb. Just like Bedford where I live and I am 15 minutes from Downtown Halifax and bordering on it's edges.

Just a rant, but, I would like to be fitted her and not have it done remotely.

Alan

 

Complain to your LHS. 

[smu 29]

10 minutes ago, IPv6Freely said:

Complain to your LHS. 

Why would this help, what is in it for them, wouldn't the be losing business?

[IPv6Freely 2092]

6 minutes ago, smu said:

Why would this help, what is in it for them, wouldn't the be losing business?

I don't understand what you want then. You're bitching about not having a VH fitter, then saying you don't want to talk to your LHS about becoming one. What is it you're actually looking to accomplish then? 

[boo10 323]

35 minutes ago, smu said:

Why would this help, what is in it for them, wouldn't the be losing business?

I'm not sure what True's business model is for fit centres, but I'm sure they are either allowed to charge a fitting fee, or True pays them a commission on each pair sold.

[malcb33 97]

Pretty certain they pay a commision (based on buying mine from a fit centre). No idea what percentage that is but since the LHS isn't carrying stock they don't have to invest heavily into carrying the skates either.

Edited July 7, 2017 by malcb33

[smu 29]

28 minutes ago, boo10 said:

I'm not sure what True's business model is for fit centres, but I'm sure they are either allowed to charge a fitting fee, or True pays them a commission on each pair sold.

Thanks, for your kind reply! I will make the inquiry.

I had brought this up with Rob a number of months ago and it seemed to me that VH was just not ready to come to this area. To me then, it was in VH's hands not mine nor the LHS!

I have not researched the numbers for sometime, but I doubt that there many, or any fitters east of Toronto (excluding the eastern USA states as I have no information), but they are scattered all over Canada and the USA, including San Marcos?

Thus my comment that was replied to above. I have no fears of speaking with the LHS as I know most on a first name basis.

Thanks

[adam14 182]

the fit centres aren't live yet in Canada, at least not at my location in Ottawa. Depending on what chain of hockey shops you have on the east coast I would call them to inquire if any of their locations are getting a fit station. I know in the Ottawa area the shop I'm at is the only Source for Sports location getting one, not sure about the Pro Hockey Life

[smu 29]

Ottawa too, as well as the Canadian east coast! Well there seems to places that should have fitters by default and others that should not qualify over cities like ours!. I'll get in trouble over this post, I am sure.

It must have been 6 months ago that I checked with VH and as I said it was my understanding that they were making the decision of where to place them, on what reasoning I don't know.

I am certainly going to check the LHS from Halifax to New Brunswick tomorrow.

Alan

[Hills 712]

2 minutes ago, smu said:

Ottawa too, as well as the Canadian east coast! Well there seems to places that should have fitters by default and others that should not qualify over cities like ours!. I'll get in trouble over this post, I am sure.

It must have been 6 months ago that I checked with VH and as I said it was my understanding that they were making the decision of where to place them, on what reasoning I don't know.

I am certainly going to check the LHS from Halifax to New Brunswick tomorrow.

Alan

Pro Hockey Life should be getting them, so you should be fine finding a fit center then?

[t1tan 19]

Talked to my closest True dealer and the guy didn't know for sure but suspected they'd be doing fittings, so hopefully. As soon as I sell my 1S I'll order a pair from anybody that can scan my feet.

[smu 29]

13 hours ago, Hills said:

Pro Hockey Life should be getting them, so you should be fine finding a fit center then?

Great to hear, I have called nobody yet, too busy, but I will call Pro Hockey. They are the best for skate sharpening and problems that I know of!

Thanks - Alan

I just called and spoke to the only person in the skate department at the time, but he says that the word is that they should be doing the fittings in the not to distant future. That's good enough for me! No need to call anyone else, that;s my favorite shop!

Edited July 7, 2017 by smu
More info came just came to light

[AfftonDad 88]

The rivets on my tendon guards on my VH skates just gave out last night so I ordered a new pair today. I don't have a fit center near me so I told them to make them against the info I sent in the last time. I'm getting them without holders (I'm going to drop ship holders to them). I'm trying to decide if I should go with Edge or LS2. I know about the complaints of Edge being loose, but is the LS2 nearing end of life or anything? If so, I would probably go with Edge even with the complaints of being a little loose if the LS2 is being phased out.