VH Footwear/TRUE by Scott Van Horne

[mickz 107]

36 minutes ago, AfftonDad said:

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.

With all the aftermarket options still available for the LS2 I wouldn't be too worried.  Step is still making steel for the Custom+.

[start_today 770]

4 hours ago, AfftonDad said:

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.

Can you talk a little about how long you had your original skates, and how many hours you put on them before they broke?

Im REALLY intrigued by these skates, but  a failed rivet in a tendon guard leading to new skates is eyebrow raising. This thread seems full of people mentioning construction and quality issues, but people kind of bend over backwards to excuse them. 

I cant tell if the skates are THAT GOOD, or if there's cognitive/emotional bias where people want to like the expensive skates they bought, so they overlook the flaws. 

[adams2001 54]

2 hours ago, start_today said:

Can you talk a little about how long you had your original skates, and how many hours you put on them before they broke?

Im REALLY intrigued by these skates, but  a failed rivet in a tendon guard leading to new skates is eyebrow raising. This thread seems full of people mentioning construction and quality issues, but people kind of bend over backwards to excuse them. 

I cant tell if the skates are THAT GOOD, or if there's cognitive/emotional bias where people want to like the expensive skates they bought, so they overlook the flaws. 

I can't speak for afftondad but I can definitely get where you are coming from before dropping serious money on these skates. I myself read this threas when it was up to 30 something pages or so before I pulled the trigger on mine. 

I don't know what model afftondad has but my tendon guards both had the rivets pop. I bought some screws with posts to secure the tendon guards where the rivets were. I haven't had a problem since. That issue came up about a year into owning the skates and I did the replacement on both skates about 4 months ago. 

I feel the durability is about middle of the pack for a top end skate but the fit is so unrivaled that it makes those issues minor. 

I skate about 4 times a week if you want a gauge on use. 

Other than the tendon guard and some scuffs from pucks hitting my holders they are still going like tanks. I do take care of them though, after every skate I remove the footbeds and hang them upside down on my drying rack. 

I think that if you are going for fit and performance from having a proper fitting skate that these skates are your best option if you are wanting to spend top end skate money. 

Hope this helps. 

[AfftonDad 88]

On 7/7/2017 at 6:28 PM, start_today said:

Can you talk a little about how long you had your original skates, and how many hours you put on them before they broke?

Im REALLY intrigued by these skates, but  a failed rivet in a tendon guard leading to new skates is eyebrow raising. This thread seems full of people mentioning construction and quality issues, but people kind of bend over backwards to excuse them. 

I cant tell if the skates are THAT GOOD, or if there's cognitive/emotional bias where people want to like the expensive skates they bought, so they overlook the flaws. 

They are right at 3 years of playing 2-3 times a week for 1.5 hours each and for two of those years coaching squirt/bantam twice a week (I don't think the coaching took much out of them). I had the "flexible" tendon guards if that makes any difference. I know that I could probably take them someplace and have them make a hole in the back of the tendon guards and put new rivets in, and I may do that so that I can have them as a backup pair. They still feel as great and the same stiffness as when I got them. I NEVER kicked them off by the tendon guard and I USUALLY put them on a dryer with forced air, but I would get lazy probably 1 out of every 6 times or so, so I probably didn't help the tendon guard rivet any by doing that. They were from when they had exposed carbon fiber on the toe and still had the VH logo on them. They have gotten REALLY ugly with the CF getting scraped up and marred up and the "leather" looking pieces getting rubbed off in spots and some stitches popped etc., but I still consider them as solid as they day I bought them (except for the tendon guard thing). On the other hand, I was playing with a guy from the St. Louis Jr. Blues (an NA3HL Juniors team) the other night who wore them and I asked him if that was his first pair and he said that it was his third. I asked him how frequently he gets a pair and he said he gets a new pair each season (maybe he has rich parents or something). It is probably true that I was just looking for an excuse to get a new pair. And in fact, I can and will still wear these for the 3-4 weeks it takes to get my new ones. Even though I can fold the tendon guards way back with my feet out of the skates, because of the material on the back that is still sort of holding them in place, there is enough tendon guard below the rivet that my ankle still holds them upright when my foot is in. For what it's worth, one of the new Van Horne/True videos shows that the repair of that rivet is a little easier on the new True model. There is a cap that you can get off to access the rivet for replacement. I was buying top of the line skates anyway (guess the old more dollars than sense thing considering I'm an old beer leaguer) so it's not THAT much more money. I went from CCM Vector Pros to CCM Crazy Lights to Makos to VH. The difference between the Makos and the Crazy Lights was so profound that I decided then and there that I never wanted to go back to a "ski boot" type skate. My feet were getting KILLED by blocked shots in the Makos though so I switched to VH when the CF on the underside of the toe of my Makos started separating. I don't think I could go back to Bauer or CCM until they start offering models that don't do the ski boot thing.

[AfftonDad 88]

On 7/7/2017 at 9:09 PM, adams2001 said:

I can't speak for afftondad but I can definitely get where you are coming from before dropping serious money on these skates. I myself read this threas when it was up to 30 something pages or so before I pulled the trigger on mine. 

I don't know what model afftondad has but my tendon guards both had the rivets pop. I bought some screws with posts to secure the tendon guards where the rivets were. I haven't had a problem since. That issue came up about a year into owning the skates and I did the replacement on both skates about 4 months ago. 

I feel the durability is about middle of the pack for a top end skate but the fit is so unrivaled that it makes those issues minor. 

I skate about 4 times a week if you want a gauge on use. 

Other than the tendon guard and some scuffs from pucks hitting my holders they are still going like tanks. I do take care of them though, after every skate I remove the footbeds and hang them upside down on my drying rack. 

I think that if you are going for fit and performance from having a proper fitting skate that these skates are your best option if you are wanting to spend top end skate money. 

Hope this helps. 

I hadn't thought about that. I already have some T-nuts with the little teeth sticking out. Is that what you are talking about? You put the nut on the inside, right? Did you need a washer on the outside?

[asgoodasdead 74]

shouldn't be too hard or expensive to replace the broken rivet

[adams2001 54]

I put the screw on the outside and the post on the inside. 

Also, if you are looking for brand new tendon guards I bought these as a back up:

https://www.hockeyvancouver.ca/products/nash-heel-tendon-repair-kit

Just in case the day comes that I may need them  

 

8 hours ago, AfftonDad said:

I hadn't thought about that. I already have some T-nuts with the little teeth sticking out. Is that what you are talking about? You put the nut on the inside, right? Did you need a washer on the outside?

 

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

On 7/6/2017 at 9:51 AM, 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

Foxings are usually decorative and accomplishes two things - protect the edge of the boot and also clean up the look.

[IPv6Freely 2093]

Goalie skates!!

I can’t decide which style I want. 

[Hills 712]

The 2 piece... Because it has replaceable parts.

[althoma1 575]

Yes, the one piece looks nicer and would likely be a bit lighter, however; from a practical standpoint being able to easily replace a holder or blade is more practical long term. So if you have money to burn and don't mind just buying new skates if a non-replaceable part like the holder breaks or cracks outside of the warranty period then go with the one piece, but otherwise the two piece makes more sense. 

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

I'm sure the one-piece is probably heavier.

[althoma1 575]

That's a good point JR. The plastic holder would be hollow and the carbon holder may have to be built with thicker walls to withstand impact.

So if that's the case, the only potential advantages of the one piece option is it may feel more responsive (no rivets ect) and it looks cool (subjective). Everything else points to the two piece option being the better choice. 

 

[IPv6Freely 2093]

Very true, guys. Thanks. Now I just need to find an excuse to get new skates! 

[chocks86 82]

Can any one tell me where the closest True fit center is to the Dallas / Fort Worth area? I'm seriously considering ordering the skates and I would really like to have them for use before a Police / Fire Tournament in Vegas in October. I figure that once they are ordered in would take anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks to get to me, which means I would need to get scanned and have them ordered with in the next month to month and a half. 

[Dman692420 10]

4 hours ago, IPv6Freely said:

Very true, guys. Thanks. Now I just need to find an excuse to get new skates! 

Because it's Monday! It usually works for me.

Edited July 10, 2017 by Dman692420

[Zac911 317]

On 7/9/2017 at 9:06 AM, JR Boucicaut said:

Foxings are usually decorative and accomplishes two things - protect the edge of the boot and also clean up the look.

Yes.  This.  I just got my samples in for the fit centers and finally got to give them a good look over.  

[A2rhino 62]

And that was my assumption; More protection than anything.

Thanks guys

[A2rhino 62]

And that was my assumption; More protection than anything.

Thanks guys

[tpedersen3118 58]

I wonder what True /VH is charging for the scanning tool (iPad) with software? I heard what Bauer was charging for their new fit tool and just about fell over.

[syinx 139]

33 minutes ago, tpedersen3118 said:

I wonder what True /VH is charging for the scanning tool (iPad) with software? I heard what Bauer was charging for their new fit tool and just about fell over.

iPads are relatively cheap.  I think the camera itself runs for ~300-400 USD with the 3DSizeMe software being included and/or free on the App store.  Scans are sent as a pre-packaged file to via e-mail to an e-mail address (in this case True/VH's skate sale order department).

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

1 hour ago, tpedersen3118 said:

I wonder what True /VH is charging for the scanning tool (iPad) with software? I heard what Bauer was charging for their new fit tool and just about fell over.

Retailers aren't paying that full amount; and to be honest, is more powerful than anything else out there.

[t1tan 19]

For those curious, True lists which retailers will be custom skate fit centers in their store finder.

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

4 hours ago, JR Boucicaut said:

Retailers aren't paying that full amount; and to be honest, is more powerful than anything else out there.

Which one are you referring to?

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Bauer's.  What it accomplishes in a retail setting is pretty crazy, and has the capability to do more with the results.

Sorry, I should've isolated that quote.