How to repair or seal a cracked Bauer Vapor Boot?

[Vet88 674]

Based on where the crack is, the boot may flex there as he skates. As it is cracked right thru one of the concerns I would have is carbon fibre splinters coming thru the inner lining. The above poster has covered boot fit in general, another step I ask people to take is to pull the laces out and the tongue right out when trying the boot on (not just loosening them but pull them right out). After you have checked it for volume (pencil across the 3 and 4th eyelets) and length (can you fit a pencil down the back of the heel when his toes are brushing the toe cap and he is bent forward in the skate) get him to lift his foot up and wiggle the boot around in mid air. If the fit and heel lock are good enough the boot will remain on his foot without him having to clench his toes to hold it on ie his foot is relaxed. But he is 11 so you may not want a skate size that he will grow out of in 2 months time, it's then up to you how big a sizing you want to go up in, I'd recommend no more than 1 size if you are basing it from a really good fitting boot. Once you find a boot that fits well, I'd also be hunting ebay etc for near new boots the next size up that will fit him when he grows out of these. Now you have continuity in skate feel without the dreaded stress of what will work next time for him.

[Stush 2]

18 hours ago, Vet88 said:

Based on where the crack is, the boot may flex there as he skates. As it is cracked right thru one of the concerns I would have is carbon fibre splinters coming thru the inner lining. The above poster has covered boot fit in general, another step I ask people to take is to pull the laces out and the tongue right out when trying the boot on (not just loosening them but pull them right out). After you have checked it for volume (pencil across the 3 and 4th eyelets) and length (can you fit a pencil down the back of the heel when his toes are brushing the toe cap and he is bent forward in the skate) get him to lift his foot up and wiggle the boot around in mid air. If the fit and heel lock are good enough the boot will remain on his foot without him having to clench his toes to hold it on ie his foot is relaxed. But he is 11 so you may not want a skate size that he will grow out of in 2 months time, it's then up to you how big a sizing you want to go up in, I'd recommend no more than 1 size if you are basing it from a really good fitting boot. Once you find a boot that fits well, I'd also be hunting ebay etc for near new boots the next size up that will fit him when he grows out of these. Now you have continuity in skate feel without the dreaded stress of what will work next time for him.

Thanks chikinpotpie and Vet88! I'll keep your advice in mind for sure when we go to get him new skates. I didn't even think of the carbon fiber splinters possibly coming through the inner lining. Good call there.

Maybe I missed it but how do you think the fit was wrong though in his current skates? Just not the right boot? Maybe he can't wear Vapors? Or Vapor X700? He wore his skate socks when we went and did walk in the skates, etc and had them baked at the store. He still really likes them. No comfort issues or skating issues. I didn't get a chance, since he had practice last night, to check his skates - do the pencil test, etc. I'm going to try today.

Edited January 11, 2019 by Stush

[Stush 2]

I forgot to mention this and it maybe a game changer. He doesn’t tie them all the way up. He doesn’t tie them thru the top eyelets. 

[Vet88 674]

Not doing the top eyelets up shouldn't make any difference. I don't do any eyelets up for training and only lace the 1st and 3rd at the bottom for playing. A heap of players I play with and coach skip 1, 2 or 3 eyelets at the top and none of them have ever cracked the boot. There are lots of NHL players who don't lace the the top eyelet. You don't say how they fit him so I don't think anyone can comment on that. But lets assume the store got it right and he fits a the vapour boot with good heel lock and the length is no more than a size out, this counters the theory of a bad fit causing the crack which means its either a manufacturing defect or something hitting the boot hard at that point. Proving or disproving either is going to be extremely difficult but what you may want to do is look at the fibers around the crack. If they open outwards its likely a manufacturing defect but if they fold inwards it is more likely a strike by something.

[boo10 323]

Honestly, after having another look at the photos, that really looks like damage from a skate blade.  The cut is very jagged, which is not what you would normally see with creasing.  Does your son recall getting his feet tangled up with someone else?  How does he pack the skates in his bag?  I know of at least one person that didn't pay attention to how they packed their bag and damaged their skates just by heavily dropping their bag on the ground.  The impact caused the blade of one skate to put a very deep gouge in the boot of the other.  Freak accident, but it can happen.

[Vet88 674]

Unless the photos are deceiving, especially the top one, it looks like the boot has an indent in it both sides of the crack. I would say this is indicative of something hitting it there, causing the crack and then the crack spreading outside the indent as additional stress is placed on it. Puck, blade, stick, whatever and whenever, in the heat of a game he may not even realise it has happened and it may not have even been that hard, just the unfortunate circumstances of edge, velocity and angle or even unlucky multiple hits in the same spot until one caused the visible damage. I threw a light bag onto my stick in the car the other day, snapped the stick. Cracks in carbon fibre happen. However if the boots do fit him well and he likes them, hunt ebay etc for similar in the Vapour range, you will be surprised what you can find if you take your time.

[Stush 2]

Thanks everyone. It is what it is. I see Bauer's side and stuff does happen in games. Just didn't think that 11 year olds even at the AA hockey level would be able to do that kind of damage in a game - again, that's me not having enough experience to know. A skate blade I can see damaging a skate for sure no matter the age, size, weight, etc. It just didn't seem like a clean enough cut to be a blade in my noobie opinion. Maybe, someone stepped on his skate in the locker room and he didn't realize it or it is game play or a freak accident. I do know he treats his skates very, very well, and his bag has separate skate pockets/sections for each skate. He's played in five games and has practiced in them quite a bit since it happened and no complaints so far. We are going to try and repair them with Shoe Goo - thanks for the suggestion Vet88 - and start setting some money aside for new skates and keep a look-out on ebay, etc.

A huge thank you to each of you who posted in and read this thread!!! 

[Stush 2]

On 1/11/2019 at 11:48 PM, Vet88 said:

Not doing the top eyelets up shouldn't make any difference. I don't do any eyelets up for training and only lace the 1st and 3rd at the bottom for playing. A heap of players I play with and coach skip 1, 2 or 3 eyelets at the top and none of them have ever cracked the boot. There are lots of NHL players who don't lace the the top eyelet. You don't say how they fit him so I don't think anyone can comment on that. But lets assume the store got it right and he fits a the vapour boot with good heel lock and the length is no more than a size out, this counters the theory of a bad fit causing the crack which means its either a manufacturing defect or something hitting the boot hard at that point. Proving or disproving either is going to be extremely difficult but what you may want to do is look at the fibers around the crack. If they open outwards its likely a manufacturing defect but if they fold inwards it is more likely a strike by something.

BTW the fit seems to be pretty good, basically right on target, after using the pencil method.

[Monty22 832]

On 1/16/2019 at 11:48 AM, Stush said:

. We are going to try and repair them with Shoe Goo - thanks for the suggestion Vet88 - and start setting some money aside for new skates and keep a look-out on ebay, etc.

A huge thank you to each of you who posted in and read this thread!!! 

I would use some two part epoxy instead of Shoe Goo. I repaired a similar type of damage to a friend's CCM U+. It'll have more rigidity and stability than Shoe Goo. 

Edited January 18, 2019 by Monty22

[Stush 2]

On 1/16/2019 at 1:48 PM, Monty22 said:

I would use some two part epoxy instead of Shoe Goo. I repaired a similar type of damage to a friend's CCM U+. It'll have more rigidity and stability than Shoe Goo. 

Will the epoxy crack?

[Monty22 832]

7 hours ago, Stush said:

Will the epoxy crack?

It has some flex to it. I edited my last post to add picks. The type of damage was similar, only deeper on the CCM's. I packed the opening with foam and then epoxy. It held up great until he picked up some Trues. 

[Stush 2]

On 1/18/2019 at 6:39 PM, Monty22 said:

It has some flex to it. I edited my last post to add picks. The type of damage was similar, only deeper on the CCM's. I packed the opening with foam and then epoxy. It held up great until he picked up some Trues. 

Thanks!