Top of foot pain - Bauer Supreme vs CCM Tacks

[JimmyTheDriver 36]

Hey fellas,  need some skate help.  I plan to make a trip to try things on, but its a few hours away, so I need some preliminary advice.

I currently skate in Bauer Supreme S190s, and they kill the top of my foot.  Right around where the 4-5th eyelets are - bones across the top of my foot.  I have a feeling mine are a bit larger than other peoples.  See included image.

My solution has been to tie the skates loose through there, which helps, but then I lose some of the rigidity of the boot.  Almost feels like the boot is bowing outward through the middle. but no visible creases or anything.  If I tie the skates tighter through the middle eyelets, the support comes back, but so does the foot pain.

While I don't otherwise have a high volume foot- do I need a higher volume boot?  If yes - could that be the CCM Tacks?  The Tacks 9090s are in my price range, and seem like they might fit the bill.  I've done the volume calculations found on some hockey websites, and my score falls in the average category... but I've gotta stop this top of the foot pain.

Thanks!
Jim

[Vet88 674]

2 options: 1: Reebok lace locks. Downside is they are getting harder to find and can break with a puck impact. Fit them before and after the area you want to tie loosely. 2: Eyelet extenders, make your own, it's not hard. Middle of the boot and moving into the curved area I would use single extenders although a 2 eyelets version might work ok.

With either of these options you buy the boot that fits you well everywhere else and then fix the volume issue. 

[JimmyTheDriver 36]

5 minutes ago, Vet88 said:

2 options: 1: Reebok lace locks. Downside is they are getting harder to find and can break with a puck impact. Fit them before and after the area you want to tie loosely. 2: Eyelet extenders, make your own, it's not hard. Middle of the boot and moving into the curved area I would use single extenders although a 2 eyelets version might work ok.

With either of these options you buy the boot that fits you well everywhere else and then fix the volume issue. 

Any thoughts on it just being a depth issue?  I used the word volume, but maybe in my case "depth" is a better word.

Thanks for the feedback!

[boo10 323]

4 hours ago, JimmyTheDriver said:

Hey fellas,  need some skate help.  I plan to make a trip to try things on, but its a few hours away, so I need some preliminary advice.

I currently skate in Bauer Supreme S190s, and they kill the top of my foot.  Right around where the 4-5th eyelets are - bones across the top of my foot.  I have a feeling mine are a bit larger than other peoples.  See included image.

My solution has been to tie the skates loose through there, which helps, but then I lose some of the rigidity of the boot.  Almost feels like the boot is bowing outward through the middle. but no visible creases or anything.  If I tie the skates tighter through the middle eyelets, the support comes back, but so does the foot pain.

While I don't otherwise have a high volume foot- do I need a higher volume boot?  If yes - could that be the CCM Tacks?  The Tacks 9090s are in my price range, and seem like they might fit the bill.  I've done the volume calculations found on some hockey websites, and my score falls in the average category... but I've gotta stop this top of the foot pain.

Thanks!
Jim

You have the exact same issue that I have, low volume forefoot with an unusually high instep.  I experience the same pain in any stiff boot, (except for the Tacks line).  I did skate in the 9090 for a little while, but had a small heel lock issue on my smaller foot.

If you want to go retail, I think your only options are Tacks or @Vet88 suggestion of eyelet extenders.  Other than that, I think you're looking at customs. 

I've been trying to find a proper fitting skate for years, so I feel your pain.

[Vet88 674]

5 hours ago, JimmyTheDriver said:

Any thoughts on it just being a depth issue?  I used the word volume, but maybe in my case "depth" is a better word.

Thanks for the feedback!

Have you tried the pencil test? Whilst not the be end of all as a test, it's a reasonable good guide that if you fail it then depth problems (such as lace bite or your lump) can happen.

[JimmyTheDriver 36]

11 hours ago, Vet88 said:

Have you tried the pencil test? Whilst not the be end of all as a test, it's a reasonable good guide that if you fail it then depth problems (such as lace bite or your lump) can happen.

Pencil test, over the region of the foot where I am getting the pain, is just barely a pass.  The pencil grazes over that bone in the picture.  Thanks for the advice - I'll check out some other skates to see what the depth is like, and look into the lace extenders.

[JimmyTheDriver 36]

13 hours ago, boo10 said:

You have the exact same issue that I have, low volume forefoot with an unusually high instep.  I experience the same pain in any stiff boot, (except for the Tacks line).  I did skate in the 9090 for a little while, but had a small heel lock issue on my smaller foot.

If you want to go retail, I think your only options are Tacks or @Vet88 suggestion of eyelet extenders.  Other than that, I think you're looking at customs. 

I've been trying to find a proper fitting skate for years, so I feel your pain.

Interesting!  My thought on the Tacks was purely from looking at photos online.  Even though listed as a "medium volume" skate, the sides just seem to be taller than others.  So you didn't experience the pain in the Tacks?... just a different issue of no heel lock?

 

What are you currently in?

[boo10 323]

3 hours ago, JimmyTheDriver said:

Interesting!  My thought on the Tacks was purely from looking at photos online.  Even though listed as a "medium volume" skate, the sides just seem to be taller than others.  So you didn't experience the pain in the Tacks?... just a different issue of no heel lock?

 

What are you currently in?

The 9090 Tacks are the only modern skate I've skated in that did not hurt the top of my foot.  I did have a very minor heel lock issue in the left skate, but it was not really much of a problem.  I only got rid of them because I wanted to try True customs, (which didn't work out for me because they made them a full size too small).  I may still give True another shot, but if not, I will probably end up in Tacks.  Tacks are definitely the deepest boot out there, other than Nexus which are stupid dimensions.  I feel like you basically have to be a sasquatch to fit in Nexus.

Currently in a pair of 20k, but they're not a great fit.  I can manage the depth issue because it's a softer boot and it has lace locks.  I'm only wearing them because a buddy gave them to me when my Vapors broke, (had to wear those 1/2 size up to deal with the depth issue).

[JimmyTheDriver 36]

3 hours ago, boo10 said:

The 9090 Tacks are the only modern skate I've skated in that did not hurt the top of my foot.  I did have a very minor heel lock issue in the left skate, but it was not really much of a problem.  I only got rid of them because I wanted to try True customs, (which didn't work out for me because they made them a full size too small).  I may still give True another shot, but if not, I will probably end up in Tacks.  Tacks are definitely the deepest boot out there, other than Nexus which are stupid dimensions.  I feel like you basically have to be a sasquatch to fit in Nexus.

Currently in a pair of 20k, but they're not a great fit.  I can manage the depth issue because it's a softer boot and it has lace locks.  I'm only wearing them because a buddy gave them to me when my Vapors broke, (had to wear those 1/2 size up to deal with the depth issue).

Thats great info, thanks!  I am headed to a Pure Hockey a couple of hours away this weekend to see 1) how my foot measures on a 3d fitting machine and 2) check out the Tacks 9090s.

-Jim

[Vet88 674]

4 hours ago, JimmyTheDriver said:

how my foot measures on a 3d fitting machine

fwiw, before they scan you ask them to measure your feet either by hand or in a Brannock. With manual width and length measurements known then do the scan, compare the scan results against the manual results so you can validate the scan results.

[JimmyTheDriver 36]

On 12/4/2019 at 9:47 PM, Vet88 said:

fwiw, before they scan you ask them to measure your feet either by hand or in a Brannock. With manual width and length measurements known then do the scan, compare the scan results against the manual results so you can validate the scan results.

Made the trek to Pure Hockey a few hours away and went through the process for almost 4 hours.  I tried on all Bauer and CCM models, different quality tiers, and all the sizes around where I would fit. Few interesting things...

- They pointed out the hard plastic "lace bite protection" strip on the Bauer Supreme tongue wasn't doing me any favors, and likely causing a lot of the issue.  I also had a ton of dead space in that boot so I opted to just ditch the skate all together.  The new Supreme was slightly shallower, and also had the hard plastic plate in the tongue.

-They used a Bauer 3D scanner which had me in three different skates, depending on what measurement we were looking at.  My most offensive measurement was the instep height, which immediately ruined all the Bauer skates except the Nexus.  Problem with the Nexus was it was massive everywhere else for me.  My high instep doesn't match my otherwise pretty slender foot.

- Vapor fit pretty well everywhere else, but my high instep had me bursting way out of the top.

- CCM Tacks and Jetspeed almost fit perfect - except the inner wall above arch support.  I have an "accessory navicular", aka second inner ankle bone above my arch, and as it collapsed when I stood, it rubbed the inner wall of both Tacks and Jetspeed.  Might have been able to punch it out, but light baking did not provide relief.  Easton Makos gave me the same issues and I was never able to completely resolve it even with punching.

- The 3D scanner, and the store manager recommended custom, but I wasn't prepared to spend that kind of money am holding off to try the skate I got, which has the 90 return policy.

- Ended up in a skate I'd never considered - CCM Ribcore 80k.  Years ago when I tried a Ribcore, it was heavy and felt more like a Nexus, but its been completely revamped the past couple years pretty damn general fit now.  CCM pitches it as average everywhere but a medium-high instep, which is perfect for me.  Its tight along my forefoot, appears to lock the heel well, and didn't bother that extra bone in my ankle.  I was a bit reluctant since I have it stuck in my head that I need the stiffest skate in the world, which the Ribcore is designed to NOT be, but I'll give it a try.

CCM Ribcore 80ks... who would have thunk it.  After trying them on, reviewing features, and reading up on them, they are kind of an underdog in skates these days, and I be a lot of guys would benefit from the flex profile, as well as the fit.  Time will tell - have a game tonight.

-Jim

[boo10 323]

3 hours ago, JimmyTheDriver said:

Made the trek to Pure Hockey a few hours away and went through the process for almost 4 hours.  I tried on all Bauer and CCM models, different quality tiers, and all the sizes around where I would fit. Few interesting things...

- They pointed out the hard plastic "lace bite protection" strip on the Bauer Supreme tongue wasn't doing me any favors, and likely causing a lot of the issue.  I also had a ton of dead space in that boot so I opted to just ditch the skate all together.  The new Supreme was slightly shallower, and also had the hard plastic plate in the tongue.

-They used a Bauer 3D scanner which had me in three different skates, depending on what measurement we were looking at.  My most offensive measurement was the instep height, which immediately ruined all the Bauer skates except the Nexus.  Problem with the Nexus was it was massive everywhere else for me.  My high instep doesn't match my otherwise pretty slender foot.

- Vapor fit pretty well everywhere else, but my high instep had me bursting way out of the top.

- CCM Tacks and Jetspeed almost fit perfect - except the inner wall above arch support.  I have an "accessory navicular", aka second inner ankle bone above my arch, and as it collapsed when I stood, it rubbed the inner wall of both Tacks and Jetspeed.  Might have been able to punch it out, but light baking did not provide relief.  Easton Makos gave me the same issues and I was never able to completely resolve it even with punching.

- The 3D scanner, and the store manager recommended custom, but I wasn't prepared to spend that kind of money am holding off to try the skate I got, which has the 90 return policy.

- Ended up in a skate I'd never considered - CCM Ribcore 80k.  Years ago when I tried a Ribcore, it was heavy and felt more like a Nexus, but its been completely revamped the past couple years pretty damn general fit now.  CCM pitches it as average everywhere but a medium-high instep, which is perfect for me.  Its tight along my forefoot, appears to lock the heel well, and didn't bother that extra bone in my ankle.  I was a bit reluctant since I have it stuck in my head that I need the stiffest skate in the world, which the Ribcore is designed to NOT be, but I'll give it a try.

CCM Ribcore 80ks... who would have thunk it.  After trying them on, reviewing features, and reading up on them, they are kind of an underdog in skates these days, and I be a lot of guys would benefit from the flex profile, as well as the fit.  Time will tell - have a game tonight.

-Jim

I tried the 70K and really liked it, but it pinched my foot right on the edge of the toe cap.  EE was just too wide in the heel.  While it is a bit shallow for my foot, I didn't find that to be a problem because the skate is a bit more pliable than the others.  Glad you found something that looks like it will work for you.