Custom Skate Questions

[jasongos 2]

Hey all,

Since I bought my Trues in 2017, I've not paid any attention to the trends in skates.  My feet never fit properly in retail skates, and it's great to see that Bauer and CCM both offer custom now.

I have 2 questions that I hope you might answer.  

• Why do both Bauer and CCM offer multiple lines of custom skates?   If they are going to build a skate around my foot scan, why does it matter if it's a supreme vs vapor or tacks vs jetspeed?
• How should I know what the appropriate stiffness of my boot should be?  I've often felt that my Trues are too stiff, but I would have no clue how to choose a better stiffness for Bauer/CCM.

Thanks!
Jason 

[Leif 161]

Bauer claim that the Supreme and Vapor custom skates suit different skating styles. The Supreme skate is stiffer, for power and stability, the Vapor is less stiff for agility and speed. If you look at the non custom, there are differences. Vapor has the injected facing, standard tendon guard and asymmetric toe cap, Supreme has standard facing, flex tendon guard and symmetric toe cap. Custom allows either to have the injected facing. I have the 2s Pro, I’ve not tried the Vapor 2x, so I can’t say if there is any real difference for a good but non high level skater. They are incredible skates simply because they are so comfortable, and the injected facing works well. I have no idea if they are too stiff for me. Someone recently asked if my laces were undone, they weren’t, as he said my ankles were flexing so much, so I think that’s a good sign that they allow good ankle motion. 

Note that CCM and True use one piece boots, I have no idea if that makes a noticeable difference. 

By all accounts True are the most thermoformable, Bauer the least, and CCM somewhere in between. It took a few months for my 2s Pros to break in, due to the toe area rubbing, but now they fit like gloves.

[jasongos 2]

Thanks for the reply, @Leif

I'm surprised your customs required months of break in, but it's great to hear they fit well now.  How are they holding up over time?  Any concerns?

[Leif 161]

4 hours ago, jasongos said:

Thanks for the reply, @Leif

I'm surprised your customs required months of break in, but it's great to hear they fit well now.  How are they holding up over time?  Any concerns?

I’ve only had them two and a half years including a year with 6+ months of closed rinks, and I only play rec, 3-4 hours a week, but they’re excellent, they should last many more years. 

[VegasHockey 1280]

On 5/30/2021 at 1:25 AM, Leif said:

Custom allows either to have the injected facing. I have the 2s Pro, I’ve not tried the Vapor 2x, so I can’t say if there is any real difference for a good but non high level skater.

Custom does not allow either skate to have injected laces. Only the Vapor can you select between standard and injected eyelets, Supreme only has the option for standard eyelets. 

[VegasHockey 1280]

 

10 hours ago, Leif said:

I’ve only had them two and a half years including a year with 6+ months of closed rinks, and I only play rec, 3-4 hours a week, but they’re excellent, they should last many more years. 

TRUE customs should not really need a "break-in" period. That being said, there is always a period of time when you are acclimating to a new skate so perhaps it's just you become more adjusted to new skates and the skate itself not "breaking in."

[Leif 161]

1 hour ago, PBH said:

Custom does not allow either skate to have injected laces. Only the Vapor can you select between standard and injected eyelets, Supreme only has the option for standard eyelets. 

Then they have changed as I have custom 2s Pro with injected facings. I like injected facings a lot, but past feedback here generally is against it. 

The Bauer site allows you to select the eyelets, and it only gives standard. So I stand corrected. 

 

[Leif 161]

1 hour ago, PBH said:

 

TRUE customs should not really need a "break-in" period. That being said, there is always a period of time when you are acclimating to a new skate so perhaps it's just you become more adjusted to new skates and the skate itself not "breaking in."

I had pain on the outside of my big toes, and calluses formed. Two additional heat mouldings of my 2s Pro skates helped reduce the pain, and I wore silicone big toe sleeves for a few months. My feet aren’t wide, but the widest part is at the toe end ie flippers. It seems to rub where the toe cap joins the quarter package. 

[VegasHockey 1280]

1 hour ago, Leif said:

The Bauer site allows you to select the eyelets, and it only gives standard. So I stand corrected. 

Correct, starting in 2020 they eliminated that injected eyelets from the Supreme lines of skates. This was toe help further differentiate the Vapor and Supreme line of skates.

My understanding is the 2021 Vapor line will also no longer be available with standard eyelets at the custom level. I am still waiting on confirmation from our Bauer rep. 

[jbatafuco 6]

42 minutes ago, PBH said:

Correct, starting in 2020 they eliminated that injected eyelets from the Supreme lines of skates. This was toe help further differentiate the Vapor and Supreme line of skates.

My understanding is the 2021 Vapor line will also no longer be available with standard eyelets at the custom level. I am still waiting on confirmation from our Bauer rep. 

Not available for pro custom or just the mybauer custom?

[218hockey 50]

6 hours ago, PBH said:

Correct, starting in 2020 they eliminated that injected eyelets from the Supreme lines of skates. This was toe help further differentiate the Vapor and Supreme line of skates.

My understanding is the 2021 Vapor line will also no longer be available with standard eyelets at the custom level. I am still waiting on confirmation from our Bauer rep. 

Injection molded not available on custom UltraSonic? I can't believe that. Not very "custom" then.

[jasongos 2]

I assumed "custom skates" meant a process similar to True where they built the skate around a scan of your feet.  I've heard that Bauer uses the scans to steer customers to 1 of their 3 standard fit profiles.   I also have the impression that the Bauer customization process for "retail customers" is largely cosmetic (embroideries, updated colors, different tongues), but they do handle the scenario where your feet have different lengths.   For pro customers, they offer a bunch of other customizations such as using larger toe caps and creating Frankenstein skates that mix/match characteristics of their skate lines.  It's unclear whether that pro service is available at your local retailer, and I suspect it largely depends on how experienced the skate fitter is.

[VegasHockey 1280]

17 hours ago, jbatafuco said:

Not available for pro custom or just the mybauer custom?

Not available on pro custom or mybauer custom. 

11 hours ago, jasongos said:

I assumed "custom skates" meant a process similar to True where they built the skate around a scan of your feet.  I've heard that Bauer uses the scans to steer customers to 1 of their 3 standard fit profiles.   I also have the impression that the Bauer customization process for "retail customers" is largely cosmetic (embroideries, updated colors, different tongues), but they do handle the scenario where your feet have different lengths.   For pro customers, they offer a bunch of other customizations such as using larger toe caps and creating Frankenstein skates that mix/match characteristics of their skate lines.  It's unclear whether that pro service is available at your local retailer, and I suspect it largely depends on how experienced the skate fitter is.

This is correct.

However, Bauer is scaling back considerably on the number of options they offer. CCM is also doing the same. I think TRUE allows just the right amount of options.

The issue with giving players too many options is many times they select features that actually conflict with the skate design. I have seen far too many players have buyers remorse after going "nuts" with options. These companies spend millions of dollars on research and development. While I understand everyone has different needs a player should not gravitate significantly from the overall boot design. If you are, then you are likely selecting the wrong skate to begin with. 

[jbatafuco 6]

10 hours ago, PBH said:

Not available on pro custom or mybauer custom. 

This is correct.

However, Bauer is scaling back considerably on the number of options they offer. CCM is also doing the same. I think TRUE allows just the right amount of options.

The issue with giving players too many options is many times they select features that actually conflict with the skate design. I have seen far too many players have buyers remorse after going "nuts" with options. These companies spend millions of dollars on research and development. While I understand everyone has different needs a player should not gravitate significantly from the overall boot design. If you are, then you are likely selecting the wrong skate to begin with. 

Hopefully they don’t follow through with that re vapor eyelets... that’s such a bad decision 

[stick9 891]

8 hours ago, jbatafuco said:

Hopefully they don’t follow through with that re vapor eyelets... that’s such a bad decision 

I don't know. With the different fits now. If you want the injected lacing get the vapor, I'd not then get the supreme.

 

[jbatafuco 6]

2 hours ago, stick9 said:

I don't know. With the different fits now. If you want the injected lacing get the vapor, I'd not then get the supreme.

 

The boots are cut differently and also feel different pitch-wise... I get it in the mybauer path but not pro custom 

[Miller55 333]

It's pretty easy to just drill out the teeth of the injected facing and make them regular eyelets. Or not be ghetto and just have the facing replaced. Yes, I agree that if you're going custom you shouldn't have to do any work afterwards, but it is what it is. Personally, in thinking of going for custom as3 pro when my 2s pros are done. They're on their last leg now

[mojo122 535]

On 6/2/2021 at 8:00 AM, stick9 said:

I don't know. With the different fits now. If you want the injected lacing get the vapor, I'd not then get the supreme.

 

Looking at the customizer it appears standard facing/eyelets are available on MyBauer Hyperlite Skates...

Vapor Hyperlite Skate

[flip12 715]

Hyperlight’s jewel next to the eyelets is an alarming rip off of True’s Chrome Tornado. In general, they look like Yeezys.

[boo10 323]

Interesting that Bauer has notched the injected lacing between the top five eyelets.  Clearly an attempt to make it more flexible, but I wonder how much stress (if any) it will add to the eyelets?  Plastic doesn't really like to be repeatedly bent thousands of times.

[mojo122 535]

1 hour ago, flip12 said:

Hyperlight’s jewel next to the eyelets is an alarming rip off of True’s Chrome Tornado. In general, they look like Yeezys.

With Bauer's and CCM's semi-custom skates hitting $1200 (US) True customs appear to be a bargain!

[mojo122 535]

45 minutes ago, boo10 said:

Interesting that Bauer has notched the injected lacing between the top five eyelets.  Clearly an attempt to make it more flexible, but I wonder how much stress (if any) it will add to the eyelets?  Plastic doesn't really like to be repeatedly bent thousands of times.

Having seen the skate I worry more about whether or not the insert in the tongue will hold up.

[VegasHockey 1280]

5 hours ago, mojo122 said:

Looking at the customizer it appears standard facing/eyelets are available on MyBauer Hyperlite Skates...

Vapor Hyperlite Skate

Yes, on the Vapor only. Not the Supreme. 

[VegasHockey 1280]

47 minutes ago, mojo122 said:

Having seen the skate I worry more about whether or not the insert in the tongue will hold up.

I also have the same concern. I like the tongue but I think longevity is not going to be good. Plus, unlike CCM and TRUE I cannot just swap it out easily. 

[stick9 891]

Pretty good video of the skate if you care to look.

Thats one fine looking set of wheels. Oh, count me in on the LS Carbon.