Bauer Vapor vs CCM JetSpeed skate fitment

[beedee 227]

So I’ve been skating on Bauer Vapor x500’s for the last few years. They are starting to get a bit worn out, cut up, etc. I got these before Bauer introduced their foot scanner. Fast forward to a few months back and I had my foot scanned at Pure Hockey. Ironically it recommended a 7EE Vapor (which is the size and width I have) or Fit 2. 

On  Tuesday I was in PH again with my family, wife wanted to get her foot scanned and possibly new skates. This is when I saw the CCM JetSpeed FT485, I wanted to try it on even though I thought I was dead-set on a newer pair of Vapors. After putting on a 7.5 “Regular” FT485 I immediately noticed my foot sat deeper into the boot compared to the Vapor. I did the pencil test, and this reinforced that it was deeper, and it cleared my foot all the way up and down the boot. When doing the test on the Vapor it rubbed the top of my foot around the 4th or 5th eyelet area. This explains why I always had trouble getting my Vapors  laced up just right without  too much pressure in that area. I’ve learned to cope, but once in awhile I’ll get them too tight and my foot will tingle. :/ Not sure why I never did the pencil test back when I bought my Vapors?!?

Anyhow, I purchased the FT485’s, (7.5 Regular) and a pair of SuperFeet (I have a low arch and it was a definite hot-spot, the SF alleviated the hot-spot). Had them baked and was on my way. Went to a public skate yesterday and couldn’t get over how bad my pinky toes were hurting. I skates for about 1.5 hours on them. I’m thinking I need to get a 7.5 “Wide”. Unfortunately Pure Hockey didn’t have them in stock at the shop or online. I’ll have to order online from Ice Warehouse or Hockey Monkey.

I have two questions after that novel I just wrote.

1- Will the FT485 “Wide” provide more room in the pinky toe area than the “Regular”? Is it like an EE?

2- Does the JetSpeed FT485 actually sit lower than the Vapor?
 

Thanks!

 

[caveman27 208]

A wider width/same skate size should provide more room for your pinky toe. 

[stick9 891]

1 hour ago, caveman27 said:

A wider width/same skate size should provide more room for your pinky toe. 

And more room everywhere else too. That means a wider heel and mid foot. What happens in six months when those Wides break in and you got zero heel lock.

You need to spend more time in them to know for sure.

One thing to note. I know that area has a prominent bump out where the padding ends and the toe cap begins. Maybe flattening out that bump will help.

[beedee 227]

Thanks guys. I called up PH and they said they couldn’t punch that area since it’s too close to the toe cap. I’m not sure that if I kept wearing them if that area would eventually expand a tad? I did pull the tongues off the 485’s to see how they felt, and the pinky area was still bothersome. 
 

Stick9 brought up a great point and concern of mine. In the short term the “wide” might feel better, but as time goes on my feet might be swimming in them for lack of better words. Especially the heel-lock. I always leave the top eyelet unlaced. 
 

Maybe I go with the Vapor and not sweat the “pencil test” results quite so much? 

[caveman27 208]

2 hours ago, stick9 said:

And more room everywhere else too. That means a wider heel and mid foot. What happens in six months when those Wides break in and you got zero heel lock.

You need to spend more time in them to know for sure.

One thing to note. I know that area has a prominent bump out where the padding ends and the toe cap begins. Maybe flattening out that bump will help.

This is true.

If you have Fred Flintstone feet like me, the width between the big toe and the pinky toe is wider than a regular width foot, and your whole foot will be proportionately wider and thicker. I have CCM Jetspeed in EE width and the left skate is perfect but the right foot took awhile to adjust, I think it is a bit wider. I first bought a D width and both feet felt like they were clamped, and that's without the laces tied. So yes, there will be extra space in the heels and over the top of the forefoot with EE width skates.

 

 

[beedee 227]

1 hour ago, caveman27 said:

This is true.

If you have Fred Flintstone feet like me, the width between the big toe and the pinky toe is wider than a regular width foot, and your whole foot will be proportionately wider and thicker. I have CCM Jetspeed in EE width and the left skate is perfect but the right foot took awhile to adjust, I think it is a bit wider. I first bought a D width and both feet felt like they were clamped, and that's without the laces tied. So yes, there will be extra space in the heels and over the top of the forefoot with EE width skates.

 

 

Thanks for your input. I’m not quite Fred Flinstone status, more on the cusp of D and EE. But I can relate to the clamped type of feeling you described when putting my foot into the “D” 485. I liked how my foot sat deeper, but the hot spot in the arch and slightly on the outside of my foot below my pinky toe bothered me. After baking that spot seemed to not bug so much, and the SuoerFeet took care of the arch. 
 

I just actually ordered the Vapor x2.9 in a 7, FIT 2, that is being cleared out my PH, free returns so I figured I might as well give it a test fit. The Vapor I tried on in PH was a 3x, so not quite an apples to apples situation in regards to the x2.9. It’s just too bad that they didn’t have the 485 in an EE so I could know for sure if it would work or not. Always a bit of a hassle to order, wait for it to be delivered and then have to send back if needed. 

[clarkiestooth 235]

I would re-bake the Jetspeeds and give them a few more skates. One ice session probably isn't enough time to have the heel padding compress and for your heel to pack in. This may fix your problem if the heel settles back a bit. It may not be that your foot is too wide for them, your foot might be a bit too far "forward".

[Vet88 674]

4 hours ago, beedee said:

Thanks guys. I called up PH and they said they couldn’t punch that area since it’s too close to the toe cap. I’m not sure that if I kept wearing them if that area would eventually expand a tad? I did pull the tongues off the 485’s to see how they felt, and the pinky area was still bothersome. 

I just don't get this. This area can be punched but it takes time and care and I suspect this is the real reason why they don't want to do it. In a later post you say the sore area is just behind the pinky toe, this area isn't hard to punch especially as you only need to move the side of the boot by a mm or 2 to give you the relief you are after. Maybe call round other shops in your area and see if they will do it? Or try a rebake but this time you put a 4mm - 5mm thick pad on your foot where the sore area is so it helps to push the boot out in that area. Or try to punch it yourself at home, for the cost of a c clamp and some other basic materials you can do it yourself and take the time and care needed to do it.

[beedee 227]

22 minutes ago, Vet88 said:

I just don't get this. This area can be punched but it takes time and care and I suspect this is the real reason why they don't want to do it. In a later post you say the sore area is just behind the pinky toe, this area isn't hard to punch especially as you only need to move the side of the boot by a mm or 2 to give you the relief you are after. Maybe call round other shops in your area and see if they will do it? Or try a rebake but this time you put a 4mm - 5mm thick pad on your foot where the sore area is so it helps to push the boot out in that area. Or try to punch it yourself at home, for the cost of a c clamp and some other basic materials you can do it yourself and take the time and care needed to do it.

I like the idea of a rebake with a little pad on the outside of my foot. I wish I didn’t return them. But I can go back tomorrow and get them again. 

[beedee 227]

I just noticed this chart on the Pure Hockey site a bit further down on the product page. I know it’s not set in stone, but it is a starting point. According to Bauer the Vapor EE/Fit 2 (which is what I’ve been in the last few years) is comparable to an JetSpeed EE. 
https://imgur.com/a/D96drZb

[beedee 227]

So I went back to PH today to try on the 7,5 Regular again. I even brought some thick double-sided tape to affix to my sock prior to baking to try to get some extra room after baking. After further analysis, the problematic area is where the toecap meets the boot. There is a bump where the outside contour of the boot meets it. It’s a smooth line along the outside of of the inside of the boot. But where the toecap connects, it protrudes inwards into my pinky toes. Not too sure that this area will ever “break-in” since it’s hard plastic pushing in on the liner, which in turn is pushing on my pinky toe. Everywhere else feels fine though. 

[boo10 323]

10 minutes ago, beedee said:

So I went back to PH today to try on the 7,5 Regular again. I even brought some thick double-sided tape to affix to my sock prior to baking to try to get some extra room after baking. After further analysis, the problematic area is where the toecap meets the boot. There is a bump where the outside contour of the boot meets it. It’s a smooth line along the outside of of the inside of the boot. But where the toecap connects, it protrudes inwards into my pinky toes. Not too sure that this area will ever “break-in” since it’s hard plastic pushing in on the liner, which in turn is pushing on my pinky toe. Everywhere else feels fine though. 

I have the same problem with CCM one piece boots.  I believe they use some sort of rivets to attach the toe cap and it protrudes inside the cap.

[beedee 227]

34 minutes ago, boo10 said:

I have the same problem with CCM one piece boots.  I believe they use some sort of rivets to attach the toe cap and it protrudes inside the cap.

Well, I’m glad I’m not alone. Did you do anything to help alleviate the issue? It feels like a bunched up sock on my pinky toes. 

[boo10 323]

1 hour ago, beedee said:

Well, I’m glad I’m not alone. Did you do anything to help alleviate the issue? It feels like a bunched up sock on my pinky toes. 

I have not found a way to fix it.  I have an almost new pair of FT1's sitting in my basement that I can't wear because of this issue.

[beedee 227]

1 hour ago, boo10 said:

I have not found a way to fix it.  I have an almost new pair of FT1's sitting in my basement that I can't wear because of this issue.

That’s a bummer. I’m not too sure of what can be done. I sent an email to CCM to see what they may have to say about it. I may try them out in my game on Wednesday to see how it goes. I imagine that I’ll end up with sore pinky toes at the end of it. 

[beedee 227]

Last night I finally played a game in my JetSpeed FT485's. (only time I've skated in them was once at a public session) And the skates felt pretty good last night, no pain, or pressure points at all. However, I did lace these all the way up, so it took some adjusting because with my other skates, I wouldn't go up to the top eyelet. So I wasn't used to not having as much forward flex in my foot/strides. After a few minutes of skating the pinky toe issue was virtually a non-factor, I didn't even notice it. I'm not sure if it was because of all the different movements that I was making while playing, perhaps the liner inside was starting to break-in a bit and not protrude out as far as it was when new? But I feel like these might actually work out for me. Today the top part of my foot is a little sore from the extra pressure of lacing all the way up (and not having the forward flex that I'm used to when leaving it un-laced), but no lace bite issues, no extracurricular pain anywhere at all. The Vapor x2.9's I ordered are due to arrive on Saturday, so I'll try them on and maybe get them baked depending on how good or bad they feel. But so far, I'm glad that the CCM's are showing signs of promise for working for me.

[stick9 891]

23 minutes ago, beedee said:

Last night I finally played a game in my JetSpeed FT485's. (only time I've skated in them was once at a public session) And the skates felt pretty good last night, no pain, or pressure points at all. However, I did lace these all the way up, so it took some adjusting because with my other skates, I wouldn't go up to the top eyelet. So I wasn't used to not having as much forward flex in my foot/strides. After a few minutes of skating the pinky toe issue was virtually a non-factor, I didn't even notice it. I'm not sure if it was because of all the different movements that I was making while playing, perhaps the liner inside was starting to break-in a bit and not protrude out as far as it was when new? But I feel like these might actually work out for me. Today the top part of my foot is a little sore from the extra pressure of lacing all the way up (and not having the forward flex that I'm used to when leaving it un-laced), but no lace bite issues, no extracurricular pain anywhere at all. The Vapor x2.9's I ordered are due to arrive on Saturday, so I'll try them on and maybe get them baked depending on how good or bad they feel. But so far, I'm glad that the CCM's are showing signs of promise for working for me.

Try skipping the next to last eyelet. I didn't like how my 100k's felt when I skipped the top eyelet and I didn't get enough forward flex when I laced them fully. Skipping the next to last eyelet ended up being perfect.

Give them time. The more you skate in them the better they will feel.

[beedee 227]

25 minutes ago, stick9 said:

Try skipping the next to last eyelet. I didn't like how my 100k's felt when I skipped the top eyelet and I didn't get enough forward flex when I laced them fully. Skipping the next to last eyelet ended up being perfect.

Give them time. The more you skate in them the better they will feel.

Thank you, I'll give that a shot next time out.

 

I forgot to mention, I took out the SuperFeet and just used the OEM footbeds, this worked out great. Over the course of the last few days I'd wear my skates when lounging on the couch, and occasionally walking around the carpeted living room. I felt like the SuperFeet pushed me too far forward (perhaps the intended use) and was causing discomfort on my heels, due to the hard plastic on them to provide the lift.

Edited January 6, 2022 by beedee