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Jbear

Runner Size Preference?

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So, I'm a 7.5 and all of my skates were 263.  I recently added an 8 reg. 100k Pro, which solved the pinky toe issue. Was a tad looser than I like, but with the thicker tongue option...fits nicely.  Anyway, it has a 271 holder. Also grabbed a pair of Catalyst Pro, which are 7.5 but have a 271 XS holder.  The question...those who size up holders...why? What is your desired outcome? 

I'm curious. 

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I think it's a stability thing?  Thinking with a longer blade there's more front/back stability?  Years ago (15+?) I went down a holder size with a new pair of skates and was worried I would lose stability but don't think I had any issues.  I'm in 7.5 CCM's and up until last month I was on 263's (Ribcor 78k and Jetspeed FT490's), then I got a pro stock pair of FT4 Pro's and they had upsized to a 271 which took a little adjusting to.  I had my steel profiled the same as I had with the 263's but after a couple of skates I had the front and back blended (shaped?) a little more because I felt the extra length and didn't like it (usually when I was tired and didn't lift my legs enough lol), these were brand new Step V Steel blades so they're pretty chunky to begin with.  After that they feel great and I don't notice much of a difference from my older ones.

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A few years ago I dropped from a 254 to a 246. I noticed a drop in stability but not necessarily while I skating. It was noticeable when playing along the boards and out in front of the net. I also felt like I had lost some grip even though I didn't change my hollow. 

I've also tried a larger holder, 263 which increased my stability and overall speed. The larger holders made my feet a bit clunky....clunkier would probably be more accurate. 😉  I didn't care for the oversized holder and eventually swapped them out for my usual 254's.

 

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On 9/15/2022 at 6:33 AM, Jbear said:

So, I'm a 7.5 and all of my skates were 263.  I recently added an 8 reg. 100k Pro, which solved the pinky toe issue. Was a tad looser than I like, but with the thicker tongue option...fits nicely.  Anyway, it has a 271 holder. Also grabbed a pair of Catalyst Pro, which are 7.5 but have a 271 XS holder.  The question...those who size up holders...why? What is your desired outcome? 

I'm curious. 

All of my skates are a 271/272 and I usually am between a 7.0 and 7.5; depending on brand/model of skate. I like having more toe which allows for better toe snap and extension. The longer heel allows for better heel pushes when coming out of the corner or when you need a little more stability. 

On 9/16/2022 at 5:38 AM, stick9 said:

A few years ago I dropped from a 254 to a 246. I noticed a drop in stability but not necessarily while I skating. It was noticeable when playing along the boards and out in front of the net. I also felt like I had lost some grip even though I didn't change my hollow. I've also tried a larger holder, 263 which increased my stability and overall speed. The larger holders made my feet a bit clunky....clunkier would probably be more accurate. 😉  I didn't care for the oversized holder and eventually swapped them out for my usual 254's.

 

For those that find an oversized holder clunky, you can profile the steel and changing the radius/radii can eliminate the feeling of being too "locked in" to the ice. Also, depending on the holder placement this will affect your center of gravity as the pivot point can change, depending on the holder mounting location. 

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Funny thing to note. Had a pair of P Kane pro stock skates come into the shop today and he is a 7.5 D/A with 280 holders. The holders are literally end to end. Looking at pictures online I always knew he had an oversized holder, but I didn't know he was a +2.

patrick-kane-of-the-chicago-blackhawks-s

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Skated on them today...felt great.  Not better or worse...just different...but not by much. Went back and forth between AS3 Pros (7.5 263), 100k Pro (8 271), and Catalyst Pro (7.5 271)...no issues or concerns. Biggest issue was that my 263 needs sharpening and the 271s are fresh.  Anyway...appreciate all of the input...as always. 

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I would love to find a way to build a skate from the holder-size up. Since mid-2018 I've bee in a Bauer Nexus 7000 (2014-15) 8D that fit me perfectly in every aspect except one, length. My feet feel locked in great and excellent wrap. I like a little bit of room in the toe box. My previous skate for 2014-2018 was a Bauer Nexus 5000 in an 8.5D. For reference the Bauer scan tool put me in a Size 6 Fit 3. I actually tried on a couple Supreme Fit 3's in a 6.5 and 7.0 but the ankle padding was too low and the upper half my ankle was exposed. 

I've been using a 272 holder now for the past 7 years and absolutely love the bigger holder to the point where dropping down a holder-size is practically a non-starter for me. 

My fear is if I order a custom skate based on a 3D scan the boot won't be long enough to fit on the 272 size holder. Basically I want a custom fit skate that is made long enough to still fit on the over-sized 272 holder but fits be perfectly in all other aspects like width, heel depth, instep volume, etc. Wishful thinking probably. 

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Just a quick update.  Really diggin' the larger 271 holders! I'm finding I have more speed, greater stability, and the same level of agility.  So much so that I'm considering going to 271 on my 7.5 AS3 Pros. 

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14 hours ago, Jbear said:

Just a quick update.  Really diggin' the larger 271 holders! I'm finding I have more speed, greater stability, and the same level of agility.  So much so that I'm considering going to 271 on my 7.5 AS3 Pros. 

I go +1 on every pair of skates. In fact, I have been tinkering actually with +2 lately and finding I like that as well. 

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7 hours ago, PBH said:

I go +1 on every pair of skates. In fact, I have been tinkering actually with +2 lately and finding I like that as well. 

When you go with a larger holder, how off are the hole patterns?  Do you fill the old ones and drill new ones?  

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I'm also wondering if the 271 holders will fit my 7.5's without drilling???

Another thought...can I profile my 263's flatter to have the same amount of runner in contact with the ice as the 271? 

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