Recommend skates

[Ace]

Recommend new skates

I need to buy new skates, I havent used my current ones in a while and realized I have no idea what to buy. Comfort is the most important thing as I won't be making the NHL any time soon...

I'd like to spend $100, but will spend more if it's concidered a good deal.

Thanks

[flip]

You won't get a heck of a lot for $100, even if you considered going used.

I'd spend about $300 to get a good pair. Then again if you are young and your feet might grow cheaper is better.

I'd go to a specialty place like Tuxedo. They will fit you properly. Especially if you are like me and have really wide feet.

In any case I'd try and avoid the Sportchek type places. Then again if you only use them for an hour or two at a time, a few times a year you might not care if they are of great quality, fit, comfort etc.

[pope04]

If you're not playing competitive hockey, no way do you need to spend $300.

Actually, my son plays competitive (Peewee) hockey (obviously no 100-mph slapshots) and he just loves his Bauer Ignite skates we picked up at Canadian Tire for $60. He says they're the best skates he's ever had, and he's tried some highend skates before.

[Ace]

I's just going to play outdoor rec, and/or skate around bowness. But I still want the skates to feel good...

[Berger_4_]

To add to what flip said...you won't get anything for 100 bucks. Well, you will, but you may as well be strapping a couple pieces of plywood onto your feet.

I know the Sport Trader in Crowfoot Crossing had a bunch of skates on for 50 percent off before Christmas...haven't been by there in a while but they'd be a decent place to check out.

It's tough to recommend skates to people, as all the boots fit a bit differently. I wouldn't be caught dead in a Bauer skate due to the fact they're way to narrow for my foot, but then other people hate Easton's. I wouldn't recommend Reebok's to anyone, but that's because I just hate the way they've got a lace lock system. Just not a fan of that. Grafs are heavier, but are pretty high quality and therefore more expensive. You'd be in tough to find any Graf in your price range.

At the lower end, all the skates will perform pretty well the exact same so just go in to a hockey store and try stuff on until you find something that fits your foot.

[Azure]

Reebok have a wider foot. Bauers are slimmer.

You have absolutely no need to buy a Graf skate. If all you're doing is playing some rec hockey and maybe just skating around, well....you can get some pretty decent skates for $100. Just go get fitted.

[TheSutterDynasty]

I've had my Bauer Vapor VIIs for ~5 years, and I love them. I'll be sticking with Vapors.

Sport Chek supposedly has some lower end Vapors for $100.

Your best bet is to go in and try on a couple different makes of skate to see which one fits best. It will then take a few outings for them to mold to your foot and become totally comfortable.

[pope04]

Originally Posted by Berger_4_

It's tough to recommend skates to people, as all the boots fit a bit differently. I wouldn't be caught dead in a Bauer skate due to the fact they're way to narrow for my foot, but then other people hate Easton's.

Agree 100%. My kid's eleven, yet he takes a senior size seven skate. He's got narrow feet, so that's why the Bauers fit so well.

[Bill Bumface]

Yeah, what they said, totally depends on your feet. My RBK 4K's never hurt my feet at all and were less than $200. I couldn't even get Eastons or Bauers on as the biggest sizes they had wouldn't fit my foot. For you, they might be great.

[kevman]

I disagree with the anti $100 skate crowd. I got a pair of CCM Tacks (a lot like these) brand new for $100 on sale at Tuxedo. They're a great skate that is comfy with enough protection for rec hockey. I did have to get the boot a little punched out (free) but now I couldn't be happier.

Then again I also buy the $12 wood stick special so what do I know?

[Berger_4_]

I guess if you're only on them once or twice a month, a big investment into skates isn't a huge deal. But I'm on mine at least five days and sometimes all seven out of the week. So the extra money is worth it to me.

I just find that there's a huge difference in performance even going from an entry level to a mid-price skate. If you can afford it, why not go a step or two up? They'll probably last a bit longer than entry levels, and the decrease in weight will help your footspeed a little too.

That being said, even expensive skates don't hold up very well. I've gone through two sets of Easton's (one 1200's and one set of 1300's). On the 1200's, all the stitching ripped away from the composite boot so they were retired. The 1300's were a little tougher but I broke a blade in them just a few weeks ago. I'm back to the 1200's now since the 1300's were getting too small, so there was no point in putting new blades in them (although I had to do it anyways for the 1200's).

Again though, I'd recommend going to an actual hockey store like Tuxedo or PHL. They know the equipment inside and out, and in my opinion it's better to pay a little more at that kind of place for a little more care and expertise. Plus it's good to keep those kinda places in business. My last year of minor hockey was brutal cause the only hockey store in Camrose closed down...had to drive just about an hour to get skates sharpened sometimes. The only other place in town was Sport-Mart, and those flunkies could hardly tell a glove from a helmet it seemed.

Actually, the talk about skate sharpening made me think of another point. Don't take your skates to Sport-anything. There may be the odd good guy on the machines, but if you take them to Tuxedo, you can get exactly the hollow you want on your skates, and it'll be the same every single time. That alone can make a big difference in your skating. A good sharpening goes a long, long way.

[JBR]

Santa just dropped off a new pair for me. If you're looking used, my old skates can be had for a song. They are size 9EE (my shoe size is 11). CCM652 with the Reebok Pump. About 10 years old but new plastic and blades on the bottom. Decent shape and both pumps (2 on each boot) work as if new.

[FlamesKickAss]

I bought bauer vaper XVI's at sport chek in the summer. Were on for 120 I think. So far i really like them. Last I was there they still had some.

I have always had skates in the 100 range and they are fine.

[Ice]

Check the Hockey Giant website for Bauer Vapors. You can get previous year models at a great discount, same with sticks.

For myself and my son, we just try on skates to find out what size/style we like and then order them online from Hockey Giant.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Azure

You have absolutely no need to buy a Graf skate.

Unless you're Craig Conroy.

[jar_e]

I'd highly highly recommend getting a skate that can be baked/heat molded. That made a world of difference for me. I'm not sure what price range that starts kicking in though.

[Super Nintendo Chalmers]

There's no need to buy the latest and greatest. Research the models that are out there. You're better off buying a model that was top-of-the-line two years ago than going with something that's designed to be mid-tier today.

[Berger_4_]

Originally Posted by Super Nintendo Chalmers

There's no need to buy the latest and greatest. Research the models that are out there. You're better off buying a model that was top-of-the-line two years ago than going with something that's designed to be mid-tier today.

Yeah that's what I do usually. You can get the previous year's top of the line model for about half of what the new top of the line is.

And jar_e hit the nail right on the head. Heat molding really reduces your break in time.