HotBranch!
09-25-2007, 02:07 PM
This review will evolve over the new few weeks (and games) as I get a better feel for the skates and how they perform.
I bought these skates to replace my ancient Bauer 3000s that were falling apart but comfortable as a pair of well-worn slippers. They were purchased in May. I got them "baked" to heat form them to my feet. It was my first time experiencing heat forming. It was boring, as I was told to stay seated as they cooled to form to m y feet. I found this to be strange advice, as I would have figured that moving around would better simulate how the foot will work with the skate. Whatever, I took the time to try on some RBK Premiere II pads. (The new strap configurations are confusing!)
After they had cooled to the shape of my feet, I put them in my hockey bag and into storage as we prepared to move into our new house this summer.
I finally got on this ice with the skates (after getting them sharpened) on Sunday. They went on quite easily. I don't think they retained much of the heat form from May, but they felt quite flexible and supple. As I walked to the rink, I felt as if the back of the blade (replaceable!) was a little loose on the right skate. I didn't notice it on the ice, so I won't worry about it unless it feels really loose--I've heard that you can damage the screw, blade, or cowling by overtightening.
Skating felt really good; the ice was lousy, so I was thankful for a nice sharp edge. As lousy as the ice was, I had no burrs after an hour of ice time, so the blade seems to be more solid than the old Bauer steel I was used to. The skates are definitely lighter than what I was used to, and I think it helped me make a few skate saves that might otherwise have gone in the far side.
No blisters and the only pain I felt was in the big toe and ball of my right foot, where I think I overtightened the laces. One neat feature is that 3 lace gromit holes from the top of the boot (right about where you'd experience lace bite), there is a metal loop on either side that snaps into place to keep the laces locked in. This way, you can tighten the lower part of your skates, check for lace bite, then continue with the last few rows, knowing the tension is locked in. You just have to remember that you h ave to "pop" the loop out of it's snap to release the lace tension. (I was trying to pull the lace out with my fingers and got nowhere.)
Only one game so far, but definitely a good experience. More impressions as the season evolves and I get used to the new skates.
My only gripe: I got so used to my overdrive blade being able to stop me in the middle of a butterfly move that I found myself slipping faster than expected when the cowling made contact with the ice.
I bought these skates to replace my ancient Bauer 3000s that were falling apart but comfortable as a pair of well-worn slippers. They were purchased in May. I got them "baked" to heat form them to my feet. It was my first time experiencing heat forming. It was boring, as I was told to stay seated as they cooled to form to m y feet. I found this to be strange advice, as I would have figured that moving around would better simulate how the foot will work with the skate. Whatever, I took the time to try on some RBK Premiere II pads. (The new strap configurations are confusing!)
After they had cooled to the shape of my feet, I put them in my hockey bag and into storage as we prepared to move into our new house this summer.
I finally got on this ice with the skates (after getting them sharpened) on Sunday. They went on quite easily. I don't think they retained much of the heat form from May, but they felt quite flexible and supple. As I walked to the rink, I felt as if the back of the blade (replaceable!) was a little loose on the right skate. I didn't notice it on the ice, so I won't worry about it unless it feels really loose--I've heard that you can damage the screw, blade, or cowling by overtightening.
Skating felt really good; the ice was lousy, so I was thankful for a nice sharp edge. As lousy as the ice was, I had no burrs after an hour of ice time, so the blade seems to be more solid than the old Bauer steel I was used to. The skates are definitely lighter than what I was used to, and I think it helped me make a few skate saves that might otherwise have gone in the far side.
No blisters and the only pain I felt was in the big toe and ball of my right foot, where I think I overtightened the laces. One neat feature is that 3 lace gromit holes from the top of the boot (right about where you'd experience lace bite), there is a metal loop on either side that snaps into place to keep the laces locked in. This way, you can tighten the lower part of your skates, check for lace bite, then continue with the last few rows, knowing the tension is locked in. You just have to remember that you h ave to "pop" the loop out of it's snap to release the lace tension. (I was trying to pull the lace out with my fingers and got nowhere.)
Only one game so far, but definitely a good experience. More impressions as the season evolves and I get used to the new skates.
My only gripe: I got so used to my overdrive blade being able to stop me in the middle of a butterfly move that I found myself slipping faster than expected when the cowling made contact with the ice.