The RinkFor the not so ready for prime-time players, coaches, referees, and the people that have to live with them. Discuss experiences in local leagues, coaching tips, equipment, and training.
I started playing hockey again at my local outdoor rink. My old skates are CCM Tacks 651. They were pretty much top of the line when I got them way back in ~1990. One of the blade support is cracked and the "leather" inside is falling apart. New blades would cost 80$.
I'm a big guy, pretty good skater but I'm on a budget. What do you guys think about Pro Return skates? I can get some for 150$ and I believe they have several models in my size and they all seem new.
Example:
Alexander Semin CCM Vector Pro
What the deal with Pro Return skates? Any potential surprises? As long as they fit and are comfy enough I should be ok, right?
They may have been baked to the pro's feet already, which would make sizing a problem. They also may be slightly used. So if they fit and you don't mind using a skate thats been used, go for it.
This is locally. The store is a pretty big hockey warehouse now owned by Sport Rousseau. They have around 2 dozens skates in random boxes, maybe more. They are all size 10 - 12. Each skates have a sheet detailing what's been customized. Like the Semin skates I tried on where drilled to take TUUK blades, so there's other holes on the bottom.
the salesman told me that they could be baked to my feet, also the blades didn't seem sharpened.
Just make sure you try them on. The vectors have a completely different fit from the tacks, but they would have been custom built to semin probably, so who knows what the fit is.
But the skate itself should be fine to use.
And are the TUUK blades on there now? Because those are better holders.
the Semin skates were just an example of what they have, they didn't have the TUUK blades on, just holes for mounting them. They were perhaps a little big, I managed to squeeze in a pen at the heel with my toes touching the tip.
I'll go there and spend an hour trying out skates for fit. I just have to find time. Thanks again.
Pro returns are the biggest rip off in history - why would you want a boot custom fitted to someone else's foot??
for skates, yes, pro returns are pretty pointless UNLESS you know exactly what that pros foot looks like. Considering that 99.99999% of the public don't have that info, pro return skates are pointless.
A friend of mine had a pair of Ozolinsh pros from when he worked for the Panthers. Great pair of skates, but nowhere near his fit.
Gloves, pants, sticks, and a lot of other equipment are usually less customized and easier to obtain the specs on.
for skates, yes, pro returns are pretty pointless UNLESS you know exactly what that pros foot looks like. Considering that 99.99999% of the public don't have that info, pro return skates are pointless.
A friend of mine had a pair of Ozolinsh pros from when he worked for the Panthers. Great pair of skates, but nowhere near his fit.
Gloves, pants, sticks, and a lot of other equipment are usually less customized and easier to obtain the specs on.
In this case, though, the poster is able to try on the skates. If he can find a pair of high end skates that fit for $150, that's a pretty great deal.
Pro return or not, I'd suggest that buying any skates sight-unseen is a sketchy idea.
alot of players do and yea i think semin is one of them
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vakar Lajos
for skates, yes, pro returns are pretty pointless UNLESS you know exactly what that pros foot looks like. Considering that 99.99999% of the public don't have that info, pro return skates are pointless.
A friend of mine had a pair of Ozolinsh pros from when he worked for the Panthers. Great pair of skates, but nowhere near his fit.
Gloves, pants, sticks, and a lot of other equipment are usually less customized and easier to obtain the specs on.
yea i have 2 pairs of different pros skates, i didnt pay for them though. one are old vapor X (i think) the old design and hte otehr ones are vapor xxxx but are too small for me and dont fit right
Thanks for all your opinions.
I went today and tried on several skates. All were 149$.
1 pair of Reebok - Paul Mara skates
3 pairs of CCM Vector Pro - Jay Mckee/Ted Crowley and some russian player. All had CCM holders and proformance stainless runners
The CCM were all 10.5d size and they all felt different. Padding at the heel was thicker on some. I finally settled on a pair and I'm going back tomorrow to try them on again and have them baked.
All the skates I tried on were new, unsharpened blades and not pre-baked. The salesman told me they had a huge stack on Vector Pro's in the back.
The Semin skates were gone, the Red Bull Crashed Ice people were there today and they bought tons of gear for the media and staff.
This is locally. The store is a pretty big hockey warehouse now owned by Sport Rousseau. They have around 2 dozens skates in random boxes, maybe more. They are all size 10 - 12. Each skates have a sheet detailing what's been customized. Like the Semin skates I tried on where drilled to take TUUK blades, so there's other holes on the bottom.
the salesman told me that they could be baked to my feet, also the blades didn't seem sharpened.
thanks for the replies...
One thing people overlook about pro skates or skates that have a new holder on them is the whether you can actually change the steel without taking off the holder. If you have LS2, there needs to be a hole in the heel... A custom+ needs one in the heel and one in the toes.
Make sure you know sizing. They often get different length skates to accommodate one foot bigger than the other, and/or width of the skate. They can also make the boot deeper, which again is an issue with proper fitting skates... BUT there are plenty of skates in the pros that are basically retail.
I just want to say thanks to everyone for their input. I bought the skates last week and I've been pretty happy with them. They are so light compared to my old Tacks. They were brand new, the blades weren't even sharpened.
I don't know if all Pro Returns come with the spec sheet but mine did.
it has the player name, team, order number and date, and detailed specs.
Funny thing is that Ted Crowley never played pro-hockey in 2005-2006, he must have retired but the skates were ordered on June 29th 2005.
Pro returns are the biggest rip off in history - why would you want a boot custom fitted to someone else's foot??
That is why they are often so economical, for that level of skate.
Hardly a rip off if you can invest the time to make sure they fit well.
If you don't make sure they fit you shouldn't buy them, but why accuse the seller, who makes it known they are not a stock item, and sells them at a discount, of ripping you off?
