Help with Bauer Speed Plates

Scott G

Registered User
Nov 11, 2018
3
0
Long Island
ok, so newbie here. Backstory is I skated last about 30-35 years ago, few times, that’s it. Fast forward to now, my 7 year old started playing hockey and got me into it as a result. So after never wearing skates that fit properly, I go and get scanned by the Bauer lab thing, try on a dozen pairs of skates (didn’t believe the machine when it said I was a 10.5 EE in Vapor. I swore I’d be a 11 in a nexus). Finally gave up and tried the 10.5 EE Vapor, and the angels from above shone down on me, lol. They fit great. Now I go skate about a dozen times and I am loving it. Skating very well, very confident, and relatively no foot pain. My only complaint was I could feel the Rivets (skates came with the stock cardboard foot beds) and it was uncomfortable (side note, I’m 6’3” 275 big ones). So I stumbled on the speed plates (1.0) on sale. Baked them, followed all instructions and they turned out great. Skates felt noticeably better.
Than, I got back on the ice today. I swear it felt like I never skated before. Felt off balance, had problems stopping, etc. Although the skates themselves felt awesome.
so my question is, can the speed plates actually change the way I skate? Thanks in advance!!
 

puckpilot

Registered User
Oct 23, 2016
1,228
880
When you change the foot bed in a skate, it'll change the feel of the skate. The new foot bed may be slightly thicker, and that may change the intensity of the feedback you're getting from your skate. Think about how different it feels when you put on an old pair of shoes. For some, the change in feel may not make a difference. For others, it will. It might take a little while for you to get used to the new feel.

If the speed plates don't work out for you, look into superfeet. They have a 90 day no questions asked return policy even after you've cut and used them. So zero risk.

On a side note, you did a wise thing not relying on the scan. The scan gives you a starting point, but is not the be-all.
 

ceg195

Registered User
Nov 6, 2012
369
106
Sure they can. The speed plates make your foot ridgid. I’m sure there’s better quality foam insoles out there than the ones you got with your vapors. Be advised, yellow superfeet have a plastic insert on the heel and might not be what you’re looking for. Check online or your LHS.
 

LarryO

Registered User
Feb 12, 2009
889
204
Montreal
www.youtube.com
Is it just one rivet? I always had a problem with the back rivet on the front tower right behind the big toe. Having the steel rivet replaced with a copper one like in this photo always solved the problem because the copper rivet is flatter than the steel ones on the inside of the skate.
vapor_rivets.jpg
 
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Scott G

Registered User
Nov 11, 2018
3
0
Long Island
thanks everyone for the help! I took them out and am going to go back to the stock footbeds for now and see how it goes. LarryO, its mostly the black inner rivets
 

LeifUK

Registered User
Jan 2, 2018
131
39
The speed plates will increase the area of contact between you and your skate, giving you far more feel, and they will stabilise your feet, helping to stop them sliding around in the skate by locking the heel. They greatly improved my skating allowing me to crack moves I had struggled with, so I'd advise you try them for a couple of sessions, and if you still feel uncomfortable, remove them and find an alternative. Anything that changes your balance will make you feel uneasy at first.

I can now skate without them just as well, but only for a few sessions, and after that my skating worsens. I think what happens is that the plates stabilise my feet, allowing the skate to wrap better, and without them my foot slides about and gradually deforms the boot destroying the fit. That's just my take on it. Some people hate speed plates!
 

Mighty Makar

I hate this fu*ken team
May 24, 2016
14,537
15,675
The Speed Plate 2.0’s are better than the original’s. More comfortable and my feet feel locked in more.
 

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