Equipment: New skate runner advice

[BruinDust]

My sharpening guy is saying my steel is getting too low. Which makes sense considering the amount of times I've toe-picked transitioning to skate back-wards or open up for a shooting angle lately.

So I've researched a pile of options, but I'd like to hear some opinions before making a final decision.

Some background, my skates are mid-range, Bauer Nexus 5000 with the Lightspeed Edge holder. I've had them a little over 3 years now. I read some specs on Ice Warehouse website and it seems my skates came with LS 2 runners. If I had to say which is a strength of my skating, definitely straight ahead speed is better than my turning or agility.

I thought I had my mind made up to buy LS 4 runners, I can get them shipped in about a week for $100 taxes in.

But I dropped into my LHS yesterday (same place I get my sharpenings done) and my guy said he wouldn't recommend the LS 4. They don't carry them anyways (they do carry LS 2 and LS 3).

I know there were problems with breakage in the first run of LS 4s, but those problems were addressed reportedly. Still, he says it's still a brittle steel and he's seen a lot come in broken. I usually play D and stop a lot of pucks intentionally with the inside of my skate blade.

He recommended LS 3s, which would run me $95 taxes in. My concern with them is the added height (3 mm), different radius (10" vs. 9" on my current LS 2s) and the shape of each end of the blade being bulky. I think if I got the LS 3 I would need to have them profiled, which is another pile of money and time. My LHS doesn't do profiling but many shops around here do. Basically I'd be spending $150 + by the time I got the profiling done to replace runners on skates that were just $300 brand new three years ago.

I also considered after-market options Step Steel and Tydan. I've read good things about there product, but my concern with them is how well they fit into the Edge holder. My understanding is as a way to get around Bauer's patent, the parts of the runners that work with the holder to keep the steel in place are slightly different, and I've read reports of both of these brands of steel having "play" while in the Edge holders. If the steel is moving even slightly then it would be in my head while playing, and defeats the purpose.

I'm leaning toward just getting another pair of LS 2 runners and calling it a day. Install, sharpen and that's it. No profiling. They'd basically be the same runner/holder as they were out of the box. Once the new runners are done, well it will be time for new skates likely anyways.

But it would be great to hear anyone elses experience with any of the options:

Bauer LS 4
Bauer LS 3
Bauer LS 2
Step Steel (all 3 types)
Tydan Steel (both variations)

Click to read more...

 

[AIREAYE]

Given that it's a mid-range skate in the middle of its lifespan, and the extra costs involved in profiling, I would recommend staying with LS2. There's nothing inherently inferior about LS2, as it was Bauer standard runner for years.

 

[BruinDust]

Given that it's a mid-range skate in the middle of its lifespan, and the extra costs involved in profiling, I would recommend staying with LS2. There's nothing inherently inferior about LS2, as it was Bauer standard runner for years.

@AIREAYE Seems to be the most logical solution, thank you for your advice.

 

[AIREAYE]

No worries. LS4 is a great steel; any issues have since been resolved. Given your skate situation, it's probably not worth it.

 

[gswift]

I would add to that though, if you do plan on getting new skates in the next little while, the blade could potentially be used in your new skates (assuming you stay with Bauer). So it could be a worth while investment to get nicer runners....

 

[ekm01]

I'm skating on MX3's, came with the LS Fusions, bought Black Step and love them. The profile didn't seem too different to me, the added height is nice. I feel like I can turn better without bottoming out. The sharpen lasted a bit longer. The rinks around me all have terrible ice, so I have a couple nicks in them. But they fit into the holder fine. I don't notice any movement with them.

 

[Pez68]

I'll tell you what. I will never buy skates that have LS1 steel again. Total trash. Reminds me of the steel they put in skates back in the 90s. I was having to get my skates sharpened every other game, and I am a guy who would go months without a sharpen on my Grafs. The steel is just too soft, and extremely prone to chips and blown edges. Step on a stick? Edge gone. A little skate on skate contact? Huge chips of steel missing. After every skate, there would be huge flaws in the edges that affected my skating.

Jumped to LS4 and had them profiled to 9 radius. Crap steel is now in my bag as a backup. First game with them, and they are flawless.

Good steel is a must, IMO. Yeah, it cost me a hundred bucks. But I spent half that getting the shit LS1 steel sharpened after every other skate in the few months since I've had my new skates. It is a travesty Bauer puts that steel in a four hundred dollar skate....

 

[BruinDust]

Just a follow-up, I decided to just get another pair of runners of LS 2. Just made the most sense to me right now, If I had gone to the LS 3 or LS 4 with the 10' radius, if I didn't like it, I would now HAVE to get them profiled, which I was trying to avoid. Nothing against profiling, just wasn't a road I wanted to go down at this point in time.

Now my runners and steel are essentially back to what they were like when the skate came out of the box.