Which skates provide the best ankle support ?

[Loyal2TheOil]

To the OP, when you say you have a thin foot, do you mean a narrow foot? and is it narrow throughout?

if you have a fairly narrow foot i would definitely suggest trying on the bauers. reebok and ccm have a similar fit and both are fairly wide, but as mentioned before, you can control the ankle width through the use of the pump on the reeboks.

i've noticed that the bauer supremes are very good for people with a narrow heel, and they fit pretty snug around the ankle. the bauer vapors aren't as tight in the ankle but will be a narrower skate then the ccm's or reeboks. i would also recommend using one of the insoles like superfeet as it does change the fit of the skate. it did wonders for me, and i have better balance when skating too

 

[AIREAYE]

To the OP, when you say you have a thin foot, do you mean a narrow foot? and is it narrow throughout?

if you have a fairly narrow foot i would definitely suggest trying on the bauers. reebok and ccm have a similar fit and both are fairly wide, but as mentioned before, you can control the ankle width through the use of the pump on the reeboks.

i've noticed that the bauer supremes are very good for people with a narrow heel, and they fit pretty snug around the ankle. the bauer vapors aren't as tight in the ankle but will be a narrower skate then the ccm's or reeboks. i would also recommend using one of the insoles like superfeet as it does change the fit of the skate. it did wonders for me, and i have better balance when skating too

It locks your heel in place and prevents pronation, not changing fit. But essentially you will notice a difference; great product

I also agree with your Supreme vs Vapor point too.

 

[frito]

If there's a Graf dealer in your area give them a look. No one offers more fitments and all of them come in wide, regular, or narrow. I believe there is one model that was actually designed for people with ankle problems, but I can't remember the #.

The 707 is designed for players coming back from an high ankle sprain.

 

[BLBarmada]

Thanks guys for the info, I tried on the pumps and Im going to buy those.

 

[shello]

I use reebok 4k's and those are great so I figure 11k's must be a lot better.

 

[nullterm]

Are RBK pumps like 6K good for ankle support ?

I got a pair of 6K's after New Years. A world of difference from my CCM Vector 4.0s. Wish I upgraded a long time ago. The moment I stepped on the ice in them I knew the better support was gonna improve my skating. Prior to that, I was a big "it's not the gear, it's you" believer.

 

[BLBarmada]

I got a pair of 6K's after New Years. A world of difference from my CCM Vector 4.0s. Wish I upgraded a long time ago. The moment I stepped on the ice in them I knew the better support was gonna improve my skating. Prior to that, I was a big "it's not the gear, it's you" believer.

lol i look foward to using them.

 

[goonx]

Hmm, why has no one mentioned insoles? SuperFeet or a custom orthotic pair would do you well. A custom orthotics will run you 400+ but some people have insurance to cover for that. $70-$100 dollars for a custom pair of superfeet

 

[AIREAYE]

^ post 26 and 27

 

[nullterm]

lol i look foward to using them.

Make sure you have them properly baked at the hockey shop. Also makes a big difference.

And yeah, like goonx said get Superfeet for more support.

 

[BLBarmada]

Make sure you have them properly baked at the hockey shop. Also makes a big difference.

And yeah, like goonx said get Superfeet for more support.

Lol, I'm not going all out for midget house, I missed the double letters tryouts.

 

[nullterm]

Lol, I'm not going all out for midget house, I missed the double letters tryouts.

I don't think it matters. Mid range skates setup just right means you might skate better, means you enjoy it more. You'll also be more comfortable, unhappy feet, unhappy player, it sucks. I'm all about hockey because I enjoy it and like to work hard at it.

Having talked to fellow teammates who have upgraded like myself, you can just tell that decent (not necessarily high end) skates makes the game way more fun to play. Especially guys who started as an adult in their first or second season. Myself included.

Mind you, just make sure the 6K's are the best fit for you. If you find a similar Bauer (or Easton or CCM) that fits better with similar support and cost, buy those.

All other equipment, as long as it keeps me safe and comfortable, don't care if it's "low" end. Including sticks.

 

[BLBarmada]

I don't think it matters. Mid range skates setup just right means you might skate better, means you enjoy it more. You'll also be more comfortable, unhappy feet, unhappy player, it sucks. I'm all about hockey because I enjoy it and like to work hard at it.

Having talked to fellow teammates
who have upgraded like myself, you can just tell that decent (not necessarily high end) skates makes the game way more fun to play. Especially guys who started
as an adult in their first or second season. Myself included.

Mind you, just make sure the 6K's are the best fit for you. If you find
a similar Bauer (or Easton or CCM) that fits better with similar support and cost, buy those.

All other equipment, as long as it keeps me safe and comfortable,
I don't care if it's "low" end. Including sticks.

Well, I don't have the biggest arches so eventually I will probably have to consider insoles, but I feel I'm l little young, the 6Ks are on special, so I figure it's the same amount I paid fort CCM Vector 4s, an it's a better skate, I might get it baked not sure yet. Its snug with out the pump, light skate, I'm considering skating with weights on the skate, to improve my speed.


As for sticks, as long as they get the job done, I don't see the point o getting high end sticks unless their on special or if you're an AA or AAA player, which I'm not. Right now the 8K sickick 3 is 50% off so it's like 100, I found my old stick CCM vector 10 for 120 lol, I think te choice is simple.


I can't for the life of me fine the 4K.

 

[nullterm]

100% get them baked, I have zero hesitation saying that. The pump is cool, but it's only really for fine adjusting ankle support in my experience. Baking will make a much bigger difference to overall fit, comfort, and support.

I love the skatelock too on the 6K. One nice feature my V4.0's actually had too.

It'll cut down the breakin period ALOT and you'll start off more way more comfortable and enjoy the game alot more. It took forever to break in my V4.0's. My baked 6K's felt great on day 1.

 

[goonx]

Also, remember to get your skate blades profiled the first time. It's around $20 usually including sharpening and it'll last two seasons.

 

[AIREAYE]

Also, remember to get your skate blades profiled the first time. It's around $20 usually including sharpening and it'll last two seasons.

Not necessary the first time, but absolutely a viable option. The only reason why people get them profiled is to get them to match their old skates but this shortens the lifespan of the steel. It will only take a few skates to adjust to the new steel.

 

[BLBarmada]

Too lazy to quote everyone, I'm going to get them baked, never heard of profiling though.

 

[spizzle420]

I have missions and took a pass off the ankle... not good.

 

[arne0107]

If you don't mind doing some serious searching... the old mid 2000's CCM Tacks were outstanding. I'm actually pretty disappointed they canned that line. The CCM U line is still quality however but sacrificed the durability of the Tacks line that was so popular for less weight.

In terms of new skates, Graf is always a solid choice if you're willing to pay the extra buck for pure lack of fancy design. The new CCM U+ line is decent, but don't expect tons of durability from what I hear.

Skates I would avoid:
Any sort of Bauer Vapor and ONE line
Any Easton Synergy line

These skates are notorious for their fragility, which is traded off for feather-light weight.

But seriously, if you're darn set on the best ankle support, get a pair of 2005 pro Tacks.

 

[goonx]

another reason is also because the "raw" factory blades are actually mismatched a lot of the times coming off of assembly lines. Getting them profiled ensures that it's the same for both skaktes. It's all personal opinion mostly. Some say it doesn't matter; others say it makes them skate better. The amount of steel they take off isn't enough to shorten the lifetime of the steel by a large margin. It's probably equivalent to a few sharpenings but without a doubt, they're not taking a huge chunk off.

 

[cptjeff]

another reason is also because the "raw" factory blades are actually mismatched a lot of the times coming off of assembly lines. Getting them profiled ensures that it's the same for both skaktes. It's all personal opinion mostly. Some say it doesn't matter; others say it makes them skate better. The amount of steel they take off isn't enough to shorten the lifetime of the steel by a large margin. It's probably equivalent to a few sharpenings but without a doubt, they're not taking a huge chunk off.

A profile will absolutely help you skate better if chosen right. You can get faster turning, better glide, better stability backwards, so on and so forth. It's something that, to be properly done, needs to be matched to your stride, so I would skip it at this point.

But absolutely get the skates baked- almost all modern skates are designed with baking as an expected part of the break in process. Some simply won't ever break in correctly without it.

Also, to the guy two posts above, get with the times. Almost all of Easton's durability issues were addressed ages ago, and Bauers have often known to last for ages, especially for lower end players. The One90 had a problem with the tendon guard breaking off, but the supremes since have a reputation for being incredibly durable.

As for tacks, they're gone. Move on. There are lots of great skates being made today.

 

[Stickmata]

OP, if you have really narrow feet, you have no choice but to look at Grafs. None of the other manufacturers truly make a narrow enough boot, unless you go fully customer Bauer or a pro return skate. I would suggest finding a shop that specializes in fitting Grafs and have them size you for the right model. They will be plenty stiff if they fit your foot.