Do goalie skates improve your game over regular skates

[Matt The Hammer]

Originally Posted by RedRook

i chose them because they have the higher ankle support, unlike the bauers which i really didnt like, just didnt feel stable in them.

I'll second this with the Bauers.

That deal on the Tours is tempting.

Also for the record (when this thread is pulled up in a search) the player skate chasis bend with hard shots. Goal chasis are thicker.

You can get the dents out... just not in the middle of a game.

[icehockeyaf96]

I finally got to roller goaltend with my new Tour 5000 redline skates. I had them skate baked the night before. Because my game was delayed so the rink would have time to dry, I got plenty of practice warming up by the basketball courts with my team. Then came the real test - the game! These skates were sweet! They roll much faster than a player skate and it is very easy to butterfly in them. With the help of my teammates, we got a 4-0 shutout! My coaches will be playing me again next week, so it looks like the skates will come in handy!

[elite]

I'd never go back to player skates. Too risky as far as injuries go. That, and I find goalie skates more stable.

[soulpatch]

OK I did it. I finally bought some new skates. I am making the switch from player skate to goal skate so I went for a hybrid and got the Tour Redline since they have the higher ankle support I am used to (and my ankles suck)

For you guys that have them how long has the breakin process been? Did you have to switch out the wheels or were they fine for normal sport court use?

To give you an idea on me with wheels. I am currently using a set of indoor hockey wheels (size 72 I think) that have lasted me about 5/6 years...........

[bruins4777]

The wheels you are currently on are terrible. You will almost definitely want to switch to something else. They'll explode on you soon. I haven't tested a wide variety of wheels, but I really like my patriots.

[icehockeyaf96]

Originally Posted by soulpatch

OK I did it. I finally bought some new skates. I am making the switch from player skate to goal skate so I went for a hybrid and got the Tour Redline since they have the higher ankle support I am used to (and my ankles suck)

For you guys that have them how long has the breakin process been? Did you have to switch out the wheels or were they fine for normal sport court use?

To give you an idea on me with wheels. I am currently using a set of indoor hockey wheels (size 72 I think) that have lasted me about 5/6 years...........

I had my tours skate baked and they felt good immediately. So far I am using the wheels they came with, since I probably won't get to see too many games in the net. I am sharing with another goalie. If the wheels need to be replaced, then I'll buy harder ones.

[soulpatch]

Just got them intoday and will have to bake them. The tongue is pretty hard and needs to be broken in for me. Overall though I am highly impressed with the build thus far. I put them on in the office for a stroll down the hall and they felt ok out of the box in terms of fit (need baked) but were awesome in overall feel and movement.

This was a perfect buy for me as it has a lot of the support of a player skate that I am used to and need while still having the added benefits of a goalie skate.

[bmwmw73]

i just started playing (at 42) and I started out with hand me down player skates. My wife bought me the Tours for my b-day and what a difference. The previous post about lower center of gravity and better stability were right on! The only thing I would like is a slightly softer uppers. The stiffness is a bit irritating but I realize time will take care of that but I am a bit impatient.

[VAgoalie]

the tour skates seem to be a nice intermediate between player and goalie skates. As you said the high boot could cause a little immobility, but not a whole lot. (dont know for sure)

Where as the bauer skates are more traditional with the low cut boot. I guess its a personal preference as to what you want to use.

[soulpatch]

OK I have had the Tour Redlines for about 2 weeks now and have had some playing time in them. General thoughts. A+

I have moved from a player skate with a slightly lowered chasis and small wheels though not as small as the 59mm the Tours come with. I have a lot of ankle injuries so I like the support gained with the higher boot. (Though it might be all in my head since in ice I have no issues)..... I had been struggling the past few weeks with movement and my skates were showing their age.

So I went out and got the tours. I tried them on at home and skated in the kitchen some to get a feel for them. Right out of the box they are probably one of the stiffest skates I have ever tried on. They dug into my ankle pretty bad and it was painful to say the least. So I took them to get baked the next day and WOW what a difference. They were a totally different skate. Totally comfortable and with great skating attributes.

I then played in my first games with them (double header). I strapped up and then realized that my boot strap woudl have to go through the back of the skate so that it would not grind on the wheels. Slightly different but it did not impact my play at all. I do not use toe ties so I did not have an issue there.

Started warmups and I could feel the bite of the wheels and the cowling as I went for slides. It was incredible. I could slide easily and with the simple flick of my ankle I was using the wheel to push and reverse course. Warmups went well then on to the game.

The game went well with some minor adjustments having to be made on my part. I was not used to the 5 wheel and I tapped the net once or twice. No big deal overall though. I am also shifting from a hi lo chasis so my pivots and turns were slightly slower. I adjusted my stance slightly and with the lowered center of gravity and increased stability I was overall faster as I did not have to recover at all after a move.

As the game went on I actually liked having the boot strap in the rear of the skate. It allowed my toe to stick out slightly more and that made me a few saves that I would normally have made but without the same control of the puck for the rebound. As the night progressed my movements became more fluid as I got used to the skates.

Overall I give these skates an A+ for me. I gain all of the ankle support and feel of a player skate but with all of the benefits of a goal skate. It is a win win for me. I can not speak for the durability of the skates or wheels yet as I have only had them for 2 weeks and have only played in a few games with them but overall thus far I am nothing short of impressed. If only Tour could put this much thought and quality into their other goal gear..........

[mash]

I know a post above mentioned the chassis on player skates bending so I'm hoping some of you with goal skates can elaborate on durability.

I’m considering getting a pair of goal skates for two reasons. A few weeks ago I got a stinger off the instep on my right foot. I now have a massive bone bruise to deal with. It has not been pleasant in subsequent games. So, reason number one is protection.

Additionally, repeated saves with the chassis have caused it to bend almost to the point where the wheels will not spin. When viewed from the bottom, the wheels don’t properly align. They are a pair of Tour G40 player skates with an Aerolite Aluminum chassis and a set of hyper pro goalie wheels.

I’m considering the Vapor’s cause I think the chassis will be more consistent with my current strapping setup. Are they built to last through a good bit of punishment and not get all bent up?

[RedRook]

Just an update on the Tours. After using them for a rew games now and every week in practice they are pretty much fantastic. They roll fast and smooth, also the stock 59mm they come with are good, soft and grippy. Easy to butterfly in and attach well to the pads. All in all they are a really good buy, also the higher ankle support really works well and provides better protection than the bauers, but doesnt hinder your ankle movement as you might think. Great skates, but i might change the wheels in a bit for some 47mm, but not because theres anything wrong with the tour ones. The closer to the ground the better.

[PSULion22]

How long of an adjustment period are we talking going from player skates to a goalie skate? I used to wear a Nike V-12 ice boot with tuuk composite rocker chassis and 59mm wheels. Everything was good (well, except my goaltending, but I digress). I just bought a pair of Bauer Supreme 1000 goalie skates on eBay. I played my first game with them last week. It was horrible, just horrible. I couldn't move at all. When I dropped into a butterfly, the skate would stick to the court and I couldn't get my leg down all the way. The front wheel kept getting caught up with the toe tie (which I must have tied wrong or something because the lace and slider actually pulled through the bridge and was wrapping in the wheel.) I couldn't move side to side or turn as well. And nothing felt right; my pads, the skates, my stance, my movements, it all felt off. But, I'm not ready to give up yet. I'll modify the toe of the skate to match my toe tie set up on the V-12's. That should help a lot. How long should it take to get used to the movement differences? What should I do to learn to use the cowling to slide?

[c0nquistad0rian]

Originally Posted by mash

I know a post above mentioned the chassis on player skates bending so I'm hoping some of you with goal skates can elaborate on durability.

I’m considering getting a pair of goal skates for two reasons. A few weeks ago I got a stinger off the instep on my right foot. I now have a massive bone bruise to deal with. It has not been pleasant in subsequent games. So, reason number one is protection.

Additionally, repeated saves with the chassis have caused it to bend almost to the point where the wheels will not spin. When viewed from the bottom, the wheels don’t properly align. They are a pair of Tour G40 player skates with an Aerolite Aluminum chassis and a set of hyper pro goalie wheels.

I’m considering the Vapor’s cause I think the chassis will be more consistent with my current strapping setup. Are they built to last through a good bit of punishment and not get all bent up?

I have never had any concerns or durability problems with the tuuk chassis on the Bauer skates. They do have a little bit of wear ond parts of the lower edges probably from occasionally slamming up against the goal posts. But, they have not bent nor have they warped in any way.

Originally Posted by PSULion22

How long of an adjustment period are we talking going from player skates to a goalie skate? I used to wear a Nike V-12 ice boot with tuuk composite rocker chassis and 59mm wheels. Everything was good (well, except my goaltending, but I digress). I just bought a pair of Bauer Supreme 1000 goalie skates on eBay. I played my first game with them last week. It was horrible, just horrible. I couldn't move at all. When I dropped into a butterfly, the skate would stick to the court and I couldn't get my leg down all the way. The front wheel kept getting caught up with the toe tie (which I must have tied wrong or something because the lace and slider actually pulled through the bridge and was wrapping in the wheel.) I couldn't move side to side or turn as well. And nothing felt right; my pads, the skates, my stance, my movements, it all felt off. But, I'm not ready to give up yet. I'll modify the toe of the skate to match my toe tie set up on the V-12's. That should help a lot. How long should it take to get used to the movement differences? What should I do to learn to use the cowling to slide?

I think that the biggest adjustment that I had to make was getting the toe ties to fit right so that they didn't get caught up in my wheels. I wear my toe ties fairly tight, with a Smith Sliding toe bridge. Leaving any slack in the toe area is just asking to get caught up in the front wheel. I lace my toe ties through the front triangular hole on the tuuk chassis, then the rear triangular hole (running along side the chassis and skipping lacing underneath the boot), and I tie them on top of my skate boots.

I find that the lowness and the flatness of the tuuk chassis helped my center of gravity/balance, and have helped my side to side game; they gave me a steady platform on which to execute a good T push. If you're coming out of a rocker chassis, you'll probably have to adjust to the flat chassis, which may take some time to get used to, and probably a big part of the reason that you found your turning and movements being affected.

As for the cowling slide? I did it subconciously, before I knew what it was and before I put slide plates on my pads. It'll wear the inner edge (where they put ODB's on ice goalie skates) flat, but that's okay. I started doing a cowling slide more or less in goal line situations where I had to move side to side very quickly. I did it by quickly lifting my wheels off the ground, more or less pointing the bottom of my foot to the goal post and loading and pushing off with my other leg as much as I could. It's a bit scary when you're first learning to do it; It's almost a controlled slip out, where you keep your leading leg pad parallel to the rink surface and slam it down as soon as the shot's coming to seal off down low. You should also be able get some lateral movement like this in a breakaway situation, implementing the Y-theory. Personally, I prefer the slideplates that I have now, but the cowling slide is a neat little trick to help you cover some ground without doing any mods to your pads.

[elite]

I find goalie skates a great benefit not only for balance and low to the ground, but also for the cowling slide. I'll have some one-of-a-kind Vapor XXX converted inline goalie skates for sale in a couple months (size 10 I believe). Just a couple more months to go in the season!