Perron’s skates, which can be seen below, feature a Tuuk Custom+ holder instead of Reebok’s traditional E-Pro holder. He’s also got a pretty good tongue flop going on already. With Duchene’s skates, also seen below, you can see a few more custom modifications that were made to the skates. You can see on the tendon guard that there is an interesting blue logo. On the heel, you’ll notice Duchene’s number which has been put in the Avalanche font and colors. It also would appear as though Duchene is using Rocket Runners on his white Reebok 20k skates.

Share your thoughts with us in the comments about the custom white Reebok 20k skates. Should Reebok make these skates available for retail purchase? Or should they just be special edition skates made for professional hockey players only?

David Perron's Reebok 20k White Skates

Matt Duchene's White Reebok 20k Skates

Bauer Vapor X 7.0 Hockey Gloves

Being released this April will be the new Bauer Vapor X 7.0 hockey gloves. These gloves fall in line just below the Bauer Vapor APX hockey gloves which we showcased a couple months ago.

The Vapor X 7.0 gloves will feature a tapered fit. With this style, you can expect a closer and more snug fit in the fingers, with a more open cuff allowing for greater wrist movement.

In terms of protection, the Bauer Vapor X 7.0 hockey gloves will contain poly inserts, and dual density foams. This level of protective material will be sure to keep your hand safe from harder slashes and hacks that may occur during routine gameplay. The two-piece free flex lock thumb helps protect your thumb against hyperextensions, among other injuries, while still allowing it to freely flex and grip your stick.

The Bauer Vapor X 7.0 will use synthetic leather and cable mesh construction on the glove’s shell. Bauer’s thermo max+ liner will be used on the inside, helping to keep your hands and gloves dry by wicking away moisture. The soft clarino ivory nash palm will give you a great and responsive feel when holding your stick. The free flex cuff used on the APX gloves will also be featured on the X 7.0 gloves. This cuff is used to help provide increased wrist mobility, as previously mentioned.

Bauer will launch their new protective line, including the Vapor X 7.0 gloves, this April. Check out the picture of the Bauer Vapor X 7.0 gloves and let us know what you think. Is there anything you would change about them?

Starting in the quarter package, Reebok will be featuring the Max Armour V technology, along with grade A nylon composite embedded in specific areas to increase stability, and durability, all while keeping the skate light weight.

Moving inside the boot, Reebok has loaded the 18k skates with a dual zone liner – part clarino and part duratex grip. The clarino is used to enhance durability, while the duratex grip will improve heel lock and keep your foot in place. The tongue will be a pro felt and EPE foam hybrid. The molded shape of the tongue will help enhance comfort and prevent tongue twist, while the EPE foams will increase the level of protection found in the tongue.

The outsole of the Reebok 18k skates will be carbon composite to improve energy transfer and increase feel, and will be vented as well, helping to keep your feet dry all game long. Reebok’s 18k skates will come stock with the E-Pro holder, and Performance Lite 10″ stainless steel runner.

Reebok will continue to feature The Pump technology on their skates, helping to ensure a more complete custom fit around your ankle. You’ll also notice that they have continued use of their SkateLock system as well.

Check out the Reebok 18k skates below. What do you think, are you a fan of the new look?

Reebok 18k Ice Hockey Skates

The Bauer Pro goalie skates feature a nice traditional black look. The slight red accents, featured on the top eyelet among other areas, adds a bit of extra flair to the skate. Overall, it’s a very clean look that most goalies should be happy with. Of course with a Bauer product you’re going to get top of the line materials and construction, but you should also expect to pay top dollar for it as well.

If you’re in the market for a new pair of goalie skates, you may want to hold off until the new Bauer Pro goalie skates are released. According to Bauer, they are scheduled for a retail release in April, 2012.

Check out the Bauer Pro goalie skates below and let us know what you think!

Bauer Pro Goalie Skates

The quarter package on the Bauer Supreme One.8 will be made of 3D anaformable light weight tech mesh. The tech mesh upper will be similar to the material found on the quarter package of the Vapor X60 skates. The One.8 boot will be fairly stiff as well, but not as much as you would expect from a top end Bauer boot with composite construction.

Inside the Supreme One.8, you’ll find a quick-drying hydrophobic true-suede synthetic leather liner, and lightweight anaform fit foam ankle pads. These are essentially the same components found on its predecessor, but are still of high quality. The 48 oz. 2-piece felt tongue with high density metatarsal guard, for additional lace bite protection, were also featured on the One80 and will make their way into the One.8 skates. Finally, your foot will be resting on the form-fit footbed with stabalizer grip to help keep that foot locked into place. Bauer makes a decent stock footbed, but don’t be shy about potentially switching it out for Yellow Superfeet. The boot itself will, of course, be fully thermoformable. This will allow you to get a more custom fit for your foot.

Beneath the boot, you’re going to find a full composite outsole. This will help in maximizing energy transfer from every stride as the energy moves more efficiently down into your foot and through the outsole. Your also going to be stocked with a great Tuuk Lightspeed 2 holder, and the LS 2.1 power stainless steel runner.

Most of the components featured on the Bauer Supreme One.8 skates are the same or very similar to those found on the One80. That means this boot will be a great pick up for anyone who has worn down their One80′s released in 2010, or even their Supreme One75′s from 2008.

The biggest change for the Supreme One.8 will obviously be the graphics. They look very similar to those found on the One.9, Total One NXG, the rest of the new Supreme skate line, and also stick with the same black color scheme with gold accents that we saw on their last line.

You can expect to see the new Bauer Supreme One.8 skates in stores, and available online, this April. Until then, take a look at the Supreme One.8 skates below and let us know what you think!

Bauer Supreme One.8 Skates

LIVERPOOL, N.Y. (December 31, 2011) – The Messier Project, a collaboration between hockey icon Mark Messier and the head protection experts at Cascade Sports, today announced the launch of the M11 PRO, a new evolution of the brand’s game-changing M11 hockey helmet. Built around Cascade Sports’ revolutionary Seven Technology, the M11 PRO’S new, streamlined design, aggressive styling and enhanced features offers the same advanced protection and now pro-level performance. The M11 PRO made its on-ice debut during the Winter Classic Alumni Game on Dec. 31 as Messier wore the new helmet during the outdoor game; it will hit store shelves in January.

The Messier Project’s M11 helmet has revolutionized head protection since its release in 2009. Like the M11, the M11 PRO features Cascade Sports’ Seven Technology, a revolutionary impact attenuation liner system designed to more effectively manage energy transfer from direct impact. On impact, Seven Technology compresses to laterally displace energy and within seconds, it completely resets to ready for the next impact. Hockey is a multiple impact sport. Seven Technology is proven to have total material reset and performs better than EPP on successive impacts*.

Today, more than 650 hockey teams and associations across North America wear – and trust – the M11. The M11 PRO is a direct response to feedback from The Messier Project community over the past two years and offers the same, advanced protection as the M11 in a new, sleek, streamlined design for elite performance.

“I’m excited and proud to wear the new M11 PRO at the Alumni Game on Saturday,” said six-time Stanley Cup Champion Mark Messier. “I’ve long said that when it comes to protection in the sport of hockey, the helmet is an athlete’s most vital piece of equipment. The Messier Project’s rapid growth over the past two years is a testament to the fact that priorities in our sport are finally starting to change. Though we still have a long way to go, I believe the new M11 PRO is another step in the right direction.”

So what do you think? Will this new helmet stand a chance against the other new helmets from Bauer and Easton? Check out Mark Messier sporting the new M11 Pro helmet in the photo below and drop us a line in the comments to let us know what you think of the new lid.

Cascade M11 Pro Helmet

While the physical appearance of the stick has changed drastically, don’t get your hopes up for any new technology in the white Total One LE stick. You can be sure, however, that it will have the same feel that you would expect out of a Supreme Total One stick.

Check out the photos below for a better look at the Bauer Supreme Total One LE white hockey stick and let us know your thoughts!

The new Total One LE white hockey stick is now available for purchase at PureHockey for $229.99.  Be sure to use the coupon code HOCKEYWORLD when shopping and save an additional 10%.

Bauer Supreme Total One White Hockey Stick

Bauer Supreme White Total One LE Hockey Stick

Bauer's new White Total One LE Hockey Stick

The first thing you’ll notice on the ice with the Nexus 1000 stick is the Nexus Tru-Mid Flex profile. This flex profile is described as having a powerful natural release, with a softer handle and hosel and a stiff section mid-shaft. Bauer’s .520 power taper will give the Nexus 1000 stick a boost in torsional stiffness, allowing increased load on the shot and minimal twisting of the blade. Essentially what you’re getting is a stick that will flex more like what you may be used to with a wooden stick, all the while being accurate and precise on shots and passes.

The power core 3 blade which you’ll find in the Bauer Nexus 1000 is similar to what you will find in the Total One or APX stick. The foams inside the blade will maximize puck feel, absorb energy on hard passes, and help improve balance and stability.

To increase durability, Bauer is continuing with their eLASTechnology, also found on the APX stick. Bauer describes this feature as a “proprietary resin system with carbon nanotube reinforcements increasing durability by reducing the spread of micro-fractures caused by slashes and puck impacts, extending a stick’s ‘pop-life’ to keep it feeling newer, longer.” While they aren’t the first manufacturer to use carbon nanotube technology (Stealth CNT), they’re doing it in an efficient and effective way which will benefit players by increasing longevity of their Nexus 1000 stick.

The Bauer Nexus 1000 stick will be available in two finishes – griptac and matte. Both options will feature the same black and dark grey color scheme, which looks awesome. You can also expect to see retailers carry stock of all of your favorite Bauer flexes and blade patterns on the Nexus 1000, however, the new P08 (Ovechkin) pattern will be a custom make-to-order option.

Check out the new Bauer Nexus 1000 stick below and let us know what you think! Is there any chance you’ll swap out your go-to twig for the new Nexus 1000?

Bauer Nexus 1000 Stick

Yellow Superfeet

Last October, we posed this question to our facebook fans: What is the best piece of equipment you have ever owned? We were surprised to see that one of our first responses was for Superfeet. Most people would expect a stick, or pair of skates, to be someones favorite piece of gear. Yet here we were, with a surprising answer, and a perplexed look on our faces. We were later linked to his review on Superfeet to read all about his experiences, and the curiosity only grew.

We later reached out to Superfeet, hoping to demo a pair for ourselves. They gladly obliged, and supplied a pair of yellow Superfeet for our review. Read on for our thoughts and experiences, and leave a comment for us if you’ve used Superfeet and want to share your experiences.

Specs:

For a little background on me, I’m a six-foot tall skater weighing 190 pounds. I have a medium arch on my foot, which also slightly supinates. The yellow Superfeet were tested in CCM U+ 10 skates. You can currently purchase yellow Superfeet for your skates at Inline Warehouse for $35.95.

Fit:

Superfeet come in various sizes, all of which are trim to fit. The best way to do this is to take out the old footbed, trace an outline onto the Superfeet with a pen, and cut off the excess material. After trimming, slide the Superfeet insole back into your skate the same way you would with a stock insole.

Once I had my new insoles ready to go, I laced up my skates and took a walk around the locker room. The new support for my arches was noticed immediately, and while it felt different than the stock CCM insole, it was not an uncomfortable feeling. My CCM skates had previously been a little tight on the outside of my feet, right in the mid-foot area. The addition of Superfeet increased this tightness slightly, and caused additional uncomfortableness. It’s not something that is noticeable out on the rink during a shift, but after sitting on the bench a few minutes the feeling will come back.

For reference, however, the Superfeet definitely improved the fit of my CCM V08 converted inline skates, which became a bit looser as they broke down. That all being said, I believe the insoles will improve your fit greatly if the skate you’re using is slightly wide. However, if the boot is already too narrow for your foot, I don’t think Superfeet will have a positive impact on fit.

Performance:

As a product that perhaps isn’t on the top of everyone’s must have list, the yellow Superfeet have really out performed my expectations. While I seem to have pretty good agility on the ice, losing an edge on a quick cut was a problem I faced at least once per game. It was a tiresome problem to deal with, but I didn’t think there was a simple resolution. Since switching to the Superfeet insoles, I can now make sharper and faster cuts, turns, and even stops. While even the best skaters will lose an edge sometimes, using Superfeet has definitely decreased the frequency of the problem for me.

Beyond cutting and turning, my acceleration and speed has improved as well. I find I’m generally a pretty fast skater, but with the addition of Superfeet, it feels like more leg power is being used in my stride than with the stock insoles. As the diagram to the right illustrates, the foot collapse I would experience with stock insoles inhibited my ability to use my most powerful stride. Superfeet eliminated this issue for me, and improved my stride to utilize more energy.

While I did see improvements in these areas, it’s also wise to be realistic about expectations. If you’re generally a slow skater, this product isn’t going to make you a fast one. However, if you’re competitive and missing races to pucks by a couple inches or feet, you might notice that you win a few more races as your agility and stride improve.

Durability:

I have been skating with the Superfeet insoles for a couple months now, and so far they seem about as durable as any stock insole. The biggest issue I have run into is in moving them back and forth between ice and inline skates. Removing them and putting them back in repeatedly has caused several wrinkles in front of the solid heel support as this area flexes and bends. It seems to make no difference when I’m skating, but if I continue this process, I could see that area of the insole becoming so worn that it eventually tears or disrupts comfortability. My recommendation would be to simply buy an additional pair of Superfeet for each pair of skates if you run into an issue like this.

No other durability issues have been experienced thus far. The Diamond Venting system on the insole aligns with the venting system on the outsole of certain skates such as the CCM U+ Crazy Light or Bauer Vapor APX. They stand up to moisture well, and dry quickly to boot. I typically leave the insole in the boot and only make a change prior to the next game. It makes no difference, however, as the insole even feels dry immediately following a game.

Bonus:

It could be part of my slight suppination, or the 15+ years of reckless hockey I’ve played, but I’ve had bad knees for as long as I can remember. Playing hockey has always been incredible for me, but sometimes the added knee pains and aches after games make me question how long I can continue to play for. The biggest bonus for me though, and the reason I’ll continue to use Superfeet, is due to the reduced knee pain following games. It’s an incredible feeling for me to go to lay down in bed the night after a hockey game and not feel the knee pain that I’ve grown accustomed to. The only difference I’ve made is adding Superfeet, and it has definitely become a product I’ll stand by and continue to use.

For more information on Superfeet for hockey, check out the official Superfeet website. If you’re interested in grabbing a pair for yourself, or for a friend, you can pick them up at Inline Warehouse for $35.95.

We want to hear about your experiences with Superfeet too! Share your story in the comments and let us know how you feel about these insoles.

After spending many hours in hockey rinks across southeastern Michigan officiating games, I have  put the skates through enough of a test to evaluate the first few months of skating in them. I also had the opportunity to skate in them as a player for the past couple weeks as I took a couple weeks away from playing goalie in our weekly Hockey World Blog skate. Featured below are the specs as well as an evaluation in my opinion in a few different categories.

Specs:

Size: 10.5

Width: D

Baked: Yes

Price: Currently on sale for $349.99 at Pure Hockey*

Aesthetics and Durability:

As someone that skates normally 2-3 days per week, they have held up very well for as high up the Easton product line they are. They still look fairly new and clean. Starting at the blade, there has not been any rusting of the ELITE stainless steel blade. I’ve kept it pretty dry and clean with a towel after skating as well as keeping it in a soaker-style skate guard. Moving up to the blade holder, the Razor Bladz II holder has impressed me. As someone who has used Tuuk holders most of my life, I was weary of using something different but as far as I have seen, I have not noticed anything different between the two. They are in very good shape with exception of a few puck marks that comes with normal use.

Moving onto the boot, it is one of my favorite things about the skate itself. The outside is still solid and has absorbed normal wear and tear without much breakdown. There is a small chips of the solid plastic around the toe but it is not noticeable unless you have the skate in your hand. The boot has done a good job of taking on water from snow and ice without entering the skate or breaking down the material.

In the first review, I raved about how I love the thick felt inside liner at the tongue. There’s a decent amount of black lint coming from my hockey socks or Shin-Tights attached to the felt, but nothing to lose any sleep over. Comes with the territory of the skates. The tongue didn’t take long to break in. Leaning over to take more aggressive power strides made the tongue stiff the first few times I skated in them, but over time it has broken in quite well. If you have your skate/socks setup as “tongues out”, you wouldn’t have  a problem quickly breaking them in. The anti-lace bite material in the tongue is a solid innovation in the skate. I’m able to tie my skates tighter without the repercussions of lace bite.

The stock laces have shown zero signs of breaking down at the tip. They are just as fresh and new as the day I bought them. Same goes for the eyelets on the skate.

Performance:

They are some of the most comfortable skates I have ever worn. Because I had them baked before skating in them, it allowed me to quickly speed up break-in time as it closely molded to my feet.

The replaceable runners is a feature I have never seen in a skate. When it comes to skating on ice, I have been able to go longer between sharpenings with  regular maintenance and care. In addition, using handheld stones have given me an increased edge. That’s allowed me to dig into harder ice surfaces without feeling like I don’t have an edge.

One runner design feature I don’t like is that it leaves two small openings mid-blade between the actual runner and the blade. The result is a loud chattering sound when striding or stopping. Somewhat nontraditional by design, but some players may prefer this. In addition, I’ve had to use a different cloth towel to dry my blades off because of constant snagging between the small hole and the towel.

Another suggestion I have read was to remove the insole to allow the insole to dry quicker. That has helped maintain the dryness of the insole as well as the shape.

The Dry Flow feature at the bottom was a great innovation in this skate. It has allowed my feet to avoid getting sweaty by removing the built up heat while allowing cool air from the ice into it through a small vent.

Closing Notes:

This is a good skate for the price. This is perfect for those who want something a top skate without the top skate price point. At $349.99, it is a large price point between this and the top skate in the Easton Synergy line, the EQ50 at $529.99. Going further down, the EQ 30 is $199.99. While a large gap in price between the three, the features and style of the EQ40 is closer to the EQ50 than the EQ30.

Check back later this season for another review of the Easton Synergy EQ40 skate. If you have any questions, feel free to drop us a question on Facebook or Twitter.

*Use coupon code HOCKEYWORLD at checkout and save 10% on select products at Pure Hockey.