51 minutes ago, netminder said:

They accept it being ok that its not uniform across the entire pad. To me thats unacceptable and we wont be going CCM again. Markstoms set look like Intermediate pads compared to all other Pros.

I don't know where to begin with this.

I'm not sure who the "we" is but if 1/2" of pad width is the reason saves are being made, "we" are incredibly technically sound and are facing world-class shooters. Thank you for taking the time away from the rigorous training routine to post here.

Markstrom's set looks just fine. If he's good with whatever subtleties there may be in measurements, I'm not sure why you aren't. I don't recall a post game interview with him where he has pointed to his equipment as to why a puck got past him.

3 hours ago, Wrbsti15 said:

Any dealer can order them from bauer. $150. I wanted a 2nd pair for tourneys and what not. Keeping the green ones as the spares. Looks way better with black ha ha 

Agreed.

2 hours ago, ZeroGravitas said:

Pure has them https://goalie.purehockey.com/product/bauer-konekt-goalie-skate-replacement-liner-senior/itm/47419-41/

Would you believe I missed them when I looked at Pure after reading this but it then came up in a pop up add later in the day. 

20 hours ago, Wrbsti15 said:

Got the black liner in today.  

Was scrolling through and couldn't find where you got the black replacement liners. How come and where di you get them?

Not gonna lie... when I saw the first picture of the set as a whole... the color scheme you chose coupled with the tonal logos was curious to me... to say the least. But after seeing the close-ups I'd agree it turned out well. Good to see the touch of gold with the embroidery and contrasting stitchwork. 

Your functional specs of course are right in line with what I would have chosen. While the stiffness and rebounds aren't what you've experienced with Mach... I'll be interested to hear how well the stiffness Axis2 does have holds up. My Axis1 set has softened up at the thigh from last year as you'd expect them to, but they're still performing well. 

Also... when will we get a video of @ZeroGravitas with a shaved head and a tie showing us how he uses a baseball glove steamer like this guy?? A carabiner with your keys attached clipped to a belt loop is also an absolute must.

4 hours ago, Wrbsti15 said:

Seemed the discomfort was more when I was sitting. When I was standing and walking around they felt much better. I may need to do a rebake with shims on my lower arches and on top of my foot. 

If it only hurts when sitting... maybe the answer is... skate. The only way that solution doesn't work is if you find yourself at the end of the bench with a backup towel on. 

Somewhat kidding... they shouldn't hurt at any point. I'm sorry to hear you're struggling with fit. I'm hoping I'm part of the silent majority of those who have picked up this skate and not had any issues, and not the outlier.

2 hours ago, Punisher Goalie said:

Here is my attempt at making an installed-but-easily-removable mod for taking up volume (same effect as shortening) on the top strap to lock in my skinny ankles.

As I posted above, I have been sandwiching a piece of thick foam between the strap and the tongue to get the desired effect. It has worked perfectly for 5+ sessions, however I don’t like the extra step of having to place the foam behind the strap each time I put the skates one (come on - a huge part of the appeal of these skates is the quick on-and-off!).

Since this doesn’t have to be a very high-strength component - the nature of the “sandwiching” keeps everything together - I simply superglued fresh blocks of foam to 5.5” long pieces of 2” wide OneWrap (hook on one side, loop on the other) and wrapped it around the upper strap where it overlaps the tongue. Conveniently, in the “small” setting on the upper strap, the notch at the end of the metal hook/bracket keeps the contraption from sliding off the strap. Note - loop is on the outside as hook might cause friction/wear on the boot of the leg pads.

Haven’t been on ice with it yet, but it appears to function exactly as my prototype solution, so I am quite optimistic. 

Loving everything about these skates and these minor mods have added another dimension of fun!

Crude in comparison, I just cut to size a piece of adhesive backed ECOProFoam I had from an old mask refurbishment and slapped it under the grey loop where the top Konekt strap goes through. It has held up well over 5 skates or so now. It may just be a placebo effect as it does compress to a fraction of its thickness, but certainly hasn't negatively affected the skate's performance. V02 of this could see the use of some strips of Maltese with a thin layer of neoprene (also adhesive back and left over from a mask refurb) that would not only be slightly thicker than the current test solution, but stylish to quasi-match the green Ultralon.  
@Chenner29 had mentioned the ECOProFoam lace bite pads that are intended to adhere to the backside of a skate tongue with velcro which might be worth trying too. 

1 hour ago, CJ Boiss said:

The point of having the hinge is so that you can have more flex without sacrificing ankle support. If someone didn't want any ankle support then they'd just not lace up their top 3-4 eyelets.

100%. Konekt's ability to give you great forward flex without sacrificing lateral stiffness is amazing. I had been going to one less eyelet on 2X Pro to get some additional forward flex but the reduced support was noticeable.

14 hours ago, jerd31 said:

When I stepped on the ice I was like, I’ve made a huge mistake- it felt like my first time on ice skates.  9/16” felt wayyyy too sharp for what I’m used to (7/16” SAM profile on my old CCM’s).  The feeling of the flex is super weird at first- it almost felt like my foot was coming out of the skate.  I must’ve looked like a complete noob during warmups.  

Weird on the hollow... 9/16" is a shallower cut than the 7/16" you were used to. What made you choose a different radius in the first place?

18 hours ago, TheGoalNet said:

are interesting trades considered?

 

I see a blank canvas...

On 8/20/2022 at 9:22 PM, jerd31 said:

Anyone with Konekts that can chime in with their sharpening experience?  
 

The kid at GM said I shouldn’t go with such a sharp hollow when I said I wanted 1/2”.  I have my blades profiled with a SAM cut and usually go with 7/16”.  He suggested I go with 5/8” on these as goalies have said 1/2” is “too sharp” on Konekts due to more blade staying on the surface during pushes.  I had them do 9/16” on these, I might not even use them before sending out for profiling though.  
 

I plan to send these and the LS5G’s I have on the way out for profiling and will sharpen at my usual 7/16” unless the feedback is otherwise from others using these. 

I'm using a 3/8" on mine... and that's a SPARX sharpening. I have found that I feel like I'm able to catch an edge easier with lateral movements in Konekt and the 3/8" has good bite... keeping in mind that I'm 5'10" and ~155lbs. 

On 8/20/2022 at 12:21 AM, Chenner29 said:

No used jocks? I'm disappoint

Waiting to post them as part of a combo with tattered underwear as well... 1+1=3 situation.

On 8/20/2022 at 1:34 AM, mr_shifty1982 said:

Gave up of the grafs?

They're great... but Konekt trumped them.

14 hours ago, Oshnatour said:

Hey any update on how this setup is holding up? Is there any issues adhering to the speedskin? I recently picked up a set of lefevres off sideline swap and they have fast glide on em  so I'm hoping this will be my saviour. 

It's held up great. No signs of wear on the PPF itself... and no signs of it peeling. I will say much like painting that the devil is in the prep work... so be sure to clean off the areas you'll be applying it to well and be sure to have a heat gun (or blow dryer) around to get a good tight wrap around and behind your corners so that none of your edges are exposed to the ice. 

Shameless plug for some gear I have up on SidelineSwap. If anyone is interested in something and has questions... feel free to DM me...

Bauer 2X Pro Goal Skate Size 7

https://sidelineswap.com/gear/hockey/goalie/goalie-skates/5071720-bauer-2x-pro-goal-skate-size-7

Graf 9035 with CCM XSG Holder Size 7

https://sidelineswap.com/gear/hockey/goalie/goalie-skates/5071696-graf-9035-with-ccm-xsg-holder-size-7

NEW Graf Pro Cowlings Skate Size 7

https://sidelineswap.com/gear/hockey/goalie/goalie-skates/5071671-graf-new-pro-cowlings-skate-size-7

NEW 2019 Stadium Series Penguins Warrior Goalie Shell - SOLD

https://sidelineswap.com/gear/hockey/goalie/goalie-pants/5071653-warrior-new-2019-stadium-series-penguins-goalie-shell

On 8/14/2022 at 8:27 AM, Punisher Goalie said:

I tested this out at home using 1/2” thick neoprene foam. Just crudely cut pieces the same width as the strap and the area where the strap contacts the tongue.

Early results are very promising. I have an ice session tonight and will try skating with the foam in. Seems securely held by the strap, but if things go well, I’ll make a wider piece and sew on some nylon webbing to create a “sleeve” to go over the strap. Will report back.

Found some neoprene laying around the house and going to give it a try next week. I like the idea of going wider than the strap and making a little sleeve to make sure it stays in place. They've actually felt great... but just curious if having a little more pressure there would feel even better. 

Skated in my Konekt only twice now... and thus far...

I feel really dumb for not putting 1 and 1 together on the naming of the skate. With almost no negative space, it feels like part of your foot... connected. My first steps on the ice with them were hard to describe, but it just felt like my foot had runners on them. Every flex of my ankle and foot translated into something on the ice. 

All the guys in the locker room made the obvious "I had rollerblades like that." or "Hey, you picked up some Langes." (only from the real old guys.) They all focused on the reduced time to get ready... and while that's true... the on-ice performance is something I'm still trying to accurately describe. My pushes and recoveries feel so much more natural because my foot really is connected to the ice. Forward flex is of course fantastic... but lateral movements are crisper and you get so much more feedback through the skate. 

The best comparison I can think of is to steering feedback in a car. A modern composite skate with traditional lacing can feel like a race car on your feet... sure you get the feel of the road but maybe too harsh at times. Older skates with a big cowling are like the floaty SUV where sure it goes where you want but you never really feel what's going on... there's a disconnect in feel from all of the softened connection points between you and the ice. The combination of the composite shell and more importantly IMO the liner with Konekt give you that perfect balance... in car terms steering feel that few beyond Porsche have ever been able to create. Dampened from harshness... but incredible feedback that lets you move like never before and with the confidence to push the limits and feel when you're at that limit before going past it. 

On 8/11/2022 at 8:52 PM, RecoveringGoalie1 said:

Main concern is that as someone who has skinny ankles, the top strap doesn't cinch tight enough for the comfort I'm used to. Would've been nice to be have a few more holes punched to bring it 1-2 stops tighter - if anyone has any tips / thoughts on that I'm all ears.

On 8/11/2022 at 9:03 PM, ThatCarGuy said:

I plan on trying to punch mine tighter here soon. I’ll let you know how it goes

While grateful to have avoided having cankles... my ankles are also on the slim side. That said as @ThatCarGuy pointed out you may be able to punch another hole if you're already on the tightest possible setting. However, my only concern with doing so is whether will I be making the top piece tighter than it "should be" and prohibiting the upper piece from being able to articulate on the hinge fully. Likely doubtful... but I'm giving the skates a few more weeks of break-in before I decide whether or not to give it a whirl.

18 hours ago, Chenner29 said:

And the holder itself is much more popular at all levels than the True or CCM

18 hours ago, ThatCarGuy said:

That's more the point I was getting at. Especially now that Bauer has tightened up the tolerances on their holders blade loss is much less common.

18 hours ago, ZeroGravitas said:

A co-worker asked this question to the Bauer reps in our store because he was thinking of taking the holders off and putting roller chassis on it. Reps were unsure if it could be done. Now that we're closer to launch, I can try to see if Bauer has any new information on that.

I did really like the change from 2X Pro skates to the Franken-Grafs with an XSG holder. I made the change because the 2X Pro were hurting my feet and I associated that with the skate as a whole (boot & holder.) I had to be much more mindful of how I tighten the 2X Pro vs. Graf. Too tight on the 2X Pro and my feet really hurt/went numb. Could be the boot, could be the pitch of the holder, could be a princess and the pea situation, not real sure. The Graf/XSG combination is more comfortable though. 

That said, I've been wearing the 2X Pro again (and omitting the top eyelet) just to see if I could get used to it again before I dive into a pair on Konekt. Working out pretty well. Still have to be very mindful of how tight they're tied. But it was my impression that Bauer wouldn't offer the Konekt boot alone. I say boot alone as (and I could be wrong here) I wouldn't want any more holes drilled into the boot than absolutely necessary.  

I just wish Konekt was available already... take my money!!

Was going through a period of time when I was letting in strange bad (dead) angles goals... +my number. Depending on who you ask I'm still working through that period of time now.

6 hours ago, Beez37 said:

The measurements from bottom of boot to floor on the modified Graf looks similar to when it’s in a cowling, at least at the back. The front area is lower on a cowling Graf, but looks a lot flatter with the new holder. 
 

Did you find the extra blade length easy to get used to? I just shaved my cowling like Carey Price, but I have a 2nd pair of Graf 9035, so I may try this next. 
 

Great review, thanks!

Yeah. The added length at the toe was nice. I'm a bit of a toe pusher so it gave me a touch more bite.

4 hours ago, jerd31 said:

There's a goalie on reddit that's been tinkering with ski boot style buckles for skates and I have been testing them- pretty much mimicking the buckle system on the Konekts, just without the hinge system.

 

 

I was looking forward to the Konekts, but at $1k, they're in custom skate territory.

Interesting use of buckles... and with the top buckle positioned below the top eyelet I'd bet he does get better flex than you'd see out of standard lacing. As for Konekt in custom skate territory in terms of pricing... well they are custom skates being heat molded liner and boot. I know that's not what most think of in a traditional sense because they're off-the-shelf items that just get molded as opposed to bespoke one-off skates made just for your feet... but if the fit and performance are there I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a reason not to consider them custom.

11 hours ago, A.YOUNGoalie13 said:

Official price: $950

I went back to 2X Pro skates recently and not lacing through the top eyelet... it has worked well... anxious to get these on my feet and see what kind of flex range I get. Remind me of the release date and tell me when you'll be working and I'll find a reason to make it up your way to get fitted.

15 hours ago, Dan_32 said:

I am currently wearing ccm p2.9 pads and they are completely dead. Sliding is very poor, and rebounds sit out right in front of me. I’m thinking about switching to Bauer pads, but want to try them out before buying since they are as different as pads can get. Does anyone know of any Bauer representatives or ways to Demo gear? Thank you!!!

Hey @Dan_32... I've gone from EFlex to 2X Pro to Axis and have tried @ZeroGravitas's UltraSonics... and all that said... yes sliding and large rebounds are both better in Bauers generally speaking. I will say however that trying the UltraSonics I realized that for me, Bauers aren't the best for lower-level skates. @Chenner29 and I have talked about this some. For higher-level skates, I find that Bauers are great, in that movements are fast and predictable and muscle memory kicks in with bang-bang plays. Lower-level skates I find that a stiff pad can get clunky with a lot more movement than you would have in faster skates... sounds counter-intuitive I know but with slower skates I find myself changing directions a lot more and honestly... my hips take the brunt of that. 

Sliding is important... but to be honest... most plays you should be getting there on your feet... much more controlled and in a much stronger position to stop the puck. Good footwork will always trump a great sliding pad.

Axis for me had been a good in-between. They're firm enough for decent rebounds but have enough flex to have the familiarity of the CCM (Lefevre.) Axis 2 looks to build on that as well... although I think the jury is out on the 591 glove. All that said... Bauer is definitely worth trying but Axis 2 could be worth your while as well. 

12 hours ago, A.YOUNGoalie13 said:

Does anyone have a comparable Bauer Totalone NXG and a hyperlite or any newer top of the line stick? I found one but I want to know how much heavier it is than a current high end one

I posted weights on an NXG a while back in the Stick Comparison thread...

17 minutes ago, mr_shifty1982 said:

I got a feeling that the pad ate the puck up lol

Yeah... literally 1:19 later he says puck mark. Patience hasn't ever been my strong suit. 

15 hours ago, ThatCarGuy said:

It’ll depend on the level of shots you’re seeing. From my experience B league and up the Bauer does better but anything below it’s all Warrior. The Bauer just takes hard shots so much better

14 hours ago, coopaloop1234 said:

The feel test so far has my Warriors ahead, though there's a lot of years of familiarity working against the Bauers.  

Well I'm heading to a drop in tonight and those may have one or two good shooters at best. At this point, it's just seeing how it all meshes with my gear and feels on the ice before I take into account performance. 

Blocker feels nice though. I'm genuinely curious to see if shots really do "pop off" of Bauers like people say.  

100% agree with @ThatCarGuy on this one... the faster not only the shots are but generally the pace of play I find Bauers easier to use. It's when you get the off-speed pitch or shot from the point that defies physics and bounces off 3 guys before getting to you with little pace left on it that I would have trouble with them.