Easton vs. CCM Skate Width

[Hrad]

I'm in Easton SE6 8.5D Width skates, going to go to CCM U+ Reloaded 9E skates.

I know it's half a size bigger, length wise it should be ok...But is the CCM E much wider than a Easton D? If I use the F.I.T. System will that help?

Please no "You should get fitted" stuff, I would if I could but I can't so please just help me answer the question if you can

Thanks!

 

[cmdrdredd]

I felt that CCM skates were wider by default than the Easton S17 I tried on. However, the FIT system will compress the boot with airbags and will make it tighter to your foot. That will make it narrower. However, the CCM U+ boot is very moldable so you can have it done in the FIT system, skate a session and have it baked again after it dries out and just lace them up without using the FIT system. I used the FIT system on my 2nd bake. It compressed the boot more, but gave a better fit for my foot. Before that I just laced them tight and pushed around the areas that had pressure. You could even have them punched a bit if they need to be wider.

Just remember, the FIT system compresses the boot around your foot pretty tightly. If you are using the FIT system how come you cannot be fitted at the store?

Note: When you go up in length you also gain a bit of room for your foot. If your foot takes up more volume than is available in an 8.5D then a 9D might be alright. Hard to say without trying it, everyone is different.

 

[Hrad]

I felt that CCM skates were wider by default than the Easton S17 I tried on. However, the FIT system will compress the boot with airbags and will make it tighter to your foot. That will make it narrower. However, the CCM U+ boot is very moldable so you can have it done in the FIT system, skate a session and have it baked again after it dries out and just lace them up without using the FIT system. I used the FIT system on my 2nd bake. It compressed the boot more, but gave a better fit for my foot. Before that I just laced them tight and pushed around the areas that had pressure. You could even have them punched a bit if they need to be wider.

Just remember, the FIT system compresses the boot around your foot pretty tightly. If you are using the FIT system how come you cannot be fitted at the store?

Note: When you go up in length you also gain a bit of room for your foot. If your foot takes up more volume than is available in an 8.5D then a 9D might be alright. Hard to say without trying it, everyone is different.

Well I'm not really scared length-wise, as I've read everything there is and tried on pairs of lower end skates that are actually available in stores around me, and I should be ok with the length of a size 9 skate (Toes are supposed to be 'feathering' the skate right? Plus I might still grow a little, I'm almost 16 atm) Only thing I'm not sure about is the width.

I know you've told me that you feel Eastons are narrower, but I've read somewhere that the U+ line is actually supposed to be more narrow than Easton skates in general. Plus I'm thinking that if I mold them and perhaps push the skates where they don't quite fit (if it's necessary). Then they should be alright.

I don't actually have a F.I.T system around me, but it was just theoretical to find out if applying pressure on the skates would work.

Anyways in my Easton SE6 8.5D skates I feel like I could use a slightly wider boot, it's not like the "E" width can be extremely wide or anything, a lot of humans use it .

Especially with the U-Foam's reputation, seems like it can almost mold to anything you want from all the good feedback that I hear about it...

So I was mostly interested in hearing about the widths of the skates, Eastons "D" (SE Line) vs CCM's "E" (U+) width, and how large of a difference it is.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Well, as I said the CCM felt wider for me. I was looking at the S17 and U+ Pro Reloaded. If you are still growing I'd use the finger behind the heel check. In other words, put the skate on and kick your toes to the end of the skate and stand up with a slight bend in your knee almost like you would when skating. Try to slip a finger behind your heel. If you can fit one then that's about all I'd leave length wise for your growing room. Any more and it's likely to be a sloppy fit.

The U+ Boot is super moldable so it should be able to fit you after baking. When you try it on before baking it's very sloppy and doesn't have any shape whatsoever. After baking the foam expands and allows your foot to shape it. Almost custom fit, in a way.

 

[Hrad]

The U+ Boot is super moldable so it should be able to fit you after baking. When you try it on before baking it's very sloppy and doesn't have any shape whatsoever. After baking the foam expands and allows your foot to shape it. Almost custom fit, in a way.

Yeah that's what I've been hearing. That it feels terrible out of the box but just feels great after baking. Some people feel that the baking that they do at your LHS isn't enough, and they turn it up a little at home to get a even better feeling in the skate.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I baked it twice. The first time I laced them up tight and let it cool around my feet. I mentioned any spots that were uncomfortable and had excess pressure. Then we baked it again real quick just to soften up the foam and worked in the spots with pressure. You can almost press out the bothersome areas with your hand. Then I let them cool for a couple days and took them to skate in. Felt good. Then I let the dry out and took them back to bake again and used the FIT system to really press the boot to fit my foot.

I've been busy and won't get to skate again until wednesday, but I'm looking forward to it.

 

[thedonger]

tried on v08's and u+ reloaded in 6 and 6E, and had s12's in size 6.5D. the ccm's were just a hair too long for my feet, while my toes just barely brush the toe cap on the s12's. that being said, the eastons seemed to be just a smidge wider than either of the ccm's in the E widths in the forefoot, but considerably narrower in the heel.
on purely forefoot width, i believe eastons(or at least their mid to top tier skates) are unanimously considered to be the widest skates in the forefoot out there.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Right the heel squeezes tighter than I liked on the Easton. Which is why the CCM felt wider to me right away.

This shows how much of a personal thing a skate's fit is.

 

[Hrad]

So I guess what you're really aiming for is a skate that will hold your foot in place and be comfortable at the same time.

Just hypothetically, if you have skate that's too big for you...Like you wear an 8 but you get a 9 skate, but in the 8 your toes don't touch the end of the skate but your foot holds well anyways, would you even notice a difference in the 9s since your toes don't touch anyways?

I was just thinking about that...Does that make sense or am I missing something here?

 

[stick9]

So many misinformation and misconceptions here I don't know where to start.

First, you won't bake a skate smaller, no way, no how. Foam expands, but it won't compress your foot or expand enough to make up for improper fit.

If your toes don't touch in an 8 why would buy a 9? That makes no sense. It's not just a difference in length. The entire fit is different because it's designed to fit a bigger foot, not just a longer one.

 

[cptjeff]

Right the heel squeezes tighter than I liked on the Easton. Which is why the CCM felt wider to me right away.

This shows how much of a personal thing a skate's fit is.

That's becuase there's more to it the "length" and "width". Eastons have a narrow heel but a wide forefoot, and a flatter arch. U+ are fairly high volume all around and are very adaptable.

So many misinformation and misconceptions here I don't know where to start.

First, you won't bake a skate smaller, no way, no how. Foam expands, but it won't compress your foot or expand enough to make up for improper fit.

If your toes don't touch in an 8 why would buy a 9? That makes no sense. It's not just a difference in length. The entire fit is different because it's designed to fit a bigger foot, not just a longer one.

Correct.


The other thing to consider is if it's an E or a EE. They're different. An E will only be slightly wider then a D, a EE is a good deal different. Either way, I would be nervous. Fitting, or at least having your foot measured on a CCM brannock device first would be vastly preferable. And as U+es are some of the wider skates around, going up in size AND width is probably a bad idea.

 

[Hrad]

OK OK OK. I have better choices now.

What is closer to an 8.5D:

9.0D
or
8.5E

Since the longer boot (9D) gets bigger as it lengthens anyways, it sort of gets wider at the same time as it gets longer right? So the 9D would be wider than a 8.5D logically .

So would an 8.5E (Good length) be better than a 9D? You say a E is not so different from a D, and with the great U-foam maybe it won't be very noticeable yes?

Anyways, I want some more opinions before I make my final choice.

Thanks!

 

[cptjeff]

The 9D will be longer and wider, and less matched to the contours of your foot. The 8.5E will merely be wider.

But, looking at CCM's listings it seems that they list a D and an E, which makes me think that their E is what other companies list as a EE.

You really should almost certainly be in a 8.5D.

 

[Hrad]

The 9D will be longer and wider, and less matched to the contours of your foot. The 8.5E will merely be wider.

But, looking at CCM's listings it seems that they list a D and an E, which makes me think that their E is what other companies list as a EE.

You really should almost certainly be in a 8.5D.

Yeah well 8.5D is ideal obviously, I'm probably going to go for the 9D since I'm only about 16 years old, and maybe my feet will grow another cm?

 

[stick9]

Yeah well 8.5D is ideal obviously, I'm probably going to go for the 9D since I'm only about 16 years old, and maybe my feet will grow another cm?

How can you only be about 16?

Let me guess, you can't find the correct size (8.5D) and from all the questions I'm go out on a limb and say your ordering online. If you were shopping at a store you could try the 9D on and see just how much bigger it really is.

But anyway, chances are you'll be back here in a few weeks complaining about blisters, sore feet, or heel slipage...maybe all three. You'll be saying how you're struggling with turns and feel off balance.

I hope that doesn't happen, but be prepared for the possibility of it. After all, you're buying a skate that doesn't fit.

 

[PP Subban]

I wore CCM EE width and Easton Wide width.

 

[Hrad]

How can you only be about 16?

Let me guess, you can't find the correct size (8.5D) and from all the questions I'm go out on a limb and say your ordering online. If you were shopping at a store you could try the 9D on and see just how much bigger it really is.

Yes I'm ordering online, not only did my local sports store close, it didn't carry the skate anyways. Plus, my next closest one is about 45 minutes away, and it doesn't carry the skate either. The best thing I can do is try on a low end CCM skate, maybe a Vector 03 or something...but I don't know if that's even worth making the trip there as low end and high end skates can be a lot different.

I did however do some digging in my closet, and found my dad's old CCM Tacks, size 9D. These didn't have any insoles nor have they been worn in the past 5 years, but they didn't feel that bad. Length was ok, they were pretty wide but I hear that the U+ Line runs more narrow than the Tacks did. Felt terrible at my ankle (But that's just because they were worn by a different person for a long time).

In my opinion, with insoles and them being moulded to my feet, they should be just fine.

But hey you never know, I may still be back to complain in a couple of weeks.

If anybody could confirm that Tacks were wider than the U+ line is, that would be great.
Still looking for more opinions though.

Thanks!

 

[cmdrdredd]

I had some Tacks way back when but I honestly couldn't tell you the feel of them now. I know for a fact though that you want the skate to be as small as you can fit into, maybe leaving like a fingers width of space at the back of the heel when your toe is kicked forward. The idea there is you are leaving some room to grow but not enough room for slop. This is where many parents and teens gasp when they realize that a $500 skate won't fit in 6 months and it HAS to be that way because if the skate is too big for the skater, he or she will never skate at full potential and will get pains, blisters, and other ailments. Tight is good, uncomfortable is not. You have to find a skate that is both snug fitting and comfy for long sessions. I like my U+ Pros but without trying them it's just so hard to tell if it's for you. Remember, a skate can be punched out to gain some width but you can never make it smaller. After baking and lacing it up tightly, that's as small as the skate will ever be. As you skate it will loosen up a bit too, your heel might sink back into the skate better once you wear in the padding around that area. That's why it's better to be careful not to buy a skate too big. I probably should have a 6.5E but I squeezed into a 6.5D because I know that after break in it will widen out slightly as I skate and my foot starts conforming the foam around it. My toes scrape the toecap when I skate in it. That's optimal length. Width I didn't go big because the skate can be made bigger in a couple ways, not smaller.

quick FYI: hockeymonkey.com has the U+ Pro Reloaded in 8.5D since that seems to be what you need.

 

[Hrad]

quick FYI: hockeymonkey.com has the U+ Pro Reloaded in 8.5D since that seems to be what you need.

Yeah but check out that price tag...I'm getting mine for $350.

But yeah, width shouldn't be a problem for me, but it's not like you can punch out length right? That would just remove the toe cap from the skate...

Anyways, with a good bake and tight tying of the laces, I should be good to go. I guess I'm getting 9Ds as of now, and I will update this thread when I get them & skate in them.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Well, good luck. Just remember, when you go up in length you gain more width by default because it's made for a bigger overall foot. That was mentioned before. You might be alright. I mean, I skated for a long time with 7.5D skates when I should have been in 6.5D for optimal length. Ultimately it's up to you, if you're more comfortable buying bigger so you can grow with them then I guess you'll have to live with whatever you end up with.

 

[cptjeff]

Tacks aren't too different. The vectors were a radical departure from the tacks fit, but the U+ went back in that direction. Which is good, because the tacks fit was incredibly popular- tight ankle, wider forefoot. Much like what easton has today.

The U+ is really similar in width, but their foams make it really adaptable.

Good luck, but if it doesn't work out, don't blame us.