The Thermablade Story

Tory Weber worked the midnight shift monitoring the boiler room in the basement of a posh hotel in Banff National Park. It was a boring job for a college student in his early 20s, but the pay, and the dollar-a-day room and meals, made it hard for him to quit, especially with a new silver Mazda RX7 parked outside.

So Weber put his feet up on the desk, his hands behind his head, and thought, "God, you'd just about have to kill me for me to change my life."

Seconds later, a chunk of concrete fell from the ceiling, which was being remodeled. It severed the hotel's main gas line, just 20 feet from Weber's desk. Natural gas hissed out of the punctured 1-inch steel line near two flame-shooting boilers.

Firefighters said it was pure luck the hotel didn't explode. For Weber, that second chance was a catalyst to follow a dream hatched in childhood.

Inspired by Spud Gun

A few years before the hotel incident, Weber had an idea that stemmed from another accident. Painful, but not nearly as dangerous. It was a cold February day at his parents' house in Calgary. He stepped into his shoes, which had been sitting on a heat vent, and walked out onto the icy stairs to get the evening newspaper. His warm shoes melted the ice and sent him reeling onto his rear end.

The same thermodynamics class that eventually landed him the boiler room job made Weber ponder the effect his heated shoes had on the ice. Like most men in Canada, Weber had grown up with a stick and a puck and a number of idols in the NHL. As Weber nursed his aching back, the idea struck him: What would happen if hockey players could skate on heated blades?



More at: The Thermablade Story

Easton Stealth S9 Ice Hockey Skate Review

The Easton Stealth S9 Ice Hockey Skate is the top level traditionally constructed skate by Easton. The HyperLite composite quarter panels offers ideal support. The S9 ice skate has some of the same comfort and performance features of the S17 and S9 ice skates making this skate ideal for the intermediate player.

The reality is that most rec hockey players (including myself) don't need the top-of-the-line skates to perform to the best of their abilities. I always look for the best bang-for-my-buck in all my hockey equipment, and skates are no exception.

You can easily find able to find a pair of Easton Stealth S9 Ice Skates for under $200. Chances are you'll score just as many goals as with theEaston S17s and you'll save yourself $200 - $300.

UniBody™ Construction - Easton's properietary skate construction. The entire skate is assembled and shaped as one unit rather than in separate parts

• HyperLite composite quarters - Ideal support for interemdiate level of play
• Metallic mesh exterior - Offers a durable exterior

Stealth Padlock heel retention system- Eliminates heel slippage by anatomically locking the ankle into place, filling any negative space and giving energy return

InTS integrated tendon structure - Soft support to protect the back of your foot

Bio-Dri™ woven microfiber liner and footbed - Provides comfort and moisture reduction

Dry Flow™ liner - Drainage system on the sole of the skate. Releases moisture and excess heat created during play. Skates stay dryer resulting in lighter, better fitting skates

Injected abrasion guard in high wear areas for added durability

Heat Moldable

Razor Bladz II holder with stainless steel runners

• Parabolic runners allows the steel to arc during turns improving energy return and creating faster, sharper turns
• High quality Swedish Stainless Steel
• Secure and easy to use 2 sided hardware system

Weight of a Size 9D Skate: 890.18 grams

Ideal for the intermediate level player

Sizes: Senior 6 – 12.5 in regular D width and the wider EE width

Easton skates generally fit 1/2 sizes down from your regular shoe size

RBK 11K Pump White

Reebok Releases White 11K Pump

RBK Hockey releases the White 11K Pump skate on April 14th 2010. The white version is available in senior, junior and youth sizes — and in an optional “D/AA” width to accommodate the fit needs of more players.

The Canadian-made 11K Pump debuted at retailers across North America.The skate has grabbed plenty of attention such as notable NHL rookie and Reebok Hockey team member Matt Duchene.

The 11K’s design includes an improved Pump-inflated air bladder that molds to a skater’s foot — no matter what the shape — for a customized fit. The result: Players aren’t just upgrading to the 11K from other Reebok models, but switching from other brands, including 50 NHL players to date since January 1st, 2010.

The Pump concept has been optimized for 2010; Reebok has moved the Pump slightly in the boot to improve the flow of air to and control of the internal Pump chamber. This eliminates natural gaps around the ankle to keep a player’s foot in place, enhance heel lock and forward flex, and improve stability.

Reebok skates normally are constructed on a “D/A” last. The wider “D” sizing is in the forefoot and narrower “A” is found in the heel. The “D/AA” pattern on the 11K is slightly narrower in the heel.

“Players are putting their feet in our skate and the comfort level is winning them over,” Andrew Stewart, Reebok’s skate product manager said. “We’re hearing that the 11K is the most comfortable skate out of the box. For some players, the narrower ‘AA’ heel improves fit and performance even more.”

Can't afford the Reebok 11K? Go for the Reebok 9K.