Easton Delivers a Great Pro quality Skate in the Z-Air
Written: Mar 04 '04 (Updated Oct 05 '05)
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Pros: Best bang for the buck, high quality boots
Cons: Questionable hardware, toes are a bit narrow
The Bottom Line: For the price, this is one of the best skate models on the market
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| puckmugger's Full Review: Easton Z-Air Senior Ice Hockey Skates 02 |
Easton has come quite a ways from when Ice Hockey player scoffed at the quality of their gear, discounting them as a mere inline company that wanted to sneak into the Ice Hockey Industry. While some of Easton’s early efforts did have serious issues, the '02 and newer lines have been commendable efforts. For the money, it has become hard to find a better skate than Easton makes.
The Boot
The Z-Air is one of the top boots on the market. Easton’s line-up is as follows: Z-Air Comp, Z-Air, Air, Ultra lite Pro, Ultra lite. These listed from top of the line to bottom of the line. There is also a newer skate called the SBX, but that is a soft boot technology and difficult to place in the lineup as it is a very different type of skate.
Easton uses innovative materials in their skates. They have been on the forefront of material technology for four years now, experimenting with new cutting edge synthetics that other manufacturers tend to pick up a few years later. The 㤉 Easton line was among the first skates to feature ventilated soles and hydrophobic liners.
The outsole on the Z-Air is full Carbon Fiber. This provides as stiff a base to the boot as you will find on any skate being produced today. It also is lighter than fiberglass or plastic soles.
Easton skates will generally fit players with moderately wide feet better. If you have narrow feet, I would suggest a Bauer, Graf or Mission skate instead. The fit of the boot is very similarly to a CCM skate. Although the toecap is not quite as wide, the center of the boot and heel are almost identical. Most players who wear a CCM skate will find the Easton line just as comfortable, however, those with a wide forefoot will possibly be a bit cramped in the toes.
The Z-Air boot is a composite material upper. Easton is very tight lipped about the exact materials they used, but it isn’t a synthetic leather or ballistic nylon like most skate makers utilize. Regardless of the material, it is very rigid and highly durable. The shell of the Air is among the stiffest available.
Why is stiffness important?
When looking at skates, the level of boot stiffness is the most noticeable thing you are getting as you go up in price. The benefit from stiffness is twofold. First, you need a stiff boot for support and explosive skating. If a boot is too soft, much of the energy in your leg drive will be lost in the upper rather than transferred to the ice. Second, a stiffer boot will last longer. Easton currently produces the stiffest uppers of any major skate manufacturer.
Of course, there is a downside to having a stiff boot as well. It is important to never buy a boot that is too stiff to break in given your current skill level and number of hours on the ice. Further, it is important to make certain that you have the physical size to flex the boot you select.
With Easton skates you can generally go to the next lower price tier compared to competitor’s skates and still be purchasing the same stiffness level. They simply make the stiffest skates on the market. The only exception that I can think of would be the Bauer 7000, which was so stiff that Bauer actually made a slightly more supple skate (the 8000) in their following year line.
Blades and Carriers
This would be the area where Easton has made the most improvement. In some of Easton’s earlier attempts, they took their spirit of innovation a little too far, crafting an absurd carbon fiber blade carrier. It was ugly, impossible to sharpen and like carbon fiber sticks, prone to breakage from extreme impacts.
The newer holder that Easton uses are much improved over the older models. They are stiff enough, not prone to breakage and well designed. The only flaw I have found in the holder is their tendency to change the hardware frequently. The screws change every season it seems, making finding parts a little more of a challenge. The '02 models had screws that looked like Easton picked them up at the local hardware store’s bargain bin. They were prone to breakage from overtightening and simply too small for the task.
As always the steel Easton uses is quite good. From my unique perspective of sharpening many pair of these, I can tell you it is among the hardest steel on any brand. The parabolic runners do actually provide a little bit of extra propulsion, but at the cost of some strength. They do tend to break a bit more easily than the solid steel runners do.
Final Recommendations
The Z-Air is a skate that would be suitable for all levels of play, up to and including NHL hockey. They are very durable and fairly lightweight. Until the race for the lightest skate began in 㤋, Easton was making the lightest skates on the market. Since then skates like the Bauer Vapor and Pro Tack have unseated them.
The Z-Air is a premium skate at a slight discount compared to the likes of Bauer, Nike and CCM. Each brand has its high and low points. Easton scores very high on their boot design, their value to quality and durability of uppers. They do have some negatives in their hardware, but these are the parts designed for replacement, so the worries here are minimal. All in all you will be hard pressed to beat this skate for the same amount of money.
© Scott Noble – Unauthorized use prohibited
A few of my other reviews that you might find helpful:
Hockey Skate buying demystified
Easton Z-Air Comp SE
Nike THG V-Force
Graf 727 Cyberflex
CCM Pro Tacks 2003/04
Recommended:
Yes
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