March 16th, 2022 || Written by Katie Lakusta
Sharpening and profiling your blades can really help you gain the competitive edge you need over your opponents during the game. And believe it or not, but the blade itself also matters.
There have been attempts in the past to craft new blades that would offer better glide, speed, feel, and ultimately performance. Despite possessing good potential and the right ideas, only a few of them were able to keep up with their hype and the value of traditional steel.
Enter Flare Blades—over a decade of research at the University of Calgary led to the creation of revolutionary runners made with the finest Swedish steel that offer both amazing glide and bite. With many professional and recreational players now making the switch, it’s becoming clear that Flare Blades are here to stay as a truly performance-enhancing innovation.
How They Look
Standard player blades are 3mm in width across the length and height—not quite so with Flare Blades. These blades start with a 3mm width at the top, then flare out halfway at a 6° angle, reaching 4.5mm at the bottom. This dynamic gives them a larger radius of hollow (ROH) and increases the surface area covered by the blade and how much of the edge is available to catch the ice. This design is why you can have a shallower hollow applied (which would offer you better glide) done on the skates without sacrificing bite.
15% Less Sideways Force
One of the most evident components of these blades that players notice while using them is the confidence they give to the user’s edge work. Many current players in professional and recreational leagues noticed that the blades have allowed them to tighten their edges even further than what originally seemed possible—and there’s an explanation for that.
The reason you “lose an edge” on the ice is predominantly that you have gone beyond the sideways force threshold of a standard skate blade. The 6° angle that flares the blade out on Flare Blades reduces that sideways force by 15%, helping you achieve that deeper turn. The flared, wider base distributes less weight downward and more outward, increasing stability and surface area.
50% Greater Surface Area & 21% Less Friction
As a result of the optimized angle, wider base, and flatter hollows, the player’s weight disperses outward rather than straight down, covering greater surface area. This makes for better balance, less pressure on major joints, and greater energy efficiency. Your skates retain their sharpness and tight edges, while you experience improved glide and decreased fatigue.
5.6% Greater Acceleration & Speed
An increase of 5.6% in both max acceleration and speed was found during experimental trials of the Flare Blades at the University of Calgary Human Performance Lab. In a game of inches, even the small increases can mean the difference between controlling the game and losing the battle. Flare Blades help you lean more into your stride, effectively adding greater explosive power to your acceleration, and the shallower cut assists you in keeping that momentum.
Maintenance
If you are at all nervous about bringing Flare Blades in for sharpening and/or profiling, you don’t need to be—the process should feel and be the same as with regular blades. Whether done on a Sparx machine, Blackstone machine, or traditionally by a professional, Flare Blades can be sharpened and profiled perfectly well.
Due to the nature of Flare Blades, their larger width will require a shallower hollow. An easy way to calculate the hollow you should use is to add half an inch to the hollow you’re currently using; for example, if you currently use a ½” (regular) hollow, you may benefit the most from Flare Blades with a 1” hollow instead. Flare Blades have a larger radius and bite more into the ice, which is why they can use a shallower ROH and still offer that strong bite from deeper hollows. Please refer to the chart when deciding which hollow is best for you.
Compatibility
At this time, Flare Blades are compatible with the following skate holders:
- Bauer TUUK LSE
- Bauer TUUK LS2
- CCM SpeedBlade XS
- CCM SpeedBlade +4.0
- CCM E-Blade Pro
- Graf Cobra NT3000
- Graf Cobra UL5000
- QuikBlade
Final Thoughts
As someone who once prided myself in my skating but had lots of joint problems while playing, the prospect of skate blades that enhance your speed while reducing stress on your joints is a huge plus for me. It’s clear the creators were onto something with these blades during the research and development process. I mentioned earlier that having the right edge work done on your skates can be the thing that gives you an advantage over your opponents—and changing up the style is a routine that pros practice all the time. If they have the chance to try something new that could potentially put them in the lead, they will take it. Flare Blades offer that extra edge control and speed, so it’s definitely a no-brainer why so many of those pros are opting to try and stick with Flare Blades.
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