The Mako: Easton’s Quest To Build The World’s Fastest Skate

VAN NUYS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Easton has a history of reinventing sports equipment—from the world’s first aluminum shaft arrow to the first high-performance aluminum baseball bats and one-piece composite hockey stick. Never satisfied to merely improve existing products, Easton strives to invent new ones that deliver dramatic performance gains. Today Easton introduces the Mako Skate—a new hockey skate that gives players the ability to move naturally, generate explosive speed and gain unparalleled feel on the ice. In a sport where every second counts, the Mako skate provides more opportunities to make plays and put the puck in the net.

“Traditional hockey skates are stiff and restrictive, inhibiting natural movement and working against the athlete. In creating the Mako, we focused on performance features that help athletes harness the awesome speed their bodies are capable of creating on the ice. It’s a completely new feeling for players.”

Easton embarked on the quest to create the world’s fastest hockey skate more than a year ago – bolstered by its acquisition of skate technology innovator, MLX Technology. Frustrated by the inherent limitations of traditional skate designs when coaching NHL players, MLX founder, four-time Olympic speed skater and now Easton’s Chief of Speed Dave Cruikshank set out to create a skate built for the needs of today’s hockey player, knowing it would have to be different from top to bottom.

“While other aspects of hockey equipment have evolved to keep pace with today’s game, skates haven’t progressed at the same rate,” said Cruikshank. “Traditional hockey skates are stiff and restrictive, inhibiting natural movement and working against the athlete. In creating the Mako, we focused on performance features that help athletes harness the awesome speed their bodies are capable of creating on the ice. It’s a completely new feeling for players.”

“Once I laced up the Mako Skate and put it to the test, I knew Easton had something special,” said Dallas Stars Center, Derek Roy. “The mobility and increased range of motion give me exceptional turning especially in the corners. I can turn sharper, faster and go in any direction without restriction. The skate fits great and feels right on my feet.”

Innovation Inspired by Physics

To overcome the constraints of traditional skate technology, Easton looked to the physics of speed for inspiration. Three key elements apply the simple but powerful premise that natural motion in skating equals speed:

DOWNFORCE – Traditional high/stiff boots prevent athletes from getting onto the balls of their feet to generate downforce. Mako’s increased range of motion and an aggressive blade pitch allow skaters to get over the front of the skate and create more force into the ice.
PUSH DIRECTION – Traditional skates lack asymmetrical patterns and hinder effective push direction. Mako’s asymmetrical patterns allow the skate to fall in line with direction of travel to generate speed and power through cornering.
TEMPO – Traditional skates fail to optimize leg extension for maximum tempo. The combination of Easton’s Extendon™ guard and deep contour design create the Mako’s unique skating system for unrestricted natural movement.

The Art of Speed

Hockey players know that speed isn’t just getting up and down the ice. It’s about exploding off the line from a stopped position and beating your opponent to the puck. It’s about going into a corner carrying momentum, maneuvering in a tight spot to win the battle, and coming out as fast as you can to make another play.

The Mako skate is engineered for these dynamics of speed, with technical features that promote acceleration and stability. Added support for the lower heel area allows the skater to flex forward and maximize acceleration, with an overall asymmetrical design that provides incredible support when maneuvering in tight corners. The skate also features a unique new lacing pattern that enables the player to get to the front part of the skate—where power, down force and push direction can all be quickly transferred to the ice.

“After my first game using Easton’s Mako Skate, I haven’t looked back,” said London Knights Center, Max Domi, expected to be one of the top draft picks in the 2013 NHL draft. “The feel and overall quickness of these skates is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.”

The Mako skate will be available in limited quantities at retail stores where Easton Hockey products are sold starting on March 15. For more information, visit www.easton.com.

About Easton Sports

Easton Sports is a developer, manufacturer, marketer and distributor of baseball, softball, hockey, and lacrosse equipment for both sports professionals and enthusiasts. Easton Sports focuses on its ability to innovate and create products of unmatched quality and performance. Headquartered in Van Nuys, Calif., Easton Sports employs over 1,200 people worldwide and maintains facilities in Utah, California, Mexico, Canada and Sweden. For further information, please visit www.easton.com.