It should, speed skaters have really long blades for this reason. The longer blade allows for more surface to push off. The lightness from the carbon fiber should also help speed. Similar to my experience with my Graf’s, a perfectly fitting skate that doesn’t let your ankle flex much allows you to transfer more power to the blade, and thus gives you more speed. So a well fitting skate with a good stiff boot helps you skate faster and stronger also.

Lots of players like shorter blades like the Bauer Tuuk holders. Quite a few players mix and match blade carriers and skates. Shorter blades allow for faster maneuvering, but you sacrifice some stability and speed. From the pictures the MLX carriers bolt onto the boot (like Graf’s do) so it should be easy to add Tuuk carriers onto these skates.

Yet another reason I like the Graf’s and I would be ok with these skates. I don’t like skates that you have to rivet onto the boot. The rivet’s rust (eventually) and make changing carriers more difficult.

My experience with new skates is also that you need to bake them to do any sort of break in, or they’ll stay as rigid and in the same shape. No traditional break in is possible/need. When it has come to footbeds, I’ve had to replace them in every skate I’ve worn. I’ve had new pairs of Eastons (low end and higher end), and my current pair is a new pair of RBKs(6k pumps). Each instance I tried the stock insoles out for a few skates and was not impressed. My feet ached and my knees actually started hurting a bit. Replaced them with 25 dollar shock doctors and boom. Pain gone. Without using the MLX I can’t say anything specifically about them, but if they are like every other brand they would have skimped on the insoles. Give some Shock Doctors a try and see how they treat you in the MLX.

Good review, if I hadn’t just bought a new pair last summer I might be in the market for something like this. It is amazing how skates that fit properly feel and make it easier to skate though. My old cheap/crappy Bauer’s from high school finally fell apart last year and the only pair I could find that would fit my feet right was Graf 735. They fit better new and unbroken in than I had ever had a pair of skates fit.

I need to find a pair of skates for my wife now… She told me she never liked skating and I told her she had probably never had a pair that fit properly (having just been using rental skates). After a lot of searching, measuring, and trying on skates we found she has wider feet and needs a 4.5EEE pair. Custom skates are tough to justify for someone who you don’t know if they’ll like skating or not. So, no skates for my wife yet.

Not that that has much to do with this story… I’ll stop rambling now.