MLX Preview

Good morning, Red Wings Nation!

I was recently reached out to by the folks at MLX, who asked me to give a pair of their skates a test run. Considering my background, it doesn’t take a whole lot of arm-twisting to get me on the ice again, and to try out new equipment. MLX has sent me a pair of skates to test, review, and keep — so in the coming weeks, you’ll see a product review of some mean skates.

Olympic speed skater David Cruikshank founded MLX just ten years ago, and built these skates to perform on sprints and tight corners — which were essentially the only two things that kept me in college hockey, so I’m beyond psyched to give the skates a twirl and see how they hold up compared to the three million other pairs of skates I’ve worn in the twenty years of competitive hockey I’m lucky to have played. With names like Mario Lemieux and Dustin Byfuglien attached to the brand, it’s hard to argue pedigree. With names like Jared Aulin and B.J. Crombeen, it’s easy to see that youth is being served.

The skates retail for $799 (but the website offers reduce prices), which is no small sum, but pro gear ain’t cheap and it usually only takes a few seconds to realize what sets it apart from the stuff your local pro shop has falling off the rack.

Keep your eyes peeled for the review, which will have photos and maybe even some video. It’s been just about ten years since I had my time trials in college, but I’m curious to see what my lap time is at 29 years old, and I plan on bringing three pairs of skates to see how MLX measures up to brands I’ve been wearing for decades. I’ve never had a pair of skates that I had to bake to ensure a good fit, so I’m beyond excited to make that happen in these new MLXs.