18 replies to this topic

[qmc93]

Heads up everyone. Better load up on STEP for the edge holder while you still can. 😔

[dlew308]

Rather than making a better product, they take the lame way out.....

[Mdwsta4]

Saw this earlier today. Absolutely ridiculous. I have two new sets of Step Blacksteel that I'll burn through. By the time that happens my skates will likely need to be replaced so I guess I'll be switching to CCM. 

 

This just impacts Step though, right? Tydan, Bladetech, Byonic, etc can still make LS2 compatible steel? If so, that makes even less sense

[gsr027]

If it Bauer only going after Step, and the others can still make steel that works on the edge holders, does it seem like they are only going after the one (of those manufacturers) that also makes skates AND their own holder that Bauer has no interest (assuming) in making steel for? Or is it more likely that they went after the biggest competition first, with the legal support now to stop the others in short order? Guess we’ll see.

[Mapleleafs-13]

bauer is fuckin whack for this. They make a superior product to your garbage steel. i'm probably going to buy 10/12 pairs of step steel before they leave the stores so i can be stocked up for years so i don't have to use bauer's trash. 

[gosinger]

This just impacts Step though, right? Tydan, Bladetech, Byonic, etc can still make LS2 compatible steel? If so, that makes even less sense

From how I understand it the LS2 holder / blade is not "protected" by as many patents as the EDGE holder, so I'd assume anyone can produce LS2 compatible steel. The EDGE steel I've seen so far (all in Europe) had stickers on them prohibiting sale in the US, where the patents apply. This lawsuit here is in Canada, and now both their largest markets (I assume) are affected I highly doubt they will continue to produce for the other markets.

[Mdwsta4]

From how I understand it the LS2 holder / blade is not "protected" by as many patents as the EDGE holder, so I'd assume anyone can produce LS2 compatible steel. The EDGE steel I've seen so far (all in Europe) had stickers on them prohibiting sale in the US, where the patents apply. This lawsuit here is in Canada, and now both their largest markets (I assume) are affected I highly doubt they will continue to produce for the other markets.

Sorry, meant the edge (trigger) holder

[Dupes]

I am sure they will come out with something to replace step?

[rusty88]

Saw this earlier today. Absolutely ridiculous. I have two new sets of Step Blacksteel that I'll burn through. By the time that happens my skates will likely need to be replaced so I guess I'll be switching to CCM. 

 

This just impacts Step though, right? Tydan, Bladetech, Byonic, etc can still make LS2 compatible steel? If so, that makes even less sense

 

Same i will just switch to the new CCM holder. 

[iceman8310]

bauer is fuckin whack for this. They make a superior product to your garbage steel. i'm probably going to buy 10/12 pairs of step steel before they leave the stores so i can be stocked up for years so i don't have to use bauer's trash. Bauer 

Bauer has been whack for years

[Mapleleafs-13]

I am sure they will come out with something to replace step?

 

Bauer won’t make anything better than step. Step is legendary for steel. Realistically they should have found a way to work with step that way they had a far superior product. 

 

What about other third party manufacturers like Tydan, did Bauer go after them as well? 

[90Style10Skill]

I'd imagine this ruling sets precedent and Bauer will definitely be going after other companies. What's interesting is Byonic steel which claims to have a patent on their own steel shape so I'm not sure Bauer would be able to force them to stop producing it.

[number_22]

Wow... that's a dick move on Bauer's part... Luckily, I have an LS2 holder on my True skates, these should still be available, as far as I understand.

[Monty22]

bauer is fuckin whack for this. They make a superior product to your garbage steel. i'm probably going to buy 10/12 pairs of step steel before they leave the stores so i can be stocked up for years so i don't have to use bauer's trash. 

 

 

Wow... that's a dick move on Bauer's part... Luckily, I have an LS2 holder on my True skates, these should still be available, as far as I understand.

 

While I'm sad to see Step not being available for this holder, I don't get the hate for Bauer defending their patent rights. From a business standpoint, they would have been stupid not to. If you had the tools to do as a company to stop  a competitor from copying aspects of your product (that were protected) and cutting into your sales, wouldn't you? That's why patents exist in the first place.  Step had a window where they were able to produce Edge compatible steel. That window closed. I'm sure they anticipated/expected it.  

[denisjr]

While I'm sad to see Step not being available for this holder, I don't get the hate for Bauer defending their patent rights. From a business standpoint, they would have been stupid not to. If you had the tools to do as a company to stop  a competitor from copying aspects of your product (that were protected) and cutting into your sales, wouldn't you? That's why patents exist in the first place.  Step had a window where they were able to produce Edge compatible steel. That window closed. I'm sure they anticipated/expected it.  

 

I agree with the above Bauer is just protecting their property. Step should have tried to licence the patent from Bauer, whether they tried and failed or just used the patent without permission that is a different matter.

[z1ggy16]

I'm glad I moved off TUUK holders years ago. My old LS2 steel was such garbage, STEP is literally miles better than pretty much any OEM steel I've ever used. The stock steel on Mako was pretty decent but I hated how small it was. Even this new blacksteel on the XS holder is trash...I immediately put STEP Black into it.

 

How many pro's are using Step in the Edge holder right now? Each team may only have a few players that fall into this category, and out of the few, maybe only 1 or 2 really care, so an EQM can get 30 pair of steel for each player, enough to last the rest of their career probably. As far as the NHL and other pro leagues go, it's probably not that big of a deal. Even most guys I play with probably have no idea what STEP even is & only care what stick they have.

[rusty88]

While I'm sad to see Step not being available for this holder, I don't get the hate for Bauer defending their patent rights. From a business standpoint, they would have been stupid not to. If you had the tools to do as a company to stop  a competitor from copying aspects of your product (that were protected) and cutting into your sales, wouldn't you? That's why patents exist in the first place.  Step had a window where they were able to produce Edge compatible steel. That window closed. I'm sure they anticipated/expected it.  

 

 

True i don't hate Bauer for enforcing their patents.  I'm more disappointed that it didn't motivate them to come out with a better quality product. Especially when skates are now over a grand.

 

There is only one reason everyone switched to Step steel.  

[67expansion]

If you believe for a second that Bauer is all about fair play and just protecting their ( I.P.) then we need to look back at how Bauer developed the TUUK EDGE holder from the beginning. The first trigger release holder on the market was the QUIK holder designed and manufactured in Canada with STEP providing the steel.

Bauer caught wind that several NHL players were remounting their skates with QUIK holders and informed the equipment managers of those teams that players using the QUIK would no longer be supplied Bauer skates. Then the corporate giant slapped a law suit on QUIK stating that they copied the TUUK design and tied them up in litigation long enough to reverse engineer the system that QUIK invented.

Bauer has done everything in it’s power to price this game out of existence and since NIKE moved on they really have done nothing truly innovative for the sport. 

[- M]

If you believe for a second that Bauer is all about fair play and just protecting their ( I.P.) then we need to look back at how Bauer developed the TUUK EDGE holder from the beginning. The first trigger release holder on the market was the QUIK holder designed and manufactured in Canada with STEP providing the steel.

Bauer caught wind that several NHL players were remounting their skates with QUIK holders and informed the equipment managers of those teams that players using the QUIK would no longer be supplied Bauer skates. Then the corporate giant slapped a law suit on QUIK stating that they copied the TUUK design and tied them up in litigation long enough to reverse engineer the system that QUIK invented.

Bauer has done everything in it’s power to price this game out of existence and since NIKE moved on they really have done nothing truly innovative for the sport. 

 

Bauer has initiatives to make the game affordable like the First Shift program.  Manufacturers aren't forcing anyone to spend loads of money on the latest and greatest gear.  Consumers choose to.  There are other alternatives out there like closeouts, pro return and used equipment. 

 

Remember how fat goalie cowlings used to be?  They got slim with the Vertexx holders and now cowlings don't even exist.  Pro-clip visors were introduced after Health Canada banned the sale of non-certified half visors.  Many features from OD1N trickled down to retail equipment.