M-Wave
Short track skating has evolved immensely over the past few years. Athletes are reaching higher speeds and pushing the limits of their equipment on the ice surface. the quest for more stability and safety has lead to a call from athletes for higher blade cups, in order to minimize boot contact with the ice in corners. Skate-Tec's line of M-Wave blades answers this call.
M-Style Forks
Unique for the M-Wave are its 'M' shaped forks. The construction allows for a better transfer of the high loads while skating. They also distribute the stiffness more evenly over the tube. This results in higher stability and therefor more speed.
The Flex tube is thinner at the bottom of the tube. Less material near the blade lets the blade bend more into the corner, providing a more dynamic behavior. Flex tubes are more suited for lighter skaters.
The Firm tube has a bit more material at the bottom of the tube. This makes the skate stiffer, so it can keep its bend with higher forces. Firm tubes are more suited for heavier skaters.
The standard tubes have a higher cross section in the middle of the tube. This makes a standard tube stiffer in the normal direction. A standard tube will hold its rocker more.
The Flattop tubes are more flexible because of the lower cross section. The flattop tubes will therefore bend more when loaded. This causes the rocker to become flatter under load.
Height
The trend in shorttrack is to go higher. Cups of +10mm are not a rarity anymore. The M-Wave Firm is therefore by default 5mm higher than normal. The M-Wave Flex is by default 3mm higher. Height is measured based on the default cup height of the Nagano, which is similar to other brands.