Heated Skates Will 'Revolutionize Hockey'

In The World Of Competitive Sports, Any Technical Advantage Is Applauded And Welcomed With Open Arms. Fatigue, Speed And Resistance Are Key Factors In Separating The Men From The Boys In Competitive Hockey And A New Heated Blade Promises The Edge. It All Started One Day When He Slipped And Fell On Ice. Canada's Tory Weber Left His Shoes On A Heater And Went Outside To Get The Paper When He Realized His Warm Shoes Were Much Slipperier Than Usual. After Taking A Spill, Weber Decided To Find Out What Would Happen If You Heat A Skate Blade. Five Years Later, And With A Reported $5-Million Invested In The Project, Thermablade Has Launched Its New Heated Skate Technology Across North America. Hockey Legend Wayne Gretzky Is Already Touting The Technology, And Reuters Recently Reported The Great One Is An Investor In The Company. Gretzky Says The Skates "Are Going To Revolutionize Hockey." The Battery-Powered Skate Blade Heats The Ice Surface Up To About 4 Or 5 Degrees Celsius, Which The Company Says Can Reduce Resistance, Increase A Skater's Stamina And Deliver Faster Acceleration, Tighter Turns And Increased Control. The Blades Are Sold For $399 A Pair, And They Attach To A Hockey Player's Existing Boot. The Company Says Skaters Can Expect A Battery Life Of A Minimum Of 75 Minutes. Thermablade Says Their Blades Will Bring The Following Benefits: - Sliding Friction Is Lowered By 50 To 55 Per Cent. - Vibration Is Reduced By About 50 Per Cent. - 63 Per Cent Of Those Who Have Used The Blades Say They Felt Less Fatigue While Playing. - 85 Per Cent Of Players Said Thermablades Were Significantly Smoother To Skate On Than Conventional Blades. - 68 Per Cent Said They Skated Farther With Less Effort. - About 61 Per Cent Said They Accelerated More Quickly. The Company Says More Than 150 Nhl Players Have Shown Interest In The Technology, And The League Recently Gave Eight To 10 Players A Chance To Test The Skate Blade In Both Practices And Games. Alain Hache, A Physics Professor At The University Of Moncton In New Brunswick, Called Thermablade "One Of The Most Important Developments In Skate Design Since The Steel Blade Was Invented In 1850." In This Episode Of Digital Journal Tv, We Take A Look At The World's Newest Hockey Sensation That Is Poised To Cut Into Both The Professional And Amateur Hockey Worlds.