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Harrage12

skate sizing...bauer vs graf

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After going a few seasons w/ my graf 704s (size 10.5) I decided it was time for a new pair of skates, because they were beat up and starting to feel a little tight. My LHS was having a huge sale so i tried on a pair of Vapor XXs size 11. They seemed to fit good and i liked em so i bought em for an unbeatable price of $170.00.

I tried em out at an open hockey last night and they right away felt big. After skating in em for a little while it almost felt as my feet were swimmin in em. Now im stuck w/ a sweet pair of skates that are too big. Ikno i went up a half a size from my grafs but these things feel huge. Are the vapor 20s made a little bigger? Any information would be great. If it helps any my sneaker is a size 12.

Thanks alot guys

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I went with the reverse of your plan. I went from 5.5 Vapor XX's, to sz. 6 735's. They were the same cut for me. It could be due to you going up half a size.

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Instead of starting another "Time for new skates" thread, I'm gonna piggy back on this one.

I need some guidance in purchasing Graf skates. You guys know this story...I cannot try them on for fitting because there is no Graf dealer close to me.

Based on a discussion with a retailer about my foot, I'm interested in Graf Ultra G3 skate. I've found this model in a JR size 5.5R at Pro Hockey Life for $250.

Backround

I play intermediate level Rec hockey with some youth experience (until Bantams) and 15 years adult hockey experience. I am 41 years old, 5'7" 185 lbs and play forward.

I've been wearing a Bauer Supreme 8090 Jr, size 5.5 D for the last 5+ years. I now have large bone spurs on my left heel, and am getting blisters there as well as the boot breaks down. Apparently this is because the skate is too wide in the heel and the subtle movement over the years has cause the bone to spur. My left foot is also slightly smaller than my right foot, which does not have spurring. I have a slightly pronounced heel but nothing to drastic.

The width of the 8090 skate in the forefoot and toebox is good and comfortable as my foot is relatively wide at the ball of the foot. I have medium high arches and a medium-shallow instep. I never noticed this before until a friend pointed it out, but the skate must be too deep for me because when I lace them there is much less space than there should be between the eyelets. Of course this is also due to the skate breaking down over time and offering less support.

Question

How does the G3 fit compared to the 8090 in terms of length and width sizing? In other words, will the 5.5R G3 be comparable to the 5.5D 8090, or would I need to go up to a size 6 Sr.? How is the width in the forefoot and toebox compared to the 8090? Would I need a Wide in the G3 or should the R width work based on what I've told you.

I know this is rather arbitrary without actually trying the skate on, but I don't have that option. If there is another Graf model which might fit my foot better than the G3 based on what I've said above, please advise. Any help you Bauer to Graf skaters can offer me would be totally appreciated.

Thanks!

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i just switched from 705 to one80 and dropped an entire size. perfect fit.

i also had 704s before and if you like that nice, snug fit, try the bauer one series.

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i just switched from 705 to one80 and dropped an entire size. perfect fit.

i also had 704s before and if you like that nice, snug fit, try the bauer one series.

I'm going the other way: Bauer Supreme to Graf. Are you saying that the Bauers fit a size larger than your Grafs???

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no the opposite. i wore graf 705 in 7.5. the bauers are 6.5 and i listened to everything i've read on this board. i tried the on a couple different days just in case my feet were swollen after work etc. they fit real snug and my toes scraped the endcap. thanks to the info on this board, i knew they would loosen up with break-in and feel perfect. they did.

i got graf 705s last summer after my 704s fell apart. i just assumed i was a graf fit and never tried on the bauer Ones. i only tried the vapor and they did not fit at all. its pretty risky to buy a new brand without trying them on, but dont most e-tailers offer money back guarantee on new skates as long as they haven't been skated in? the G3 is a 703 right? well, that is a shallow boot. i liked mine but i did have issues with the top of my feet. so i loosened the laces on the top of the foot to alleviate the pressure.

honestly, i cant rave enough about the bauer One80s. the improvement in my skating was dramatic. much tighter turns and so much less fatigue after an hour of skating. those grafs are like cinderblocks after a while.

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no the opposite. i wore graf 705 in 7.5. the bauers are 6.5 and i listened to everything i've read on this board.

That is correct from my personal fit experience. Wear 8.75L 8.5R Bauer. Graf 703 and 735 were a 9.5.

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Thanks for the feedback. I'm gonna risk it and see if the 5.5s fit. I'm guessing based on what I've heard they'll be too small, but maybe they can be punch out a bit in the forefoot assuming my toes aren't cramped and curled in the toebox. Worst case is I'm out the return shipping plus restocking fee if I have to return them. Then I'll prob just bag the Graf idea and get the Bauer One80s....and hope that the heel locks better than my current skates. I think anything is better than what I'm skating in right now!

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well, the best part about the one80s for me is the heel lock. fits like a glove. just like the 704s.

is there an etailer that does not charge restocking?

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I tried 503 size 9, they were equal to Vapor 10 size 9

Ok thanks guys. I order the G3 Ultras in my old 8090 size 5.5D ®, and also the Bauer One80s in same size to compare fit. I'm hoping the Grafs work because my heel is in bad shape. I'm also excited to skate in Grafs as I've been a Bauer guy since I was 12 years old and am ready for a change.

The downside is that I've invested some good money on two sets of steel with noicing custom profiling for my Tuuk LS 2 holders, which won't work in the Cobra holders of course. I was advised by two pro shops NOT to change the holders because the LS 2s use rivets whereas the Cobras use screws and I would likely run into continual problems with the rivets coming loose, etc.

So I guess I'll just sell my old steel on ebay and order a replacement set for the Cobras, which I'll have profiled with a neutral pitch because the Grafs have such an aggressive fwd lean.

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After going a few seasons w/ my graf 704s (size 10.5) I decided it was time for a new pair of skates, because they were beat up and starting to feel a little tight. My LHS was having a huge sale so i tried on a pair of Vapor XXs size 11. They seemed to fit good and i liked em so i bought em for an unbeatable price of $170.00.

I tried em out at an open hockey last night and they right away felt big. After skating in em for a little while it almost felt as my feet were swimmin in em. Now im stuck w/ a sweet pair of skates that are too big. Ikno i went up a half a size from my grafs but these things feel huge. Are the vapor 20s made a little bigger? Any information would be great. If it helps any my sneaker is a size 12.

Thanks alot guys

Whats so unbelievable about $170 for Vapor XX's ??????????????????? They saw ya coming? lol

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I found a pair of Bauer One80's for $80 used locally, in pretty good shape with tons of steel left. Is it worth giving them a shot if I have no problems with my current Grafs aside from their weight?

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Do you think your skating improvement had to do with better fit, lighter weight, or different blade length/radius?

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definitely the weight, not sure about the blade stuff honestly even though i did notice i could turn tighter but that could be the stiffness of the boot. graf 7 series are not that stiff. the lightness of the skate makes a big difference with me since i no longer labor with the cinder blocks on my feet. plus, my 705s never felt as snug as the 704s. i noticed the heel lock was not as good.

so when bauer vapors went on sale this year i figured it was a chance to try something new. unfortunately, they did not fit my foot that great at all. so i tried the "ones" and they were perfect out of the box. went down to the smallest size i could get my foot into as well. i think that helped also.

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Ok thanks guys. I order the G3 Ultras in my old 8090 size 5.5D ®, and also the Bauer One80s in same size to compare fit. I'm hoping the Grafs work because my heel is in bad shape. I'm also excited to skate in Grafs as I've been a Bauer guy since I was 12 years old and am ready for a change.

The downside is that I've invested some good money on two sets of steel with noicing custom profiling for my Tuuk LS 2 holders, which won't work in the Cobra holders of course. I was advised by two pro shops NOT to change the holders because the LS 2s use rivets whereas the Cobras use screws and I would likely run into continual problems with the rivets coming loose, etc.

So I guess I'll just sell my old steel on ebay and order a replacement set for the Cobras, which I'll have profiled with a neutral pitch because the Grafs have such an aggressive fwd lean.

Graf G3s didn't fit that well, too cramped in toe box, boot did not come up high enough and felt very mushy. Very little support. Plus an eyelet popped out when I first laced them up. Sent them back to pro hockey life.

The Bauer One80s fit huge compared to my 8090s. I wear a size 8 shoe, and I was swimming in the 5.5Ds. Oddly they are cut much bigger than the lower end Bauer in the Supreme series. These were actually much bigger than my friends 5.5EE One 60s.

The 5D fit okay, but I still think I will continue to have heel problems with the One80s as it's not as narrow as I need it be. Plus they do not come up quite as high as my 8090s.

I am thinking of getting the Graf 735 IX in a size 5.5 Wide, as long as the Wide does not affect the fit of the heel. Hopefully that will give me the width I need in the forefoot and a little bit more space in the toebox so my toes aren't cramped.

Anyone have experience with this skate?

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