vexXed

Product: Canadian made Graf 709's, 8.5, R. Reviewer's specs: 6'1, 177lbs, high instep and arch, widish forefoot. Intro: Been looking for skates that actually fit my feet after skating in oversized CCM Externo E40's and CCM Pro Tacks for the last 5 years. CCM's are made for low arches and low insteps so they never fitted me right. Never knew that skates all fit differently until I did a little research on here and from 'puckmuggers' skate buying on epinions - http://www99.epinions.com/content_3832651908 I had to buy mine online as no one sells Graf here in Hong Kong. I know people always advise to try before you buy, and I agree with that, but I had no choice. I took measurements of my feet with photos and sent them to hockeymonkey for their opinion and they suggested the Graf 709's at 8.5. I was a little skeptical at their suggestion of size as my CCM's were 9.5, but then again they were too big for me anyway so I left my trust with hockeymonkey's staff. This review will be updated over time as I play more often. Appearance: As I opened the box and looked at them, they seemed less flashy compared to other skates on the market today. I kinda wish I had gotten the great white model, but I am not that big on looks anyway and feel that fit is the most important issue. They certainly aren't ugly and have this look of simplistic quality about them. I was intrigued as I have always heard good things about Graf skates (but not their customer service) especially since an old teammate said he wouldn't skate in anything else. 7.5/10 Fit: As I prepared to put my foot in to the skate for the first time, I had mixed feelings of excitement (as they would fit me perfectly) and dread (they would be too small). They were perfect :) When laced up I can touch the ends with my toes if I stretch them. The extra padding in the area at the back of the skate for your ankle helps to provide a more snug fit, something the CCM's don't have. My instep and arch are accomodated well, so that the eyelets are aligned all the way up to the top and my ankles don't cave in unlike my previous skates. There is no movement in the boot except my heel is getting a little sore and there are blisters from breaking them in. I am sure this won't be a problem after some time. Actually, besides the heel pain there is nothing else that hurts which is strange for a 1st skate - very comfortable. I will use the old cliche that when I skate I feel like they are 'part of my feet' or an 'extension of my feet' unlike the CCM's which felt like ski's. 10/10 Blade/Holder: I had tried the Graf 727's before and thought that the forward pitch of the Cobra holders was insane. It took me an effort to just stay up and the balls of my feet were hurting after a short while - however they weren't molded to my feet. I was prepared to accept this forward pitch for the sake of skating properly for the first time ever, but it seems the 709's aren't as aggressively angled. I am still on the toes of my feet but it isn't excessive by any means and I am more stable and agile on the ice. I notice a lot of people change the Cobra holders to TUUKs, but I think I will keep them. Update: The Cobra holder has been holding up very well, very stiff and durable. One guy with a rocket of a shot blasted one off the holder and I thought there must have been some damage but there was only a black mark from the puck and nothing more. Steel has been holding it's edge for quite a while and there are no problems with rust at all, then again I do wipe the blades dry with a cloth each time I finish skating. When making tight turns, there is no plastic touching the ice and I feel more manoeuvrable. 9/10 Protection: I noticed that the top part of the quarters nearer to the eyelets and front part of the quarters under the 'G' logo seemed to be less stiff than my Pro Tacks, and thought a slap shot to those areas would cause me some pain. I will update later when I take one off the foot. (Should be soon, I play D.) The rest of the skate is like a tank - absolutely solid ankle support, toe cap, heel and tendon guard. The tongue is very thick too which I'm sure helps a little bit. Update: I have had a fair few shots off the skate and in certain parts I feel nothing, but in other parts I have had some pain. The parts I was talking about before in particular hurt more. 7.5 / 10 Weight: Not the lightest but certainly not the heaviest. I'm not fussed either way. If you pick one up and throw it about you realise that it's not that bad at all. Before, I was looking in to the 709's with the graphite outsole to cut back on the weight a little bit but hockeymonkey said they didn't do them. Afterwards, I read some comments on how they keep seperating from the boot and holders so I'm glad I didn't get them in the end. 7.5/10 Durability: I cringed the entire time I checked for any defects as I knew it would be a huge hassle for me to send them back to get new ones, but they were in great condition. Everything in place as it should be, holders aligned properly, no stich fraying etc. I've read that the liner is bad for retaining water, but after drying them last night all the water is gone. Time will tell if it keeps this way. The skate quarters material is tough stuff and the outsole, although heavier than composite will last longer. I am confident that the skate will hold up well for a long time to come. Holder is very stiff and looks impossible to break. Not sure about the steel as of yet. Update: Solid. I heard about the durability of the Graf 700 series and it is true so far. I really don't think I will be seeing any problems in this area at all. 10/10 Conclusion: I bought the skates with the issues of fit and durability in mind. So far my first impression of the 709's has been very good and the only thing nagging me is if the heel pain doesn't go, away but it is too early to tell. Update: The heel pain finally went away with minor reappearences after skating for prolonged periods of time, like over 2 hours. Normally my sessions are 1 and a 1/2 hours and they are fine for that amount of time. As time goes by they will break in even more. Overall evaluation: 9/10