Switching from Graf to CCM/Reebok help

[indaslot 0]

My son is used to wearing Graf G5 Ultras.Next season he will be required to switch to CCM or Reebok (any model).Can some of the experts advise me on wear to begin? He wears a size 11 regular,needs a deep boot like the G9 or G5.He overpronates badly, but wears custom orthotics in both skates and shoes.He likes freedom in the ankle area.Thanks in advance-he is pretty nervous about switching skates as Graf fits him perfectly with a very short break-in period, but that's life!

[B-Nads 0]

My son is used to wearing Graf G5 Ultras.Next season he will be required to switch to CCM or Reebok (any model).Can some of the experts advise me on wear to begin? He wears a size 11 regular,needs a deep boot like the G9 or G5.He overpronates badly, but wears custom orthotics in both skates and shoes.He likes freedom in the ankle area.Thanks in advance-he is pretty nervous about switching skates as Graf fits him perfectly with a very short break-in period, but that's life!

I would go with Pro Tacks or 8K's, probably in the 9.5E range, and he might want to put a slight heel lift in. JR or Chadd would be your best source of info.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

RBK is their deepest-fitting boot. I say start there...

[DamnLocust 0]

If he needs a deeper boot, he'd probably be best off in a pair of RBKs, but they also run rather wide, so if his feet are normal width, he may need a C width. The RBKs are a high cut boot, which will restrict his ankle mobility a bit compared to Grafs, so have him leave the top eyelet undone. The same story goes for the vectors. If he's allowed to swap holders, you may want to have a set of Cobras installed on his skates, but there's a possibility this won't be allowed. If it's not allowed, he'll likely need to have the steel profiled to a forward lean/pitch to match the lean from his Grafs.

As always, your best bet is to go into a LHS and have him try on what they've got.

[swede 50]

how is Graf's sizes compared to CCM's nowdays? my last pair of Graf's were the old 603's, and if i remember it correct, i had a size 9. Now i'm in size 8,5 CCM 1152's.. Is Graf's still a half size smaller compared to CCM's?

[indaslot 0]

Thanks guys.I will start with the RBK's.Is swithching to the Cobra holder a problem? They have to purchase their own skates and I have a feeling the holder won't be a big issue.How is the RBK holder and steel quality wise?(Most people on this board are not crazy about Graf steel) If the steel is perforated, I will definately switch to a full blade.Funny but when he switched from CCM to Graf 2 yrs.ago,he never seemed to notice the forward pich of the Cobras.Hopefully, he won't notice the more neutral pitch.How is the stiffness factor of RBK compare to G5 Ultra?

[B-Nads 0]

how is Graf's sizes compared to CCM's nowdays? my last pair of Graf's were the old 603's, and if i remember it correct, i had a size 9. Now i'm in size 8,5 CCM 1152's.. Is Graf's still a half size smaller compared to CCM's?

I wear 11 shoes, 9E Vectors, 9.5D 8090's, and 10R Graf 735's. CCM Tacks won't fit the same as the Tacks or the RBK line. 8090's are a similar fit to CCM Tacks, and Graf models differ in fit within the brand more, perhaps, than any other OEM, from what I understand. The 735's fit me foot shape well, but they were much too shallow for me.

[swede 50]

hmm.. Iv'e never thought about the depth of the skate when buying new skates.

My feet are like rubber and seem to fit all kind of skates without any kind of discomfort. However, Iv'e never laced the top 2 eyelets.

So far iv'e had Supreme's/Air's(E), Graf's®, Old Vapors(E), Tacks(D/E).. All these seem to fit when been heat molded

[DamnLocust 0]

I also thought my old Vapor XXs fit me until a few months ago when I decided I'd wear them for an open hockey session. They stung all over the place.

Until you get a skate that does fit you properly, you won't realize that your current ones don't fit properly. My foot "got used to it" and just numbed out the problem areas when I was skating in Vapors.

[swede 50]

I also thought my old Vapor XXs fit me until a few months ago when I decided I'd wear them for an open hockey session. They stung all over the place.

Until you get a skate that does fit you properly, you won't realize that your current ones don't fit properly. My foot "got used to it" and just numbed out the problem areas when I was skating in Vapors.

Yeah, but i ment the "Old" vapor6. You know, the ones that look like Vapor10's. They have a more supreme-ish fit

[DamnLocust 0]

My point wasn't reliant on the model of skates. my point was that regardless of what you're skating in, until you find a proper fitting skate, you may not know that you have an improper fitting skate.

[swede 50]

My point wasn't reliant on the model of skates. my point was that regardless of what you're skating in, until you find a proper fitting skate t, you may not know that you have an improper fitting skate.

How could i not know? Like i said, iv'e never had any kind of discomfort with any of the mentioned skates..

[DamnLocust 0]

Well, you're a lucky man then. Remember that fit isn't just about comfort, it's also about performance. I'm sure that you didn't get the same performance out of all of those skates, and part of the differences you may have experienced would have come out of the differing fit.

[swede 50]

of course there is some small differences in performance. One skate beeing lighter/stiffer than an other and so on.

But our team has a really able skate sharpener. Iv'e had the same pitch profiled on my runners since i was 14 (24 now).. The only difference between the sharpenings now and then is that i have a much longer rocker now..

[MoCorleone 0]

since we're talking about deep skates. i have a question. i'm using Graf 735's and am looking to find a deeper boot because of a horrific ankle injury i suffered playing basketball and i need more support. i was waiting for the Bauer XXXX to come out to see how they feel. Since the the bauer 40's are just an updated 30 boot, i was wondering if someone could tell me how deep do they feel? hows the ankle supports in them?

[djinferno 2]

Thanks guys.I will start with the RBK's.Is swithching to the Cobra holder a problem? They have to purchase their own skates and I have a feeling the holder won't be a big issue.How is the RBK holder and steel quality wise?(Most people on this board are not crazy about Graf steel) If the steel is perforated, I will definately switch to a full blade.Funny but when he switched from CCM to Graf 2 yrs.ago,he never seemed to notice the forward pich of the Cobras.Hopefully, he won't notice the more neutral pitch.How is the stiffness factor of RBK compare to G5 Ultra?

i have a guy on my team that has cobras on vectors so yes, also Horton has that combo on rbk in Florida...

[DamnLocust 0]

since we're talking about deep skates. i have a question. i'm using Graf 735's and am looking to find a deeper boot because of a horrific ankle injury i suffered playing basketball and i need more support. i was waiting for the Bauer XXXX to come out to see how they feel. Since the the bauer 40's are just an updated 30 boot, i was wondering if someone could tell me how deep do they feel? hows the ankle supports in them?

I probably wouldn't classify the Vapors as a deep boot, and can't compare their depth to your 735s, but I can tell you that they will indeed offer more ankle support than the 735s. Grafs are all low cut boots, whereas the vapor is a high cut boot. (you can see the difference by counting the eyelets on each skate) While a higher cut boot decreases forward flex, it adds to ankle support.

The Vapors are also known for being quite stiff, which also assists in ankle/lateral stability.

[MoCorleone 0]

are either the Reebok 9k or the Bauer Vapor XXX skates comparable in fit to the old nike quest 1's. i have a old pair of them, and i like the feel of the quest 1's