Softer boot without lossing protection?

[docar15 1]

Background: I have had a terrible time trying to find a new boot that fits. Coming from pleather Daousts and Grafs. With softer boots, one had to use their ankles and the rest of the body to control the skating, thus refining the technique and building all the appropriate muscle groups. These skates were also OK to block an occasional shot or two. These days it seems that in order to get the best protection, one has to get the stiffest boot possible. I absolutely hate skating in this stiff ass boots, they feel like I am wearing a cast.

Is this it now, the only way to adequate protection is through an increased stiffness of the boot? Is it even possible to find a softer boot with adequate protection?

Question (finally): Any experiences with Garf 707 or similar? I think the current Swiss model is called Supra 707 TLI: http://www.grafskates.ch/produkte/supra707tli.html

[YouTuuk 0]

Not sure if you know the background on the 707's, but a long time ago some pro's would hurt their ankle - and usually had to go through re-hab. And normal skates would hurt their tender swollen ankles, so Graf designed a skate, the 707, that had more "flex" and "room" in the ankle section, to help injured players get back in the game quicker. To make a long story short, players started to like the feel of the 707 - thus it became a mainstream skate to this day, but it was originally designed for rehad of injured ankles.

P.S. now as per your question, I believe upper modles skates XXXX's and One90's, One95's are very stiff, but the 2nd tier skates like XXV's and such break in faster, but don't last as long either. You may have to stick with the Graf...

[Fredrik 0]

http://stores.ebay.com/JASCO-INTERNATIONAL...1QQftidZ2QQtZkm

There are still some Daoust skates around, don't know your size though....

[docar15 1]

http://stores.ebay.com/JASCO-INTERNATIONAL...1QQftidZ2QQtZkm

There are still some Daoust skates around, don't know your size though....

Thank you! I have not though of trying to find a pair. Wonder if anybody knows what happend to them after Bauer bought them out. When did they stop production, are old Daoust facilities now used for Bauer R&D in Quebec, etc.

Folks here recommended I try S500 or Fuel 120 AG, so I guess I am on a mission to find a pair now.

[epstud74 24]

I skated in 707s for 6 years..Get em..they're a well-made skate.

[D aka speck 0]

My understanding is that the 707 was custom made to fit around a solid ankle splint (brace) but was put into production later (as mentioned) because of room for players that used to tape thier ankles.

[YouTuuk 0]

http://stores.ebay.com/JASCO-INTERNATIONAL...1QQftidZ2QQtZkm

There are still some Daoust skates around, don't know your size though....

Yes they carry the Daoust name, but I don't think its the orignal company

that made Daoust 501's in the 70's and 80' with soft Kangoroo leather, so be careful with any of these "New" Daoust - check to see if its the soft Kangoroo leather of the past - otherwise you maybe dissappointed and prolly won't have that "soft" feel of yesteryear....

I read the detail of the skates on ebay and notice Jasco has a slogan

"The BRAND Wayne Gretzky used to wear".....Notice they don't say - The skates Gretzky used to wear but BRAND...See slick marketing and play on words and big price tag will get them money..LOL

[Law Goalie 147]

Jasco's re-selling the last of the old Daoust stock that Hockeyworld had up for sale a while back, when Perani's went into their stockroom and discovered they still had brand new skates from 1985.

As was said at the time, the last skates Daoust ever really made were the 301 'Legende' and the 501 - after that, they were bought out, and started making pieces of crap like the 555 and 333.

[Cavs019 710]

I loved the 707, stiff around the foot, soft as hell around the ankle. Definitely check those out.

[malcb33 99]

http://stores.ebay.com/JASCO-INTERNATIONAL...1QQftidZ2QQtZkm

There are still some Daoust skates around, don't know your size though....

Thank you! I have not though of trying to find a pair. Wonder if anybody knows what happend to them after Bauer bought them out. When did they stop production, are old Daoust facilities now used for Bauer R&D in Quebec, etc.

Folks here recommended I try S500 or Fuel 120 AG, so I guess I am on a mission to find a pair now.

It's pretty hard to find a pair of S500's now? I've been looking for some time now with no luck, AG120's shouldn't be to hard though?

[docar15 1]

My last D-mans were custom made in Quebec from a 501 lust. I am pretty sure side pannels, guard, and tongue were replaced. Timeframe was mid-80s. Not sure if the guy used Ds because of the low price and quality (being bought out, like LawGoalie said, etc.) or he preferred to work with them. Final product is what counted for me.

I am intrigued by the descriptions and reviews of the Mission 120 AG here and now trying to find them in 9.5R in Northern VA. Having a very hard time explaining some local retailers that it is not safe to use wheels on ice.

Jasco's re-selling the last of the old Daoust stock that Hockeyworld had up for sale a while back, when Perani's went into their stockroom and discovered they still had brand new skates from 1985.

As was said at the time, the last skates Daoust ever really made were the 301 'Legende' and the 501 - after that, they were bought out, and started making pieces of crap like the 555 and 333.

[duch 0]

Graf skates have just started going over to using some of the more popular materials used by other manufacturers to get lighter and more responsive. Their outsoles are going over to composite and quarters are starting to go to lighter and stiffer materials. They are still mostly leather though so the combination might be more to your liking. I'd try a few of the newer ( not newest) Graf offerings over the past couple of years and you might be pleasantly surprised by them. Being still mostly leather gives them a flexability almost lost in a lot of the other top of the line skate models. I've also found they are also fairly protective compared to past older Graf 700 series line which incorporated none of the newer materials. They won't give you the protection of a hard shelled Easton skate, which in my estimation is one of the best on the market, but they're still not bad for a mostly leather skate and about as close as you'll get to an older Daoust style skate.

[docar15 1]

I tried the Ultra G5 over the weekend. Even with my bruised ankle they felt good. Sales person said they are the latest in Graf line. Even on the good foot I could not tell the change in side pannel from wehre the actual foot and heel cup ended and sidewall ankle started. Looked like a one piece deal.

Felt short in the instep, but very comfortable overall. Having seen how my most favourite and best fitting skates were made, I would have loved to see the drawings of the sidewall cauts that make the lust. They would probably never release the templates to the public? Does Swiss Carl Graf still provide an R&D for Graf Canada, or do they design (re-design probably) their own models? If I remember correctly, and I am not a bootmaker, they had made the front sides of the foot first, like a boat, then closed the heel cup, capped it, and then did the sidewalls will all the ankle junk. Now these Ultras looked like they do the foot and ankle sides at the same time from a single piece. Again, that is what is looked like to me and I am not a bootmaker. Would not even dear to say if shaping leather or material to fit is better or worse then putting pieces together to make a shape.

With all the high remarks Mission 120 AG got, I looked at their ankle design, and it does look like a pretty intricate multi-peace construction vs the slap and stretch deal. Hoping to find a pair to try/examine soon.

[Hockeyman11385 1]

http://stores.ebay.com/JASCO-INTERNATIONAL...1QQftidZ2QQtZkm

There are still some Daoust skates around, don't know your size though....

Thank you! I have not though of trying to find a pair. Wonder if anybody knows what happend to them after Bauer bought them out. When did they stop production, are old Daoust facilities now used for Bauer R&D in Quebec, etc.

Folks here recommended I try S500 or Fuel 120 AG, so I guess I am on a mission to find a pair now.

Clever, haha.