Time to replace my Grafs?

[kevingta 0]

Long time reader, new poster here :)

So I've had a pair of Graf Supra 502's for the last 3 years. What started out as playing once a week became a minimum of 3 times a week, and often playing 5 times a week (beer league and walk on shinny, all year round).

Initially, the skates felt great, and after 2 years, the didn't feel so great anymore so I had them re-baked and a few spots punched out a bit by a reputable LHS, got a pair of Yellow Feet foot beds and new runners put on. The skates felt great again for about 6 months and I've hated them for the past 6 months... My feet hurt after an hour, I'm getting all sorts of rubbing on by my big and baby toe. I brought them to the LHS again and they recommended I get new skates (baking it a 3rd time is a bad idea they said). I got fitted in a new pair of Graf 709s... but exactly the same size as I had before. I decided to think about it before dropping the cash for new skates.

Any thoughts as to if my current Graf 502's have just worn out? Or do my feet change that much? Looking over the skates, everything (boots, holders, runners) look great compared to the skates I destroyed when I played when I was in my teens.

[romdj 26]

seems to me like your toe cap is too narrow, and if that's the case, it's a hard one to solve, but then you would have had the problem from the beginning... have you tried different laces? how about if you get the front a bit tighter? (between 3rd and 6th eyelet~) also if you correct the stance by profiling your runner to a more neutral position, you'll be more on your heels and therefore your front foot will experience less pressure...

Could be good tweaks to play with.

[kevingta 0]

Thanks for the ideas!

I've changed laces a few times (waxed and non waxed) and have laced it different skipping eyelets and such at different places, have also experimented with different tightness at various eyelets. I'll probably drop by the LHS and have them profile my old runners (they're still usable, quite a bit of steel left... just swapped them before to experiment, but didn't fix my pains).

[kevingta 0]

So I had the runner profiled to be more neutral, it helped a bit with less rubbing happening. I got the sates baked for a 3rd time (against the store's advice) and I still wasn't happy with it.

I was thinking maybe it was just in my head, but more sore feet say other wise.

I'm guessing my feet have changed over the last few years and my Grafs are no longer the right fit.

[Chadd 916]

Playing in 502s 3-5 times per week for three years, the boots absolutely could be the problem. If there is too much "give" in the boot, your foot could be moving around in them. The 709 is also a much wider boot than the 502, your foot may have changed a bit over the years as well.

[Kyle Friedman 9]

Another option is to have them punched out again, after a while the punch will come back in so you could need to have it re punched.

The around the area where the toe box meets the boot is often the narrowest part of the skate and it can cause problems if your foot is wider in that area (like mine), id try having it punched there before I went for new skates if thats your main problem.

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

Well if you are in the GTA as in Toronto......I would hit up Just Hockey was there this week and they have some great deals on Pro Returns....as well as some other ones on the wall!

[kevingta 0]

Hey, I am in Toronto. I checked out Just Hockey but their pro return Grafs are all $400. Some are worth it for the customizations but unfortunately none fit well for me, seems like pro's either have small narrow size 6.5 feet or size 12 wide with a few at 8 narrow.

[BraveFart 1]

Well if you are in the GTA as in Toronto......I would hit up Just Hockey was there this week and they have some great deals on Pro Returns....as well as some other ones on the wall!

Which location?

[stuie7 6]

Echo what Chadd said about there being too much give in your current the skates. I'm currently in Graf 709's, I'm 6ft 0" and 100kg and they're great for me. If you like Graf's I'd advise you stick with them, for me it was a massive change coming out of Graf G70's into Nike/Bauer Flexlite's with the more neutral pitched holders. So much so that I went back into Graf 709's and found my perfect retail skate.

For the purposes of fit comparison, like I say I wear Graf 709's in 10W and they fit me perfectly, in the past I've worn Bauer Flexlite 4.0's 9.5EE (too narrow), Nike Flexlite 12's 9.5EE (too narrow), Graf G70's 10W (too narrow) Bauer Vapor XXXX's 9.5EE (waaay too narrow) and Easton Synergy 800's 10W (good fit).

[JIMRB96 0]

Maybe slightly off topic but this seems to be the most current post on the subject. When contouring skates how to you find the balance point (without the $400 boot gauge)? We have a guspro/blademaster setup but no boot gauge at the local rink (I have access to it all). The thing hasn't been used in years or ever-no one around here know how to use it but me. I know how to use the templates etc but I have no idea how to find the balance point and the ends of the contouring section (where to start and stop the grind). Also, planning to set up an attachment on my home Wissota, but can't afford the $300 one found on epinions (looks really cool thought)--Ideas?