Graf Ultra G70 fit or similar

[duanesutter 0]

I have a weird foot. I'd attach pictures, but I'm afraid someone out there might have a fetish and my pictures will end up on some foot-porn site. I have a medium to narrow pronounced heel and a high arch, which leads to a deep heel-instep volume. 9D seems to be my size, but I get alot of pressure on that bone below the pinky toe on the outside, so a wider forefoot might be needed (or punched out). My old, never-broken-in, Reebok 6K's killed that spot, but also caused lace bite. I've driven all over Long Island, NY trying to find a skate that'll fit. Online, it seems to have come down to a Graf Ultra G70, but they've been replaced by the ultraexpensive (based on my $300 budget) Ultra G7. They don't exist in any Long Island pro shops, and they don't have a 9 in Westside hockey. I tried on a 535s, one of the few Graf's I could find in my budget, but they failed the pencil test miserably. I tried the CCM U+12, which felt pretty good, except it too failed the pencil test, although by a smaller margin, but I still fear it'll be susceptible to lace bite on my foot. (I also can't find a U+10 to try on). Bauer Nexxus was too tight in the toe box and too loose everywhere else.

Can someone recommend a skate that will fit a normal-narrow pronounced heel/deep heel-instep volume/high arch/slightly wider forefoot? My ankle bones seem to protrude too. I don't need a stiff skate, as I'll only be playing beer league one night a week, but I'm 6'4", 210lbs. Oh, and in the over-40 crowd. I'd say I'm at least an advanced intermediate skater, with 30+ years under my belt, but I'm not sure where that bar is. In lieu of a skate, can someone recommend a good pro shop on Long Island or Queens where the "skate fitter" isn't a high school kid who hands you a box...while watching tv and texting his buds?

Thanks & uh, let's go Islanders!

RT

[arcsinice 6]

Objectively speaking.................

Outside of Graf's 7 code fit profile - be it the beyond superlative G7, there is also their 705 or even 709. If, as you seem to believe you are not able to obtain fit in the current offerings from CCM, you will hardly if at all be able to get fit outside of that brand save for Graf. By the way, Graf's 535 is not at all designed for your foot. You require a deep instep for starters.

The 705 and 709 (both in a W - wide width) are not be that much beyond you budget when you think long term and take into consideration durability - usage and the quality factor of Graf whereas the G7 is essentially twice that of your budget but v. well may be your best shot............ The G7's comfort level is, in a word, mindboggling, so too its performance. But, as is the case with any boot, it must fit, period.

The 709 technically possesses a wide heel counter (although that is debatable) as opposed to the 705 and G7's medium heel profile and heel lock is imparative so if in fact your heel/achilles tendon is realy, truly narrow to medium............., you would want to focus on the 705 and G7. All have a deeper fit profile, especiallly the G7 and 709.

Authorized Graf dealers are rare to say the least and those that exist rarely have any inventory as you have time and expense wise come to realize which Calgary is only now starting to address, if that. I have no familiarization with any (authorized) retailer in your region.

If you know your precise size, in length - and I do recommend a wide regardless of length - you should be able to test order at a minimum if not order outright a Graf product with confidence and while I only conduct business with a retailer in my home town, there is one "big box" 9discount) retailer who as authorized Graf dealer offer the Graf product line at a considerable discount which from all assessment helps you. They're in southern California and you v. well might already know whom they are or at least figure out whom they are by being in that part of the country..............................

Saving money is just fine, but at the expense of the obvious it makes no sense. If your budget is around $300.00 that's not all that dear...... Spending an extra $160.00 or so more, even $300.00 more - if need be - is not all that impossible in spite of what the liberals (Bolsheviks) are doing to those who earn money in this once great nation.

Regardless of product, industry.........., I ante up for quality and it's never let me down. In the long run it pays for itself.

[flip12 715]

Don't know about the logistics of customs, etc., however, there is an ebay-uk auction for size 9 g70's that look lightly used. Comes just under your budget, roughly $250 before shipping. If you were certain that this is the size/fit you need.

[flip12 715]

Close to the fit you're looking for, maybe in the wide boot, the pressure on your toe won't be there: on Craigslist close to Philly.

[phunky_monkey 6]

I have a very similar foot profile, and am the same size as you, but 10lbs heavier. If you can find some Graf 727's they should suit you very well, and come in under budget, the only issue being they use the regular Graf footbox that is quite narrow and may irritate. They're also a soft-ish skate, but that did not bother me other than protection-wise (I'm a D).

My solution was to go for some Graf Ultra G75's. They're not quite as deep as the 727's, causing me some initial lacebite, however they fit the rest of my foot perfectly; wide euro toebox, high instep, narrow-ish heal. They have good preotection also, and I love the lower cut boot. I fail the pencil test, and they did cause me some initial lacebite issues, but once broken in I now have no issues.

The other option would be 709's, but you will have the same toe-box issues and the heel may also be a touch wide for you.

[Buckshot 0]

I have been doing some searching here on the forum and am presently struggling with an issue regarding skate fit. This topic is the closest I could find so I figured I would revive it rather than start a new one.

I bought a pair of Bauer APX2s, size 8.5EE, which felt great in the store. I really wanted to get some Grafs but there was only one authorized dealer in my region and they had next to no stock when I stopped by. I tried on CCM U+ CLs, Reebok (I believe they were 12k), Bauer Supreme and Bauer Nexus, but none of them felt as good as the APX2s, though at the time I was focused more on the fit with respect to the sole of my foot than with respect to the volume. With the APX2s, I am experiencing some numbness and tingling in my left foot, particularly in the big toe and going back to about the mid foot (atop where my arch peaks), on the right side of my left foot. I mostly feel this after skating - generally the skates feel great on the ice, as long as I'm moving, but the tingling will start soon after skating and can last, off and on, for a couple of days thereafter. I will note that this has improved somewhat each time - I've only skated in them four or five times for an average of an hour each time. I've just recently learned about the pencil test and I most definitely fail it from roughly the third to fifth or sixth eyelet down. I guess I need more volume than I had realized. My only other issue is that when laced up the entire way the skates don't have as much forward flex as I'd like. This weekend I'm going to try skating without lacing them up the whole way to see how that feels.

This has brought me to my current struggle about how much more time to invest trying to make these skates work for me. I figure I could sell these now and take a hit of a couple hundred bucks. I've certainly made more expensive mistakes that that in the past. I could order a pair of Graf G7s or 709s, see if they fit well, and then sell the APX2s. My issue with that is that my heel is relatively pronounced and probably average in width. I'm not sure if that will work with the 709s' fit described as being for a "straight" heel on Graf's web site. The G7s fit a "moderately pronounced" heel but in reading some reviews on a certain retailer's web site people make it sound as if you probably want to be an advanced skater for the G7s. I'm not a beginner but I'm quite far from advanced - I took 15 years away from the game and I'm still working my way back into it. My budget exceeds my brains and skill, unfortunately. I could afford nothing but the cheapest stuff back in the day and I guess now I'm trying to spoil myself to make up for it. I guess I'm "that guy," and I'm fine with that.

In any case, I apologize for the length and thank you for reading if you made it this far. I'd welcome any advice - do you think I should stick with the Bauers for a bit, or should I consider the money I'd lose selling them a sunk cost and move on to something else? If I try a Graf, should I try the G7 or the 709, or something else?

[Vet88 674]

Lace bite normally occurs on the top of the foot. Is your foot excessively red underneath the lace area when you take your skates off? This is a good indication of extra pressure in this area. With the tingling starting in from your big toe I'd be more inclined to have a look at the foot bed and how well that supports the shape of your foot.

Grafs can fit so much different than other skates, you really need to get them fitted. If you can't physically get to a shop there are some places that will take your foot measurements over the web then advise you what Graf boot bests fits.

[Buckshot 0]

I don't believe that what I'm experiencing is lace bite. Would I be correct in assuming that lace bite is the primary concern in wearing a skate with insufficient volume? I feel like the tongue of the APX2 does a pretty good job of spreading out the pressure, plus I tend to tie my skates relatively loosely.

I would not say that there is any significant redness on either of my feet after removing the skates. I do think I could probably use a little bit more width at the ball of my left foot, which I imagine could be fixed by having the skate punched out at that spot. I'm not sure whether that could be causing the tingling/numbness. I also believe that I'm getting insufficient support for my arches. I tried yellow superfeet, but they seem to exacerbate the volume issue without really doing much for my arches. They were definitely an improvement over the stock footbed in terms of support, but not worth the trade off.

At this point I'm thinking the best approach might be to have the left skate punched out at that one spot, and then possibly looking into some custom orthotics for arch support. I think the volume will remain less than perfect, but I assume that if I'm not getting any lace bite I should be okay in that regard. The skates actually fit really well other than those issues, in spite of how my "complaints" might be interpreted. And I have absolutely no issues with my right foot.

Thanks again.