Advice on Graf Skate fit, making it fit better?

[Troubadour 46]

So a while back, I purchased a pair of Graf 8035 9.0 D. I have been skating with them for a year, but I have always had a problem with them. They don't fit that great.

 

I am a 9.0 in every other skate, so I should be a 9.5 in Graf skates. However, even with a size too small, my heel doesn't lock into the skate. There is up and down movement. Probably about 1/2" , if I had to roughly guess.

I have tried to do double up on socks, bought Stable 24 socks (as they have ankle/heel padding) and still there is movement. I am not quite sure what to do. I am feeling like it is just time to get a new pair of skates, as these aren't working for me.

Is there anything someone can suggest that I might be overlooking? 

[Kgbeast 195]

The Gxx35 skates actually do not follow standard Graf fit. I noticed that these fit same or even larger than Bauer for example. For me, I fit Bauer size 10 and I would get Gxx35 size 10 if not 9.5 (as size 10 felt a touch to large). 

This line is ridiculously roomy. Not sure why. Perhaps you can punch the ankles in. If you warm the skates up to 140F, you should be able to use a large c-clamp to squeeze the boot just below the anKlein bone until it is tight. If you attempt this, perhaps you should wrap the clamp ends with some cloth to smooth it out. Note that 140F is yhe Graf recomended temp for spot adjusments as it should not affect any other molding you might have done.

On the other note, if you have not bake them, try to do so before any punching. Graf recommended baking temp is 200F for 4 minutes. If you use house oven, put a fan (small and cheap desk fan might do) in the oven next to the skates and point it up. Also use a digital thermometer to double check the temp in both cases.

If you decide to get new skates and go with Graf PeakSpeed, the PeakSpeed fits as classic graf and you should get 0.5 size larger than what you would get from Bauer or CCM.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

If they don't fit, they don't fit. Get to a store and try EVERYTHING on.

Probably best to avoid Graf now that they're pretty much dead. 

[Troubadour 46]

11 minutes ago, IPv6Freely said:

If they don't fit, they don't fit. Get to a store and try EVERYTHING on.

Probably best to avoid Graf now that they're pretty much dead. 

Yeah, if I get a new skate, I am either going straight to VH or I am going to go with CCM.

23 minutes ago, Kgbeast said:

The Gxx35 skates actually do not follow standard Graf fit. I noticed that these fit same or even larger than Bauer for example. For me, I fit Bauer size 10 and I would get Gxx35 size 10 if not 9.5 (as size 10 felt a touch to large). 

This line is ridiculously roomy. Not sure why. Perhaps you can punch the ankles in. If you warm the skates up to 140F, you should be able to use a large c-clamp to squeeze the boot just below the anKlein bone until it is tight. If you attempt this, perhaps you should wrap the clamp ends with some cloth to smooth it out. Note that 140F is yhe Graf recomended temp for spot adjusments as it should not affect any other molding you might have done.

On the other note, if you have not bake them, try to do so before any punching. Graf recommended baking temp is 200F for 4 minutes. If you use house oven, put a fan (small and cheap desk fan might do) in the oven next to the skates and point it up. Also use a digital thermometer to double check the temp in both cases.

If you decide to get new skates and go with Graf PeakSpeed, the PeakSpeed fits as classic graf and you should get 0.5 size larger than what you would get from Bauer or CCM.

I'll take it to the store tomorrow before work and have them baked again, see if that helps. I did not know that about the Gxx35 series. I did note that they didn't feel like Graf skates of old. The clamp is a good idea as well, I'll see if that works out. 

I may just go with new skates, as these Gxx35's are already wearing out in many spots it looks like as well. Which is a shame, Graf's used to be the best skates around and would last you decades upon decades. These ones don't feel like that at all.

Any recommendations for skates I should check out? I am looking at the Ribcors right now.

[Kgbeast 195]

Ribcor is pretty awesome skate, but you definitely need to try these on and do the pencil test. I do not want you to go from too roomy to too tight. Too tight is way more painful. But if they feet right, I think you will be happy as the pitch and profile is close to the Graf you are used to by now. I would think that if you found Graf 9035 as an acceptable fit apart from heel lock, RibCor is probably not going to cut it for you fitwise. Nexus fits prety much the same as 9035. Mako skates shallow instep. Which skates did you have before 9035 and how did they fit? Any other fit concerns with 9035, besides the heel lock?

[IPv6Freely 2092]

26 minutes ago, Troubadour said:

Yeah, if I get a new skate, I am either going straight to VH or I am going to go with CCM.

Can't go wrong with VH! At least then you'll know they're definitely going to fit!

[Kgbeast 195]

Yes, if you ready to move to VH, it is pretty fool proof. But make sure you get the holders you are comfortable with not based on hype. 

[Troubadour 46]

56 minutes ago, Kgbeast said:

Ribcor is pretty awesome skate, but you definitely need to try these on and do the pencil test. I do not want you to go from too roomy to too tight. Too tight is way more painful. But if they feet right, I think you will be happy as the pitch and profile is close to the Graf you are used to by now. I would think that if you found Graf 9035 as an acceptable fit apart from heel lock, RibCor is probably not going to cut it for you fitwise. Nexus fits prety much the same as 9035. Mako skates shallow instep. Which skates did you have before 9035 and how did they fit? Any other fit concerns with 9035, besides the heel lock?

I actually am not a fan of the Graf xx35s fit, it has always felt way too loose too me. Which is why I want to go back to something tighter. My whole life I used almost exclusively Vapors. So I am used to a tight fitting skate. I am probably going to go to the store tomorrow and try on a bunch of different skates and see what I like and don't like. Do the pencil, ankle, toe test, etc.

I saw a deal on this Grafs online, got greedy and bought them sight unseen. Which I realize now was stupid. Honestly, it might not even be that they don't fit right and that I am just so used to having a narrow skate that these wide xx35s just will never feel right to me.

Thanks for your help :)

[Kgbeast 195]

I am 100% sure they do not fit you right. People that wear Vapors have no way properly fitting in Garf 9035. It is just wrong on many levels. The instep is to loose, as well as heel. It is harder to give up when the skates are too roomy as you do not get pain and discomfort, it just feels sloppy.

If you are Vapor guy, I think the Mako skates might be what you want. But if you get to an LHS, make sure to try CCM JetSpeed, this could be your dream fit. 

[Troubadour 46]

32 minutes ago, Kgbeast said:

I am 100% sure they do not fit you right. People that wear Vapors have no way properly fitting in Garf 9035. It is just wrong on many levels. The instep is to loose, as well as heel. It is harder to give up when the skates are too roomy as you do not get pain and discomfort, it just feels sloppy.

If you are Vapor guy, I think the Mako skates might be what you want. But if you get to an LHS, make sure to try CCM JetSpeed, this could be your dream fit. 

I haven't seen Mako skates in stock in my size in a while. No LHS has them either. I'll make sure to check out the JetSpeed's though. If I can find some Mako's to try on I'll look there too. I know there is a Perani's and a few LHS around me that usually have older items in stock. 

[IPv6Freely 2092]

2 hours ago, Troubadour said:

I haven't seen Mako skates in stock in my size in a while. No LHS has them either. I'll make sure to check out the JetSpeed's though. If I can find some Mako's to try on I'll look there too. I know there is a Perani's and a few LHS around me that usually have older items in stock. 

Sadly, they're discontinued. It's a shame. I'd check eBay too.