Most flexible skates??

[clayman 2]

I’m an old school player who started in the mid 70’s getting back into the sport after many years off and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on what skates are the most flexible. I’ve tried Bauer and CCM about 10 years ago and now have Graf’s but still can’t get used to the new style of stiff boots. 
 

Any suggestions for my next pair of skates? Any input would be greatly appreciated, thanks! 

Edited March 9, 2022 by clayman

[Buzz_LightBeer 969]

Maybe scour SLS and eBay for some 707’s?

[clayman 2]

3 minutes ago, Buzz_LightBeer said:

Maybe scour SLS and eBay for some 707’s?

I’ve heard of the 707’s but never got to try them. Are they Grafs throwbacks to a more flexible skate? I’ll look into them.. Thanks! 

[Buzz_LightBeer 969]

They were Grafs most flexible skate by far. I believe they were designed for Fedorov rehabbing an ankle injury. 

[clayman 2]

1 minute ago, Buzz_LightBeer said:

They were Grafs most flexible skate by far. I believe they were designed for Fedorov rehabbing an ankle injury. 

I’ll check them out, thanks! 
 

If I can’t find those I’ll keep looking for a skate still in production that will be close.. 

[x-axis 44]

I'd focus on fit profile and then choose a lower tier skate which is typically softer and less stiff. The Ribcor was a very popular skate while I worked hockey retail in terms of overall comfort. I think it will be a balance between fit and model unless you have a foot that is out of the ordinary.

[clayman 2]

5 minutes ago, x-axis said:

I'd focus on fit profile and then choose a lower tier skate which is typically softer and less stiff. The Ribcor was a very popular skate while I worked hockey retail in terms of overall comfort. I think it will be a balance between fit and model unless you have a foot that is out of the ordinary.

I heard the Ribcore 80k’s were a good option but I can only find the 86, 88, 90 or 100k models. Are the 80k’s discontinued? Thanks for your input! 

[x-axis 44]

The 80k's are one of the previous iterations of the line. The current models of that skate are the 86, 88, 90 etc. I'd look at the 86 and 88. If it's the correct fit profile, it might be a great option. If not, the two lowest models in each brand and model will probably be what you are after. 

[clayman 2]

8 minutes ago, x-axis said:

The 80k's are one of the previous iterations of the line. The current models of that skate are the 86, 88, 90 etc. I'd look at the 86 and 88. If it's the correct fit profile, it might be a great option. If not, the two lowest models in each brand and model will probably be what you are after. 

Do you know if Bauer makes something comparable? Reading about these skates they all talk about the stiffness and not so much the flexibility. I think that a lot of players would be much better off with a skate they can actually move in, but I’m old school! lol.. 

[x-axis 44]

Generally, a stiff or stiffer boot provides better energy transfer and responsiveness. I wouldn't worry too much about that since you'd be looking at lower or mid tier skates anyway. I wouldn't be brand conscious either. CCM has done tremendous things since you've last looked at skates. Try everything on that is available in your size.

[clayman 2]

2 hours ago, x-axis said:

Generally, a stiff or stiffer boot provides better energy transfer and responsiveness. I wouldn't worry too much about that since you'd be looking at lower or mid tier skates anyway. I wouldn't be brand conscious either. CCM has done tremendous things since you've last looked at skates. Try everything on that is available in your size.

That’s a good idea, thanks. I was hoping to go in with a certain skate or skates in mind but I’ll just take a look and see what I find and try out a few. 

Edited March 10, 2022 by clayman

[flip12 714]

5 hours ago, Buzz_LightBeer said:

They were Grafs most flexible skate by far. I believe they were designed for Fedorov rehabbing an ankle injury. 

They’re from 1990ish, but they’re based on a model from the 80’s, so well before Fedorov’s time: 

707’s are interesting. The bottom portion of the boot and the tongue are the stiffest I’ve tried from old school Graf (haven’t tried the 709). The winged top three eyelets allow full ankle mobility front and back as well as side to side. Though the tongue is stiff, it has a flex cutout at the instep to allow full forward flex.

Finding old Grafs that might suit you @clayman might be tricky. If you have time to wait a month or two and watch classifieds sites, you can find pairs in good shape for cheap. But even the same model might be different wrt stiffness. I’ve experienced variation between vintage, origin (CA or CH made), etc., so there’s a bit of mystery every time.m something pops up. Another thing to note is the boot height. Old school Grafs are soft in all the right places like you’re used to, but they tend to also be lower cut than Bauer and CCM, which could mean too much of a good thing regarding ankle movement.

If you can wait a little while, when the True Catalyst line drops you might be able to find the right balance of tier-appropriate stiffness, lighter weight, and sufficient stiffness where it counts.

[puckpilot 312]

When looking for new skates, best thing you can do for yourself is to go to a store and try everything on and see what you like. The pace in which skates lines turn over, there's no guarantee that one line/brand will be right for you each and every time.

If you're worried about being able to flex your ankles properly, for me, I've figured out a few things that work for me to address this. I'm about the same vintage as you. I grew up with leather and nylon and those plastic hinged Langs. One thing I found that helped me get more ankle freedom was to adjust the lacing pattern on my skates. Here's a link to a post with pics in which I described what I do.

Basically, it creates a slightly deeper V pattern in the upper part of the skate allowing for more forward flex while still pulling in the sides of the skate for more support while still pushing the heel back into the pocket. 

 Another thing I did, which may or may not be for you and will take a bit of work to get used to, is I learned to skate with looser laces. I know to some it may sound a bit wild, but a while back, I started dropping eyelets when I went to stick and puck. Over time, when I got use to skating without the top three eyelets being done up, I started to experiment with skate with my laces loose during stick and puck to help address some lace bite issues. Because I got use to doing that during stick and puck, now I don't need to cinch up my laces as tight during games. I just pull them taught and that gives me enough support to do everything I want while giving me lots of ankle freedom.

Like I said, it's not for everyone and will take some work, but for me, it was worth the effort, so now I don't ever have to worry about skates being too stiff now.

Any ways, my 2 cents. 

[krisdrum 233]

Agree - if you can find some "classic" series Grafs, (707, 705, 735, etc.) that fit your foot shape (one of the reasons Graf struggles was how many different skates they had in their line, with different fits) you'll likely be happier.  The 9035s you have was their take on a more modern stiff boot.  In a current production skate, probably Ribcor is your best bet.  I haven't tried them in awhile, but I don't think Bauer has anything in their line that matches up to the Ribcors flexibility.  And agree - don't go for a top of the line skate, as they will be stiffer than mid/low level models. 

[xstartxtodayx 343]

12 hours ago, clayman said:

I heard the Ribcore 80k’s were a good option but I can only find the 86, 88, 90 or 100k models. Are the 80k’s discontinued? Thanks for your input! 

 

12 hours ago, x-axis said:

The 80k's are one of the previous iterations of the line. The current models of that skate are the 86, 88, 90 etc. I'd look at the 86 and 88. If it's the correct fit profile, it might be a great option. If not, the two lowest models in each brand and model will probably be what you are after. 

I was in a similar situation trying to find skates that felt more like the old 90's style skates.  I was in Graf 705's which were so comfortable but those began to fall apart (the holders were replaced so many times from cracking that the outsole began to deform and the materials started to dry out, being stored for a few years while I stopped playing didn't help either).  First I tried an old pair of Bauer Supreme One75's which weren't bad (kind of wish they still made skates in that one90 style), then I had Bauer Vapor X700's, middle of the road Vapor but it felt way too stiff and felt like it was a really high cut on the sides.  I then finally found something that felt like my old skates, CCM Ribcor 78K's.  The Ribcor line is made to allow more flex than other lines (they have some fancy lingo for the "tech" that allows the boot to flex more), aside from that it felt like it had more ankle padding allowing for a really comfy fit similar to my old Grafs.  I wouldn't hesitate to go and try on some of the Rbcor models, no need to get the 100k or 80k, like x-axis said, going mid tier will actually get you a slightly less stiff boot which will probably feel better to you.

[stick9 890]

28 minutes ago, xstartxtodayx said:

 

I was in a similar situation trying to find skates that felt more like the old 90's style skates.  I was in Graf 705's which were so comfortable but those began to fall apart (the holders were replaced so many times from cracking that the outsole began to deform and the materials started to dry out, being stored for a few years while I stopped playing didn't help either).  First I tried an old pair of Bauer Supreme One75's which weren't bad (kind of wish they still made skates in that one90 style), then I had Bauer Vapor X700's, middle of the road Vapor but it felt way too stiff and felt like it was a really high cut on the sides.  I then finally found something that felt like my old skates, CCM Ribcor 78K's.  The Ribcor line is made to allow more flex than other lines (they have some fancy lingo for the "tech" that allows the boot to flex more), aside from that it felt like it had more ankle padding allowing for a really comfy fit similar to my old Grafs.  I wouldn't hesitate to go and try on some of the Rbcor models, no need to get the 100k or 80k, like x-axis said, going mid tier will actually get you a slightly less stiff boot which will probably feel better to you.

The 100k is a one piece boot. It will be stiffer than other ribcor models. Just an FYI. I'd see if you can find some new 70k or 80k's. I see them fairly often on sideline swap. 

@claymanwhat size are you? I have a pair of lightly used 70k's I am looking to sell.

[VegasHockey 1280]

2 hours ago, stick9 said:

The 100k is a one piece boot. It will be stiffer than other ribcor models. Just an FYI. I'd see if you can find some new 70k or 80k's. I see them fairly often on sideline swap. 

@claymanwhat size are you? I have a pair of lightly used 70k's I am looking to sell.

As mentioned, the 100k is significantly stiffer than an 80K boot. I would look for an 68-70K or 78-80K as @stick9 mentioned.

[caveman27 208]

On 3/9/2022 at 6:55 PM, clayman said:

I’m an old school player who started in the mid 70’s getting back into the sport after many years off and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on what skates are the most flexible. I’ve tried Bauer and CCM about 10 years ago and now have Graf’s but still can’t get used to the new style of stiff boots. 
 

Any suggestions for my next pair of skates? Any input would be greatly appreciated, thanks! 

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/bauer-senior-whistler-recreational-skate-21bauurccnsxsrwhsrfs/21bauurccnsxsrwhsrfs

[clayman 2]

On 3/9/2022 at 10:52 PM, flip12 said:

They’re from 1990ish, but they’re based on a model from the 80’s, so well before Fedorov’s time: 

707’s are interesting. The bottom portion of the boot and the tongue are the stiffest I’ve tried from old school Graf (haven’t tried the 709). The winged top three eyelets allow full ankle mobility front and back as well as side to side. Though the tongue is stiff, it has a flex cutout at the instep to allow full forward flex.

Finding old Grafs that might suit you @clayman might be tricky. If you have time to wait a month or two and watch classifieds sites, you can find pairs in good shape for cheap. But even the same model might be different wrt stiffness. I’ve experienced variation between vintage, origin (CA or CH made), etc., so there’s a bit of mystery every time.m something pops up. Another thing to note is the boot height. Old school Grafs are soft in all the right places like you’re used to, but they tend to also be lower cut than Bauer and CCM, which could mean too much of a good thing regarding ankle movement.

If you can wait a little while, when the True Catalyst line drops you might be able to find the right balance of tier-appropriate stiffness, lighter weight, and sufficient stiffness where it counts.

Thanks for the input. I’ll check out the True Catalyst line skates, they seem to have potential to be just what I’m looking for. The two pairs of Grafs I have, the Supra 735 and The Ultra 9035’s, are both nice skates but I do miss the flex of the leather skates. 

[clayman 2]

2 hours ago, caveman27 said:

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/bauer-senior-whistler-recreational-skate-21bauurccnsxsrwhsrfs/21bauurccnsxsrwhsrfs

That’s actually pretty funny! 

Edited March 12, 2022 by clayman

[flip12 714]

5 hours ago, clayman said:

Thanks for the input. I’ll check out the True Catalyst line skates, they seem to have potential to be just what I’m looking for. The two pairs of Grafs I have, the Supra 735 and The Ultra 9035’s, are both nice skates but I do miss the flex of the leather skates. 

Absolutely. The combination of both worlds would be incredible. I’ve found I can replicate a lot of that ankle flex with a Scott Van Horne boot, but I have to avoid the top three eyelets entirely when thermomolding the boots and replace the stiff tongue with the softest I can find. Then the forefoot feels amazing and the ankle feels ok. They’re just so much lighter that it’s incredibly noticeable and worth the slight loss in natural motion.

Edited March 12, 2022 by flip12

[caveman27 208]

14 hours ago, clayman said:

That’s actually pretty funny! 

I started skating and playing the 1980s, so I was used to leather and stitched skates. Going from Bauer Supreme 6000 (mid 2000s) to CCM Jetspeeds (mid 2010s first generation) was okay. The fit has to be right, and break-in period may take longer. 

 A lot of people are recommending Ribcor, which I would also. I had tried a pair of CCM Ribcor (top of the line equiv of Jetspeeds) before returning them and buying Jetspeeds, and one of the differences is the section of skate with the eyelets is much stiffer with the Jetspeeds than the Ribcor. That is, when lacing up the skates, I felt like I needed to use more effort to tighten up the bottom 1/2 set of eyelets and the Ribcor felt like tying up old-fashioned leather skates. I didn't go with the Ribcor because they had this eyelet lockdown thing half way up so you could tighten the bottom half tighter than the top but I found those eyelet locks bothersome. They also had an air pump button, which I didn't feel like made a difference.

Edited March 12, 2022 by caveman27

[epstud74 24]

I wore 707's in the late, late 90's and I may still have a pair laying around.  Super comfortable