Graf 705 teclite

[Dave 1]

Product: Graf 705 teclite w/ t'blades (size: 10 regular)

Reviewer specs: 6"2, 210 lbs., flat insteps and arches, normal heel, wide mid- and forefoot.

Intro

I bought these skates six months ago. It was love at first lace-up. The skate is made of Graf's new teclite material. This stuff is awesome: light, doesn't soak water, is slightly flexible instead of rock-hard, and it holds up really well.

Fit

The skates has a regular width heel and a wider mid and forefoot which fits my foot perfectly. The arches are rather high, but it only took my flat feet three skates to get used to it. Nowadays I appreciate the extra support under the arch. The ankle part is only moderately high which translates into very good ankle mobility and forward flex (these are my first skates that I lace up to the top eyelet). The heel-lock is awesome for me. A slight downside is the oversized tendon guard. Overall a very good fit, both for comfort and performance. If the did add a grip liner à la Bauer Vapor or Nike V12, the fit would be even more perfect. 9 out of 10 points

Blade/Holder

The skates came with t'blades "out-of-the-box". I had t'blades on my previous skates (Vapor 8s) and I am truly amazed by their performance. Awesome glide, hard bite, constant edges. A nice detail is that Graf does not rivet the holder but use screws instead. This has allowed me to change from a white to a black holder and to add 2 mm heel-lifts on my own. The heel-lifts bring me more on my toes and this translates into a better knee-bend. 10 out of 10 points

Protection

I took some shots to the foot and both the teclite quarters and the thick felt tongue protected me well. 8 out of 10 points

Weight

No, at 1040 grams per size 10 skate this is not a skate you buy because it's light. Yes, it's still light enough to be a top performance skate. Heck, I weigh 210 lbs... what difference can 0.5 lbs per skate make? 7 out of 10 points

Durability

Now this is the category where this skates really shines. My skates are six months old and they have gone through some battles. Yet, except for some minor skate cuts on the toe caps, they look like new. The teclite material is some tough stuff. 10 out of 10 points

Conclusion

I'd highly recommend this skate to anyone looking for a high performance and yet comfortable skate. The "best skate" always depends on your individual foot-type; if these skates fit you well (and it fits a broad range of feet), they will reward you with awesome comfort and support. On top of this, you get a skate that is virtually indestructible (provided you maintain them well). Overall 9 out of 10 points

[CharlesC 0]

Product: Graf 705 Teclite

Introduction: I have owned these skates for 2 years. During this time I have skated 2-3 times per week playing in adult B and C league. While using these skates I have varied in weight from 260 to 280 lbs. My skates prior to the 705’s were Supra G5’s, so acclimating to the fit of these Graf skates was not an issue.

Fit: I have a fairly thick foot so a rather deep boot is nice to have. I have a regular width heel and my forefoot is slightly wide. The regular width in the 705 fit perfectly in these aspects. I like the lower toe cap because I like my toes more snug. These skates have a lower boot cut, and this does give an ample amount of ankle flexibility. Had I not come from Graf Supra G5’s, the lower cut would have taken some adjustment. The thick felt tongue is nice and comfortable and has provided several years of lace-bit free skating. I did bake these skates, and the break-in period was very minimal. Overall these skates fit my foot very well and are very supportive. (9/10)

Blade/Holder: These skates came with the Cobra 3000 holders. I personally like the forward pitch of these holders, but some might have difficulty with this. I have noticed that these blades do not hold the longest edge, but I normally have to get sharpenings due to knicks. These Cobra holders are very stiff and do not give the springy feel Tuuk Custom +’s would give. I have never had a problem with breaking hardware or any negative deterioration of the holder other than cosmetic scratches. (8/10)

Weight/Protection: When buying these skates I was not looking for the lightest skates on the market. I was foremost looking for fit and durability. With that said, I do not notice these skates when skating. I would say that these skates are sufficiently light for my level of play. I primarily play defense and so I do get hit quite often by incoming shots (although not necessarily on purpose). I can tell when a shot hits me, but I have never been hurt while wearing these 705’s. (8/10)

Durability: Besides the great fit of these skates durability was the biggest factor in getting these skates. I have regularly used these skates for the past 2 years, and besides cosmetic cuts and scratches the skates have held up very well. The toe-cap is not covered with nylon, and so even though it is covered with cuts it does not look bad. The clarino liner has held up with no perceivable wear. I have not noticed any great deterioration in the stiffness of the boot, or in the thickness of the tongue. I bought these 705’s at my lhs in Raleigh and so I was able to inspect these skates very well before buying them. Knowing other people’s reports of Graf Canada’s poor quality control I made sure to look at the initial build quality of these skates. To this day the outsole is still very well attached, and none of the stitching on the skates is coming apart. The only noticeable cosmetic wear has been the fading of the silver lettering on the tendon guard. (10/10)

Conclusion: I have been very satisfied with these skates because of their durability, fit and performance. Although I would not hesitate to purchase these again, they do leave me wondering how a more modern skate would perform. (8/10) This rating may change after modern high-end composite skates are tried.