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ot- breaking in graf skates..yow!


blugold43

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i found a nice pair of 704s (which are discontinued now, but still a good skate) and have been trying to break them in for awhile. i i picked them specifically because i have narrow flat foot with a low instep, and they are a huge improvement over my old CCMs in that regard. they really fit my foot better than anything else i've worn.

 

except for some reason they are causing intense pressure/pain on the insides of both ankles...to the point where i cut an open hockey session short last night because of the pain. i've baked them a couple times and just can't get any relief. i've heard you can cut out a doughnut of padding to take the pressure off the ankle bone, but i'm hoping someone out there has some advice?

 

the skates really feel good otherwise, and i'm really skating well for the first 30 mins of a session...but after that it really hurts!

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i found a nice pair of 704s (which are discontinued now, but still a good skate) and have been trying to break them in for awhile. i i picked them specifically because i have narrow flat foot with a low instep, and they are a huge improvement over my old CCMs in that regard. they really fit my foot better than anything else i've worn.

 

except for some reason they are causing intense pressure/pain on the insides of both ankles...to the point where i cut an open hockey session short last night because of the pain. i've baked them a couple times and just can't get any relief. i've heard you can cut out a doughnut of padding to take the pressure off the ankle bone, but i'm hoping someone out there has some advice?

 

the skates really feel good otherwise, and i'm really skating well for the first 30 mins of a session...but after that it really hurts!

 

You and I have the same feet, and I had looked at Grafs back when I was trying to get out of the Easton's I was in, but I found the Bauer Vapor series to be the best fit for me.

 

The donut is an option, and they can also punch the boot out with a special tool to take pressure off the problem area. The store at the Pepsi center (or whatever it's called these days) specialized in Grafs, so they should be of assistance if you're local.

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I busted out the old high school-era Bauers to get on the ice at my son's hockey practice/open skate/holiday party today. Think I am going to splurge on a new pair after Christmas. Feet hurt tonight.

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I am trying to break in a new pair of CCMs right now as well. Anyone have any tips about baking them? What else can I do? Back in the day I played so much I didnt have to really worry about this but now that I only get on the ice 3-4 times a month I need a quick fix because my feet were killing me after just an hour at open skate. PLEASE HELP!

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I am trying to break in a new pair of CCMs right now as well. Anyone have any tips about baking them? What else can I do? Back in the day I played so much I didnt have to really worry about this but now that I only get on the ice 3-4 times a month I need a quick fix because my feet were killing me after just an hour at open skate. PLEASE HELP!

 

Take them to a pro shop. Have them baked. Don't try and DIY.

 

I stopped having skates baked. I think it's a gimmick. If I can't break em in the old fashioned way then forget it. Fortunately I've never had an issue with Bauers breaking in nicely.

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Take them to a pro shop. Have them baked. Don't try and DIY.

 

I stopped having skates baked. I think it's a gimmick. If I can't break em in the old fashioned way then forget it. Fortunately I've never had an issue with Bauers breaking in nicely.

 

There is zero places in Virginia to do this :( I cant even get a stick that is long enough down here. The closest rinks dont even have pro shops it is so disgusting.

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There is zero places in Virginia to do this :( I cant even get a stick that is long enough down here. The closest rinks dont even have pro shops it is so disgusting.

 

You're on your own boss. You could try doing it in your oven, but it's not recommended. You're probably going to just have to live with it until they're broken in. I'm not sure how good of a skater you are, but it shouldn't take you more than 12 hours on them for them to be broken in if you're average level. If they're still hurting you after that, you might be thinking about getting a different pair of skates. Keep an eye on what things hurt consistently and report back. We'll try and help you problem solve as best as we can.

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I will try the hair dryer trick first and report back after I play on the 28th if they feel any better right now they are tight on my feet and making them kill as well as around my ankle.

 

Hair dryer trick doesn't really work.

 

 

Baking skates at home is not a gimmick and is easy - follow the on line instructions - you can bake them longer to really soften them up, but don't pull the laces very tight or you can rip the eyelets out.

 

I wasn't trying to imply that baking them at home was a gimmick, I just find baking skates in general to not be worth the effort.

 

If you're going to do it at home, this video is a pretty decent DIY.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBqRt701oZQ

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Looking to buy a new pair of skates, any advice on brand, etc? I haven't owned my own pair of skates since high school :(

 

I'm looking just to get back onto the ice, possibly start playing next year. Never had the time before now.

 

What did you wear back in HS? Models haven't changed that drastically since the mid 2000s.

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Hair dryer trick doesn't really work.

 

 

 

 

I wasn't trying to imply that baking them at home was a gimmick, I just find baking skates in general to not be worth the effort.

 

If you're going to do it at home, this video is a pretty decent DIY.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBqRt701oZQ

A lot of the upper middle of the pack skates (and above) are now made with heat reactive foam in the ankle area - if you don't bake them, they never really form to your feet. Bake them, and the foam heats up and forms to your particular ankle structure - this is most particularly true of your ankle bones on the inside and outside of the foot.

 

Cheap skates are just that.

 

To the OP - if you found a place to buy Grafs they should know what to do with them. Sounds like you need the ankle areas punched. Baking won't reform the boot, just the padding.

Looking to buy a new pair of skates, any advice on brand, etc? I haven't owned my own pair of skates since high school :(

 

I'm looking just to get back onto the ice, possibly start playing next year. Never had the time before now.

 

Go to a pro shop - the hockey shop in Bingo is great, as is McKie's is Syracuse. I am sure there is a decent one in Rochester also, but I have no personal experience with them. Start fresh with a professional fitting. Just because you wore it in HS doesn't mean it was the right brand to begin with.

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What did you wear back in HS? Models haven't changed that drastically since the mid 2000s.

 

I ran into one little change between my last two pairs that seemed interesting to me. Both are CCMs and the same size. The first pair I got back in 2002 and then the second in 2009. The newer pair came up slightly higher on my ankle. The highest eyelet on these ones is in line with where the top of the boot was on the old ones. It doesn't sound like much, but that took quite a bit of time to adjust to.

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I don't really buy it. My Vapor 20s are about as cheap as it gets and I had zero problems breaking them in without baking them. In fact, they're the most comfortable skates I've ever owned, stiff boot and everything. Baking could just be personal preference, but from my experience, it doesn't really matter. It didn't do me any good with the Easton's I had prior, and I don't plan on doing it with any skates I buy in the future. And I have the boniest of ankles. Don't make me prove it. :P

 

I ran into one little change between my last two pairs that seemed interesting to me. Both are CCMs and the same size. The first pair I got back in 2002 and then the second in 2009. The newer pair came up slightly higher on my ankle. The highest eyelet on these ones is in line with where the top of the boot was on the old ones. It doesn't sound like much, but that took quite a bit of time to adjust to.

 

Yup, you will notice little differences like that. My buddy just made that same switch in CCMs and noticed the same thing. He also had some issues with blisters that he never had in the past, which might relate to what korab is saying about getting skates baked. Maybe CCMs require more effort to break in than the Vapor series Bauers.

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Yup, you will notice little differences like that. My buddy just made that same switch in CCMs and noticed the same thing. He also had some issues with blisters that he never had in the past, which might relate to what korab is saying about getting skates baked. Maybe CCMs require more effort to break in than the Vapor series Bauers.

 

That issue's long gone with me, but my main complaint now is that the eyelets must have been made out of dust because at least half of them have fallen off already. I've always been a CCM guy, but this one has me questioning my next pair (which will probably be bought far earlier than they should have been).

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I love it when a place goes as direct as possible with a name like that. It always had me wanting to open a shop that sells guns and car batteries named "Assault and Battery".

 

The confusing part is they also sell lacrosse equipment. Don't ask them to string a head though - they are hockey players who sell lacrosse stuff in the spring and summer.

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I love it when a place goes as direct as possible with a name like that. It always had me wanting to open a shop that sells guns and car batteries named "Assault and Battery".

 

:lol:

 

That issue's long gone with me, but my main complaint now is that the eyelets must have been made out of dust because at least half of them have fallen off already. I've always been a CCM guy, but this one has me questioning my next pair (which will probably be bought far earlier than they should have been).

 

Were they on the low end of the CCM range or no?

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