I mentioned getting new skates a few posts ago. My new Bauer Supreme One 80's are very different from the used Graf skates I had. First of all the fit was undoubtedly better. The Grafs were not baked to fit my feet and were a cross between Japanese foot binding and a Medevil torture device. Hardly a fair comparison. It was an admittedly dumb move to buy cheap, used skates. I am not the person to even be "reviewing" skates, since this is only my second season of ice hockey. But I will say that these skates feel great.
I've skated in them twice this weekend. I felt a little "pressure" in the arch of my right foot. Not sure what that's all about. But I'm so used to my feet aching and my ankle swollen, that the Bauers are night and day. From my roller hockey days, I've always felt that Bauer skates were too narrow for my feet. I have small, wide feet with a pretty high arch. When you think short and wide, you think Barney Rubble feet. Yet, I still have a high arch and bony ankles. Very odd. Getting the Bauer skates in a wide width made for a great fit. The toe box is the narrow area, but it doesn't bother me.
I think the Graf skates had a wicked rocker. At least compared to the Bauer's it feels that way. I feel a lot more stable, but not as nimble on the Bauers. I think it may just be a matter of cutting a little more rocker. I don't mind the skates the way they are, but future fine tuning might be possible? There is definitely a forward lead built into the Graf skates. I kinda liked that. It seemed to fit my stride. Yet, stopping in those skates was very tough for me. I've had much better stopping ability in the flatter Bauers. Yes, I'm attempting to give my opinion on skates and have yet to master stopping on ice.
So, if you are a rookie player using someone's old Graf skates and they are killing your feet I encourage getting some Bauer Supreme One 80 skates.
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