Egad...the fun never ends...

My teensy one has broken down her GAM 50s...grrrr...and we had so much trouble this summer with custom lifts and all that we are not anxious to go through this again with GAMS....knowing they won't fit her foot right...

any thoughts on the GRAF skates and the blades? I've seen both blade and boot, wondering what people think of them...as we will have to do something by January...

Quality, workmanship, problems fitting, etc...any comments??

as some of you know, my little one is extremely light, and her fitter thought maybe we should look at GRAF as they seem to be flying out the door these days...

I'm quite intrigued by the fact that the blades supposedly comparable to an Ace or Comet are at least $60.00 cheaper...

Jacksons aren't an option as she finds them heavy and uncomfortable...

I talked to my fitter last month and asked her opinion on Graf. She said Graf was easy to break in, but also quick to break down. Usually, for elite skaters, it takes about 6 months to break down a pair of boots. If they're using Graf, they'll have to replace them about every 2 months. And I do trust her opinion as she fits Cohen and Hughes' skates.

I guess it's up to you whether you want easy break in boots, or more durable boots.

It just depends on the skater. I have Graf boots, I'm about 5"1 and 130, so I'm not little but I am only working on singles and beginning spins. My fitter said with my skating (about 4 times a week) they should easily last me 2 years. For me it had gotten down to Klingbeils or Grafs and I thought I'd go with Graf because they are lighter and the break in time is minimal, as a matter of fact there really isn't break in time if you can get whatever needs popping out popped out. I know some people think it's fine to skate in pain for months to break in boots, I don't. I have really bony feet and ankles and Jackson were agony and I couldn't stand in SP Terris and not one place I called or went to recommended Harlicks for my type of foot - larger (but not by a whole lot) toe box and skinnier heal. The younger "elite" skaters where my fitter has his shop all use Graf and love them. Everyone at my rink who have held my boots and felt how light they are were very intrigued and thinking about trying on a pair of Grafs but the price tag is off putting.

__________________
Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.
Maurice Setter

i have graf blades and i quite like them. The problem with mine is that the chrome started peeling off. But my fitter said they could replace them no charge if it becomes bad. Since I'm not skating much these days, it doesnt matter to me. As for the boots...graf boots are great, however over hte past little while many skaters have been complaining that they are breaking down waaaaaayyyyy too quick. For what you pay, getting 2 months out of them is garbage. I know elite skaters who are going to switch becasue they keep breaking down. Graf has been getting a lot of calls these dyas with concern of their break down time.

My daughter has had her Graf Edmonton Specials for 2 years. She's 19 years old, weighs about 130 (give or take), and does doubles and tries triples (she has her Gold FS test). She says they still have great support.

How fast a boot breaks down all depends on the skater.

She's also using the Graf Diamond (I think) blade and quite likes them as well. Graf *did* have a problem a couple years ago with the finish flaking off the blades, but they have apparently fixed that problem.

I was just going to start a thread asking about Graf boots myself, as mine are supposed to arrive today. My coach recommended them because I have severe pronation and have to wear orthotics in both my skates and street shoes. I've been skating in Riedell 220's and have serious arch pain even with the orthotics (plus the skates aren't really big enough for inserts, and my toes are all crunched up to the point where one toenail turned purple and black from bleeding under the nail). I feel like I'm regressing now because I'm having a lot of trouble with edges and 3 turns, esp. inside 3s and my left inside edge, even I'm working on single jumps up to a half-lutz, and beginning spins.

The person we ordered the boots from suggested the MK Professional blade, but my coach wants me to get the Wilson Coronation Ace instead, so that's what I'm going to go with.

If the Graf boots help, they'll be well worth the price to me.

I have had the same Graf boots for about 1 3/4 years now and they haven't broken down yet, and I do competitive ice dance. I think it depends on what you do and how you like to tie your skates and how well you take care of them and stuff.

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"Keep a positive attitude!" ~ Marie-France

many skaters who are doing triples are getting double strength grafs. Those are the ones that are breaking down the most. I'm wondering if there is some sort of defect with them. I haven't heard much about the regular stength breaking down though

I had Graf boots before I bought my Klingbiels. I do think that they broke down quicker than most skates and that seems to be a widely held opinion. At the time I purchased them I figured that that was the price you paid for having the Grafs be easier to break in and lighter weight. HOWEVER, once I got the Klingbiels, they (Klingbiel weighed both boots and they were the same weight! Furthermore, neither brand ever gave me any trouble while breaking in. So there goes that theory.

On the upside, the Grafs are slightly less expensive than custom skates and you can have them right away as opposed to having to wait for custom skates. I highly suggest that you do not skip the heat molding process though. It really will make all the difference in the world.

Lara

since my little one weighs under 50 lbs....I'm figuring it might be ok to go with the GRAFS...part of what her skate techie said was that once we took out the custom lifts in her skate, grin [she has grown a tiny bit and the lifts weren't fitting well anymore], that her ankle was in the wrong spot, hence leading to the breakdown...so we thought we might try something new...and apparently one of the GRAFs are small enough for her...since the GAMS have caused so much trouble and the GAM 65 and 100s are just too strong for her tiny ankles...

So I'm guessing she might not break them down as fast if they fit right??? We used to love GAM, never a problem--but her feet have stayed pretty small overall, and bony as anything, she can move up to a jr 13 skate with an extra liner... and the plus side is that usually, she stays about 2 years in a pair...this year, we made the mistake of buying it before the lifts were put in-as we didn't know there would be a problem, only to have to take the lifts out as a result of
that 1/4 inch growth in foot.....grrrrrrr.........lesson to us, smile....
and her feet fit the boot just fine, only problem is that they are broken now....

hence, moving to a different brand seems like a good idea for awhile....

I asked my skate pro about Grafs versus Gams (she sells Gams only, so she might be biased in that direction) and she told me this. The person(s?) who did a lot of the R&D on Graf figure skates now works for Gam. My pro gave me her opinion that she thought that Gams were similar (and fit similar feet) to Grafs, except at a more reasonable price tag. The pro also said to me that Graf is primarily a hockey skate company (I don't know if this is true).

I love my Grafs. I have Edmunton Specials and they've lasted a little over a year so far. I figure I have about 3-6 months left. I'm pretty hard on my skates since I'm fairly heavy, but I have spent about 2 months total off ice in the last year. I'm working on several doubles, which I land sometimes.

I think how long it takes you to break in skates depends a lot on how you skate and what you're working on. I skate with an 11 year old who had Graf Richmonds for a year and was doing solid doubles, getting pretty close on double axel and triple sal, and working occasionally on the other triples. She's not big, but not tiny, and after 10 months her skates were barely creased. I also skate with a Novice man who seems to destroy his quickly.

I think skates also break down a lot faster when they don't fit properly. Your foot will move around more and stress the boot in different ways than it was designed to be stressed.

Despite the fact that these skates will last a little less than my former SP Teris, I consider the money well spent. They fit me perfectly, were very comfortable from the beginning, and had no break in period.

Even if mine break down more quickly I wouldn't try SP Teris or Jacksons are Harlicks maybe Klingbeil but I felt them and they are stiffer or harder than the Graf Galaxy, the Edmonton Special might be different. With all the "gel this and that" that people were recommending I figured I was spending close to another 100 or so just on things to make the Jacksons not hurt and it still didn't help.

__________________
Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.
Maurice Setter

Definitely is.

Does anyone know how long GRAF has been making figure skates? It doesn't seem that long, to me. Perhaps since the company started production in Canada as well as (I believe) Sweden?

This isn't exactly related, but my hockey playing friends tell me that GRAF hockey skates aren't as good as they were when they were primarily made in Europe.

I dont have GRAF skates but I do have the blades. I skate in SP teris' they are a pain to break in that is were the GRAF has the advantage. They are easy on the feet compared to the SP's! The Blades I have I'm very satisfyed with I've never had the problem of the crome coming off at all! I actaully think it has helped the height on my jumps. Once you see the SIZE of the toe pick you'll understand...Its quite a whopper! I hope this helped you can't go to wrong with the grafs. But remember its not really thie brand it is what fits your daughters feet properly

If she's under 50 lbs, no need to worry about breaking down any graf skate. I skate wiht a girl, shes about the size of an average 8 year old, I don't know what she weighs. Not a crease in the three pairs of Richmond specials I've ever seen her wear(her feet have really grown!). Id even advise hunting around for used pairs that kids her size have worn!

I have a friend who bought Edmonton Specials. she is landing all doubles and working on triples is in her 20s and is very slim. Besides the fact that after two months they are nearly broken down the heel twisted on the skate within a few weeks of her skating in them and it had to be glued together. On the other hand other skaters I know have Grafs and love them. After the heel twisting on my friends I advise skaters to steer clear of them, but this is just my opinion. I also find the Graf boots suit people with very narrow feet - which is no good for me - when i enquired about graf they were going to have to make mine custom at extra cost.

Same thing with blades - chrome coming off, most skaters around here stick to the safe options of MK or JW.

Just my opinions.

I have Graf Galaxy's and they're amazing!!
I got them two days before competing, and they were fine for the comp...no problems at all breaking them in. I've had them for about a year and a half now, doing doubles and triples..i weigh about 100 pounds and they're still in really good condition...most people i know who skate with them like them a lot also. Before my Galaxy's I had Edmontons, but they broke down faster...the Galaxy's are more comfy too

If you going to get your little one Grafs, go for the Richmond Special if she's close to working on her doubles if not, see if you can get the Galaxy. The Richmond Specials are simular to the Graf Edmonton Special but are made for tiny feet and are lighter than the Edmonton Specials but just a rugged as them.

I use Edmonton Specials well, because my feet are just too big for them. I'm an adult skater and just love my Grafs. Be sure to see if these are they right type of skate for your daughter's feet. The have a higher arch then most so you may or may not need something extra inside. Grafs have narrow heels and moderate to wide balled foot space. Is this the type your child has. I use John Wilson Patter 99's and have not tried Graf Blades.

Brigitte

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"It's not age that determines but the heart." "Skating is not just a sport for the young but it's a passion for the soul of the young at heart." Brigitte Laskowski

I am a nomadic adult skater who is a member of Windsor FSC (Skate Windsor) WOS SC again since Sept. 1st, 2008.

http://eastcastlemusic.tripod.com

Singerskates Sports Music Editing

If you going to get your little one Grafs, go for the Richmond Special if she's close to working on her doubles if not, see if you can get the Galaxy. The Richmond Specials are simular to the Graf Edmonton Special but are made for tiny feet and are lighter than the Edmonton Specials but just a rugged as them.

I use Edmonton Specials well, because my feet are just too big for Richmond Specials. ROTFLOL I'm an adult skater and just love my Grafs. Be sure to see if these are they right type of skate for your daughter's feet. The have a higher arch then most so you may or may not need something extra inside. Grafs have narrow heels and moderate to wide balled foot space. Is this the type your child has. I use John Wilson Patter 99's and have not tried Graf Blades.

Brigitte

__________________
"It's not age that determines but the heart." "Skating is not just a sport for the young but it's a passion for the soul of the young at heart." Brigitte Laskowski

I am a nomadic adult skater who is a member of Windsor FSC (Skate Windsor) WOS SC again since Sept. 1st, 2008.

http://eastcastlemusic.tripod.com

Singerskates Sports Music Editing