I agree 100%. I could skate better in my 1990s Bauer 2000s which were flexible and needed no break in and plenty of ankle flex. I somehow got rid of them for stiff skates and my skating fell off a cliff. I recently tried modern skates again and epic fail. I am finally down to new old stock Grafs and slowly getting my skating back on track.
I’m 42, massive hockey player / fan here. Look at Fedorov, Gardner, Bondra and so on. They didn’t have the skates we have today. And I literally just bought Bauer 3x Pro inline skates and nearly forgot how to skate. Went back to my 2002 Vapors and will be looking into Grafs
@@EstonianBerserker Which Graf ? I have the PK4700, by today's standard not a stiff skate but mine is still not broken in after about 6 times in them public skate. I weigh 130 lbs maybe thats has something to do with it
@@calgary2800 honestly I’m not sure which Grafs. I’m literally looking at them right now and most are available in Europe. So far, I’m reading into g7 & g755. And honestly again, I don’t know if these guys here are talking mumbo jumbo. But I can definitely say, I’m losing power and speed in the Bauer 3x Pro inline. Ice skates, we’ll see this weekend once I take my kids out for their first time. I’ll be using Bauer vapor xx that I had. Or I’m just getting old and my ankles isn’t liking the new technology.
I agree with what they say to a degree. newer players and skaters are just starting in skates that are just too high end for them and sales people aren't helping them truly get fitted. A newer skater in particular needs that boot flex to start learning the fundamentals and build confidence, strength and technique. Once they are more experienced and have built more power a soft boot starts to work against you and you will become tired faster and you will waste power and energy. Experience and build should be the biggest determining factor in how much you spend on skates. Obviously a 230lb guy should not be skating in a super soft $100 pair, he'll just crease them while at the same time if that 230lb guy has little to no experience he should not be in $900+ super stiff skates.
Yes agree. When you have skill and can put intense pressure on the skate you need that stiffness to handle the pressure. It all works together. You even start feeling the action in a very stiff boot propelling you forwards with every stride. Beginners should always start in a softer boot 100%. and work their way up to a stiffer boot .
Totally agree with this vid. 200+ pound pros & elite amateurs, on ice 2-4 hours daily need heavily built skates, but not kids and mediocre (non elite) players. Don’t even get me started on young ladies needing flexible boots in stead of Easton cinder blocks. My solution to skate stiffness was 2 laces in each skate. A lower lace for the top of foot, drawn tight to lock the foot into the footbed and then another lace (top 3 or 4 eyelets), moderately to loosely tied, allowing full, deep ankle bend. It certainly suited a deep knee bend, highly agile skater like me. I did this with Bauer “number” series (100, 200, 1000, etc) and with Graf 704’s. My Graf 707’s didn’t need it.
yeah I use waxed laces and I leave the top on the loose side to get my ankle flex. Stiff boot plus ankle mobility equals no loss of power during strides.
They don't know what they are doing. Without question you need ankle flex and softer boot to feel the ice. Being in a cast makes learning to skate or getting better a whole lot more work than it should be.
This is 💯. Hockey skate boots today are so stiff like a cast
I agree 100%. I could skate better in my 1990s Bauer 2000s which were flexible and needed no break in and plenty of ankle flex. I somehow got rid of them for stiff skates and my skating fell off a cliff. I recently tried modern skates again and epic fail. I am finally down to new old stock Grafs and slowly getting my skating back on track.
I’m 42, massive hockey player / fan here. Look at Fedorov, Gardner, Bondra and so on. They didn’t have the skates we have today. And I literally just bought Bauer 3x Pro inline skates and nearly forgot how to skate. Went back to my 2002 Vapors and will be looking into Grafs
@@EstonianBerserker Which Graf ? I have the PK4700, by today's standard not a stiff skate but mine is still not broken in after about 6 times in them public skate. I weigh 130 lbs maybe thats has something to do with it
@@calgary2800 honestly I’m not sure which Grafs. I’m literally looking at them right now and most are available in Europe. So far, I’m reading into g7 & g755. And honestly again, I don’t know if these guys here are talking mumbo jumbo. But I can definitely say, I’m losing power and speed in the Bauer 3x Pro inline. Ice skates, we’ll see this weekend once I take my kids out for their first time. I’ll be using Bauer vapor xx that I had. Or I’m just getting old and my ankles isn’t liking the new technology.
I agree with what they say to a degree. newer players and skaters are just starting in skates that are just too high end for them and sales people aren't helping them truly get fitted. A newer skater in particular needs that boot flex to start learning the fundamentals and build confidence, strength and technique. Once they are more experienced and have built more power a soft boot starts to work against you and you will become tired faster and you will waste power and energy. Experience and build should be the biggest determining factor in how much you spend on skates. Obviously a 230lb guy should not be skating in a super soft $100 pair, he'll just crease them while at the same time if that 230lb guy has little to no experience he should not be in $900+ super stiff skates.
Yes agree. When you have skill and can put intense pressure on the skate you need that stiffness to handle the pressure. It all works together. You even start feeling the action in a very stiff boot propelling you forwards with every stride.
Beginners should always start in a softer boot 100%. and work their way up to a stiffer boot .
Totally agree with this vid. 200+ pound pros & elite amateurs, on ice 2-4 hours daily need heavily built skates, but not kids and mediocre (non elite) players. Don’t even get me started on young ladies needing flexible boots in stead of Easton cinder blocks. My solution to skate stiffness was 2 laces in each skate. A lower lace for the top of foot, drawn tight to lock the foot into the footbed and then another lace (top 3 or 4 eyelets), moderately to loosely tied, allowing full, deep ankle bend. It certainly suited a deep knee bend, highly agile skater like me. I did this with Bauer “number” series (100, 200, 1000, etc) and with Graf 704’s. My Graf 707’s didn’t need it.
ha i thought i invented the two lace skate! good on ya.
This makes perfect sense. Which skates would one recommend as being the most flexible right now? Which is softest out of Bauer/CCM/True brands?
Oldie but goodie
Or just don't tie the top hole.
yeah I use waxed laces and I leave the top on the loose side to get my ankle flex. Stiff boot plus ankle mobility equals no loss of power during strides.
😂😂😂 enough internet for the day
why arent the manufactures listening
They don't know what they are doing. Without question you need ankle flex and softer boot to feel the ice. Being in a cast makes learning to skate or getting better a whole lot more work than it should be.