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Blade Alignment and Graf Footbeds: Observation and an Issue/Question
Blade Alignment and Graf Footbeds: Observation and an Issue/Question
Just got a new pair of Graf 705 skates. Was on 703s for the last 18 months but they never fit me right. New skates fit much better.
Observation: My feet pronate, so I've always felt like I'm too inside my blade and had to compensate for it. The Graf guy noticed it and suggested moving the blades in slightly so they align better with my foot. Wow, what a difference. Highly recommend making sure you're blades are aligned properly to your foot if you're having similar issues.
Issue/Question: The new Graf Sidas footbeds (stock not custom) are very different from last year's. They are black and much firmer than last year's grey ones. Late in my fourth skate on them (after about an hour of skating), I noticed that my right foot is tender and feels bruised a bit right under the area that includes the inner ball of my foot and just to the right of it - where my foot really impacts the footbed when I'm on the front of my blades. When this happens, the footbeds start to feel like concrete; which led me to compare the footbeds in the two skates.
Anyone else with new Grafs notice this about the footbeds or have a similar issue? I don't think that I can just swap the beds from the 703s because its a different shape boot and a different width as well. And I don't want to do the full custom, because I understand that it may partially correct the pronation issue that I've already addressed by moving the blades. I did custom Superfeet years ago and was not happy with the results.