Skate question regarding latteral movement

[Logie]

Hey all,

So i been playing rec hockey about 13months wearing One 60's. The tounges are gone, im suffering lace bite bad and they are really soft skates, i sometimes feel them bend.

I thought now is the time to treat myself to a newer, stiffer and better all round skate. So i bought some Graf ultra G75.

Sexy skate, nice and stiff and i love the tounge, but im not sure if its due to them being very stiff, when i tie them up, i have nice forward flex, alot better then the One60s and without laces grinding my shin. But i seem to have not as much support at the top of the skate.

My heel is locked in, i can put my finger down to the ball of my ankle, but no futher. My foot is not sliding around either so im a bit confused.

I used to tie my one60's really tight other wise they would flex and being in the UK its hard to find shops to get fit in, i had to order online.

I was just about to heat mould them but thought i better hold off

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y28...1203-00018.jpg

This picture is foward flex, heel is locked and not moving

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y28...1203-00016.jpg

[Jarick]

Grafs are lower cut skates...are you tying them tight up top? You may need to tape the shins down low if you want more stiffness/support. This is actually pretty common among REALLY good skaters (in the NHL).

[Logie]

Not sure about the taping part, but yea i notice the cut. It feels like i have not laced the top 2 eye lets!

[Jarick]

That's how I felt from Bauers...I would skip the top eyelet, sometimes top two. With Grafs laced all the way up it felt the same.

[Logie]

Nice I think i just need to lace properly, maybe im not strong enough to lace them lol ;P

Also, i guess i just need to break them in. If my foot is stable and heel locked i will be fine i guess?

[Logie]

Reading up more, its seems it might just be the way the skate is. I don't understand what a lower cut boot is, im guessing it does not go up the ankle as much? But most people say that you get more lateral movement as well as forward flex.

MIght be something i have to get used to coming from Bauer which i used to lace every eye light tight ;P

[reecardo]

Been skating in a pair of 709s for about two months, had Reebok 4ks before that. The Grafs definitely allow much more ankle movement, which has been good and bad for me. I am able to get on the outside edge much easier, and my skating is improving because of it. The downside is I have had two ankle sprains since I switched.