Can Graf 500 Boots Be Baked?

[Mojotamwo]

I have just returned to ice skating after a break of 30 years and have bought a pair of Graf 500s.  These fitted fine in the shop, but after an hour's skating I had very sore inner ankle bones.  Can 500s be baked?  If so, would that help with the ankle problem or do I need to get them punched out?  Any advice or general comment would be most welcome.

[Badass]

Hi Mojotamwo,

I’m a beginner skater and I have Graf 500’s, could it be possible that skating technique caused this pain? are you being coached? If you’re leaning the foot heavily over onto the inside edges at the moment - that could cause some sore spots on the inside of your foot.

[transmissionoftheflame]

Hard to say but perhaps give it a few more sessions - the boots and your feet may both need a bit of time to adapt.  But pain is not good so I would say if it persists then look at getting the boots punched out.  If they've got plastic in them they probably can't be baked - you need leather or cork soles for that I think - but a heat gun might work.


Personally I doubt that poor technique would cause foot pain, but poor lacing technique might.  Laces should be tight enough to hold you foot firm but not viciously tight.

[Mojotamwo]

Thanks for all the comments. An Everglades video says that Graf 500s can be baked but my local shop says the opposite. Graf’s website doesn’t say anything nor does the rest of the internet.
My 50 year old soft leather boots that took me up to Level 8 don’t hurt my ankles (but are now half a size too small and hurt my toes) so I think my technique is ok. Maybe a call to Everglades is the next step, but please comment if you have any further thoughts.

[transmissionoftheflame]

I've seen skates from back in the day and yes they probably were kinder to feet as they offered less support - less rigid.


Looking at pictures of Graf 500 the soles/heels look plastic to me.


Skates are a pain - some people get lucky and find skates that fit them perfectly, others never do, and it's really hard to know how they will react when you actually skate in them.  I've had my inline skates for half a dozen years at least and suddenly they are giving me a corn on my right little toe - goodness knows why.


I'd say punching out rather than baking would be better.

[WednesdayMarch]

I wouldn't risk baking them. You could try a warm hairdryer to warm them up inside, and then sit with them on until they cool, but that's as far as I'd go with the heat.

What I really would recommend, however, is a set of ankle gels. Everglides sell them at £15 or £20 a pair, depending on how thick you need them, and I've found my set to be wonderful. You can also find them on eBay and Amazon. Bunga Pads are the ones people commonly mention, but the unbranded ones work just as well.

Of course, a chat with Everglides - especially if you bought the boots from them - is always a good idea. They really know their stuff.

[Mojotamwo]

Thank you all for your comments.  One of the main shops in the UK has advised that Graf 500s cannot be baked which contradicts a statement made in a video by another well-known shop. This is somewhat confusing, but I think I will play safe and go with former advice rather than risk heat damage.   The same shop has also advised that ankle gel pads might be a solution (along with just using the skates until either the skates or my feet break in).  I will update you on what happens next.

[Mojotamwo]

As the Graf 500s were still causing a lot of ankle pain, I visited a specialist supplier in Blackpool to see if anything could be done to improve the fit. Unfortunately it was quickly ascertained that the original fitter had sold me a pair of boots one size too large, so modifications were not viable and new, correctly sized boots were a necessity. I tried on various brands in their lower price end, but pain on the ankle bones remained an issue.  This prompted a move up-market to a pair of Jackson Debut boots which, after heat moulding, seem to fix the problem.  They were a lot more expensive than the Grafs, but absence of pain trumps cost every time.  I haven't been able to skate in the Jacksons as yet, but will be doing so in the near future.  Keep your fingers crossed for me as the new boots could be an even more expensive mistake!!!

[transmissionoftheflame]

As the Graf 500s were still causing a lot of ankle pain, I visited a specialist supplier in Blackpool to see if anything could be done to improve the fit. Unfortunately it was quickly ascertained that the original fitter had sold me a pair of boots one size too large, so modifications were not viable and new, correctly sized boots were a necessity. I tried on various brands in their lower price end, but pain on the ankle bones remained an issue.  This prompted a move up-market to a pair of Jackson Debut boots which, after heat moulding, seem to fix the problem.  They were a lot more expensive than the Grafs, but absence of pain trumps cost every time.  I haven't been able to skate in the Jacksons as yet, but will be doing so in the near future.  Keep your fingers crossed for me as the new boots could be an even more expensive mistake!!!

Thanks for the update and good luck.

[WednesdayMarch]

If you were fitted by Alison Holden, you are unlikely to have made an expensive mistake. Debut are quite stiff boots, so be kind to yourself while you wear them in. What blades did you go for?