AdamL

On 12/21/2020 at 10:09 PM, keeperton said:

The strapping does come on kind of loose on the GIV, but you can crank it down quite a bit if you really want to. You can also get an additional strap right below the calf if you really want, as well as one above that I don't really recommend because it seems kind of pointless.

I have used the below-calf strap for awhile, I like it but am considering removing it as a test for my foot dropping a little better.

Legitimately my only complaint on the GIV is the seal on the butterfly. I cannot get the tops of the pad to stop coming up slightly when I drop.

Wish I could easily take this quote and reply in the G-IV thread. Anyway.

I’d understand if the front was popping up some in the RVH - most pads do that to some degree - but to hear you say they’re not sealing properly in the butterfly is a bit of a reg flag with regard to longevity IMO.  

4 hours ago, Puckstopper said:

Sure.  There is lots to like about both lines of pads and at the end of the day for me it came down to a few small details:

The Genetik pads are slightly thinner at the top than the Vaughns.  I've really liked the way the ultra thin thigh rises on my Warrior G5's don't get caught on each other, so thin pad tops tend to catch my eye.

I liked the strapping on the Gnetik IV better than the strapping on the V9 with one big exception:

The professor strap on the Vaughn pads is the best implementation of that type of strap on the market.  If you want to use a professor strap, go Vaughn and don't look back.

My favorite catch glove of the last 15 years has been a Vaughn VE8 Pro Carbon 2 piece.  The V9 PC is basically the same glove with upgraded palm padding, so I get where you're coming from loving that glove.  However, the G-IV we got in to the store I work at was better.  The break felt really similar, it was literally game ready out of the shipping bag, and the BOA system is fantastic at letting you dial in the fit of the glove!  The Genetik IV glove feels nothing like the earlier Genetik gloves and IMHO is a vast improvement on them.  Either way you go here you'll end up with a glove that feels pretty similar on the hand and is one of the easiest gloves to catch with on the market (if you like a baseball glove feel at least).

Regardless of which model you pick you'll end up with a really high quality product, so you just have to decide which one fits your game best and enjoy!

Thanks @Puckstopper, that’s hugely helpful. I would plan to use a professor strap if I go with the V9s, but to switch to the SLR2 style strap with the single piece of elastic and the magnetic clip.  That’s at least in part because I find the elastic a pain to loop through once the pad is up on my leg, but also because the two layers of thick elastic made the pad actually feel too tight. Dennis said I could either add an inch to the V9 style strap or switch to the SLR2 style - can’t really go wrong either way.

My biggest concern with the GIVs is that they appear to be a fairly loose-fitting pad, which seems odd IMO for a flexible pad.  I’d be looking to do something to get that more connected feel, like adding Brian’s version of the professor strap, adding their optional calf straps, or even doing the full Optik 2 leg channel if that’s possible, since I also really like the calf pillow on the V9s.

Like you said, though, either way I’ll be getting a great product and one that will no doubt be a big improvement over what I have now. The GIVs definitely win on looks, maybe that should be the tiebreaker.  Look good, feel good, play good...or something like that. 

On 12/16/2020 at 9:11 AM, Puckstopper said:

Brian's hasn't made any secret of the fact that the GV launch has been delayed.  With that said,  the GIV still compares very favorably to the other "soft" pads on the market.  We'll see if that shifts when EF5 and 12.2 drop, but I'd still prefer GIV's over V9's which are the only updated soft line out there at the moment.

Mind elaborating? I’m about to place an order and those are the two most under consideration. I’ve been leaning toward the V9s with the “extra stiff” option in the thigh rise and the SLR2 knee stack to firm things up there as well.  HD foams on the landing side and a couple minor strapping changes, but nothing too crazy.  My local store doesn’t have an G-IVs to try on, unfortunately, but I really like a lot about the senior version of the V9. I also preferred the 2-piece V9 glove to the G-Netik 3 glove they still have on the racks.

I’d probably go with the 12.2s if they were going to be released soon, but if orders can’t be placed until spring and deliveries don’t start until late summer or fall...I really just don’t want to wait that long.  

3 hours ago, dualshowman said:

Forward pitch is the way to go. I skate out, too, so I much prefer a slight forward pitch. This can always be altered slightly with rockering the runner and/or selecting different insoles. Once you feel the benefits, a neutral pitched goalie skate seems antithetical to the requirements of goaltending. I have always pitched forward the rocker on every cowling skate I've used, but it would change over time due to sharpening.

I’m sure you’re right, but I’ve talked to a couple goalies locally who switched to the Vertexx runners and really didn’t like being pitched so far forward.

The Pro Gs or whatever the next iteration will be should be around for awhile, the current stock of DM1080s won’t be.

18 minutes ago, dualshowman said:

They were certainly comfortable to me, but not close enough to 750s for me to take the plunge. In retrospect, I should have made the attempt. The path I took brought me to Pro/Gs, so I'll take it.

Wouldn't be surprised if I end up in a pair as well within the next year.  I'm not sure I'd like being pitched forward, so I wanted to get a pair of skates I knew would feel familiar in case I don't like the newer style holders.  Glad you're loving the skates!  They're a great option, especially in price relative to the custom options from some other manufacturers.

13 hours ago, dualshowman said:

Yeah, their drop shipping deal is the way to go.

No shame in the DM1080s. I loved everything about them except the fit. It was as if Graf changed their fit profile for the DM series and then went back to their original profile with the PeakSpeeds. Maybe they were attempting to reach out to a broader market.

You think so?  Granted it's been a few years since I last wore my old Goaler Pros, but compared to my current CCMs these things are an absolute dream.  I'll probably bake them again just for good measure, though, these things are REALLY stiff, but thankfully do still offer a tremendous amount of ankle flexion.

That's great!  Although you're making me regret picking up a set of DM1080s during the black Friday sales.  Shoutout to Goalies Plus and Vaughn/Graf in Michigan for having those to me in 48 hours.

49 minutes ago, Yzueblin said:

My Brian’s set is there !! 4week only thank to rance from goalie crease 

 

btw jrz will be available soon 

Those look great!  Congrats.  Any custom options/specs?

1 hour ago, Chenner29 said:

Just got them yesterday, haven't had a chance to use them yet.

I've always recommended a knee bend as you want to mimic how the pads will sit in your stance.

Lefevre customizer looks like it recommends the same.

Thanks, definitely missed that. 

@Chenner29 How’s the new sizing treating you?  
 

Also, what’s the proper method for getting a FTK measurement?  If I stand with my knees straight my measurement is 20”, if I bend my knees so my knees are over my toes and drop the tape measure down to the floor like a plum line, it’s 19.5”.  Which is the correct way to do it?  Seems I’ve seen both.

On 10/29/2020 at 12:57 PM, AdamL said:

Quite possible. I’m excited to see how these G9035s play in the cowlings versus my CCMs. At the very least they should be way more comfortable and have a tighter fit in the heel, which I desperately need. If I still have to get the steel radiused (if that’s a word ), so be it.

Whelp, the G9035s arrived today.  I received the wrong size and width, unfortunately, so hopefully I can get that resolved quickly.  I took a quick measurement of the steel on the Grafs versus the CCMs and while it's tough to tell how much of a difference there might be in radius, the steel on the CCMs is a full inch longer from point to point.  The radius on the Grafs does seem like it's smaller too, they rock back and forth more easily on my workbench than the CCMs do even after several dozen sharpenings.

Lean angle seems about identical.  I certainly wish I would've just bought these from the start.  Goes to show you should just buy exactly what you want up front rather than cheap out and try to pick up something else on clearance.

12 hours ago, Chenner29 said:

Your old Grafs probably got rounded out after so many years of sharpenings

Quite possible. I’m excited to see how these G9035s play in the cowlings versus my CCMs. At the very least they should be way more comfortable and have a tighter fit in the heel, which I desperately need. If I still have to get the steel radiused (if that’s a word ), so be it.

@Chenner29 What's your FTK measurement?

I'm right at 20" and if I go with the 20.1s I'm unsure if I should go with the 32" or size down to 31" and maybe add an extra .5" or 1" to the thigh rise.  The size chart indicates I'm on the lower end of a 32", but the way these seem to fit I still worry they'd be too big.

17 hours ago, BadAngle41 said:

Sure. Similar to you I wore Graf Goaler Pros a while back. Then transitioned towards cowlingless skates through Vertexx Holders on the Graf Boot... then straight up cowlingless with my first pair of Bauers (S190.) Looking to upgrade, I picked up 2X Pros. Both used the Vertexx Edge holder so the transition from one to the other was easy.

Worth noting is that I do suffer from Femoroacetabular Impingement with the left side having been "cleaned up" but leaving little to no labrum/cartilage and the right side likely needing it in the next couple of years. So I'm already in the hurt box there. The increased attack angle, while certainly having it's advantages... I felt was putting too much stress on my hips (and therefore my knees and ankles too) as well as getting a numbness/pain in the balls of my feet using the 2X Pro. So I wanted a boot that was stiffer than a traditional Graf... but more flex than my 2X Pro... and at the same time less forward pitch and height on the holder. 

@SaveByRichter35 had already done a mod with Graf and CCM's XSG holder and I was intrigued so I thought I'd try it. Turns out to be great. I get the best (for me) of all worlds. More neutral pitch being the most notable when first putting them on.

Thanks!  I was actually asking @benner33 why he preferred the True 2-piece skates to the Graf Pro Gs, but that's really helpful.

I'm in a relatively similar situation, although maybe not quite as bad yet.  For the past couple years I've been dealing with some hip pain on my left side, and I worry going with a taller skate will only make that worse.  I've had some on-and-off success with myofascial release therapy and dry needling, and a percussion massage gun has helped quite a lot too, but I've still never been back to 100%.  No MRI yet, but I imagine I have some structural issues brewing.  

I went ahead and bought a set of these G9035s, I'll probably just play in the cowling, but cool to see that I have options if I decide to go cowlingless.  

With regard to your choice of radius, do you know how that compares to the standard steel that comes with the Graf Cowlings and the Pro Goalie 3.0 SS steel that comes with the Pro Gs?  No idea what's on my CCM skates, but it's WAY flatter than the steel that was on my old Grafs.  Looks like the Pro G's come with a 30' radius, and maybe an even shorter radius farther in on the blades that what you've gone with in the XSG holders.  I never even knew the radius on some steel could be changed until I got these CCMs and wondered why I couldn't skate worth a damn anymore.  

On 9/22/2020 at 8:04 PM, benner33 said:

I’m going to sell my Graf Pro G skates. I tried to find someone to put a new holder on them but I just can’t get used to them. Going back to new stock True 2 Piece instead. 

Mind elaborating?  I played in Graf Goaler Pros from my first competitive days in high school up until just a couple years ago when I switched to some CCM 6092s, honestly just because they were on clearance.  Aside from the improved lean angle I despise them in every way, from the fit of the boot to the profile of the blade making me feel like I'm completely stuck in the mud.

Considering either picking up a set of these G9035s or maybe going full modern and getting some Pro Gs.  Thanks!