New Boots...Klingbeil vs. Harlick

[FrankR]

Hello everyone,

So after three years of skating in my current boots, both of my coaches tell me it's time to get new skates. Eek! 8O I am so not a fan of breaking in new skates. I suppose it's a necessary evil. :P

Both of my coaches and I are in agreement that custom boots are the way to go. One of my coaches swears by Klingbeils and has recommended them whole-heartedly. However, my other coach told me last night that she would rather I get Harlick custom boots instead.

Has anyone here used either or both of these brands of custom boots and if so how do you feel about them? I'm hoping to be fitted for my new skates this weekend so any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Frank

[skaternum]

Klingbeil!!! I absolutely love my K's. The breakin period is so much better in these than any other boot I've ever had. Each last is custom made for your foot -- they don't start with a stock last and modify it, the way every other "custom" boot does.

Of course, getting an accurate fitting is critical, no matter what boot you go with.

Just curious: did your coach say why you should get Harlicks?

[jenlyon60]

I'm on my 3rd pair of Klingbeils and just about to order my 4th.

Think that says it all...

That being said, I know people who swear by their Harlicks or their SP Teris. But ever since I went to custom boots, I've been in Klingbeils and I haven't had serious problems (other than a wonky blade alignment on my current pair from when I changed blades, and no one caught the problem until I changed to a different skate technician).

[FrankR]

Just curious: did your coach say why you should get Harlicks?

Hey there skaternum,

She mentioned that she tried Klingbeils and switched to Harlicks and has never looked back. Even now, when she orders new skates for herself she'll get custom Harlicks. It's what she competed in and she just feels very secure in them and thus the recommendation.

Thanks for the feedback! :D

Frank

[FrankR]

I'm on my 3rd pair of Klingbeils and just about to order my 4th.

Think that says it all...

That being said, I know people who swear by their Harlicks or their SP Teris. But ever since I went to custom boots, I've been in Klingbeils and I haven't had serious problems (other than a wonky blade alignment on my current pair from when I changed blades, and no one caught the problem until I changed to a different skate technician).

Thanks Jen. I'm just looking hoping getting the custom boots will help with the way my feet feel when I skate. I've been in Graf Edmonton Specials for the last three years and they were great for support and they've held up pretty well considering the beating I've given them. :P However, I would get these really painful corns on my toes and occasionally I'd get pain in my arches from them and I'm hoping a better fitting boot will help to eliminate these problems.

Frank

[coskater64]

Well, I'll be against the tide. I use Harlick's and have since I started skating and I love them, they are very comfy and i recommend them highly.

la

[jazzpants]

Hi, Frank!

Count me on the Harlick's camp! LOVE my PURPLE Harlicks!!! :mrgreen: Also, if you have low arches... Harlicks has a lot of experience in that area. (I have narrow ankles and low arches...) I also got orthotics b/c of lower back problems caused by my hips and legs being uneven, so they did take a mold of my foot. I'm not getting those problems as bad now as before... (Though they still hurt...)

Of course, I have a big advantage in that both the Harlicks and SPTeri factories are in my neck of the woods. :mrgreen:

In the end...flip a coin, pick one and then the next time you get new skates, try the other and see which one fits better for you. They're your feet! :D

[jenlyon60]

I think it's one of those things that depends heavily on your foot shape (including arch, ball width, heel width, etc.)

I have a very straight foot (no real difference in width between ball and heel). Years ago before I got my first pair of K's, I was told that I had almost the "ideal" Klingbeil foot. Don't know if that was true or myth. But since I've been happy with the previous 3 pairs (counting the current ones), my feeling on the subject is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"

I just haven't decided if I'm going to try and take a weekend to go up to NYC and get measured up there, or to go to the guy who now does all my skate work.

[FrankR]

Hi all,

Thanks for your input! After mulling it over all day and reading everyone's suggestions I've decided to give Klingbeil's a try. I figure that it would be a good idea for me since I'm literally a hop, skip and a jump away from their shop. In addition, I was told by the staff at Klingbeil's that I could have my skates in as little as three weeks after my fitting. I'd like to get my new skates as soon as possible to get them broken in before the Adult Camp at the end of June. I booked my fitting for this Saturday. I'll let you all know how it goes. :D

Thanks again for your time and feedback.

Frank

[Casey]

I've been in Graf Edmonton Specials for the last three years and they were great for support and they've held up pretty well considering the beating I've given them. :P However, I would get these really painful corns on my toes and occasionally I'd get pain in my arches from them and I'm hoping a better fitting boot will help to eliminate these problems.

Hey, I wear Graf Edmontons too! I must concur that I do love the support! I don't have any toe troubles anymore, but when they were new I got blisters on the fronts of my toes a couple times. That problem disappeared though. I started getting pain in the arches too - I found that it could generally be avoided by not tightening the laces quite so much over the top of the foot, but I ended up buying new footbeds from a company called Sole and cutting them to fit the skates and replace the stock footbeds. They worked great for a few months, but I recently stuck the stock footbeds back in there and they feel fine now.

My only complaint is that now the top of the boot is aggravating the outside of my left ankle, and I have a bump of tissue under the skin where the edge of the boot hits (it started from spinning somehow). Bunga pads and thicker socks have helped somewhat, but not entirely. It's likely my own fault from some bad technique - I took a week off skating recently and it didn't go away though...*sigh*

Anyways, I do love the Grafs, but I've already decided that my next pair, whenever I get 'round to buying them, will be custom Klingbeils. I'd like to try SP Teris at some point during my skating career too. I've heard Harlicks are better for narrow feet - mine aren't narrow.

[MusicSkateFan]

:roll: I am in the process of trying to get new boots and blades as well. I just tried on a pair of Grafs that felt pretty good. My fitter said that the shape of my foot would do well in them. He is ordering some others for me to try. I have not heard great things about Reidell but this fitter thinks I should try them. I was thinking of K's as well...

Any suggestions would be great...

[Mrs Redboots]

You honestly can't choose until you've tried on a variety of boots - different feet are different shapes, and what suits one won't suit another. Go with the lowest level of the cheapest boot that suits your feet and your skating - for some, that will be a bog-standard beginner boot and blade, as stocked by the rink shop, for others, it will be top-of-the-range SP Teris or Harlicks, and most of us will be somewhere in between!

I personally like my Gam 70s, which are a good intermediate-level boot, quite suitable for me, and which, although not yet very comfortable, will be soon! But I've known other folk who haven't been able to make friends with Gams at all, and have ended up taking them back and trying a different brand. I dislike Risports, but a girl at my rink loves them.... and so it goes....