Sort of odd question about boot height..

[AmandaS88]

First off, Hi guys!! This is my first post here, and although I'm a younger adult at 22, its still cool to find a forum with so many adult skaters!
Anyway, I'm looking into starting lessons again this march after taking lessons a year or so ago, and prior to that skating from the age 2-10. I never got very serious but was pretty decent and just loved to skate. A couple years ago I got new skates, riedell silver stars with coronation ace blades. The skate and blades worked just fine with the exception of the boot being a bit too big. I thought it could be ok, but its not. my heel just keeps lifting out. So now i'm in the market for some new ones. The unusual part of my question may be something that can't be helped. See, I'm only 5 feet tall and my legs just aren't long. My current boots i swear come up like halfway to my knee(no joke). They feel a bit restrictive. I can't help but think i'd be more comfortable if the boot were a bit shorter. I'm I crazy in thinking this? And if not, are there any companies whose boots run a bit shorter in height?
I appreciate any help you all can give :D

[sue123]

Don't take my word on this, but don't dance boots run a bit shorter? Or maybe it's just the back that's shorter? Not exactly positive, but you might want to look into it.

[Perry]

You're right. Dance boots are cut lower on the ankle, and they have other features that allow for more bend. I don't know if they'd have enough support for freestyle, though.

Different freestyle boots are cut differently, too. I'm in Klingbeils now, which I think are shorter than the Reidells I was in when I was younger (it's been six or seven year, though). You probably don't want Klingbeils, but I'm sure there are other brands of lower cut boots.

[AmandaS88]

yeah I'd read about dance boots being a bit lower, but I thought that was mostly in back? Anyway, what about sp teri's? anyone know if they are a bit lower? A couple of the shops around here sell that brand as well as the Reidells.

[luna_skater]

Some dance boots are lower all the way around, and some just in the back.

Jackson and Gam both make a synchro boot that is cut lower than a freestyle boot, and is supposed to be fine for double jumps. I know people who do axels in the Jacksons with no problems.

You can also get boots cut down. When I bought a pair of Silver Stars many years ago, the shop cut the top down so I would have better toe point, since I was only doing synchro.

[vesperholly]

I just got out some old boots to donate to SABAH, and my Harlicks are a good 3/4 to 1" higher in the back than my Klingbeils. Heel height was the same on both.

[jenlyon60]

I had my first 2 pairs of Klingbeils deliberately cut lower around the top (about 3/4" to 1") because I am only 5' tall. I don't jump (I do dance), but the cut-down wasn't so much that it would cause problems for single jumps.

My new pair of Klingbeils were made lower since Klingbeil now makes a dance-specific boot and it's about the same height as my previous pairs.

My coach had a couple pairs of his boots cut really really low for dancing. One pair looked not much taller than high-tops.... and I think he competed his last season in that pair. (Believe they were stock boots that he took to a shoemaker and had whacked off.)

[AmandaS88]

hmm..I never thought about being able to cut down the top of the boot. So, you can cut down the whole thing? Meaning the front and back? Does the boot look normal afterwards? And lastly, do we think this is a commonly done thing that a lot of shops do?
I appreciate all the help guys! I mean, maybe its ok for the boots to be so high? It certaintly doesn't look good on me, and it does feel pretty darn restrictive. I can still skate in them ok, i just feel like It would be better if it were more in proportion to my legs. Does that sound right to you guys? Or should i just let it be?

[jenlyon60]

The Klingbeils I had built lower. I specified on the order form that I wanted them shorter around the top and by how much.

I believe my coach just took his old boots to a shoe repair shop in the UK. Then his next pair (these were Jacksons) he specified on the order form how much lower he wanted them manufactured.

[Elsy2]

If you are going custom, you can specify how high you want the boot.

A little petite friend of mine was in new Jacksons yesterday, and they looked lower than my SP teri's, but that is just a casual observation.

You could call each of the major manufacturers and ask them what the height of their boots is......