Custom Boot Recommendations

[SkatingOnClouds]

Quick summary for those who don't know me. I'm 46, fat, returning to skating after 20 years, have huge bunions on both feet. Currently doing one foot, back spins, change foot spins, waltz jump, toe-loop, loop, salchow and am still trying to regain my flip before tackling lutzes again. Hope to one day maybe do an axel or maybe even double jumps. I live at the end of the earth (next stop Antarctica) with no pro-shop or experts to ask or fit me for boots. Currently skating 6-8 hours per week.

My current boots are Graf Galaxy which I have adapted by hacking holes to accommodate my bunions. Now they hurt the outside of my feet and I'm developing bunions there. Otherwise I love the boots, particularly since putting a layer of cork under the insole to raise my heel slightly. Blades are 20+ year old Phantoms.

Fingers crossed, I may have sold one of my cellos, which means I could use some of the money to get custom made boots and new blades. Boots that don't hurt sound like heaven, and my old phantoms are nearing the end of their useful life.

My question is about what sort of custom boots to get, given my location. Remember, I can't walk into a pro shop or brand outlet to get fitted for boots. Have others had to send away measurements, casts of feet, and had good/bad experiences with getting customs that fitted well and didn't need sending back for adjustments? Any tips for doing it by long distance? Will the brand companies deal directly with people who can't access importers?

I'm attracted by SP Teri's cool purple model, (though I'm not sure I'd have the courage to go for something which shrieks "look at me!!!) but have heard they are like concrete to break in. Are their custom boots like that too? I think Grafs are an option as I love my Galaxies, but everything tells me their fast break in = fast breakdown. I've never seen a pair of Klingbeils or Harlicks, so don't know about them but they seem highly reommended in this forum, or Gam, anyone got Gam customs?

Of course, this lady may not buy my cello, or my husband may insist I spend the money on something boring like a new fridge or paying off my credit card. But he loves what skating is doing for me, both physically and mentally, so I might be able to twist his arm.

[Mrs Redboots]

Whatever you do, get someone else to measure your feet for you - don't try to do it yourself, or your measurements may be inaccurate. I know someone who sent off for very custom boots from Schindlers in Switzerland, and got the measurements wrong!

Sensible thing is to contact the manufacturers and ask what measurements they need.

[emma]

I am in the same boat as you having come back after many decades off the ice. I have been skating in Grafs for two years now. They have ruined my feet! I have developed bunions everywhere. While i love the comfort they have fallen apart, ripped down the outsides by the hooks. I would not go back to them .They have a quality issue that they need to work on. Several people say that Klingbeil customs are wonderful. The break in time is short and painless some people who i have spoken to say at the end of one skating session they felt comfortable enough to do all their jumps with ease.(www.klingbeilskateingboots.com). I believe they have a list of fitters that you can contact. I think this is what i will do as Grafs have killed my feet. SPTerris are like cement although many people at our club swear by them.I tried them on and there is no way i could ever skate in them. Riedells are another good option and they are heat molded now so that could help with the bunion issue. I am waiting for our pro shop to get there skate shipment in so i can try stock boots but my feeling is i will try Klingbeil customs. Good luck. Oh you will get your axel back it took me a year of working on it but it does come back!

[dbny]

I was at Klingbeil one morning when a woman came in to get her new custom boots. She had bunions the size of onions! When she put her new boots on, she was in total comfort for the first time. You could see that the boot was shaped for her bunions, so it was quite clear that they had dealt with the problem properly. That said, I have no idea of how they do fittings abroad if there is no local fitter.

[beachbabe]

I can only speak about klingbeils, b/c my mom has them


she just did it herself with this kit they sent her and it has a thing to mold to your foot, but it only really shows the sole. She sent off a foot cast with them, which she had done at the foot doctor's. You can jsut come in and tell them ur getting custom skates and they will make you a foot cast to send off with your order. They came back fitting perfect and it only took her about 2 months to break in, b/c she only skates about once a week. But then again, you can specify how hard you want them. She also got the heel a bit higher, and shes happy with it. I mean theyll pretty much do whatever you want them to. Plus they let you fix them i think if they do not make the boot according to your specifications.

[vesperholly]

I love my custom Klingbeil's. Wouldn't skate in anything else.

My local pro shop fitted them for me. The instructions are pretty simple, but you definitely shouldn't do them yourself - when you bend over to measure your foot, for example, the shape of your foot will change from when you are standing up. I bet your husband would be able to do it. This is what is done when I get fitted:

- use tape measure to measure around 4 parts of your foot: ball, instep, heel, ankle
- traced each foot on a piece of paper
- had me stand on a special ruler and measured the length of my feet
- made an impression of the bottom of my feet in a foam box while I was sitting
- took pictures of my feet from each side and the back

[Vicki]

I have custom Klingbeils and love them. My ballet teacher did the measurements and helped me with the foam molds. I also spoke with Don Klingbeil over the phone to explain a few problems I had at the time.
The boots fit wonderfully. I did send them back in for one minor adjustment. Overall, I'm very pleased and would definitely order from them again.

[SkatingOnClouds]

Oops, I have changed my logon id, for anyone who got confused here.

As I thought, Klingbeil customs come highly recommended, and SP Teris are like concrete.

Does anyone have Gam customs? Or shouldn't I bother considering them? What about Harlick?

[vesperholly]

I had Harlick customs and they were miserable. I didn't have any "good" period between breaking in and breaking down. I hated the standard sponge tongue and I had constant problems with the insoles. Everything you might want customized outside the fit and strength is extra money (higher heel, lambswool tongue, extra lace hooks, etc).

I don't know anything about Gams. The majority of people I skate with have Reidells, a few have Klingbeils or Harlicks, and one girl has Grafs.

[techskater]

I have had a totally different experience with my Harlicks. I am in my second pair of customs and I just love, love, love them. Phil, from Harlick, says there's only about 5 people (besides himself) that so a great job fitting, and I luckily have been dealing with one of them for two pairs.

Find someone who's a fantastic fitter and have them put you in a variety of stock boots and figure out what works best for you and whether you NEED customs (even with bunions, there may be a stock boot for you.

Good luck!

[luna_skater]

I have Gams, though they aren't customs. I love them to death. I have the 400 model. There was very little break-in time; the heat-molding was wonderful. They are padded through the whole foot, which makes them get quite sweaty, but it's worth it b/c of the comfort level. They are also cut slightly lower than some other boots.

[AW1]

Sorry I can't really give you an experience on this as I've ordered Jacksons with some modifications so they aren't really custom boots. But I did look into Klingbeils - this is the info I got by contacting the company directly.

The price of a pair of custom Klingbeil Skating Boots start at US$545.00.
There is a dealer in Australia that we do recommend. This address is as follows:

BLACKTOWN ICE ARENA 8 First Avenue Blacktown NSW Australia 2148
612-9621-4911 Anthony Wilson


I hope that helps, although there isn't any dealers in Tassie, at least NSW isn't too far away so they might be able to offer you some good suggestions on getting the measurements right etc,

[sk8nlizard]

I have been in Klingbiels since I was about 10, and I am 23 now. Of all of those years, I had one problem with my Klingbiels, and I sent them back and they were very promptly fixed. Not only were my Klingbiels super comfortable, but the break in time is not painful and very short. I can honestly say, that I have NEVER had a blister in all my years in Klingbiels. I also was doing all my jumps on Day One in the skates (and I was doing all of the triples through lutz). I also always laced them all the way up from Day One. They normally lasted me from 6-9 months with 6 days a week/ 2 times a day skating working on all triples. Good Luck with picking out skates, in the end it's going to be whatever you feel most comfortable with.