Boot fitter in SF Bay area?

[double3s]

I will be in the Bay Area next week and am planning on buying new skates. Can anyone recommend a good boot fitter in the greater bay area? Preferably one not affiliated with any particular boot company? I'm willing to drive to San Jose or Sacto if necessary.

Also, I know some of you skate at Yerba Buena - the Jackson website says they (YB) are a licensed dealer - do they have a selection of Jackson skates in the pro shop? I'm leaning towards Jacksons (my current skates), but my feet have shrunk, and I need to try them on/be fitted.

Also, I thought YB had an adult skate, but I don't see it on the schedule - does it still exist? (I already know about Santa Rosa coffee clubs and will attend at least one or two.)

Thanks in advance for any recs.

[WhisperSung]

I'll second double3s question by stating I'd be interested if someone knows a reputable skate shop near Sacramento (for fitting, sharpening, etc). I'll be moving to the area next week, and have no idea where to go to discuss getting my boots rebuilt.

Sorry I couldn't actually help, double3s

[WeirFan06]

Hi Double3s... Yerba Buena does have Jacksons still as far as I know, but I don't believe they have any other brands so you wouldn't be able to compare or anything. Also, I worked there in college, and space has always been an issue for storage, so they don't keep a whole lot of boots in stock (meaning sometimes they have to order them for you). It's worth it to check out, though. I haven't looked at the boot selection over in Oakland recently, but they do have a pro shop with skates as well, and that's just a short trip over the bridge.

YB does still have adult sessions... one on wednesday mornings starting at 10am, and the other is a coffee club on thursdays also starting at 10. They got rid of the Monday night adult public session some time ago. Good luck with your skates!!!

[Thin-Ice]

I thought the pro shop at Oakland had pretty much been emptied out after the change in the management contract. Or do they have a new pro shop operator now?

The weird thing about the Bay Area is since we have SP-Teri and Harlick literally in our front yards, most people I know just go to those two stores for boot fittings from those two. The shops are about 20 minutes apart.. and I've known people who were looking to try one or both just to call and make appointments to see if those brands worked for their feet. I find very few people can fit boots like the actual bootmakers! But I'm really biased.. I've had SP-Teris for all but my first pair of skates (which were Reidells) and I've always been very happy with them. Of course, I've also always had George fit my boots, which is why I think he's a good bootfitter -- at least for me.

[jazzpants]

Yup I have the same case now with Harlick where it was better for me to get my feet fitted by Phil at Harlick. Now given that, before that I had Terry at Ice Oasis in Redwood City fitted me for Riedells. The only reason I didn't go back to Terry now to fit my boots is b/c my secondary coach strongly suggests that I get custom boots to deal with my myriad of health issues with my lower back. B/c I'm going to get custom boots, she says it's better to go to SP Teri or Harlick b/c if there's something wrong the bootmaker can fix it right then and there. Best advice my secondary coach ever gave me since my skating improved a lot from it. My feet don't hurt anymore and the lower back isn't as bad.

Of course, NOW she's trying to get me to switch from MK Pros to Coronation Aces... LOL!!!

Thin Ice: I think the pro shop was closed as of two Sundays ago when I was there skating. (And yes, they already started on the Olympic Rink too... skating on the NHL rink SUCKS!!! :x )

And double3's... what WeirFan06 says about the hours!

[doubletoe]

Of course, NOW she's trying to get me to switch from MK Pros to Coronation Aces... LOL!!!

Really? Why? They are practically the exact same blade--same rocker, toepick design and all other features (or lack thereof) and they are made in the same factory. . .

[mikawendy]

Of course, NOW she's trying to get me to switch from MK Pros to Coronation Aces... LOL!!!

Really? Why? They are practically the exact same blade--same rocker, toepick design and all other features (or lack thereof) and they are made in the same factory. . .

And they're practically the same price. I think for the last 2 sets of MK Pros that I bought, they were about $5 cheaper than the Aces, not a huge difference.

[jazzpants]

Going totally off topic here... :lol: :P

Really? Why? They are practically the exact same blade--same rocker, toepick design and all other features (or lack thereof) and they are made in the same factory. . .

And they're practically the same price. I think for the last 2 sets of MK Pros that I bought, they were about $5 cheaper than the Aces, not a huge difference.

Beats me! *shrug* She claimed that she had really good luck switching her students onto those blades. But to her defense... she recommended it... but didn't push the issue when I told her that I've had relatively decent luck with my MK Pros.

My justification for getting the MK Pros...Terry had highly recommended the MK Pros and claims (to me anyway... of course, this is years back!) that those blades can easily take me thru my mid doubles. He also said that the blade material is well made enough that it'll last me thru two pairs of boots. And I spin pretty well on these so far... (Then again, I was switching back then from Wilson Excels....)

And since I'm already off topic from the thread :P ... what PRACTICAL reasons does one justify getting the high end MK Gold Star blades, Gold Seals and Pattern 99's? I'm not saying that I'm getting new ones, but just wondering what features does the Gold Star have that might help me with my jumps and spins that the MK Pro doesn't have. (And no, bling bling Gold colored blades are NOT enough of a reason for me to get them...though it sure is a tempting reason. :twisted: )

[WhisperSung]

Hmm. I'm wondering if I might just be able to call SP-Teri, ship them my boots and blades, and have them rebuild them on their own without actually visiting. I'm going to be VERY busy during law school, so I doubt I'll have even enough time to drive the 2 hours to be fitted myself. I guess this isn't really a fitting so much as it's just the rebuilding and replacing of the tongues. Guess I'll have to call!

&jazzpants (I think it was you): FWIW, I skated in Coronation Aces and loved them. Got my axel through my double loop in them when I was a kid. I'm on phantoms now which I also like a lot (but they run more, I think. . .I paid around $475 for them).

[miraclegro]

I know a girl who surprisingly enough was doing her triples (and still working on some) and was just switching to gold stars. She was at Novice/Junior level and i think after seeing what she was able to do on MK pros up until then convinced me that my MK pros will do just fine for me for quite some time.

The gold stars apparently have a longer (?) rocker or something like that.

[kander]

And since I'm already off topic from the thread :P ... what PRACTICAL reasons does one justify getting the high end MK Gold Star blades, Gold Seals and Pattern 99's? I'm not saying that I'm getting new ones, but just wondering what features does the Gold Star have that might help me with my jumps and spins that the MK Pro doesn't have. (And no, bling bling Gold colored blades are NOT enough of a reason for me to get them...though it sure is a tempting reason. :twisted: )

I remember several years ago, at SP Teri, taking all the major blades and comparing them side by side. Suprisingly there was little to no difference among them, particularly in the shape. Pattern 99 is truly the only one that is different. It has a flatter rocker and shorter standoff. I spent a year in pattern 99 hell before I got rid of them. I've skated in Gold Seals most of the time, but switched to Gold Star after comparing the two directly. Gold Seals are more expensive and the only difference is the side honing, which doesn't gain you anything (that I can see) and makes them harder and more expensive to sharpen.

If you really want to try something different try Pattern 99s. I didn't like them, but a lot people use them. They are supposedly good for jumping, although I don't know why.

[Thin-Ice]

I remember several years ago, at SP Teri, taking all the major blades and comparing them side by side. Suprisingly there was little to no difference among them, particularly in the shape. I've skated in Gold Seals most of the time, but switched to Gold Star after comparing the two directly. Gold Seals are more expensive and the only difference is the side honing, which doesn't gain you anything (that I can see) and makes them harder and more expensive to sharpen.

Also the Gold Seals weigh a couple ounces more than the Gold Stars (not much.. but I can use all the help I can get) because the Gold Seals have a solid toe plate, while the Gold Stars have a pierced toe plate. I have Gold Stars because they are very similar to the MK Pros I used to wear, but when I needed new blades it would have taken two weeks to get the right size blade (I have pretty long feet).. and I wanted/needed them "NOW". So I received a discounted price on the Gold Stars that were the right size and in stock at that moment. The only difference I noticed between the Pros and the Gold Stars was that any new blade is hard to adjust to when you have literally flattened your old blades to being near-rockerless after 7 years of sharpenings. I will NEVER do that again! I actually traced the profile of my new Gold Stars and after every sharpening, I compare the newly sharpened blade to the tracing to see how much change there's been. That way when it starts to look different I'll order new blades, instead of going through that awful (for me anyway) transition again.:roll:

[Mrs Redboots]

Really? Why? They are practically the exact same blade--same rocker, toepick design and all other features (or lack thereof) and they are made in the same factory. . .
Well, our fitter told us that MK Pros were a slightly tidier blade for someone who does dance as well as free, as my husband does. Although they have a bigger toe-rake than the Coronation Dance blades he'd been using, the fitter said he would be less likely to trip over them.

Mind you, he told another skater something completely different, so we wonder if he was just out of Coronation Aces at the time!