Anyone else had this problem with GAMs?

[sk8tmum]

Two weeks before biggest competition of the year, three weeks before major test day, my DDs dance coach noticed that the heels were seperating from her boots on both skates. Took them to our amazing mounting/sharpening guru in desperation. Apparently, the entire bottom (footbed) on the skates was cracked and broken on both. Thanks to the miracle of epoxy, screws,and 30+ years of experience, we have skates that we can nurse thru the competition and test day.

Talking to others, I've found that the heel/boot seperation has happend to their boots as well.

Naturally, we have to buy new boots. GAMs fit her feet well. We are planning on going up a boot level anyways. However, if this breakdown on GAMs has happened to others, I'm going to ask my boot fitter to find another brand for her.

So, is DD and the others I've talked to (they use a different mounter, so that's not the issue) unique or is it a GAM issue?

[SkatingOnClouds]

My daughter is in her 2nd pair of Gams, with no problem like yours. My coach also had Gams, without problems. Gams aren't common at our rink. I guess every factory lets the occasional lemon through quality control though.

[NickiT]

I've had my GAMs for 8 years with no such problems and not heard of anyone else in GAMs at my rink experiencing anything like it. Maybe it was just a dodgy pair?

Nicki

[Mrs Redboots]

Husband and I are both on our second pair of GAMs and haven't had a problem. I had that problem in Belatis, but never with my beloved GAMs.

[singerskates]

I've had my Gams now for 2 and half years and they're still in one piece.

[LW*]

I've never had a problem with any of my GAMs and I've not bought any other brand in about 10 years!

You mentioned that your daughter was planning on moving up a boot level, maybe part of the problem was that the model wasn't right for her level of skating anymore rather than a problem with the brand of skates?

[smelltheice]

I had a pair of gams about 6 or 7 years ago and found no problem with the quality but the fit didn't work well for me. I now use Klingbiel with a pattern 99 blade and they are popular with competitive skaters here in the UK. They quite expensive (Mine were £750 with blades which equates to around $1500 at current rates but they are custom fit although they do have a line of stock boots that are equally excellent) but if you aren't going to grow out of them, they will last a long time. Harlick are also fantastic boots but again, simialrly priced and one of the favourite choices of show skaters here

[Debbie S]

A skater at my rink had that experience with her GAMs. But I've heard of that happening with other brands, too, so I don't think it's unique to one brand.

I once had GAMs and had a 'structural' problem with them, too, but a different one. It turned out that the heels and soles were uneven, so when the blades were put on, I was on an edge when I thought I was flat and on a flat in some instances when I thought I was on an edge. I would be on a deep inside edge for my forward spins, which made it difficult to hold the spins, to say the least. And I was still relatively a beginner - GAMs were my first pair of 'real' skates. The person at the pro shop who sold them to me should have noticed the problem, but didn't, and I actually didn't find out until I went to get new skates (took my old skates in case he needed to see something about the fit) and the fitter (very respected in our area) pointed it out to me. I was really ticked off, since that meant that many of my problems with certain skills could be attributed to that....although it was kind of a relief to know that I wasn't simply a lousy spinner, and that it was something else's fault - lol.

I wouldn't buy GAMs again, b/c the fit (very narrow in the ball area) is not good for me.

[MusicSkateFan]

I had that problem with my Gams. The right heel started to separate. It was time for me to move to a different blade so I ended up getting my 1st pair of Grafs w/pattern 99's. I am now on my second pair of Grafs w/pattern 99's

I had heard of several people having heel problem with Gams.

[Canskater]

Hi:

I changed boots earlier this year, from Jackson 3500 to Gam 400. One of the first things I noticed after skating on them for the first time was that the leather heel and sole took up a good deal of water. What I would strongly suggest is a good coat of snoseal ... preferably before ever going out on the ice. Untreated leather will separate after continued contact with water.

-- sheilagh

[mamaskate]

That happened to my son's Reidell skates. I had never heard of it happening before.

[sk8tmum]

Well, another bit of trivia about GAMs: the company was sold to Jackson Skate, and they are now listed on the Jackson website. Wonder what that will mean to the brand - ?

We ended up moving to Riedells; the split width and other features were the selling point. Just miss that nice, much lower, Jackson & GAM price - !

BTW: her boots were snosealed, so, we can't blame the boot/blade seperation on THAT.

Thanks to all ...