Need Advice re: Boots - Fat toes, skinny heels & different size feet!

[Zoomana]

I was wondering if anyone here could recommend a brand of boots who has feet similar to mine.

I have AA heels, B toes, and one foot is a quarter of a size bigger than the other.

My skate guy is an awesome fitter does work for top ranking skaters, so I know it's not that he can't do the job. However, I have never been totally happy with my skates.

I've always worn Reidell. The last pair is the closest to being perfect as I've had (they are semi-customs, I was able to get the AA heels/B toe). I'm receptive to trying another brand at this point.

My continual problem is my right foot (my forward spin foot/I'm a lefty). When doing laybacks and camels, my heel goes right up in the boot and I lose control of the spin. It's really frustrating, and I've had this same problem on three pairs of boots. My right foot is the smaller one.

It's unfortunate because my left skate is totally perfect and I love it. I hate my right foot!

I considered Klingbeil, but every person I know (with the exception of one) has had problems with their recently made Klingbeils, and I don't have the patience to go through the custom route!

Does anyone have any ideas re: brands that might be better for me, or even an idea on how to fix the right skate? My skate guy has tried putting shims and other things in the boot, but they don't really help that much.

Thanks!

[skaternum]

My Klingbeils are about 4 years old, and I love them. The 1 or 2 skaters at my rink who've gotten Klingbeils more recently than that have been pretty happy.

[Isk8NYC]

This sounds strange, but since I started losing weight, my right boot stopped fitting properly. It feels a bit too big, but my left boot fits fine. (I wear Klingbeil customs.) When I go back north this summer, I'll go visit the shop and get an adjustment, but in the meantime I have to live with these boots.

As a temporary solution, I skate barefoot with a bit of baby powder in the boots before lacing up. It's stopped the forward slide and the sideways slipping for the most part. My heel stays where it belongs without having to torniquet-tie the boot. Give it a go; it can't hurt to try it.

[ibreakhearts66]

If your only problem were the fat toes/skinny heels, I would say maybe the harlick x-line (http://harlick.com/boots/xline.php). However, with the different size feet, full custom may be the only way to go. Harlick makes great custom boots (especially now with the added x-line), as does Klingbeil. I don't know that any companies are willing to do stock/semi-custom boots in different sizes, so custom may be your only choice. Custom Klingbeils are not too pricey. They start at $650, and don't go up much from there. My old custom harlicks were over $1000 for the boot...

ETA
hm another thought. I know you can get growth insoles in Harlicks. Generally this is for younger kids who's feet are growing, but what about fitting the left foot, and then keeping a growth insole in the right (without the intent of ever removing it). That combined with the Harlick x-line and split-width might do the trick.

[icedancer2]

When I got my SP Teri's in 2005 they offered a split length as well as a split width in a semi-stock boot that was only $30 more than the regular stock boot.

You might want to try them. I have narrow heels and feet are different lengths. The boots fit pretty well I think.

[CanAmSk8ter]

I also have the wide toes/narrow heels/two different sizes problems and I've been totally satisfied with my Jacksons. I get the D width and when they come out of the oven, I put them on and my fitter squeezes in the heels to make them fit more snugly. I've had two pairs and not a single problem.

[doubletoe]

When I got my SP Teri's in 2005 they offered a split length as well as a split width in a semi-stock boot that was only $30 more than the regular stock boot.

You might want to try them. I have narrow heels and feet are different lengths. The boots fit pretty well I think.

Unfortunately, SP Teri only offers the split width on stock boots if the width is just one width different. What she needs is 2 widths different (B ball, AA heel), as well as one boot slightly smaller. I just needed 1-1/2 widths different and I was told I would have to get customs.

So now I have SP Teri customs, with a "B+/C-" ball and "A" heel and the left boot just 1/4 size larger than the right. The fit is absolutely perfect, and having no heel slippage, no cramping and no pressing in on my pinkie toes is definitely worth the difference in price.

By the way, I think Ibreakhearts has a great idea about putting a thick insole inside the boot that's a little too big! Might want to try that before ordering a new pair.

[Mel On Ice]

I was fit by Mr. Edge a few weeks ago. My foot measurements were so odd, he checked and re-checked them numerous times. I have long, skinny toes; flat, wide feet that are two different sizes (left is a 6 E, right is a 6.5 C); my heels are two different sizes, and my ankles are two different circumfrences. And I have orthodics.

I went over with him what I was working on, my future goals, size, weight, etc. He advised me to get custom SP Teris that he would order with Super stiffness and MK Pro parabolics.

[amyvw]

I have freak feet and just got a pair of Harlick customs. After having had 3 pairs of stock boots in the past (2 Riedell, 1 Harlick), these things are an absolute pleasure. My feet are narrow in the toes, really wide in the ball (D I think), narrow in the heel, left one pronates, right is slightly bigger than left, etc., etc. And they are big...women's size 11 street shoe.

For me, the custom Harlicks have been an absolute dream come true. I had all but given up on ever really skating again when I decided to give it one more shot (had awful foot problems when skating previously, then took a 12 year break to have my kids, went back recently, problems were worse than ever). This is the first pair of skates that I have ever had that actually feel like they belong on my feet. Love 'em. Worth every penny and then some.

[kayskate]

This may be obvious, but it sounds like customs are the answer for you. They cost more. But depending on your level, you may not need the sturdiest most pricey ones out there. You can also save $ by not getting all of the extra features that you probably don't need anyway. I would definitely have them made from a mold rather than just measurements. IMO, they come out fitting better.

Kay

[icesk8r96]

I have had my Klingbeils for about 4 years now and I think they were the greatest skate investment I have ever made.
I have WIDE feet, we are talking real Flintstone feet. Someone told me to try Klingbeils and once I did, I will NEVER go back to a stock boot. I do like the fact they are one of the only skates to have a rounded toe instead of a pointy toe.
They are the greatest skates I have ever owned.

[Zoomana]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will definitely look into the different custom skates mentioned. The cost is not the biggest problem for me. I don't mind spending the $$ as long as I'm finally comfortable.

I need something sturdy because I tend to land my jumps a little on the hard side. I skate like a silver lady (though only tested to adult pre-bronze due to my hideous test nerves). My most difficult jump is my (almost-landed/soon I hope!) Axel. Yet I also need a boot where I don't feel like I'm in a stiff foot cast during ice dance. Tough combination!

[doubletoe]

I need something sturdy because I tend to land my jumps a little on the hard side. I skate like a silver lady (though only tested to adult pre-bronze due to my hideous test nerves). My most difficult jump is my (almost-landed/soon I hope!) Axel. Yet I also need a boot where I don't feel like I'm in a stiff foot cast during ice dance. Tough combination!

That's the beauty of customs. You can just explain what you need and they will make your boots with the appropriate combination of features. I had my SP Teri customs made just like the KT-2, which has plenty of stiffness for landing axels and doubles, but also has a notch in the lace area to allow good ankle bend from day one. The low cut back and soft roll top on the boot also allowed me to point my toes and never gave me those horizontal line bruises I used to get where the top of my boots dug into my legs (especially on outside spread eagles). I don't ice dance, but I tested Intermediate MIF just a few weeks after getting them and I had no trouble getting deep edges.

[chowskates]

I was wondering if anyone here could recommend a brand of boots who has feet similar to mine.

I have AA heels, B toes, and one foot is a quarter of a size bigger than the other.

My skate guy is an awesome fitter does work for top ranking skaters, so I know it's not that he can't do the job. However, I have never been totally happy with my skates.

I've always worn Reidell. The last pair is the closest to being perfect as I've had (they are semi-customs, I was able to get the AA heels/B toe). I'm receptive to trying another brand at this point.

My continual problem is my right foot (my forward spin foot/I'm a lefty). When doing laybacks and camels, my heel goes right up in the boot and I lose control of the spin. It's really frustrating, and I've had this same problem on three pairs of boots. My right foot is the smaller one.

It's unfortunate because my left skate is totally perfect and I love it. I hate my right foot!

I considered Klingbeil, but every person I know (with the exception of one) has had problems with their recently made Klingbeils, and I don't have the patience to go through the custom route!

Does anyone have any ideas re: brands that might be better for me, or even an idea on how to fix the right skate? My skate guy has tried putting shims and other things in the boot, but they don't really help that much.

Thanks!

From what I understand, Riedell can semi-custom with different sizes/widths for each foot. I have gotten it done for a skater before.

[Mel On Ice]

we are talking real Flintstone feet

that's my line!

[myste12]

I had the heel slip problem for years with SP Teri's, even when I had customs. I've switched to Riedell 1500's and my heel doesn't move one bit. The 1500 has a heel lock built in, and Riedell will make them in a split width for an extra charge.

[Zoomana]

I have the Riedell 1500s, and the heel lock system is certainly not locking for me, LOL. I'm glad they're working for someone!

[sk8tmum]

DS in custom Klingbeils due to oddly shaped feet. Fit perfectly, no adjustments, right out of the box; he loves them (I don't like them aesthetically, but, I'm not the one wearing them).

He had the same problem with the slipping heel, and also the split width issue as well as the odd shaped feet. The custom Klings have a heel lock (if you put it on as an option): he snugs his foot back in, and there is no slippage. Now, he did have to relearn some parts of his jump takeoffs as a result. We also added in the rolltop collar (he likes it) and the anti-roll bar on the tongue - which helps him on that front. We'll go the same route for him next year.

DD is in Riedells, and she got the split width, rolltop, and they work great for her: she just had to suffer through a couple of weeks as the internal padding on the skates fitted around her feet, now, she's skating and controlling landings, edges, turns, etc., and she's lost the heel slippage that used to be a problem in the non-split width ones she was wearing. The heat moulding took care of the couple of other oddities on her feet.

[sk8lady]

It must depend a lot on who fits you and how emphatic you are in explaining your foot problems. I had SP-Teris for a long time and wasn't tough enough in explaining to my fitter how tight they felt. After skating in them a few years my feet started going numb when I skated in them, so I got custom Harlicks. The left one was still too tight and then I developed a nucleated callus on that foot that was so painful I couldn't stay on the sweet spot. Eventually I went to an orthopedist and found that I had Morton's neuroma in both feet--some weird nerve thing where a nerve blob forms in your foot and pressure on it makes your foot numb (unfortunately, just the left side of the foot, not the part with the painful callus!) worse in the left, and had an orthotic made for the left foot (which works great until it gets really cold and then something weird happens and my toes get rubbed raw and I have to take the orthotic out till my toes recover or the callus gets too painful, whichever comes first!).

I finally told my husband that the 20th anniversary is the New Skating Boot Anniversary and he wanted to know why I told him the 14th anniversary was the New Skating Boot Anniversary. Oops. I'm looking at Klingbeils and the new soft Riedells but I'm resigned to the fact that I may never find a really great boot--one that doesn't damage my feet would be good enough for me!!!

[Isk8NYC]

I finally told my husband that the 20th anniversary is the New Skating Boot Anniversary and he wanted to know why I told him the 14th anniversary was the New Skating Boot Anniversary. Oops. I'm looking at Klingbeils and the new soft Riedells but I'm resigned to the fact that I may never find a really great boot--one that doesn't damage my feet would be good enough for me!!!
Very funny!

[Thin-Ice]

I finally told my husband that the 20th anniversary is the New Skating Boot Anniversary and he wanted to know why I told him the 14th anniversary was the New Skating Boot Anniversary. Oops. I'm looking at Klingbeils and the new soft Riedells but I'm resigned to the fact that I may never find a really great boot--one that doesn't damage my feet would be good enough for me!!!

He must have misheard you. ;) The 14th anniversary IS the "New Skating Boot Anniversary". And as we ALL know (:roll:) the 20th is the "NEW, New Skating Boot Anniversary", since the technology has changed a bit, so there would have to be a NEW new skating boot anniversary. And from what I understand there's an "Upgraded new skating boot anniversary" at 24 or 25.. (depending on when I need new boots again. :D)