Don't forget that American shoe sizes are very different from UK, European and, I imagine, Australian ones, too! I know that when I went to the USA I didn't have the first idea what size shoes I wanted, and luckily found a pair in a box which gave the size in American, British and European ones, which made a good starting-point (I take UK size 6-7, European 39-40 and I think it was 8 or 8.5 in the US!)!

But it does make sizing skates exceptionally difficult, since you need to know what sizing convention the manufacturer is thinking in before you can even begin to know what size to start trying on!

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

And I was in Japan on vacation once and couldn't even buy shoes-my feet were size 10.5 (American) and Japanese shoes didn't go that high!!! I was disappointed because they had beautiful shoes! So, I bought fabric instead!

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

I too have been off the ice for too many years, and when I started skating again I started out in Riedell Royals... boy what a mistake... Way too much padding, couldn't even feel my feet..I'm about 5'3 128 lbs, and I now have custom Sp Teri's and wouldn't trade them for the world. Because I wore skates for the first 16 years of my life after the age of 3, my feet are pretty mucked up to begin with...so the custom's were the way to go for me. I looked into the Graf's but the toes were too boxy for me... The Edmonton's (Graf) are a great light boot if you plan on attempting your doubles (I promise,they do come back! Anyway... best of luck to your endevours back on the ice! Welcome back.....

This post made me chuckle so much that I've been forced to break my rule of never posting to a forum! I can confirm that Altamura boots are indeed indestructible. My parents bought some for me for my 13th birthday in 1983, when I was taking group skating lessons at Prince Alfred Park rink in Sydney (and before someone asks, no it no longer exists - in fact its closure was why I stopped taking lessons in about 1984 or '85!).

After being used only occasionally for recreational skating until I was about 25 my skates then sat in a bag in the wardrobe for almost ten years, surviving three or four housemoves, including one to the UK. Last year my husband expressed an interest in taking up skating, and bought a pair of skates for himself (Jacksons, since you ask). Anyway, the altamuras came back out of the cupbaord and have proved perfectly servicable ever since, despite being over twenty years old - I'm even taking a few private lessons to regain lost skills.

Of course as I've only ever had the one pair of skates I am probably blind to their faults, and I probably will replace them within the next year or so, but the fact remains that they don't show much sign of decay! Good Australian workmanship, I say!

And Karen, as my parents now live in Hobart, I'm looking forward to visiting the tiny rink there next time I visit!

Having traveled in Australia, I can't think of many places more remote than where you live (except the outback!). You are a truly dedicated skater! I am keeping my fingers crossed that your boots fit!! You'll have to let us know!

From fittings I have gotten, I recall that they not only measure the length and width of your feet (the width at the widest point and the width at the ankle), but they also measure the circumfrence of your foot at the arch and at the ball. I think some of the boot makers' websites actually have measuring instructions and forms. By the way, if you make a mold of your foot, they only use it for reference and for taking measurements from. They do not make the boot around the cast because it is too fragile to withstand the lasting process.