Anyone had Klingbeil's and Harlicks or Jacksons? I'm still having major skate problems. My custom Harlicks are a lost cause and the Jacksons are too big. One thing I do like about the Jacksons is that the heel sits lower than those of the Harlicks, giving a better feeling of being into the ice. Anyone have any comparisons of Klingbeils?
Thanks

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Thanks so much for the update, Isk8NYC. I'm so sad to hear about Bill's illness.

I'm due for new skates after this season so I'll probably have a chance to stop into the shop in the spring. It'll be nice to catch up with Bill and Janice.

No, I can't imagine dusting that place. Between the pictures on the wall and all the other memoribilia it must be nearly impossible to dust that place in a short period of time. Give it a month or three or four, maybe.

Hi flo,

My first pair of skates were a beginner set from Jackson that I bought straight out of the pro shop and I have Klingbeil's now. The Klingbei's were custom boots. Since the Jacksons weren't custom boots I don't know if it's really fair to compare them with my Klingbeils. I don't recall having any trouble with the Jacksons. It took me a while to get used to my Klingbeils but I certainly feel comfortable in them now.

Sorry I couldn't be of any more help.

Frank

I've skated in both the K'beils and the high-end Jacksons. In fact, I went to K'beil in desperation after having a miserable experience with the Jacksons. The difference in quality was visible. For example, the Jacksons had a cheap plastic last, lesser quality stitching, were slightly warped, and had an uneven heel. The beauty of K'beil is that they're really custom. So if you want, they'll cut the heel down in the back, or do whatever. Their customer service is outstanding. It took a few adjustments (my alignment was pretty messed up at the time), but once they got them sorted out, I haven't had any problems with them. I love 'em!

I'm on my 3rd or 4th pair of Klingbeils. My previous pairs had lower heels, but on the current pair I had a higher heel done. I guess it helps with the dance. It was a bit odd at first, the other year, but I'm used to it now, so don't think about it.

I haven't been to the shop for measurements, though. I was measured for my first 3 pairs by Skaters Paradise, and for the current pair by Paul at Wings of Steel. The current pair still has at least a year's worth of life left in it, especially since my skating will be quite limited for the next few months (I'm joining the knee surgery gang, as of beginning of March.)

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Thanks! I had loved my Harlicks until this lemon pair. And now that I'm sitting down in the heel, I do like that. I'll try to find a used pair to get my feet in. It's hard to tell with the new ones, they all feel the same.

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Well, I was coming to town for a funeral. I just called Klingbeil on a whim to see if they were available, and they were. After skating 2 sessions at Chelsea Piers, where I ripped my boots even further ( ), I LIRR'ed over to Jamaica, Queens, and they restitched my boots in 30 minutes (with no charge ).

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I sure hope Klingbeil never goes out of business!! After trying Reidells, Harlicks (terrible!) and Jackson brands, I will never wear any other brand of skates again. I love my custom Klingbeil skates. I've had them for 3 years so far and they will probably last several more years (since I'm still not skating much). Great to hear that they do so much to keep their customers happy.

I skated in Harlicks for 8 years until I finally got a pair of Klingbeils....I'll never go back. I was landing jumps that I had been previously struggling with in a matter of 3 weeks.....