I'm just getting back into skating again and have noticed a problem with how the fit on my boots is affecting my skating. My left foot is slightly larger and bigger (around) than my right foot, and my off-the-shelf Reidells were sized to the larger foot. I have a relatively narrow foot (and being a guy kind of guy, I have trouble finding shoes that fit...unless I go to the part of the store that sells the pink pumps with the pointy toes and 4 inch heels...but I'm not that kind of guy!). Anyways I've noticed that my feet do move a bit in the boot (of course it's worse for the right foot than for the left) and one-foot glides are easier on my left foot than on my right. Skating backwards is a real challenge...I tend to go up on my toes/ball of the foot (you guessed it...I've got a narrow heel as well).

When I take a class lesson at the rink my feet really scream. This may well be because it takes a while for me on the ice before they get used to being on the ice, but due to the fact that there are several classes going on before mine meets, I can't warm up before the class meets. So I think that private lessons during the Coffee Club session here would work better.

I already have done the solution for this. I've ordered a pair of custom Harlicks (and my wallet is still screaming, but hopefully my feet won't...at least once they are broken in!) so I think that this would allow me to move ahead.

My real issue is that I think I'm really sensitive to how well my feet fit into my boots. For me, ANY movement is bad...(and when I would ski, it was the same issue there as well). My question is how do you feel about this? Can you tolerate a slight movement of your foot?

Cactus Bill - I have had this exact problem for YEARS.

Like you, I'm really sensitive to any movement of my feet in my boots. My left foot is 1/2" smaller than my right foot and my heels are narrow, too. One weird thing that a bootfitter discovered was that the the width of my achilles tendons was different for each foot & when I saw the photograph that he took, I was really stunned to see it. The foot with the narrower tendon really slips in every boot I've had. It seems that the padding just can't get into those spaces (that cup, it that makes any sense) between the tendon, the ankle bone & the heel. Sorry to say that the worst slippage occured in my custom Harlicks. I'm now in custom Klingbeils, and so far these have given me the best fit, but they still need "tweeking" in the heel area.

I had to laugh at your comment about ski boots, because I have the same problem there, as well. That's even scarier for me than on-ice issues, because I feel like I'm going to break an ankle going down anything steep.

Anyway, I also have the same kind of problem that you're having skating on the toes/balls of your feet - that is where my balance is most of the time and although my coach tries to get me to put more weight in & sink into my heels - it's pretty difficult when there's really no suction down there to keep them tight in the back of the boots.

I really hope your Harlicks work out better for you than they did for me & I know there are a lot of people here that have them & are very happy with them. Customs are great & I'm sure you will feel much improvement with them. Hopefully, my boots will be better with a few adjustments.

Just wanted to let you know you are definitely not alone with this problem.

When do your boots come in?

I'm glad to see I'm not alone in this! My boots should be in on the 13th...up at Pro's Edge up Phoeynix way (actually Kelly's up in Peoria, but from down here it's all pretty much the same place). He's both a Harlick and a SP Teri dealer and he felt that the Harlick boot should be a better fit for me. Guess we'll find out when I go up there in a couple of weeks.

That problem with the heel lift is crazy. I know that a lot of people don't have a problem with it but it drives me nuts. Like I said I tend to go up on the balls of my feet, if there's nothing to keep them down. Then my arches ache...(yeah, I know pain is part of this sport...but this one is frustrating! I know full well it's what's holding me back.)

Just wanted to tell you that Harlick's were the only boot that kept my daughter's heels in place. Her heel bumps receded to near normal wearing these boots.

You might want to try skating barefoot (in your boots of course!). The one time I forgot my tights I did this, and noticed no movement in the boot even though my boots are a loose fit. My coach has always skated barefooted. You may like it!

I've found the next best thing (well, for a guy that is ) is a pair of "liners". These are relatively thin socks that are sold at outdoor shops (mine are from Popular Outdoor and are made by Fox River) which act to wick moisture away from the foot. Since they are meant to be worn under hiking socks they are relatively thin and work well. And being a member of the "boring black boot boys" (like we get any choice...) my feet aren't used to being without socks inside of any kind of shoes.

I have a male skating friend who has custom Harlicks - black boots with brown heels. Looks really sharp and he's proud of it, too!

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Oh, don't get me wrong...I've got no problem with black boots. It's just that that's all that guys ever seem to be offered. In fact, I can't help but think that this sport could attract more men if more options were available. Maybe some additional colors...like dark blue or dark green (my skin colors favor greens and browns). Yeah, yeah, I know, men are supposed to wear just black and white.


But I think I'll pass on those purple Harlicks... they're just not me!

Cactus Bill,

I have the exact same problem. It's VERY frustrating. Good luck with your Harlicks. Most people have good luck with them........like Elsy2's daughter. I was one of the few unfortunate people that they couldn't fit. The good news is that they refunded my money. I'm not is custom SPTeri's............that are a royal pain, but they keep my heel in place.

I was able to tweak some of my previous ill-fitting boots with an insole and bunga sleeve (the heel/achilles one), and some lambswool. A temporary fix, but worth looking trying if your boots take a long time to arrive.

HEY!!! What's wrong with purple Harlicks!!! *fake stern look* LOL!!!



Just kidding... Seriously, would you settle for dark brown boots? My primary coach has dark brown Klingbeils with bling-bling gold color MK Gold Stars!!! Should have seen all the other skaters look at his (then) new boots at the time. I don't know if he's gonna get another pair of Klingbeils or go with SP Teri's now, since our one local Klingbeil fitter (that I know about) has since passed away back in January.

But if you go customs, you can pick any color you want... for a little extra $, of course! Then again, by the time you spent all that money on custom Harlicks, the extra $35 for different color leather would seem like a small price to pay.

(Proud owner of purple Harlicks, though the ones picture above are TashaKat's purple Harlicks, not mine...)

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Whenever I get skates again, they'll be custom, and have brown soles/heels. My ex-roomate's SP Teris were black with brown soles and they looked really nice. In addition, the soles on white boots of any sort of decent quality looks really nice too - I like black, but I really like the way the leather layers show on brown soles. Maybe they could even dye the leather a bit so it came out the color of dark cherry wood or something, that would be really nice.

As for the boot leather color, I really like black. I wear mostly black, so it works out well. I wish I had some differently-colored boot covers though - it woud be nice to wear yellow boot covers when wearing yellow practice clothing, etc.

I like the suede finish on my current boots rather a lot, and think I'd go for the same thing in custom boots.

__________________
Casey Allen Shobe | http://casey.shobe.info
"What matters is not experience per se but 'effortful study'."
"At first, dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable" ~ Christopher Reeve

Actually the way Harlicks have their boots made is that you go into a tannery room and you get to pick your choice of different colors from the room. You can also look at a catalog of tanneries that they order from and they CAN order the colored leather you want and have it shipped to them and they make start making the boots in the meanwhile.

You're not the only person!!! Before my purple boots, I wore BLACK Riedell stock boots myself!!! Got a lot of attention from wearing thise too, but not as much as the custom purple Harlick boots...

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

[QUOTE= ...Before my purple boots, I wore BLACK Riedell stock boots myself!!! Got a lot of attention from wearing thise too, but not as much as the custom purple Harlick boots... [/QUOTE]

Hey Jazzpants,

Well, when I wear my current black Riedells, NOBODY pays any attention

And I guess if I were to wear purple Harlicks I sure would get a lot of attention... but most likely the wrong kind of attention.

So I'll stick with my basic black Harlicks... If I ever get back to the Bay Area I'll look ya up...bet I won't miss those purple Harlicks

Well, it does help that I'm a woman...and women are usually wearing either white or light tan boots!

You could always get yourself some brown, grey, or dark blue boots with bling-bling gold blades! That will get some the type of attention you want!!!

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Now that's an idea...dark blue (or dark green, depending...yeah I know that green isn't supposed to be a men's color, but I like it. But I've been known to wear pink shirts to work also. But I draw the line at pink satin party dresses! ) with the bling-bling gold blades would look great! I just need to get to be a good enough skater to pull it off!

My primary coach wore a bright red dress with gold trim!!! (MK impersonation!) Of course, he's a good enough skater to carry that off too.

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

This thread is useless without pictures!!!

So did you loan him your purple Harlicks? Or did they clash!

No, he spent all night taping them in white before competing at AN's that year. AWESOME program

Totally Awesome!!!!! I have it on tape (thanks to Elsy2).

You want pictures? You got it!!!

http://www.32degrees.us/funny.html

No, I didn't loan him my purple skates. (I didn't have them at the time!) As you can see, the skates are white!!! He Sk8Taped his teaching (black at the time) boots!

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Ohhhh my gosh that's HILARIOUS hahahah! What a clever idea!!! LOL

I LOVE it! He nailed MK's look down to the nailpolish! Thanks for the linky.

I saw a video of this program when he skated it at ANs -- it was brilliant -- he had Michelle's little idiocyncrasies down to the end of his fingernails -- very camp, but very respectful as well.

Very well done.

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UPDATE.

I just got back from having my new boots (Harlick customs) fitted. My right boot needed some minor punching out (the toe joint was tight and my right ankle is skewed...from having had my right foot in a cast twice in the past) and the left foot was a PERFECT fit right out of the box. How often does THAT happen?

Now they are being waterprofed, and Kelly (at Pro's Edge up Phoenix way) will mount the blades next Saturday, after which they come home with me. And then I get the joy of breaking them in!

Blades will be Coronation Ace Parabolics...should be great skates. Now I need to become a great skater!

Hey Bill, I just realized you were the same Bill as on CAS - good to see you here too!

__________________
Casey Allen Shobe | http://casey.shobe.info
"What matters is not experience per se but 'effortful study'."
"At first, dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable" ~ Christopher Reeve

Dat's me!