Reading this is making me wonder if I this is MY problem. I have Gam boots, Ultra 095's in a D fit for my wide feet. I have heat moulded them as instructed, and I've skated about 22 hours in them so far and I've worn them a bit off-ice, and tried leaving the top hooks unlaced. I too am a relative beginner, having started in march this year. I expected to get cramps for a while but these boots are so stiff I can't seem to get the right 'balance' (please forgive the pun!) If I lace them comfortably they start to cramp after about 5 minutes on the ice. If I lace them any looser I don't feel like I'm secure on my edges. My coach sayes I'm fighting against my edges which I never did in my old boots, (Belati Classics which were like old slippers) and my knee bends are not as deep. I opted for stiffer boots as I am not the lightest of ladies and my old boots were broken in after a couple of months, but I'm starting to think that I've made a mistake buying the Gams. I'm getting frustrated as my skating is in reverse and its making me miserable! I've also tried sheep skin insoles but they didn't help much. Any advice would be wonderful before I take a mallet to these boots!!!!!

Oh. and I have coronation Ace blades which do feel better than my old ones

__________________
Level one Field Moves......PASSED 05.06.08
Level one Free dance.....PASSED 02.10.08

GOALS FOR 2009

• Level One Compulsary dances.......PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Elements.....................PASSED 10.07.09
• Level Two Free dance.................PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Free...........................
• Level Two compulsory dances.......

Loving it, Loving it, Loving it!!!!!

You've got to just sort of let the laces 'lie there' over the instep/mid-section of your foot, then yank the hell out of them at the ankle bend. They've got to be very snug (without pain) up the ankle, as far as you need to still get good ankle bend. (For instance, I still don't lace the top hooks in my SPTeris.)

Other than that, though....maybe your boot still isn't *quite* wide enough? My SPTeris were stock boots, in an AA width, which was perfect for my narrow heels, but as time went on, I realized that it was just a smidge too narrow for the ball (just behind the ball, actually). I can skate comfortably for 20 minutes or so, but after that I start getting an ache in the outside edge of my foot. It's an area that's darn near impossible to punch out--I've tried. Next time, I'll get a split-width boot. Actually, if it were possible to get an AA heel, and an "A and a half" ball (rather than just an A), that would probably be perfect for my feet!

__________________
"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg."
--Thomas Jefferson

www.signingtime.com ~sign language fun for all!

Hi Sk8_4fun

As you know I have the same skates as you (Gams with Coronation ace blades), and I think the problem may well be the lacing.

I've had come of the ice a couple of times with my arches crippling me, and discovered the way to go seems to be to lace loosely over the foot and tighter over the ankles. To stop the ankles rubbing wear some padding.

According to other people at my rink who have Gams, they do take a while to break in. Also, I think doubletoe is right in suggesting that these sort of boots are built to withstand a good pounding, so someone who's working on double jumps would break them in quicker.

Hang in there...they'll feel better soon.

S xxx

__________________
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"

If it's any consolation, I've had my GAM 400s for six weeks, I skate every day, and my arches still cramp slightly when I'm warming up. After that though, they're incredibly comfortable. I had the same experience with the 95s before these, and it does stop eventually.

When I first got the boots, the cramps would subside after half an hour or so on the ice, so I found it helped to leave the top hook undone to start with, and then relace them all the way later on in the session. Also, as has been mentioned, don't lace them too tightly over the bridge of the foot - just remove the slack.

__________________
"Every revolutionary idea seems to evoke three stages of reaction. They may be summed up by the phrases:
(1) It's completely impossible.
(2) It's possible, but it's not worth doing.
(3) I said it was a good idea all along."
- Arthur C Clarke