Tim and I had a lesson today, and I successfully completed a toe loop twice in a row. From a standing position of course, but still.

As for heat-molding? Tim says no. He thinks boots should be broken in the "old-fashioned way." Guess I'm out of luck on that. Good news though he has new SP Teri's himself, so I am not suffering alone.

Congrats on your toe-loop. May they be the first of many! As for heat-moulding your skates I did this with my Gams and 6 years on they are still as comfortable as ever. My daughter wears Gams too but we've never heat-moulded them and she's been OK without so I'm sure you'll do fine with them whatever you do! I think your body heat is pretty effective at moulding your skates anyway!

Nicki

Not to say anything against your coach, but I think he's being a bit ridiculous. If you have an opportunity to relieve part of the break in process then why on earth wouldn't you do so? If you're not having discomfort then yeah, save your money. But if the boot doesn't fit you perfectly you really should think about having them heat molded.

Congrats on the toe loop - it's my favorite, and easiest, jump. One of my favorite things to do is pick up good speed and then do as many toe loops in a row as I can without losing technique. So far my record is 14 - after that I'm just too darn dizzy and giggly.

I also disagree with his advice...almost all the boot companies have adopted heat molding for a reason.

__________________
~No thinking, breathing, or hesitation!~

I think every pro goes for heat molding anyhow. But it'll be interesting to find out why your coach prefers not to heat mold.

I'm telling you that if there is a way to make skate boots fit like a glove, it is heat molding. All you're doing right now is compressing out the padding. The leather/plastic laminate won't move much without some heat.

Of course if you like feet that hurt, go ahead and leave them as is. I'm sure they'll feel a little better eventually.

Sorry for the sarcasm. Well, a little sorry, anyway.

I also disagree with your coach. I am a very aggressive skater with big jumps (i.e., landing *double* toeloops), and my SP Teris are not breaking down any faster due to being heat-molded. Most pros would argue that if you are just learning a single toeloop, you shouldn't even be in boots that stiff, so I still say heat mold them.

I've never gotten my skates heat-molded either. The thing is that there are things that happen in the break-in process that wouldn't happen in a baking oven. I mean, sure they can mold it to your foot, but the way a boot molds to your foot through heat and sweat over time will be different than in one session the way heat molding is done, and it might get molded in a spot you might not want to mold, and vice versa because the positioning and movement of your foot when you heat mold is different than when you're out there skating and doing repetitions. Breaking in boots over time lets the boot "feel" how you bend, where you put most of your weight, etc..etc.. and will give the most accurate break in. Heat molding is meant to save time, because in the type of world we live in, everybody wants the easiest, quickest, most painless way to do things. I don't think that easier/quicker is better. I think it's important to properly break in boots- over time. Quick fixes are never usually good fixes and while sure, it may take some pain away, and whatnot...I'm a die hard traditionalist and I don't think you can beat the old fashioned way of doing it. I don't think it's bad to stick to tradition, I mean it's tradition for a reason- because it's successful in its purpose. If you wanna heat mold your skates...good for you- and yes you probably will have less pain, but there is also nothing wrong with someone who's willing to deal with discomfort to break their skates in traditionally. You get what you put in and IMO there are definitely benefits to putting up with some discomfort and going through a normal break in process.

PS: I'm talking about boots that are obviously generally assumed to fit. I don't believe heat molding should be used to make a boot that doesn't fit, fit. A boot should fit when you get it...if it doesn't, then you should find one that does. I'm talking about the break in process and having the boot actually mold to your every wrinkle. I get custom skates so heat molding for me isn't really important anyways as my boots fit me exactly when I receive them, but, I didn't always have customs, and I didn't heat mold my stock boots, either. Just never seemed necessary at all, whatsoever. Any issue I had with my boots took care of themselves through normal break in.

My boots are heat-mouldable, but I've never bothered, simply because they didn't need it - they were well-fitted, and the gel pads were soft enough that the heat of my feet was enough. The only place where they are a bit tight is in the toe-box of my left foot, as I developed a bunion there last summer (sigh!), and heat moulding wouldn't have helped with that anyway.

Incidentally, you don't have to send them away to be done if you have a fan oven; we did my husband's in our gas oven and they were fine, too.

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

If your boots weren't designed to be heat molded, I'd agree with your coach. But since they are, I'd heat-mold them. I tend to run traditional as well, but then, I've never had heat-molded boots. Since you've got the option, I'd do it. Really. Your coach is probably a traditionalist too--and probably has years and years of breaking in NON-heat-moldable boots behind him. With the old-style boots, the wisdom was, you break them in by wearing them, not by using 'tricks' (water, alcohol, running them over with your car, what-have-you ). But seriously....the technology is changing, so give your feet a little slack!

__________________
"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!

ROTFL! Hadn't tried that one, myself.

Congrats on your toe loops, Kevin. Keep up the hard work.

__________________

I've never considered heat-molding as serving the same purpose as "breaking in," which is why I don't see the problem. There are of course things that will happen to your boots on the ice that you can't compensate for through heat-molding, but I don't think h-m is meant to do that. The way I see it, it's just an extra comfort level. And besides, most boots can be re-heat-molded, so if you try it once, and something feels off, you can have them re-shaped.

__________________
~No thinking, breathing, or hesitation!~

I have been told by my coach that MULTIPLE heat moldings will cause the boots to break down prematurely (don't know if that's spelled write )...

She means any more than 3 times over the life of the boot.

I have heat moldables and have them done because of bunions only. Other than that, they wouldn't need that (and only on one foot).

CONGRATS!!! on the toe-loop!!!

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

I got the toe loop today too. Not to take away from Kevin's achievement, but since I teach learn to skates I've discovered I need to be able to demonstrate things in both directions, so I did a toe loop today in my other way. Boy that was hard! Good going Kevin!