Visiting the Harlick factory for fitting?

[SmallAminal]

I am guesstimating that over the summer my skater will need new skates due to growth. Coincidentally, we will be near the Harlick factory over the summer and am wondering if this is a good opportunity to go for a fitting at the factory, as they allow you to make appointments.

My skater is currently in Riedell Stride and they seem to be OK given age/weight/level, but there always seem to be these minor fit issues we are dealing with. Also, in the past (although not with the current skates) we had some horrible experiences with fitting and ended up with skates that were pretty useless as I later learned that the fit was very off.

I am usually of the opinion that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", but would it be foolish for me to pass up an opportunity to get a factory fitting for my skater? I'm not necessarily saying that we would go the custom route, but that we could be really certain that we are getting the right fit, especially since it appears they have very extensive sizing, split widths, etc. in stock boots. My skater has feet that are a little bit narrow that are almost completely flat, but don't pronate.

On the other hand, every make is different and I'm scared to make a change and have it be disastrous (like those Edeas that were worn for all of 10 hours that are sitting in my closet) because its not the right brand for my skater's foot.

I am curious if anyone has gone to Harlick for a custom fitting and if they have any opinions on whether this is a good opportunity or if I should stay with what works. Also, they have "growth insoles" for children - this is appealing to me as children do grow and it is hard to keep them in skates that fit properly but last more than a few months. Any experience with those and is it actually a good idea?

On a separate note, I may actually consider this for myself. I have very minimal goals for my own skating, but have also had trouble getting the right fit and have a feeling that is what is making things difficult for me. I would put myself in the more "recreational" category but I don't find skating to be as enjoyable when my feet hurt.

Any feedback is appreciated.

 

[jf12]

I am in Edeas myself, but I know a lot of skaters who are really happy with the Harlicks, and a fitting with the factory has got to be a good opportunity. Do you have a local experienced Harlick fitter that can measure your skater for their next pair of boots? At that point it also becomes a cost/benefit analysis - your skater won't be in them for that long no matter what insoles you get, and a growing child requires a new fitting every time.

For you though, as an adult, I would really recommend it, since the cost per wear would make it a no brainer. If you want a higher end boot with comfort-oriented materials that you can get in any stiffness you want, there isn't a better place to go. A lot of coaches who are on the ice for long hours but aren't doing any crazy moves swear by them, and they are built to last.

 

[loopy]

Our boot person rarely fitted over summer, he just made the boots work as long as possible unless they were broken down. He said it was because kids feet grow the most during summer and he had too many people order boots only to have the foot grow by the time they got in. Plus with regionals around the corner it interrupts training. So keep that in mind if you are visiting early summer vs the end of summer.

When my skater was growing, the least we had was a year in skates, usually they broke down at about 18 months. Between stretching, removing insoles, a skate could last 2 sizes in a pinch.

 

[sandraskates]

Harlick girl here!

My skating friend and I went to the Harlick factory to get fitted last year (July). I made an appointment for both of us. Although we both got fitted, I was the only one that ordered my customs at that fitting. They actually had all my foot tracings on-file going back about 25 years! I did not get my boots until November but when my friend finally ordered her boots in December, she got hers in February.

Regarding the word “stock”. If you think you’re going to go and see racks of already completed boots for sale, you’re not. I think “stock” refers to a boot you order with standard materials and fit. (Check their website – harlick.com). Then once you start adding customization, you pay a certain amount per custom item.

When I compare my new boots to my 20+ year old boots, the new ones are significantly lighter and cushier, yet still supportive. They are quite different to me and it took me a while to get used to them. Since I only skate in them about 3 – 4 hours a week, it also took time for the leather to soften a bit to where I can now tie them tighter and more to my liking. If I had more $, I order another pair for when I’m working on the public session. (I bought a used pair of Jacksons for that because they were available, but there is a noticeable difference in quality; I do not like the Jacksons).

Give Harlick a call, schedule an appointment to go and talk to a rep. You can get measured and decide what you want to do. If they’re not too busy you can get a little tour – it’s basically various work stations with a few employees working a step in the process. They have cut back on staff these days due to a lot of new competition in the boot industry but a couple employees have been there for years.

Also, call NOW. They tend to close for a week or two for vacation so you should find out when that is (end of June I believe).

I have a very wide forefoot and a narrow heel. Those tracings of mine that are on-file show the progressive widening of my feet. Sad! LOL!!!

 

[SmallAminal]

Yeah, I think I really do want to go at least for myself. I am not a competitive or ambitious skater, but I do like to get out on the ice with my child and find that the last two pairs of skates have just not been what they needed to be for me to skate comfortably (and I didn't have issues as a kid, but my middle-aged feet have obviously changed).

I am totally worried about the summertime growth thing. However, we were in a bad position last year when my skater had grown and we couldn't stretch the boots any more. There was no stock available and so basically we had curled toes for a month and a half.

There isn't anyone really local to do the fitting, but we are going to a place a few hours away to get skates now anyway. Going forward, they could probably do the fittings, but I really like the idea of the most experienced person (i.e. the folks at Harlick) getting us started, and then going from there.

For most of the time my skater has been in real figure skating (vs. learn-to-skate), they have been in Riedells, but had Risport in the beginning. I am wondering if Harlick will be too different to get used to or if they will be easy to get used to if the fit is good.

 

[concorde]

We always have gotten my daughter's new skates in early summer and they last one year - knock on wood. We are planning to order the new ones later this month.

Last weekend I was at an ice skating seminar and they said the worse skates were at Nationals each year. Families tend to hold off getting new boots until after Regionals and then 2-3 months later, they were hoping the worn out boots could last through the big event.