Coming back to skating....what kind of boots and blades?

Hey everyone, I'm a "retired" skater. I stopped skating a few years ago, when I was in high school. I'm in college now and I think that I want to go back to skating as a fun distraction. My old boots and blades are no good, but I don't know too much about new equipment because I haven't really kept up with the sport. Any suggestions? Here's a little bit about me:

-Before I quit, I had up through the three easiest triples.
-I used to have Harlick custom boots and Wilson Gold-Star blades (not parabolic or k-pick)
-I'm a dude and I'm pretty tall and muscular, so I need a strong boot.

I was thinking of maybe looking at Jackson or Graf boots. I'm hesitant to go back to a sturdy custom boot like Harlick or SP Teri because I'm not going to be skating for hours a day and I don't want to spend 2 months breaking them in. Also, since I imagine that I'll be able to skate three days a week at most, I'm not too worried about breaking down a lighter boot too quickly. But on the flip side, I want something that will still hold up.

I was planning on going back to Gold Seal blades. I don't remember the last time I skated on anything different. Any insight into the k-pick or parabolic? They came out right around the time I quit, so I haven't heard much about them.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot!

I am an adult female skater who skates 3 times a week and I do a few doubles. I have custom SP Teris with gold seal blades . They were easy to break in because they were heat moldable. If you will be doing alot of jumping you better get a sturdy boot. The Harlick is a norrower cut. I think you should get whatever brand you used to wear, but do get customs.

I've been skating in Jacksons forever. They make a pretty sturdy boot, but they're relatively easy to break in, and last a really long time.

I'm a dude, as well. It is, of course, a preference thing, but I really love my Klingbeil customs (stiff model) with Ultima Elite blades.

I got a free pair of Jackson boots, but I can't seem to get the hang of them. I went back to my Klingbeils after a week.

Oh, and welcome to the board =)

Boots and blades are a funny thing. Everyone is different so hard to suggest what is right. I just spent $1000 on new boots and blades and they are not working out well. My last boots were Klingbeil's (custom) and they were made too big. I had Grafs but they did a number on my feet. If I were you I would go with what you used last as long as they worked out okay for you.

If your feet need custom boots, they need custom boots. Heat molding will work if your feet are just a little bit off of the average, but it will not magically make the boot fit your foot if you really do need custom boots. It will also decrease the life of the boots by about 15-25 percent. Custom boots (if you do need them) don't have to be "sturdy" but can be made in almost any strength you want. Since it's been a while, I'd go to a good skate fitter and have your foot measured -- make sure they measure the width of the ball and heel of your foot, as well as look at the general shape of it -- to determine if you can get away with a stock boot or not. A stock boot is a lot easier than custom, but it's not worth risking foot problems or injury for.

Both parabolics and k-picks have mostly come and gone, but, like with everything, there are always a few people who love them. Most people I know who have had them (I never tried either) didn't really notice a difference -- maybe a little extra grip from the k-pick but not enough to buy them again.

I've heard too many horror stories about skaters switching boot brands and never getting a comfortable fit. If Harlick boots weren't giving you any trouble, stick with Harlick. Do your old boots still fit? If so, Harlick should have the measurements on record and should be able to make you another pair that fits just the same, and make them in whatever stiffness level and with whatever features you want. Just give them a call and explain your situation and see what they advise. Also, the Gold Seal is a wonderful blade, so I'd stick with those, too! I have Gold Seal Parabolics and I love them, but I actually only bought them because they were on sale and they didn't have the regular Gold Seal in my size. The difference in the blade width at the middle vs the ends is negligible and I honestly feel no difference.