How to have a good fitting?

[cheapskate]

Hi everyone!

I'm going to my first skate fitting and I was wondering if I can get some advice on what to look for/pay attention to in terms of fit?

For context, I skated as a kid and am returning after a ~15-year lapse (in my mid-twenties now). I still have a lot of basic skills (crossovers, basic mohawks, inside and outside 3-turns-- at least that's what I can do in rentals lol) but am hoping to improve my spins, get into jumping a bit, and footwork. When I was a kid I skated in hand-me-downs so I never got to put on a boot and decide if it worked for me. What should I be looking for, especially since the shop I'm going to is far from my rink so I won't be able to immediately test them on the ice?

Edit to clarify: I am a distance runner so I have a very different conception of what "fits" on my foot-- I'm just wondering how I'll know if a boot is the one so that I can go into the fitting prepared on my side.

Thank you in advance!

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Hi everyone!

I'm going to my first skate fitting and I was wondering if I can get some advice on what to look for/pay attention to in terms of fit?

For context, I skated as a kid and am returning after a ~15-year lapse (in my mid-twenties now). I still have a lot of basic skills (crossovers, basic mohawks, inside and outside 3-turns-- at least that's what I can do in rentals lol) but am hoping to improve my spins, get into jumping a bit, and footwork. When I was a kid I skated in hand-me-downs so I never got to put on a boot and decide if it worked for me. What should I be looking for, especially since the shop I'm going to is far from my rink so I won't be able to immediately test them on the ice?

Thank you in advance!

What is your foot like: Shape, etc? Any foot issues? Height/Weight (only to make sure suggestion for stiff enough boot and brand is given).
They should measure and trace your foot.

 

[NanaPat]

Choose your fitter wisely.

Ask for recommendations for a good fitter. I assume you've done this as you are going to travel for your fitting.

Choose a fitter who carries a brand or brands that are likely to fit your foot! That is why @Ic3Rabbit is asking questions about your foot. Answer her questions and heed her advice!

 

[cheapskate]

What is your foot like: Shape, etc? Any foot issues? Height/Weight (only to make sure suggestion for stiff enough boot and brand is given).
They should measure and trace your foot.

I have pretty standard feet, maybe a little narrow, with a long second toe that's the only thing that might make things weird. I don't have any issues with pronation, any injuries or chronic problems. I'm 5'8 and 130lb/59kg last time I weighed myself (don't own a scale lol). My fitter will be experienced but I live in a tropical island country and we only have one rink so we don't have much in the way of selection-- just two brands available for fitting (Edea and Risport) and that's what everyone skates in basically.

 

[cheapskate]

Choose your fitter wisely.

Ask for recommendations for a good fitter. I assume you've done this as you are going to travel for your fitting.

Choose a fitter who carries a brand or brands that are likely to fit your foot! That is why @Ic3Rabbit is asking questions about your foot. Answer her questions and heed her advice!

Actually, we only have two fitters in the country I live in so there's really no choice but to travel far from the rink unless I want the local brand (which specializes in roller but has a small ice line haha). We also only have two brands available (three including the random local brand that's only available in this part of the world). I have more narrow feet so I think Edea or Risport should work, but if not, I'm not against just waiting until I'm back in the US to try and get fitted again.

 

[WednesdayMarch]

My advice is to remember that the fitter, however expert, is relying on your feedback to get the fit right. If you don't tell them exactly how it feels, they won't know...

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Actually, we only have two fitters in the country I live in so there's really no choice but to travel far from the rink unless I want the local brand (which specializes in roller but has a small ice line haha). We also only have two brands available (three including the random local brand that's only available in this part of the world). I have more narrow feet so I think Edea or Risport should work, but if not, I'm not against just waiting until I'm back in the US to try and get fitted again.

Risport aren't for super narrow feet. You're going to want to look at Edea and if you can get back to the US to get fitted (which I would suggest b/c you have a better chance of getting an expert fitting), then look at Graf and Riedell too.

 

[tstop4me]

My advice is to remember that the fitter, however expert, is relying on your feedback to get the fit right. If you don't tell them exactly how it feels, they won't know...

This is true for sure. But that's the whole point of the original question. The OP faces the newbie's quandary of not knowing what proper feedback is:

Edit to clarify: I am a distance runner so I have a very different conception of what "fits" on my foot-- I'm just wondering how I'll know if a boot is the one so that I can go into the fitting prepared on my side.

E.g., there is a fine line between "snug" (desirable) and "too tight" (undesirable). Unfortunately, a newbie probably needs to suffer through at least one pair of ill-fitting boots to acquire sufficient experience to provide proper feedback. But here are some general tips when trying on new boots:

* On the one extreme, the boots should not instantly feel comfy (as a pair of bedroom slippers). On the other extreme, the boots should not cause any pain [if you have foot abnormalities, such as bunions, those will need special handling, however].

* It is critical that the heel fit snugly. Once the boot is laced up, the heel of the foot should seat fully within the internal heel pocket of the boot, and there should be no painful pinching (indicative of too narrow a heel or inappropriate shape). The fitter should then grab the boot by the external base of the heel and outsole and hold the boot against the floor. The skater should then attempt to wiggle the heel of the foot from side to side and attempt to pull the heel of the foot up. There should be no noticeable slippage of the heel of the foot within the internal heel pocket of the boot (indicative of too wide a heel or inappropriate shape).

* The skater should be able to wiggle all her toes freely. One or more toes should lightly brush the inner lining of the toebox at first (the inner lining will later compress somewhat, allowing for more clearance). The toes should not be scrunched (indicative of not enough room). The toes should not be able to curl up fully (indicative of too much room).

Hope this helps. Good Luck!

 

[cheapskate]

This is true for sure. But that's the whole point of the original question. The OP faces the newbie's quandary of not knowing what proper feedback is:

This is exactly the advice I was hoping for, thank you so much!