Premiere fit issues

[Mornington]

Dear gurus,

I've been wearing a pair of Jackson Premieres (2800 10W) for a couple of months now and I have a suspicion that they don't fit me well enough and that I should buy a different boot.

Me: 52F 173cm tall 76kg. Roman feet with a slight Greek leaning - angled toes. Low volume toes, medium arch. 26.5cm long feet, 26cm circumference at widest point.
Skating a couple of hours a week: hour long group lesson; UK Learn to Skate (almost finished Bronze); a bit of practice when time allows. No coach at the moment.

I skated in my twenties for a while with a coach and wore a pair of Riedells (8 1/2 2E-A on the sole, 18228 KP inside) with 11" Coronation Ace blades. I remember I mailed details of my foot to a guy and he sent the boots to me. Are they a split width custom?

I returned to skating in February after a ~25 year gap and wore the Riedells. In September I thought it was time for an update and was fitted with Jackson Premieres but kept the vintage Coronation Ace blades (probably a bit too long which might be adding to my woes).

Because I've got big feet for a woman, the fitter didn't have things for me to try on and compare (small local fitter). They thought Jackson's would work and ordered a pair in for me. I thought they were good but now I'm less convinced. We did almost no heat moulding.

I've had to pad out the toe box with 3mm poron sheet to get decent contact with the boot but can still curl my toes if I wear thin skate tights. I feel myself curling my toes on some skills. My heels are lifting more than feels right (I've read the heel lifting post). I was practicing my 'h position' leg swing up onto toepick at the barrier last week and felt like my boot and my foot were two separate things. Heels not in contact and toes curling as if my life depended on it. I've been wearing normal socks instead of skate tights for a couple of sessions now and there's less movement & toe curling but I'm getting slightly numb feet. If it's relevant, my ankle bones sit in front of where the external ankle bone shapes are in the boot, closer to the back of the lacing section.

I don't feel 'at one' with these boots like I did with my Reidells. My weight feels like I'm too far forward. The Reidells were snug over my toes.

Are the Premieres too big or wrong for my foot shape? I wonder about more extensive heat moulding to get my heel further back in the boot and more locked in but then that's going to move my toes back into a deeper area of the boot.

I can do a virtual fitting with Everglides if it sounds like spending more money is the best option but it would be great to have an independent view to start with.

Thank you!

 

[tstop4me]

I skated in my twenties for a while with a coach and wore a pair of Riedells (8 1/2 2E-A on the sole, 18228 KP inside) with 11" Coronation Ace blades. I remember I mailed details of my foot to a guy and he sent the boots to me. Are they a split width custom?

The 2E-A looks suspiciously like a 2E (EE) width ball/A width heel. If this is the case, then you have a split width custom or semi-custom. You should email customer support at Riedell to verify; I've always found them to be responsive. And, if this is the case, you're not likely to find any current stock boot that will fit. Your Jackson 10W has a C/D (meaning a C that can be heat molded to a D) ball width with a B heel width (this is according to email I got from Jackson, but the rep was a bit uncertain).

I returned to skating in February after a ~25 year gap and wore the Riedells. In September I thought it was time for an update and was fitted with Jackson Premieres but kept the vintage Coronation Ace blades (probably a bit too long which might be adding to my woes).

I'm a male adult skater. About 10 yrs ago, I returned to skating after a long gap. I had late 1990's vintage Riedell Royals, and then switched to Jackson Elites. Roughly the same switch as you. The fit and feel between that generation Riedells and current Jacksons (I bought a second pair of Jacksons in late 2022) are substantially different:

* The Jacksons have a much higher heel pitch than the Riedells. Your weight is much more forward on your toes. Took me a while to get used to, especially when skating backwards.

* The Riedells have a more pointed, lower volume (lower vertical height) toebox. The Jacksons have a more rounded, higher volume toebox. My heel width is narrow relative to my ball width. In my stock Riedells, I was fittesd with a size 9N (N width to avoid heel slip, 9 length to get enough room for my toes, though still a bit scrunched). In my stock Jacksons, I was fitted with a size 8W [as I mentioned above, the Jacksons come stock split width, so no heel slip while the toebox was roomy enough with some punching out of the toebox (I have Orient feet)]. I suspect your fitter put you in a 10W to get enough room for your toes.

If Riedell confirms the split width sizing, then you need to start from scratch, I'm afraid, and get properly fitted. You'll likely need customs or semi-customs; and your current stock Jacksons are all out of whack and can't be rescued.

 

[Mornington]

The 2E-A looks suspiciously like a 2E (EE) width ball/A width heel. If this is the case, then you have a split width custom or semi-custom. You should email customer support at Riedell to verify; I've always found them to be responsive. And, if this is the case, you're not likely to find any current stock boot that will fit. Your Jackson 10W has a C/D (meaning a C that can be heat molded to a D) ball width with a B heel width (this is according to email I got from Jackson, but the rep was a bit uncertain)

If Riedell confirms the split width sizing, then you need to start from scratch, I'm afraid, and get properly fitted. You'll likely need customs or semi-customs; and your current stock Jacksons are all out of whack and can't be rescued.

Thank so much. That's what I was beginning to wonder - fearing the cost of customs. But hey ho, if that's the route that's needed I guess I'll have to go that way.

I'll drop Riedell a line to check.

In the meantime I guess I struggle on with the Jacksons.

 

[tstop4me]

Thank so much. That's what I was beginning to wonder - fearing the cost of customs. But hey ho, if that's the route that's needed I guess I'll have to go that way.

I'll drop Riedell a line to check.

In the meantime I guess I struggle on with the Jacksons.

<<Emphasis added.>> You might want to reconsider this. You've waited ~25 yrs to get back on the ice. It's probably worth an additional wait to avoid foot deformities or injuries that could sideline you for an extended period.

 

[Mornington]

<<Emphasis added.>> You might want to reconsider this. You've waited ~25 yrs to get back on the ice. It's probably worth an additional wait to avoid foot deformities or injuries that could sideline you for an extended period.

Ok - noted. They've certainly taken some of the joy out of my skating.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Dear gurus,

I've been wearing a pair of Jackson Premieres (2800 10W) for a couple of months now and I have a suspicion that they don't fit me well enough and that I should buy a different boot.

Me: 52F 173cm tall 76kg. Roman feet with a slight Greek leaning - angled toes. Low volume toes, medium arch. 26.5cm long feet, 26cm circumference at widest point.
Skating a couple of hours a week: hour long group lesson; UK Learn to Skate (almost finished Bronze); a bit of practice when time allows. No coach at the moment.

I skated in my twenties for a while with a coach and wore a pair of Riedells (8 1/2 2E-A on the sole, 18228 KP inside) with 11" Coronation Ace blades. I remember I mailed details of my foot to a guy and he sent the boots to me. Are they a split width custom?

I returned to skating in February after a ~25 year gap and wore the Riedells. In September I thought it was time for an update and was fitted with Jackson Premieres but kept the vintage Coronation Ace blades (probably a bit too long which might be adding to my woes).

Because I've got big feet for a woman, the fitter didn't have things for me to try on and compare (small local fitter). They thought Jackson's would work and ordered a pair in for me. I thought they were good but now I'm less convinced. We did almost no heat moulding.

I've had to pad out the toe box with 3mm poron sheet to get decent contact with the boot but can still curl my toes if I wear thin skate tights. I feel myself curling my toes on some skills. My heels are lifting more than feels right (I've read the heel lifting post). I was practicing my 'h position' leg swing up onto toepick at the barrier last week and felt like my boot and my foot were two separate things. Heels not in contact and toes curling as if my life depended on it. I've been wearing normal socks instead of skate tights for a couple of sessions now and there's less movement & toe curling but I'm getting slightly numb feet. If it's relevant, my ankle bones sit in front of where the external ankle bone shapes are in the boot, closer to the back of the lacing section.

I don't feel 'at one' with these boots like I did with my Reidells. My weight feels like I'm too far forward. The Reidells were snug over my toes.

Are the Premieres too big or wrong for my foot shape? I wonder about more extensive heat moulding to get my heel further back in the boot and more locked in but then that's going to move my toes back into a deeper area of the boot.

I can do a virtual fitting with Everglides if it sounds like spending more money is the best option but it would be great to have an independent view to start with.

Thank you!

Hi and welcome. After reading your stats, Jackson and Riedells are both no for you. Riedell's especially because over 25 years our feet shape and composition changes. I would suggest Risport to you. Try Risport RF3, if those seem a little wide for your needs, then try the Royal Pro. One of these should work for you. To go with your boots, I would look at either traditional style JW Coronation Ace or MK Pro.

Good luck!

 

[Mornington]

Hi and welcome. After reading your stats, Jackson and Riedells are both no for you. Riedell's especially because over 25 years our feet shape and composition changes. I would suggest Risport to you. Try Risport RF3, if those seem a little wide for your needs, then try the Royal Pro. One of these should work for you. To go with your boots, I would look at either traditional style JW Coronation Ace or MK Pro.

Good luck!

Oh brilliant, thank you. That's sounding a little less expensive than straight into customs.
I'll get a virtual fitting with Everglides booked.

 

[Mornington]

A quick thank you for the expert assistance.

I'm now in an RF3 (in a smaller size than I'd have thought from the Risport charts) with new Coronation Ace blades - half an inch shorter than my old ones.

I'm back in control of my feet, which is joyous.

The shop that sold me the Jacksons said they'll fully refund me if I return the boots to them, which is a surprise after wearing them for three months!

 

[tstop4me]

The shop that sold me the Jacksons said they'll fully refund me if I return the boots to them, which is a surprise after wearing them for three months!

That was really decent of them. Very few shops would do that. Consider yourself one of the lucky ones.

 

[Query]

Wow! I wouldn't have guessed any shop would do that - unless the manufacturer put pressure on them. They will probably lose a fair bit of money over it.

I hope your new boots work well for you.

Did you get your new boots through Everglides, or through the old shop?

 

[Mornington]

Wow! I wouldn't have guessed any shop would do that - unless the manufacturer put pressure on them. They will probably lose a fair bit of money over it.

I believe it's their own choice to do so. They're working hard on their reputation - which is commendable. So I'll go and discuss what wasn't right with the boots with them.

Did you get your new boots through Everglides, or through the old shop?

I trusted Ic3Rabbit's boot recommendation so I actually got them from Willie's in Coventry after discussing the fit with them. They're a lot nearer to me than both Everglides & Al's if I ended up needing to go there to try things on.

 

[Query]

Great! I hope Willies is good. After the skates arrive, there are things the pro shop needs to do to personalize things for you, as well as decide whether they were made well, and interface with the manufacturers if they weren't.

And it is great the the other shop wants to improve their reputation! I think being willing to spend the time and effort can be a large part of the issue. The problem is, AFAIK, I don't know of any good comprehensive training sources for them to use.