For those following the journey, I'm replacing 20-year-old Klingbeil skates with new custom skates.
I'm a senior MIF/former novice pairs ice skater now doing ice dance. I have to get customs because of my freakish feet (. But I'm also going to get fun colors because I am an adult who wants to spend her adult money on fun colors. I've mentally prepared myself for a high cost, as I've been putting this off for years.
I went to US nationals to talk with all the skate brands, get fitted, and decide on a new brand. I also visited the Avanta factory, and Will took a cast off my foot (he did say he would share it with another brand if I decided to go with them). I've eliminated Aura, Graf, Edea, and Jackson after talking to them/trying them on. Edea tried to sell me on the idea they could get me into stock boots, which was laughable to anyone else. Harlick is over a year out right now, so I knocked them off too.
I am going for an ice dance boot.
I've narrowed it down to:
Avanta ($1950). 8-12 weeks: Will from Avanta actually made the insoles of my current skates 20 years ago! I think if money were no concern, this would be my preference. I like Will, and I know he’ll make a good boot since he made mine before. Also, he’s young (in the world of skating boots) and invested in the sport and boot-making, so building a relationship with him and investing in his company, especially on the west coast, is valuable to me. But it’s a lot more than the other options. Plus $150 for the holographic leather
SP Teri ($1100 + $99 for fun color leather), 8-10 weeks: If I want nearly identical to Avanta and similar to what I am used to for a lower price, this would be the best option. I think I vibed better with Avanta, though. I am interested in the newer Japanese synthetic leather option SP Teri has. This make is closest to what I am used to.
Riedell ($950), 4-8 weeks: This was a surprise! I got great vibes from the fitter and VP Dan, but I’ve never worn their skates before. He had a lot of great ideas about how to work with my... unique...feet. They can do TONS of custom leathers, but the holographic ones are only for accents. All customs are $950, all in, for every change, including putting initials on the side of the boot and such (he showed me some cute skates he just made for Johnny weir with his dog's face embroidered on them.)
I’ve worn both Klingbiel (essentially the precursor to Avanta) and SP Teri. Additionally, many people involved in my Klingbiel boots are now at SP Teri and Avanta. So my significant hesitation with Riedell is I've never worn their boots before. Also, maybe I should spend some of my money on investing in Avanta's growth as a small skating business?
Also: I heard some drama about Karen Chen and Avanta a few years back, and I don't want to work with a company that would trash a teenager on social media. But I can't tell who was at the helm of Avanta at the time, given that Bill from SP Teri used to be the Avanta president.
THOUGHTS? Experiences with customs from any of the above? Any tea on the Chen/Avanta drama?
ETA: My particular unique issues are DDDD width feet with a AAA heel and protruding Achilles, bone spurs and bunions on both feet, arthritic hammertoes, weird ankle bone and different size feet.
I'm a senior MIF/former novice pairs ice skater now doing ice dance. I have to get customs because of my freakish feet (. But I'm also going to get fun colors because I am an adult who wants to spend her adult money on fun colors. I've mentally prepared myself for a high cost, as I've been putting this off for years.
I went to US nationals to talk with all the skate brands, get fitted, and decide on a new brand. I also visited the Avanta factory, and Will took a cast off my foot (he did say he would share it with another brand if I decided to go with them). I've eliminated Aura, Graf, Edea, and Jackson after talking to them/trying them on. Edea tried to sell me on the idea they could get me into stock boots, which was laughable to anyone else. Harlick is over a year out right now, so I knocked them off too.
I am going for an ice dance boot.
I've narrowed it down to:
Avanta ($1950). 8-12 weeks: Will from Avanta actually made the insoles of my current skates 20 years ago! I think if money were no concern, this would be my preference. I like Will, and I know he’ll make a good boot since he made mine before. Also, he’s young (in the world of skating boots) and invested in the sport and boot-making, so building a relationship with him and investing in his company, especially on the west coast, is valuable to me. But it’s a lot more than the other options. Plus $150 for the holographic leather
SP Teri ($1100 + $99 for fun color leather), 8-10 weeks: If I want nearly identical to Avanta and similar to what I am used to for a lower price, this would be the best option. I think I vibed better with Avanta, though. I am interested in the newer Japanese synthetic leather option SP Teri has. This make is closest to what I am used to.
Riedell ($950), 4-8 weeks: This was a surprise! I got great vibes from the fitter and VP Dan, but I’ve never worn their skates before. He had a lot of great ideas about how to work with my... unique...feet. They can do TONS of custom leathers, but the holographic ones are only for accents. All customs are $950, all in, for every change, including putting initials on the side of the boot and such (he showed me some cute skates he just made for Johnny weir with his dog's face embroidered on them.)
I’ve worn both Klingbiel (essentially the precursor to Avanta) and SP Teri. Additionally, many people involved in my Klingbiel boots are now at SP Teri and Avanta. So my significant hesitation with Riedell is I've never worn their boots before. Also, maybe I should spend some of my money on investing in Avanta's growth as a small skating business?
Also: I heard some drama about Karen Chen and Avanta a few years back, and I don't want to work with a company that would trash a teenager on social media. But I can't tell who was at the helm of Avanta at the time, given that Bill from SP Teri used to be the Avanta president.
THOUGHTS? Experiences with customs from any of the above? Any tea on the Chen/Avanta drama?
ETA: My particular unique issues are DDDD width feet with a AAA heel and protruding Achilles, bone spurs and bunions on both feet, arthritic hammertoes, weird ankle bone and different size feet.