- Joined
- Jul 26, 2016
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.
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.