Which skates and radius of blade hollow to choose for my situation

[Snorlax]

@Ice3Rabbit + tstop4me: Oh, yeah, these are definitely crap! They're my current ones! Just read through my post again and I realized that it sounds like I was considering these as a new buy, nonono not happening!

I just bought them years ago in my teens, and at the moment they're all I've have. Any new purchase based on your input will be a massive improvement I believe.

 

[WednesdayMarch]

Using a figure skating pro fitter to help you try boots and to measure you costs nothing until you choose your boot.

I believe that some of the UK skate shops/fitters do actually charge a "fitting fee". They've introduced it because so many people went to get fitted, took advantage of the expertise and the willingness to order in boots to try and then went and bought them online for less money. It's a well-known problem with independent bricks and mortar stores and we call it "showrooming". (I closed my store some years ago and now mainly work to commission.)

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

I believe that some of the UK skate shops/fitters do actually charge a "fitting fee". They've introduced it because so many people went to get fitted, took advantage of the expertise and the willingness to order in boots to try and then went and bought them online for less money. It's a well-known problem with independent bricks and mortar stores and we call it "showrooming". (I closed my store some years ago and now mainly work to commission.)

Well, it must be different in UK now. Thank you.

 

[WednesdayMarch]

Well, it must be different in UK now. Thank you.

I only found out about the "fitting fee" - typically £25, I believe - last week! I was sure that no store would charge for you to just put your feet into some boots to try for fit but apparently they do. It makes me sad that the world has come to this but I do understand the reasons.

 

[Snorlax]

I believe that some of the UK skate shops/fitters do actually charge a "fitting fee". They've introduced it because so many people went to get fitted, took advantage of the expertise and the willingness to order in boots to try and then went and bought them online for less money. It's a well-known problem with independent bricks and mortar stores and we call it "showrooming". (I closed my store some years ago and now mainly work to commission.)

Ah, well. I'd be happy to pay a fee for the fitting as long as the expensive boot/blade combo I bought doesn't get messed up.
Also happy to buy from store directly if it's not ridiculously more expensive than online.

In the end, it will be a lot of research/thinking it through for me and then a hopefully good guess.

Regarding the radius used for the hollow - any recommendations or is it really purely up to preference?

 

[Snorlax]

Hi all,

hope the double-post is ok!

Just leaving a small update along with repeated thanks to all who gave me advice and explanations!

I've now visited the shop in my local icerink to get hands (and feet) on some example equipment. I figured it can't do any harm to ask them first before I start taking the train to a more renowned shop and potentially get disappointed because I'm not prepared enough.

However, together with advice from this forum and locals from the rink, I managed to get the rink's recommended figure skate professional to measure my feet and try out a few boots etc.

From the looks of things, I'll go for either Edea Overtures or Risport RF3s. Had a quick look at Edea Chorus but the Overtures where already so crazy stiff that I'm not sure I can skate in Chorus ones. Risport was a bit too tight around the toe-part of my foot, so I'm now inclined to go for the Edeas as they had a surprisingly comfortable fit.

Haven't ordered anything yet though; the professional who measured and advisde me wanted me to have another think about it and also recommended to consult my coach regarding the optimal blades (they weren't sure how much I dig into the ice when skating hence I should ask my coach which blade will be most suitable). Happy to take any follow-up suggestions from you guys as well!

Speaking of "coach" - this is now the young woman who was leading the group sessions I attended so far, I asked her if she could solo-coach me, she said yes and I'm super happy about it!


Will keep you posted, also any further advice would be very much appreciated!

 

[Flying Feijoa]

Snorlax, it's great to hear that you managed to get hold of some folk knowledgeable about skates/blades! When I started skating at Murrayfield, I spent years blundering around trying (and largely failing) to find the help that I needed with equipment. Things seem to have changed for the better

I hope Edeas work out for you. They're a very Marmite sort of boot - I know people who swear by them and others like me who just swear at them
It all depends on your foot shape...
One thing if I may mention (despite not being an expert in the area), is that Chorus might be a safer bet than Overture given your height and weight. The stiffness isn't necessarily a hindrance, since in Edeas the tongue is supposed to flex as opposed to the whole boot. Plus, as your current boots are super-soft recreational skates, it's likely that something with the proper level of support will feel way stiffer than you're used to.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Hi all,

hope the double-post is ok!

Just leaving a small update along with repeated thanks to all who gave me advice and explanations!

I've now visited the shop in my local icerink to get hands (and feet) on some example equipment. I figured it can't do any harm to ask them first before I start taking the train to a more renowned shop and potentially get disappointed because I'm not prepared enough.

However, together with advice from this forum and locals from the rink, I managed to get the rink's recommended figure skate professional to measure my feet and try out a few boots etc.

From the looks of things, I'll go for either Edea Overtures or Risport RF3s. Had a quick look at Edea Chorus but the Overtures where already so crazy stiff that I'm not sure I can skate in Chorus ones. Risport was a bit too tight around the toe-part of my foot, so I'm now inclined to go for the Edeas as they had a surprisingly comfortable fit.

Haven't ordered anything yet though; the professional who measured and advisde me wanted me to have another think about it and also recommended to consult my coach regarding the optimal blades (they weren't sure how much I dig into the ice when skating hence I should ask my coach which blade will be most suitable). Happy to take any follow-up suggestions from you guys as well!

Speaking of "coach" - this is now the young woman who was leading the group sessions I attended so far, I asked her if she could solo-coach me, she said yes and I'm super happy about it!


Will keep you posted, also any further advice would be very much appreciated!

As I've mentioned previously, with your height/weight combo I would not recommend anything under a 60 stiffness rating for you in a boot. If you like Edea, I would suggest you get the Chorus. The Overture is going to be too soft for you. Yes, the Chorus is rated 70, but Edea rating is very different from the traditional boot ratings. Get yourself a JWilson Coronation Ace or MK Professional Intermediate blade to go with them.

Good luck!

 

[MiraiFan]

I second this. I skate in Chorus and love it. Supportive but not overly stiff.

 

[Snorlax]

Thanks for reinforcing the arguments for Chorus boots. I feel a bit shy and silly because I'm not even jumping and most skaters/fitters don't expect someone to be so heavy I think (especially because I don't really look like a 100kg, most people don't believe this until I start being serious about it or show proof :0)

 

[WednesdayMarch]

Thanks for reinforcing the arguments for Chorus boots. I feel a bit shy and silly because I'm not even jumping and most skaters/fitters don't expect someone to be so heavy I think (especially because I don't really look like a 100kg, most people don't believe this until I start being serious about it or show proof :0)

I'd also go with Chorus over Overture for you. It's refreshing that you feel "a bit shy and silly" about potentially being visibly over-booted but just look around you at the number of people in Ice Fly and Revolution blades who aren't doing triples... If you feel Edea are the boots for you, go with the Chorus.

 

[Snorlax]

It's actually more feeling shy towards the fitter xD I don't want to come across as a wannabe-tryhard skater who goes for an over-the-top-boot that is wrong But that's just me being a bit weird. Hence I'm ruminating over my choice of boots quite a bit, annoying everyone with my questions

Once I'm on the ice I won't really care, as long as these are good skates for me and they fit well, I'll take anything

 

[WednesdayMarch]

"Annoying everybody with [your] questions is the LAST thing you are doing. The answers to your questions are things that other people will read and retain in their heads for the next time they are looking at new boots and they will also come up in searches to help others. It's all good information.

 

[Sk8erMom3]

Using a figure skating pro fitter to help you try boots and to measure you costs nothing until you choose your boot.

What Fitters in Southern California that you would recommend?

 

[tstop4me]

What Fitters in Southern California that you would recommend?

You're more likely to get a response (and more importantly, a more relevant response) if you start a new thread instead of hopping onto other threads (two so far) whose main focus is different from yours.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

What Fitters in Southern California that you would recommend?

I'll PM you.