Anyone in Riedell 2010 Fusion boots?

[Bill_S]

I've been considering which Riedell model to buy for my next skates. I've been in Gold Stars, but they are ancient. I like how they held up over the years, but I wish I could get a bit more fore-aft flex. In particular, when doing back crossovers I'd like to bend forward a bit more.

I see that Riedell has a boot called the 2010 Fusion. It features only 3 rows of hooks, so I assume the top is a bit shorter and that should allow more flex. I would hope that it offers about the same lateral support as my current skates.

Has anyone here used them?

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My other options are the Silver Star and the Aria. I suspect the Aria is very stiff (too much for my level), but it appears to have a leather lining like my old Gold Stars. The new Silver Star appears to have a "perforated micro-fiber lining", which would concern me about longevity.

I had Bronze Stars about 18 years ago, but they broke down within a year. The boot design may have changed since then, but I'd rather avoid them out of caution.

[tstop4me]

I hope you get responses from skaters who have actually worn the 2010 Fusion.   In the meanwhile, I'll pass along a bit of info that may be useful. 

A couple of years ago, a girl at my rink wore them.  She was constantly having problems lacing them up tight enough.  One day she asked me for help.  I re-laced them as tight as I could, but she said they were still too loose at the top of the boots.  I had previously read about them before when I was shopping for boots, and knew they were designed that way:  "The fresh, new 2010 Fusion features an aggressive design allowing maximum forward and backward flexibility," according to Riedell.  The tongue and the uppers are designed such that, even when laced tight, there is a gap between the tongue liner and the portion of the shin bone near the top of the boot.  So definitely a different fit from traditional Riedells (I have previously skated in 220/Gold Star/Royal).  My guess is it was Riedell's initial response to Edea; in addition to the extra flex, the 2010 Fusion is also touted as a lightweight boot.   (I at least applaud them for leaving out the Swarovski crystals and scalloped cutouts.  :-))

I told her that these boots were specifically designed to allow extra space there.   I asked her why she bought that model, if she didn't want that.  "They look really cool," she replied. 

Anyway, since you are specifically looking for more forward/backward flex, definitely a potential candidate for you to consider. 

I ended up getting Jackson Elite Suede, which also has a microfiber lining.  I too was concerned with longevity relative to leather.  But I've worn them for 4+ yrs now (averaging ~7 hrs/week almost year round) ... and, as Little Miss Sunbeam would say, "Look Mom, no holes!"

[Bill_S]

Thanks for that info. I suspected that there would be few people here that have worn them, so I'm not surprised at the "radio silence".

The anecdote about the other skater with them is useful. It makes me wonder if it is too much of a good thing. Also thanks for the info about the micro-fiber linings. The lining durability is reassuring. It appears that a good portion of Riedell's lineup has gone that way.

I wore through the leather lining of my first pair of Gold Stars in less than 5 years, but I was skating 16 hours per week then.

These photos show how my old 2003 Gold Star boots looked when I looked for a replacement pair in 2007.







Even the sole and heel had started to de-laminate. I show the pictures to show why I want something that's durable, and I must admit that reading "micro-fiber lining" made me twitch a little.

With your information, I'm favoring the Riedell Silver Star. I wish that the popular Jackson fitter in Lyndhurst (Cleveland area) were closer. I'd consider Jacksons too.

[tstop4me]

With your information, I'm favoring the Riedell Silver Star.

Hey, don't dismiss the Aria.  Word out on the ice is that the kangaroo linings help you with your jumps.  :-)

But, I see the latest listing doesn't mention kangaroo anymore:  "The Aria is now improved with a stronger perforated leather lining that has an antimicrobrial treatement [sic] for long wear."  Maybe there's old stock left, though.

[CaraSkates]

I wear Fusion boots and have been in them for 10+ years now, on my 4th pair. I love them and will never go back to a higher cut boot.

I do high level dance and freestyle in them and easily get 2.5-3yrs out of a boot, that's skating 4-5 days a week, working on junior moves, pregold/gold dances, I compete gold free skate. It's the perfect combo of enough support for freestyle, enough bend and toe point for dance.

[Bill_S]

Thank you for that! Perfect! They are back in the running.

I've always feared that having the ability to more easily bend forward/backward might compromise the lateral support. It's good to know that you switch between disciplines because I'll be doing something very similar. I'm not a big jumper, but do it once in a while.

Thanks!

[Bill_S]

I have an appointment for a fitting tomorrow at 11 am in Columbus. Yay!

Note to central-Ohio skaters: If anyone here wants to get in touch with Tony who does the fittings, skip emails and go straight to telephone.

[Bill_S]

I spent 1-1/4 hours at the OSU ice rink in Columbus being fitted for new skates. Anthony (Tony) Habart is the fitter there.

First, the upshot:

I ordered two pairs of Riedell skates and two sets of blades.

1) I got Silver Stars and Aces to directly replace my current Gold Star/Coronation Ace skates. Tony said that the stiffness of the Silver Stars might exceed that of my 2007-model Gold Stars because of changes over time. But it should be close. I should feel comfortable in this combo.

2) I also ordered 2010 Fusion skates that have a shorter top to allow more forward/backward extension. I want to see if this helps with more knee bend in crossovers. I got MK Professional blades with the short 12" front rocker compared to the Ace's 27" front rocker. I also got my Jackson Synchro blades sharpened by Tony to 3/8" as another option when the boots arrive. I might also get some Skate Science Dance blades for a third option. Still thinking about that because they are thin dance blades and I can't sharpen them myself.

Some people have two cars. I will have two sets of skates. It's a bit indulgent for someone who is 69 years old, but what the heck.

-------

Now the backstory. I was a bit skeptical about the qualifications of the OSU fitter who replaced Duke, now retired. However, I learned that this fellow has been a figure skater since he was young, and has all his jumps including most doubles. He sometimes coaches too. He's a lefty, and spins CW, but he told me that he had a decent scratch, sit, and camel in the CCW direction too. He admitted that he never mastered the backspin in other than his native direction.

He's been in all sorts of boots and blades. Currently he's in Edea Concertos and Gold Seals. He never liked the Ice Fly. He's been in Graf, SP Teri, Riedell models including the Fusion that I was interested in (he brought out his pair to show me). His Fusions were equipped with Eclipse Pinnacle blades, Eclipse's version of Gold Seals.

In short, he won my trust as a fitter. My skepticism vanished after learning of his experiences.

Here's Tony...



Super nice guy!

The fitting room at OSU is nothing to write home about. They don't stock much, so most skates will be ordered from Riedell. Delivery time for men's skate orders is 3-4 weeks.



Tony brought out some samples of skates that were in stock to show their features. I really liked the Riedell Aria with its leather lining, but I feared that it would be way too stiff for my needs. He agreed.



The woman's skate shown is a Silver Star, brought out for showing the heavily-padded linings. He said that they hold up well for most of his skaters, but gave no guarantee that they'd last 12 years like my old leather-lined Gold Stars. They have a LOT of padding inside, and he said that it will feel too tight until the padding sets a bit.

When he sharpened a pair of Jackson Synchro blades that I brought with me, he had the lightest touch on the Blademaster grinder.



He was continually checking for level edges as he went. I liked what I saw here.

It was a good day, and I'm really glad that I could pick his brains during my appointment.

[FigureSpins]

I love your photo stories.  Hope the new skates, both pairs, fit perfectly!

[Bill_S]

Thanks! I aim to please.

I'm now thinking about how to store two pairs of skates. My current skates are stored on a maple skate rack.



This is mounted to the side of a filing cabinet in my office. I was thinking about adding another skate rack and have both a cherry and a walnut rack left over from that little enterprise.





I noted  that I don't have space on that side of the filing cabinet to add another rack, but there's still the other side of it. There's some magnetically attached papers, etc, but they can move somewhere else. I've got a little work to do before the boots arrive.

[Bill_S]

Over four weeks of waiting for the new skates, and counting. Men's skates take so doggone long to order in!

I also learned through the grapevine that OSU's fitter Tony is leaving. If it's true, it's really a shame.

[tstop4me]

Over four weeks of waiting for the new skates, and counting. Men's skates take so doggone long to order in!

I also learned through the grapevine that OSU's fitter Tony is leaving. If it's true, it's really a shame.

You should have Tony check on your order.  About 5 yrs ago, I ordered a pair of Jacksons.  The skate tech told me delivery time was typically 2 wks.  Three weeks, and still no boots.  I asked the skate tech to check.  The Jackson rep said he had no record of the order.  My skate tech was then about to resubmit the order, when the Jackson rep called back and said he found the order.  Fortunately, the boots were in stock, and I got them a week later.

If your boots are not in stock, however, you might have to wait a while longer, because many boot companies slow down production at this time of year (summer vacations).

I hope Tony hangs around long enough to complete your order.  About a year ago, we had a competent skate tech in a small local shop leave suddenly.  He was the only one in the shop experienced with figure skates; the two other techs were hockey guys only.  Some figure skaters had advanced boots (including customs) on order.  When the gear came in, they had to scramble to find another shop to handle the molding, mounting, sharpening, and adjustments.  All this at substantial extra expense, of course, since the gear had been purchased from a different shop.

[Bill_S]

I intend to call him today.

Heaven knows how many times that sort of thing has happened to me in the past.

My only hope is that Tony is snagged by Chiller Easton which had a decent sized space for a skate shop, and plenty of easy-access rink parking. But I won't hold my breath.

[Bill_S]

I just called. Tony resigned from the rink. The boots that were ordered were sitting on the shelf. The MK Pro blades were not in yet.

The person I talked to promised to look into the MK blade order, and call back. He said that he could do the fitting of the boots "because he's done them before". Hmmmm.

I suspect that it's a good thing that I mount my own blades to boots.

[FigureSpins]

Yep, your talents might result in a happy ending.  Hope it works out well!

[tstop4me]

I just called. Tony resigned from the rink. The boots that were ordered were sitting on the shelf. The MK Pro blades were not in yet.

The person I talked to promised to look into the MK blade order, and call back. He said that he could do the fitting of the boots "because he's done them before". Hmmmm.

I suspect that it's a good thing that I mount my own blades to boots.

Since the other tech is of unknown competency, be sure to specify that he should not sharpen the new blades.  Some techs just sharpen new blades by default.

[Bill_S]

Christmas in August...



I wish that Tony had still been there for a true fitting. The hockey-oriented guy gave me the boxes, and said to come back if they needed punched out. I asked that he not mount nor sharpen the blades. I'll do all this myself. The good news is that the skates and blades are nicely discounted from retail. They are modestly less expensive than Kinzie's Closet, the online retailer.

I got both Riedell 2010 Fusion and Riedell Silver Star boots. Some old men putt around in powerful Corvettes. Having two sets of skates is my old-man fantasy.

I purchased both boots in size 7 Medium. My street shoe size is generally men's size 8.

There's quite a difference in the design of the Fusion boots compared to the more traditional Silver Stars.



I also got a pair of Coronation Aces and a pair of MK Professional blades.

I weighed the boots...



(Fusions - 1.96 lbs)



(Silver Star - 1.84 lbs)

[Bill_S]

[continued]

I will try to measure the profile of the Aces vs. the MK Pros. It's obvious that the spin rocker is different when holding them side-by-side. The drag pick of the Ace is lower to the ice than the Pro when measured from the mounting plate.

Ace...



Pro...



The blades weighed within 5 grams of each other.

An Ace (10-1/4" length) weighed 360 grams.

One MK Professional blade, same length, weighed 355 grams.

I haven't tried on the boots yet as I'm making measurements and noting details. I hope to report on differences in feel between the various boots and blades in the future, so it will be nice to have this data to refer to.

[masterblaster]

This is so interesting, Bill! Thanks for the photos, especially of the spin rocker and drag pick of the two blades. It's so hard to find objective info about blade profiles and comparisons online.

[MCsAngel2]

Ditto. For all I read comparing CA and MK Pro, I never heard that CA's drop pick was that much bigger. (But it makes sense because it's spin rocker is so defined). Can you take pics comparing the rear stanchion?

Any chance you own some Gold Stars and Gold Seals and can do the same comparison photographs?? 

[MCsAngel2]

I got both Riedell 2010 Fusion and Riedell Silver Star boots. Some old men putt around in powerful Corvettes. Having two sets of skates is my old-man fantasy.

 I understand completely. Kudos for spending much, much less than you would on a classic muscle car.

[MCsAngel2]

So in rereading the whole thread, I see that you intend to put the CAs on the silver stars and MK Pros on the Fusions? Because you have them swapped in the pics.

If that's so, I would be curious how the heel heights compare. Because it looks like the silver stars have an ever so slightly higher heel. If that's so and you put the CAs on those (I think they have a higher heel stanchion than MK Pro), they should feel significantly different from the other boots with the Pros.

[Bill_S]

I realized that I had swapped positions of the CA and MK blades after I had posted them. I still intend to put CA on the Silver Stars.

I will pursue more measurements and take more pictures after I get some "honey-do" tasks completed, and find some more time. Stay tuned!

[tstop4me]

The drag pick of the Ace is lower to the ice than the Pro when measured from the mounting plate.

Ace...



Pro...

<<Emphasis added.>> I'm trying to parse that statement in view of the photos.  In the photos, the vertical distance from the bottom surface (not in contact with the boot) of the mounting plate to the drag pick is greater for the Ace than the Pro.   Is that correct?

At any rate, I'm looking forward to your detailed A-B comparison of the geometry of the two blades; in particular, the spin rocker profiles.  Wilson and MK haven't released their specs (at least I haven't been able to track them down).  Paramount did their own measurements, and everyone else appears to quote (or, more often, misquote) their measurements without attribution.   It'll be interesting what you find, because you're equipped to do more detailed measurements.

[Bill_S]

In the photos, the vertical distance from the bottom surface (not in contact with the boot) of the mounting plate to the drag pick is greater for the Ace than the Pro.   Is that correct?

Yes, that's what I was trying to say. I didn't word it very well.

Also the ruler isn't pictured in quite the same orientation (sorry), but I held the camera with my right hand and things were a bit fiddly to hold in position. Consider this a rough measurement.

A couple more observation about the boots - the padded material on the upper heel and tongue of the Fusions is NOT some flimsy, fluffy material. It is dense and rubbery. Photos can give the impression of some light-duty sponge padding underneath, but it's much stouter than that.

Second, I was surprised when I saw the Fusions were slightly heavier than the Silver Stars. The cutouts and three lace-hooks per side construction give the impression of a lighter boot. Faced with this visual contradiction, I looked closely at the comparison photo closely and noted that the ankles are wider on the Fusions. I assume that the reduction of leather in some areas had to be compensated by strengthening the sides of the ankle. But it could be an illusion due to a different "splay" of the sides when untied. We'll see.

As the TV inspector said, "Very interesting!"