I BOUGHT NEW SKATES! I'll let you know if I like them, but want to give it two weeks before I issue a verdict.
I bought Edea Ice Fly with Jackson Ultima blade.
Edea weight per boot with blade: 1 pound 15 ounces
Harlick weight per boot with blade: 2 pounds 15 ounces
Edea blade size: 9.75 (could have gone with a 9.5 too
Harlick blade size: 10.25
Oh, and my Harlicks were a little too big! That's not Harlick's fault. I bought them 3 months after my 2nd baby was born. I had very bad fallen arches (plantar) after the 2nd baby was born and weighed more. Arches tightened and I lost weight. So, I think my feet must have been a little bigger than they are now.
It takes a few hours to get the Edeas feeling pretty perfect. My big toe is near the front, but not squishing or even touching at the front. My other toes were crunched, before the stretching. The time was spent heating, stretching, and then me standing on them. Plan on 3+ hours for the fitting. The inner is like a tennis shoe, but the outer is rigid. They hug everywhere.
The Concerto Edeas are actually alot stronger than the Ice Flys. (Like, the mafia should buy Concerto's for river burials.) The fitter said that he finds men do better in the Concertos, but they are just too strong for women or girls.
Fitter said that the Edeas have a higher heel, and this makes for a shorter blade. The shorter blade is going to make my footwork and moves in the field easier. I did get the "turning a ski" effect occasionally, especially when trying to do straight line swizzles. When I was a kid, i had two pairs of skates: figures and freestyle. If I remember right, my figure blades were dance blades. The Ultima blades I bought have a 30 day guarantee. And, I can get them over to the other rink to get them sharpened, even I have to ground UPS them. Because they are stainless, less sharpening. But, these Ultimas are supposed to make a different sound. My coach doesn't mind the sound of an edge, but she will not put up with toe picks scratching. 30 day guarantee, we will see.
The Edeas are shorter on the leg, a little more like a dance boot. Personally, I'd like skates strapped up to my knees. So, this is something that I am going to have to see about.
Next week, i am resigned to the fact that I will not be able to skate. I may wear my wrist guards. With a higher heel and new blades . . . I expect to fall.