Breaking in new boots AND getting used to new blades

[rd350]

After 16+ weeks, my new skates are FINALLY in!  Going to fitter tomorrow.

I may have already asked this but I can't remember if I did.

Any advice for breaking in new skates while also getting used to a whole different blade profile?  Going from Coronation Ace to Pattern 99's and Reidell Royals (high end skate 20 years ago) to custom Harlicks.

TIA!

[Christy]

Yay - they're finally here. You must be so excited. Harlick have a recommended break-in process - http://www.harlick.com/order/faq.php#break

[twinskaters]

Zero advice but hip hip hooray for the new skates!

[rd350]

Thank you!  Excited and a bit nervous.

Now we had a little misunderstanding and the fitter does not have JW Pattern 99's but does have Eclipse Infinity which are cheaper and he has actually recommended all along.  I have some idea in my head that Wilson's are better but couldn't tell you why!  Oh and the Eclipse also have a 60 day money back guarantee.  Any thoughts?

[icedancer]

I would probably just put the Infinity on there and go out and skate.  If you don't like them in a month order the Pattern 99s - and you can still return the Infinity.

I love that you can return those blades - so frustrating to buy a pair of blades and then not like them!

[Bill_S]

While I have never tried either (so take this with a grain of salt), I wouldn't be afraid of the Eclipse line of blades - especially if your fitter is recommending them. That echoes the opinion of our best fitter within 100 miles.

I like the information about the blades on the Riedell/Eclipse web site. If their skates are as well made as the information, they should be winners. I'm getting Eclipses next time I get new boots.

Breaking in? - I've always just put as many hours on boots as I could, even attending rec skates to just stroke around and get used to them.

[rd350]

Thank you.

Bill, yes, my fitter said the steel is ? more reliable and/or consistent (I can't remember exactly what he said honestly) and that it takes more sharpenings.  He definitely prefers them.  I remember him saying so when we initially met in July.  Yeah - it's been that long!

Good point Icedancer!

I really need to get in these skates.  I have to get a steroid injection on the 23rd and need to be skating in these a couple of weeks before the sports doc will inject me.  I don't want to put it off until next year and he'll be away after that.

[littlerain]

I'm glad they're finally here! Hey I don't think it would hurt to try the eclipse?

[rd350]

Thanks Littlerain, I guess I am going for it.  I need those skates!  The blades will be strange to me no matter what since they are so different than my Coronation Ace's.

[DressmakingMomma]

I printed out and we followed Harlick's break-in and it worked really well. Here are a few extra things we did.

• Heat seemed to really help dd during break-in. Take a pair of new tube socks, fill them up with rice, tie off the top and throw them in the microwave to place in your boot on the way to the rink. We also used a little craft heat gun with her previous boots to help with bad spots, but didn't need it for the Harlicks.
• We did a LOT of retying plus I used a white hair elastic over the top hooks for the first couple of weeks. Also, our fitter replaced the horrible thin nylon laces with fat cotton ones because it was hard to get the skates tight enough and they were killing my fingers.
• I keep packages of round blister discs, a sheet of moleskin, cheap foam insoles and a couple of gel type things along with a pair of scissors in the skate bag so that if anything rubs funny we can take care of it right away. She had trouble with the back collar (we're ordering a backstay on the next pair). I had moleskin with me so I just cut a bit out, plopped it on the skates and she was fine. I also ended up cutting up the foam insole to make a little heel lift for under the harlick insole to help keep her all the way back in the heel pocket. It is really nice to have a little kit of stuff for on the fly fixes.
• And not really a break-in thing, but I put a piece of white skate tape on the inside toe area of her right boot to protect if from lunges. She loves them and can rub the finish off a boot in a session or two. Keeps the new boots looking new.

Enjoy!!!